Metamaterial null flux magnet bearing system

• US 10,533,289 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2017
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyperloop Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hyperloop Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Handmer, Casey, Towle, Brian, Coutre, James
• Primary Examiner(s): McCarry, Jr., Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/471,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20170275827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 25/305 Rails or supporting constructions
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/10 Railway vehicles in general B61
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0461 of stationary parts of the magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0468 of moving parts of the magnetic circuit, e.g. of the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0472 for linear movement

Abstract

Non-contact bearing system, such as a magnetic levitation system, having a geometry. The geometry includes a plurality of track elements arranged to nest together in a length direction. The plurality of track elements are shaped to define at least an upper and a lower null flux crossing and the plurality of nested track elements form a conductive metamaterial. Method for constructing a metamaterial null flux magnetic levitation track with tessellating elements of stamped conductors.

Claims

1. A non-contact bearing extending in a travel direction comprising:

a plurality of track elements arranged to nest together in the travel direction,

wherein each of the plurality of track elements are shaped to define at least an upper null flux crossing and a lower null flux crossing and the plurality of nested track elements form a conductive metamaterial.

2. The non-contact bearing according to claim 1, wherein each track element includes a first bent leg and a second bent leg.

3. The non-contact bearing according to claim 2, wherein the first and second bent legs, when viewed in a direction normal to the travel direction, form three adjacent stacked loops.

4. The non-contact bearing according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer arranged between each of the nested track elements.

5. A vehicle system comprising:

the non-contact bearing according to claim 1; and

a vehicle configured to travel along the metamaterial,

wherein the vehicle includes at least a pair of magnet arrays arranged parallel to each other on a first side of the conductive metamaterial.

6. The vehicle system according to claim 5, wherein the magnet arrays extend in the travel direction.

7. The vehicle system according to claim 5, wherein, as the vehicle travels along the conductive metamaterial, the pair of magnet arrays are arranged to travel along the upper null flux crossing and lower null flux crossing.

8. The vehicle system according to claim 5, wherein the conductive metamaterial is arranged so that the vehicle travels over the conductive metamaterial.

9. The vehicle system according to claim 5, wherein the conductive metamaterial is arranged so that the vehicle travels suspended from the conductive metamaterial.

10. The vehicle system according to claim 5, further comprising at least a second pair of magnet arrays arranged parallel to each other on a second side of the conductive metamaterial, which is opposite the first side, wherein the magnet arrays on the first side are arranged parallel to the magnet arrays on the second side.

11. The vehicle system according to claim 5, wherein the magnet arrays include a plurality of magnetic elements in which a north-south direction for each magnetic element is shifted 90°

from an adjacent magnetic element.

12. The vehicle system according to claim 5, wherein a movement of the magnet arrays over the conductive metamaterial at a predefined velocity creates a magnetic force to generate lift that provides vertical displacement between the vehicle and the track.

13. The vehicle system according to claim 5, wherein the at least a pair of magnet arrays comprises at least an upper magnet array and a lower magnet array and

wherein, on at least the first side of the conductive metamaterial:

the upper magnet array of the pair of magnet arrays, which is arranged to travel along the upper null flux crossing, comprises a plurality of magnet sets in which each magnet set comprises four individual magnets of which respective N-poles are pointed in different directions and the N-poles of each adjacent magnet are 90°

offset from each other, and

the lower magnet array of the pair of magnet arrays, which is arranged to travel along the lower null flux crossing, comprises a plurality of magnet sets in which each magnet set comprises four individual magnets of which respective N-poles are pointed in a direction opposite the N-poles of respective magnets of the magnet assembly along the upper null flux crossing located vertically above.

14. A method of forming the conductive metamaterial of the transport system according to claim 1, comprising:

forming a first leg of one individual track element from a conductive material and bending the first leg to form a first part of a first individual track element;

forming a second leg of the one individual track element from the conductive material and bending the second leg in a complementary manner to that of the first leg to form the first individual track element;

forming a first leg of another individual track element from a conductive material and bending the first leg to form a first part of a second individual track element;

forming a second leg of the other individual track element from the conductive material and bending the second leg in a complementary manner to that of the first leg to form the second individual track element; and

stacking the first individual track element and the second individual track element together in the travel direction, whereby the respective first legs and the respective second legs are nested together.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, before the stacking, inserting an insulator layer between the first individual track element and the second individual track element.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein, before the stacking, forming an insulator layer on at least one of the first individual track element and the second individual track element.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the bent legs of the first and second individual track elements, when viewed cross-wise to the travel direction, form stacked diamonds.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the stacked diamonds include three stacked diamonds so that a crossing point between an upper diamond and a middle diamond forms the upper null flux crossing and a crossing point between the middle diamond and a lower diamond forms the lower null flux crossing.

19. A method for constructing a conductive metamaterial null flux magnetic levitation track, comprising:

nesting tessellating elements formed from stamped conductors in a travel direction.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the elements comprise conductive loops having first and second legs that are bent, between an upper end and a lower end of the conductive loop, to form an upper null flux crossing and a lower null flux crossing.