Magnetic retainer assembly
First Claim
1. A magnetic retainer assembly (1) for selectively securing thereto and detaching therefrom a magnetizable object (14), comprising:
- a plurality of columnar permanent magnets (2) of a like shape and size, each of which is axially magnetized and has two opposed magnetic poles at its two axially opposite end faces, the magnets (2) being arranged respectively at predetermined positions regularly spaced apart and constituting a predetermined set in the assembly (1) so as to individually produce magnetic fluxes of a uniform strength emanating from one of said two axially opposite end faces and terminating at the other of said two axially opposite end faces of each of said columnar permanent magnets;
support means (5) having each of said permanent magnets (2) individually at least laterally embedded therein for holding said magnets (2) at said spaced-apart positions in an essentially magnetically insulating relationship with each other;
first magnetic-path forming means (7,12) associated with said support means (5) for magnetically connecting said opposed poles of each of said permanent magnets (2) individually with said magnetizable object (14) through a first magnetic circuit (12, 14, 7,
5) of a sufficiently low magnetic reluctance to cause said assembly (1) to be attached to said object (14) or vice versa; and
second magnetic-path forming means (13) associated with said support means (5) for establishing, for each of said permanent magnets (2) and parallel to the first magnetic circuit thereof, a respective second magnetic circuit (13, 14, 7,
5) of a relatively high magnetic reluctance for shunting said first magnetic circuit when said object (14) is to be, or remains detached from said assembly, said permanent magnets (2) having their areas of magnetization essentially in parallel with one another.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to the present invention there is provided a magnetic retainer assembly adapted for selective attachment to and detachment from a magnetic object, which assembly comprises: a plurality of permanent magnet members of a uniform shape and size arranged regularly in a predetermined set of positions in the assembly for individually producing magnetic fields of a uniform field strength; support means in the assembly for holding the permanent magnet members securely therein and positioning said members spaced apart from one another in an essentially magnetically insulating relationship; and magnetic path-forming means in the support member for providing a magnetic path for each of the permanent magnet members to be magnetically conducted with the magnetizable object, thereby magnetically securing the assembly to the object.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A magnetic retainer assembly (1) for selectively securing thereto and detaching therefrom a magnetizable object (14), comprising:
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a plurality of columnar permanent magnets (2) of a like shape and size, each of which is axially magnetized and has two opposed magnetic poles at its two axially opposite end faces, the magnets (2) being arranged respectively at predetermined positions regularly spaced apart and constituting a predetermined set in the assembly (1) so as to individually produce magnetic fluxes of a uniform strength emanating from one of said two axially opposite end faces and terminating at the other of said two axially opposite end faces of each of said columnar permanent magnets; support means (5) having each of said permanent magnets (2) individually at least laterally embedded therein for holding said magnets (2) at said spaced-apart positions in an essentially magnetically insulating relationship with each other; first magnetic-path forming means (7,12) associated with said support means (5) for magnetically connecting said opposed poles of each of said permanent magnets (2) individually with said magnetizable object (14) through a first magnetic circuit (12, 14, 7,
5) of a sufficiently low magnetic reluctance to cause said assembly (1) to be attached to said object (14) or vice versa; andsecond magnetic-path forming means (13) associated with said support means (5) for establishing, for each of said permanent magnets (2) and parallel to the first magnetic circuit thereof, a respective second magnetic circuit (13, 14, 7,
5) of a relatively high magnetic reluctance for shunting said first magnetic circuit when said object (14) is to be, or remains detached from said assembly, said permanent magnets (2) having their areas of magnetization essentially in parallel with one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification