METAMATERIAL NULL FLUX MAGNETIC BEARING SYSTEM

• US 20200131712A1
• Filed: 12/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 11,391,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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

A track element of a non-contact bearing extending in a length direction. The track element includes a conductive material strip having a facing surface with a height and width and a rear surface opposite the facing surfaces. The conductive material strip includes a slit extending in a height direction to form a first leg and a second leg, in which the first leg is bent in a zig-zag shape and the second leg is bent in a zig-zag shape that is complementary to the bending of the first leg. When the conductive material strip is viewed in a direction parallel to the facing surface, the first leg and the second leg cross each other at least once.

Claims

1. A track element of a non-contact bearing extending in a length direction, the track element comprising:

a conductive material strip having a facing surface with a height and width and a rear surface opposite the facing surfaces;

the conductive material strip includes a slit extending in a height direction to form a first leg and a second leg;

the first leg being bent in a zig-zag shape;

the second leg being bent in a zig-zag shape that is complementary to the bending of the first leg,

wherein, when viewing the conductive material strip from a width side in a direction parallel to the facing surface, the first leg and the second leg cross each other at least once.

2. The track element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second legs are configured to be parallel to each other.

3. The track element according to claim 1, wherein, along the slit, the first and second leg are arranged in a non-contacting manner.

4. The track element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second leg are connected to each other at at least one of a top or a bottom of the slit.

5. The track element according to claim 4, wherein the first and second leg are connected to each other at both the top and bottom of the slit.

6. The track element according to claim 1, wherein a material of the conductive material strips comprises one of a conductor metal or metal alloy.

7. The track element according to claim 6, wherein the one of conductor metal or metal alloy comprises aluminum, copper, or graphite.

8. The track element according to claim 1, wherein the conductive material strip has a height of 12″

, a thickness of 0.5 mm, and the first and second legs have widths of 0.25″

.

9. The track element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second leg, when viewed in the direction parallel to the facing surface, cross each other at least twice.

10. The track element according to claim 1, wherein a null flux crossing is establishable where the first and second leg, when viewed parallel to the facing surface, cross each other.

11. A non-contact bearing comprising:

a plurality of track elements according to claim 1,

the track elements being nested so that the facing surface of one of the conductive material strips is parallel to the rear surface of an adjacent one of the conductive material strips.

12. The non-contact bearing according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of nested track elements are fixedly joined together.

13. The non-contact bearing according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of nested track elements are fixedly joined together by glue or plastic.

14. The non-contact bearing according to claim 11, further comprising an insulating layer arranged between each conductive material strip.

15. The non-contact bearing according to claim 14, wherein the insulating layer comprises aluminum oxide.

16. The non-contact bearing according to claim 15, wherein the aluminum oxide layer is formed on the facing and rear surface of each conductive material strip.

17. A method for forming a non-contact bearing having a length direction, the method comprising:

nesting a plurality of track elements together in the length direction,

wherein each track element is configured so that, when the plurality of track elements are nested together, at least one null flux crossing is establishable in the length direction.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein each track element comprises a conductive material strip having a facing surface with a height and width and a rear surface opposite the facing surface;

wherein each conductive material strip includes a first leg bent in a zig-zag shape and a second leg bent in a zig-zag shape that is complementary to the bending of the first leg, and

wherein, when the conductive material strip is viewed in a direction parallel to the facing surface, the first leg and the second leg cross each other at least once.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the track elements are nested together so that the facing surface of one of the conductive material strips is parallel to the rear surface of an adjacent one of the conductive material strips.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein, before nesting the plurality of track elements together, the method comprises forming an insulating layer on at least one of the facing surface or rear surface of each conductive material strip, so that the each of nested track elements are separated from each other by an insulating layer.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein each track element is configured so that, when the plurality of track elements are nested together, at least two null flux crossings, which are establishable in the length direction, are separated in a height direction of the non-contact bearing.