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the change in magnetic forces imposed thereon. The use of several
armature magnets tends to "smooth out" the application of forces imposed
upon linked armature magnets, resulting in a smoother movement of the armature
magnet assembly. Of course, any number of armature magnets may be interconnected,
limited only by the width of the stator magnet track 22.
In FIGS. 9 and 10 a rotary embodiment embracing the inventive
concepts is illustrated. In this embodiment the principle of operation is
identical to that described above, but the orientation of the stator and
armature magnets is such that rotation of the armature magnets is produced
about an axis, rather than a linear movement being achieved.
In FIGS. 9 and 10 a base is represented at 46 serving as a support
for a stator member 48. The stator member 48 is made of a nonmagnetic material,
such as synthetic plastic, aluminum, or the like. The stator includes a
cylindrical surface 50 having an axis, and a threaded bore 52 is concentrically
defined in the stator. The stator includes an annular groove 54 receiving
an annular sleeve 56 of high magnetic field permeability material such as
Netic Co-Netic and a plurality of stator magnets 58 are affixed upon the
sleeve 56 in spaced circumferential relationship as will be apparent in FIG.
10. Preferably, the stator magnets 58 are formed with converging radial
sides as to be of a wedge configuration having a curved inner surface
engaging sleve 56,and a convex pole surface 60.
The armature 62, in the illustrated embodiment, is of a dished
configuration having a radial web portion, and an axially extending portion
64. The armature 62 is formed of a nonmagnetic material, and an annular belt
receiving groove 66 is defined therein for receiving a belt for transmitting
power from the armature to a generator, or other power consuming device.
Three armature magnets 68 are mounted on the armature portion 64, and such
magnets are of a configuration similar to the armature magnet configuration
of FIGS. 5 through 7. The magnets 68 are staggered with respect to each other
in a circumferential direction wherein the magnets are not disposed as
120o circumferential relationships to each other. Rather, a slight
angular staggering of the armature magnets is desirable to "smooth out" the
magnetic forces being imposed upon the armature as a result of the magnetic
forces being simultaneously imposed upon each of the armature magnets. The
staggering of the armature magnets 68 in a circumferential direction produces
the same effect as the staggering of the armature magnets 40 and 42 as shown
in FIG. 8.
The armature 62 is mounted upon a threaded shaft 70 by antifriction
hearings 72, and the shaft 70 is threaded into the stator threaded bore 52,
and may be rotated by the knob 74. In this manner rotation of the knob 74,
and shaft 70, axially displaces the armature 62 with respect to the stator
magnets 58, and such axial displacement will very the magnitude of the magnetic
forces imposed upon the armature magnets 68 by the stator magnets thereby
controlling the speed of rotation of the armature.
As will be noted from FIGS. 4-7 and 9 and 10, an air gap
exists between the armature magnets and the stator magnets and
the dimension of this spacing, effects the magnitude of the forces imposed
upon the armature magnet or magnets. If the distance between the armature
magnets and the stator magnets is reduced the forces imposed upon
the armature magnets by the stator magnets are increased, and the resultant
force
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vector tending to displace the armature magnets in their
path of movement increases. However, the decreasing of the spacing between
the armature and stator magnets creates a "pulsation" in the movement
of the armature magnets which is objectionable, but can be, to some extent,
minimized by using a plurality of armature magnets. The increasing of the
distance between the armature and stator magnets reduces the pulsation tendency
of the armature magnet, but also reduces the magnitude of the magnetic forces
inposed upon the armature magnets. Thus, the most effective spacing
between the armature and stator magnets is that spacing which produces the
maximum force vector in the direction of armature magnet movement, with a
minimum creation of objectionable pulsation.
In the disclosed embodiments the high permeability plate 20
and sleeve 56 are disclosed for concentrating the magnetic field of the stator
magnets, and the armature magnets are bowed and have shaped ends for magnetic
field concentration purposes. While such magnetic field concentration means
result in higher forces imposed upon the armature magnets for given magnet
intensities, it is not intended that the inventive concepts be limited to
the use of such magnetic field concentrating means.
As will be appreciated from the above description of the invention,
the movement of the armature magnet or magnets results from the described
relationship of components. The length of the armature magnets as related
to the width of the stator magnets and spacing therebetween, the dimension
of the air gap and the configuration of the magnetic field, combined, produce
the desired result and motion. The inventive concepts may be practiced even
though these relationships may be varied within limits not yet defined and
the invention is intended to encompass all dimensional relationships which
achieve the desired goal of armature movement. By way of example, with respect
to FIGS. 4-7, the following dimensions were used in an operating prototype:
The length of armature magnet 24 is 3.125", the stator magnets
12 are 1" wide, .25" thick and 4" long and grain oriented. The air gap between
the poles of the armature magnet and the stator magnets is approximately
1.5" and the spacing between the stator magnets is approximately .5" inch.
In effect, the stator magnets define a magnetic field track of a single
polarity transversely interrupted at spaced locations by the magnetic fields
produced by the lines of force existing between the poles of the stator magnets
and the unidirectional force exerted on the armature magnet is a result of
the repulsion and attraction forces existing as the armature magnet traverses
this magnetic field track.
It is to be understood that the inventive concept embraces an
arrangement wherein the armature magnet component is stationary and the stator
assembly is supported for movement and constitutes the moving component,
and other variations of the inventive concept will be apparent to those skilled
in the art without departing from the scope thereof. As used herein the term
"track" is intended to include both linear and circular arrangements of the
static magnets, and the "direction" or "length" of the track is that direction
parallel or concentric to the intended direction of armature magnet
movement.
I claim!
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