MRI-safe Electro-magnetic Tranducer
First Claim
1. An electromagnetic transducer comprising:
- a housing;
at least one coil associated with the housing;
a spherical magnet within the housing, the magnet substantially restricted to rotation in any direction and movement along an axis; and
a first keeper and a second keeper positioned on opposite sides of the magnet, both the first keeper and the second keeper including magnetically soft material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electromagnetic transducer includes a housing. At least one coil is associated with the housing. A spherical magnet within the housing is capable of turning in any direction and of moving along an axis. A first keeper and a second keeper are positioned on opposite sides of the magnet, both the first keeper and the second keeper including magnetically soft material and free to move along the axis. A first biasing member holds the first keeper along the axis, and a second biasing element that holds the second keeper along the axis. The first keeper and the second keeper are attracted by magnetic poles of the magnet in the absence of an external magnetic field, such that opposing magnetic poles of the magnet are aligned parallel to the axis. Alternating current flowing through the at least one coil causes a vibration of the magnet, the vibration transferred to the housing.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An electromagnetic transducer comprising:
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a housing; at least one coil associated with the housing; a spherical magnet within the housing, the magnet substantially restricted to rotation in any direction and movement along an axis; and a first keeper and a second keeper positioned on opposite sides of the magnet, both the first keeper and the second keeper including magnetically soft material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of controlling a transducer, the transducer including a spherical magnet positioned within a housing, the spherical magnet substantially restricted to rotation in any direction and movement along an axis, the method comprising:
positioning a first keeper and a second keeper on opposite sides of the spherical magnet, both the first keeper and the second keeper including magnetically soft material, the first keeper and the second keeper attracted by magnetic poles of the magnet in the absence of an external magnetic field, such that opposing magnetic poles of the magnet are aligned parallel to the axis. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
Specification