Patent ID: 8183965

Claim:
A switchable core element-based permanent magnet apparatus for holding and lifting a desired target comprised of: two core elements each of which is comprised of one or more permanent magnets, the core elements separated from each other by an air gap or low friction material for the purpose of reducing the friction and facilitating a rotation between said core elements, each core element with a magnetic north and south pole and two pole conduits made of a magnetically soft material, the magnetic poles of the permanent magnets each being adjacent and affixed to the two magnetically soft pole conduits, the permanent magnet or permanents magnets within each core element being oriented such that the magnetic north pole or poles of the permanent magnet or permanent magnets are adjacent and affixed to one pole conduit and the magnetic south pole or poles of the permanent magnet or permanent magnets are adjacent and affixed to the other pole conduit, said pole conduits being capable of containing and redirecting the magnetic field of the permanent magnet or permanent magnets; two carrier platters including a lower carrier platter and an upper carrier platter, wherein each carrier platter constrains or holds the individual core element components such that the north and south pole conduits of the core elements are radially opposed, that is, in a same flat surface horizontal plane as the carrier platter; each carrier platter is vertically constrained to the adjacent carrier platter so that each carrier platter may rotate concentrically by rotation means with respect to the adjacent carrier platter; such that the magnetic field emanating from the pole conduits: deactivates when the pole conduits are anti-aligned, that is, the majority if not all of the magnetic field emanating from the pole conduits is neutralized, such that the south pole conduit (S) of a first core element is juxtaposed with the north pole conduit (N) of a second adjacent core element and the north pole conduit (N) of the first core element is juxtaposed with the south pole conduit (S) of the second core element (S-N/N-S); and activates when the pole conduits are aligned, that is, the majority if not all of the magnetic field emanating from the pole conduits is actuated, such that the south pole conduit (S) of the first core element is juxtaposed with the south pole conduit (S) of the second adjacent core element and the north pole conduit (N) of the first core element is juxtaposed with the north pole conduit (N) of the second core element (S-S/N-N), thereby actuating the magnetic field emanating from the pole conduits.