Magnetic motion producing device

• US 5,394,132 A
• Filed: 07/20/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James E. Poil
• Original Assignee: James E. Poil
• Inventors: Poil, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRERA, RAMON M
• Application Number:
  US08/093,669
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 335/222-224, 335/229-234, 335/242, 335/257, 335/259, 335/264, 335/267, 623/24
• US Class Current: 335/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/54 Artificial arms or hands or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0009 comprising multi-articulated fingers, e.g. resembling a human hand
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 18/06 flexible

Abstract

A motion producing device in the form of a linear actuator, circular pump, or a robotic or prosthetic limb which functions to produce many kinds of work is provided. The device includes a linear series of alternately spaced fixed and polarity reversible magnets. The fixed and polarity reversible magnets may have more than one magnet assembled as a force unit of magnets of fixed polarity or reversible polarity which is surrounded by a rigid electrically insulating material and that carries rigid electrical conductors in the form of tubes. Between each magnetic force unit is an elastic electrically insulating material allowing expanding or shrinking of the distance between the magnetic force units in accordance with the polarity reversal of the reversible magnetic force units. The elastic expansion or contraction material carries flexible elastic tubes that connect with the rigid tubes to hold a current carrying electrolyte to carry electrical current from a D.C. battery to the magnets when they are electromagnets. Various types of guides are used to prevent lateral movement of the magnets. A second embodiment also has magnetic force units of the fixed and reversible polarity type but has slideable electrical contacts in an external side guide and requires no electrolyte or tubes. A further modification utilizes the original rigid tubes and provides guide rods as slideable electrical contacts to slideably engage the rigid tubes which are metal. Again the disposing of the elastic flexible nonconductive tubes in the elastic nonconductive filler material between adjacent magnets is possible.

Claims

1. A motion producing device utilizing magnetic lines of force comprising in combination, a series of magnetically linked magnetic force units, said series formed by a magnetic force unit including at least one fixed polarity magnet alternating with a next adjacent magnetic force unit including at least one reversible polarity magnet, each said magnetic force unit further including rigid electrically nonconductive material surrounding each said fixed polarity magnet and said reversible polarity magnet, first rigid electricity carrying means embedded in said rigid electrically nonconductive material of each said magnetic force units, an elastic electrically nonconductive filler separating each of said magnetic force units, first elastic electricity carrying means embedded in said elastic electrically nonconductive filler and joined in series with said first rigid electricity carrying means of each said adjacent magnetic force units forming a first circuit, an elastic electrically nonconductive outer sheath supporting and protecting said series, said at least one reversible polarity magnet being an electromagnet, an electrical power source connected to said at least one electromagnet through said first circuit and a polarity reversing means in said first circuit, whereby reversing the polarity of said first circuit reverses the polarity of said at least one electromagnet changing the direction of said magnetic lines of force thereby providing an expanding or contracting motion of said motion producing device, like adjacent poles causing expansion and unlike adjacent poles causing contraction.

2. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 1 further including a coupler end cap at a first end of said series of magnetic force units and an electrical connector cap at a second end of said series of magnetic force units supporting a portion of said first circuit and wherein said at least one fixed polarity magnet is a permanent magnet.

3. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said series of magnetic force units includes more than one magnetic force unit having a fixed polarity magnet and more than one magnetic force unit having a reversible polarity magnet,

4. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 3 wherein each magnetic force unit having at least one reversible polarity magnet contains two or more reversible polarity magnets that are all electromagnets and are connected in parallel with said power source on said first circuit.

5. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 4 wherein each magnetic force unit having at least one fixed polarity magnet contains two or more fixed polarity magnets that are all electromagnets and are connected in parallel with said power source on a second circuit formed of a joined series of second rigid electrical carrying means and second elastic electrical carrying means.

6. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 5 further including a rheostat in said first circuit and said second circuit to increase or decrease the strength of said electromagnets in each of said circuits separately.

7. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said series of magnetic force units are linearly aligned.

8. A motion producing device as-claimed in claim 6 wherein said series of magnetic force units are circularly formed.

9. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 7 further including means for guiding movement of said series of magnetic force units.

10. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said guide means includes guide trucks rolling in a channel guide rail with guide truck stop, an extension of said magnetic force units are fastened to one or more of said guide trucks.

11. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said guide means is formed of a rigid outer tubing encompassing said series of magnetic force units permitting only longitudinal movement thereof and a tube stop formed at an end of said rigid outer tubing to limit travel of said series of magnetic force units.

12. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said guide means includes guide rods with limiting stop, slideably penetrating longitudinally said series of magnetic force units.

13. A motion producing device utilizing magnetic lines of force comprising in combination:

a power source, a longitudinal series of magnetically linked magnetic force units, said series formed by a magnetic force unit including at least one fixed polarity magnet alternating with a next adjacent magnetic force unit including at least one reversible polarity magnet, each said magnetic force units further including rigid nonelectrically conductive material surrounding each said fixed polarity magnet and said reversible polarity magnet, a plurality of first electricity carrying means connected to said fixed polarity magnets and embedded in said rigid nonelectrically conductive material of each related said magnetic force units, an elastic nonelectrically conductive filler separating all adjacent magnetic force units, longitudinal guide means for guiding said series of force units in motion, a plurality of second electricity carrying means carried by said longitudinal guide means and slideably contacting said plurality of first electricity carrying means to form with said power source a first circuit for carrying power to said fixed polarity magnets, a plurality of third electricity carrying means connected to said reversible polarity magnets and embedded in said rigid nonelectrically conductive material of each related said magnetic force units, a plurality of fourth electricity carrying means carried by said longitudinal guide means and slideably contacting said plurality of third electricity carrying means to form with said power source a second circuit for carrying current to said reversible polarity magnets, said second circuit including a polarity reverser, whereby reversing the polarity of said second circuit reverses the polarity of said reversible polarity magnets thereby causing an expansion or contraction of the device due to the magnetic laws of repulsion and attraction applied to the magnets.

14. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said longitudinal guide means externally engages opposite sides of said longitudinal series of force units and wherein said plurality of first electricity carrying means and said plurality of third electricity carrying means includes moveable contacts protruding from said rigid nonelectrically conductive material.

15. A motion producing device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said plurality of first electricity carrying means, and said plurality of third electricity carrying means are metallic tubes embedded in said rigid nonelectrically conductive material and, wherein said longitudinal guide means are guide rods slideably supported by said metallic tubes.

16. A motion producing device utilizing magnetic lines of force comprising in combination, a series of alternately spaced fixed and polarity reversible magnets, electrically insulating material surrounding each magnet of said series of magnets, elastic electrically insulating material mounted between each adjacent fixed and polarity reversible magnets, a power source, current conducting means for carrying current to at least said polarity reversible magnets from said power source, a polarity reversing means in said current conducting means that reverses the polarity of said current conducting means to said at least polarity reversible magnets, and guide means to control expansion or contraction movement of said series as said power source is applied.