Patent ID: 8205728

Claim:
Magnetorheological force transmission device, comprising: two solid body parts operable to be moved in a substantially translational manner against each other, and an MRF gap, which is at least partially filled with a magnetorheological material ( 2 MRF), the MRF gap being arranged at least one of: (i) at least partially inside one of the two parts, (ii) at least partially inside both of the two parts, and (iii) at least partially in-between the two parts, and a magnetic circuit system operating to generate a magnetic flux within at least part of the MRF gap, the magnetic circuit system including: (i) at least one electromagnet each having at least one coil, (ii) at least one permanent magnet, and (iii) at least one of a magnetic-field-balancing insert and a magnetic isolator, wherein the at least one electromagnet is operable to produce a varying portion of the magnetic flux, and the at least one permanent magnet is operable to produce a fixed portion of the magnetic flux, wherein the magnetic flux exhibits a magnetic base field within the at least part of the MRF gap and acting upon the magnetorheological material ( 2 MRF) therein, when there is no current flowing through the coil of the at least one electromagnet, and the varying portion of the magnetic flux is variable and additive to the magnetic base field when a varying current is flowing through the coil in a first direction, and is variable and subtractive to the magnetic base field when a variable current is flowing through the coil in a second, opposite direction.