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VARIABLE FIELD MAGNETIC HOLDING SYSTEM

  • US 20140049347A1
  • Filed: 02/25/2013
  • Published: 02/20/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A magnetic holding device, comprising:

  • an array of a plurality of switchable magnets;

    a carrier that holds the array of switchable magnets to form at least a portion of a working surface;

    each switchable magnet in the array having a coil of wire surrounding a magnetizable core element;

    the array arranged in a plurality of groups of one or more switchable magnets in each group; and

    a magnetizing and demagnetizing circuit coupled to the coils and configured to selectively carry out magnetizing and demagnetizing actions on each group of switchable magnets so as to selectively and independently place each group of switchable magnets in the array into a selected one of the following states;

    a first ON state that configures the selected group to have a first magnetic polarity at the working surface,a second ON state that configures the selected group to have a second magnetic polarity that is opposite the first magnetic polarity at the working surface, andan OFF state that configures all of the switchable magnets in the selected group to have little or no magnetism at the working surface.

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