Permanent magnet actuator mechanism

• US 6,501,357 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ametek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quizix, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Petro, John
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US09/802,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20010026204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 335/220, 335/229, 335/230, 335/234, 335/256, 335/266, 335/268, 251/129-1-1, 310/12, 310/13, 310/14, 310/15, 310/17
• US Class Current: 335/229
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2007/1669 Armatures actuated by current pulse, e.g. bistable actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/13 characterised by pulling-force characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/1615 Armatures or stationary parts of magnetic circuit having permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/506 making use of permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2051/2218 having at least one movable permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 51/2209 with rectilinearly movable armature
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/10 of the permanent-magnet type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/11 with dynamo-electric clutches

Abstract

A permanent magnet, bistable actuator mechanism that uses magnetic repulsion for actuation, the actuator mechanism having a first translator member with a permanent magnet element displaceable between a first position and a second position and a second translator member having a permanent magnet element displaceable between a first position and a second position with the permanent magnet elements in mutual repulsion, the translator elements being arranged in a frame or containment structure that limits displacements of the first and second translator members with one of the translator members being a master member and the other being a slave member, such that displacement of the master member from one position to the other displaces the slave member in an opposite direction with the displacement process being reversible.

Claims

1. A permanent magnet actuator mechanism comprising:

a first magnet member having a permanent magnet element wherein the first magnet member is displaceable between a first position and second position;

a second magnet member having a permanent magnet element wherein the second magnet member is displaceable between a first position and a second position;

a containment structure wherein the magnet element of the first magnet member is proximately positioned to the magnet element of the second magnet member and the magnets are maintained in substantial repulsion; and

, wherein displacement of one of said first and second magnet members from one of said first and second positions to the other of said first and second positions actuates the opposite displacement of the other of said first and second magnet members from the opposite one of said first and second positions to the other of said first and second positions.

2. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 1 wherein the permanent magnet element of the first magnet member is a magnet and the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member is a magnet.

3. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 1 wherein the permanent magnet element of the first magnet member is a multiple magnet assembly and the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member is a multiple magnet assembly.

4. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 1 wherein the containment structure has first and second displacement limits that limit displacements of the first magnet member to the first position and to the second position, and, has third and fourth displacement limits that limit displacements of the second magnet member to the first position and to the second position.

5. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 4 wherein the displacement limits of the containment structure comprise stops.

6. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 4 wherein the containment structure comprises a frame wherein the frame has a guide for displacements of one of the first magnet member and the second magnet member.

7. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 4 wherein the containment structure comprises a frame wherein the frame has a guide for displacements of the first magnet member and a guide for displacements of the second magnet member.

8. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 1 comprising further, a spring wherein one of the first magnet member and the second magnet member is a master member and the other of the first magnet member and the second magnet member is a slave member wherein the spring is retained by the containment structure at one of said first and second positions of the master member and limits displacement of the master member at that position.

9. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 1 comprising further, first and second springs wherein one of said first magnet member and the second magnet member is a master member and the other of the first magnet member and the second magnet member is a slave member wherein the first spring is retained by the containment structure at the first position of the master member and limits displacement of the master member at that position, and the second spring is retained by the containment structure at the second position of the master member and limits displacement of the master member at that position.

10. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 1 in combination with a prime mover device wherein one of said first magnet member and said second magnet member is a master member and the other of said first magnet member and said second magnet member is a slave member wherein the prime mover device displaces the master member in one direction which actuates displacement of the slave member in an opposite direction.

11. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 10 wherein the prime mover device comprises a mechanical actuator connected to the master member wherein mechanical displacement of the mechanical actuator results in displacement of the master member.

12. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 10 wherein the prime mover device comprises an electronic coil wherein electrical activation of the coil displaces the master member.

13. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 10 wherein the prime mover device comprises an electromagnetic driver that coacts with the permanent magnet element of the master member wherein electrical activation of the electromagnetic driver selectively displaces the master member in one of a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction.

14. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 1 wherein the permanent magnet element of the first magnet member has an annular configuration with an axis and an axial annulus and the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member has a cylindrical configuration with an axis wherein the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member is positioned within the annulus of the permanent magnet element of the first magnet member wherein the magnet elements have a common axis.

15. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 14 wherein the containment structure has a casing separating the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member from the permanent magnet element of the first magnet member.

16. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 15 wherein the casing separating the second magnet member from the first magnet member forms a chamber with the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member being reciprocal in the chamber.

17. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 16 wherein the chamber is elongated with ends each end having an aperture wherein a passage is formed between the apertures.

18. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 17 wherein at least one aperture has a valve seat and the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member has a sealing element that is engageable with the valve seat when the second magnet member is displaced toward the aperture having the sealing element.

19. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 18 wherein the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member is elongated with ends and the sealing element is a sealing ball on one end of the elongated permanent magnet element.

20. The permanent magnet actuator mechanism of claim 17 wherein the permanent magnet element of the second magnet member is elongated with ends wherein on of the ends on displacement of the permanent magnet element selectively blocks one of the apertures.

21. A method for actuating a permanent magnetic actuator having a first translator member with a permanent magnetic element having a magnet field polarity wherein the first translator member is displaceable between a first position and a second position, and a second translator member having a permanent magnetic element with a magnet field polarity wherein the second translator member is displaceable between a first position and a second position:

limiting a displacement of said first and second translator member such that the first and second translator members are proximately positioned with the magnetic field polarity of the permanent magnetic element of the first translator element in substantial opposition to the magnetic field polarity of the magnetic element of the second translator member when said respective first and second translator members are in said respective first and second positions; and

displacing one of said first and second translator members from one of said first and second positions such that a magnetic force between the permanent magnetic element of the first translator element and the magnetic element of the second translator member actuates an opposite displacement of the other of said first and second translator members from one of said first and second positions to the other of said first and second positions.

22. A permanent magnetic actuator device comprising:

a first translator member with a permanent magnetic element having a magnet field polarity wherein the first translator member is displaceable between a first position and a second position;

a second translator member having a permanent magnetic element with a magnet field polarity wherein the second translator member is displaceable between a first position and a second position;

means for limiting a displacement of said first and second translator members such that the first and second translator members are proximately positioned with the magnetic field polarity of the permanent magnetic element of the first translator element in substantial opposition to the magnetic field polarity of the magnetic element of the second translator member when said respective first and second translator members are in said respective first and second positions; and

means for displacing one of said first and second translator members from one of the first and second positions such that a magnetic force between the permanent magnetic element of the first translator element and the magnetic element of the second translator member actuates an opposite displacement of the other of said first and second translator members from one of said first and second positions to the other of said first and second positions.

23. The permanent magnet device of claim 22 wherein the permanent magnet element of the first translator member comprises a set of permanent magnets and wherein the permanent magnet element of the second translator member comprises a set of permanent magnets.

24. The permanent magnet device of claim 23 wherein the sets of permanent magnets in the first translator member and the second translator member have permanent magnets separated by pole pieces.

25. The permanent magnet device of claim 23 wherein the permanent magnet element of the first translator member comprises first and second sets of permanent magnets and the permanent magnet element of the second translator member comprises first and second sets of permanent magnets wherein the permanent magnets in the first sets have a thickness, and the permanent magnets in the second sets have a thickness approximately one third the thickness of the permanent magnets in the first sets the thickness of the permanent magnets in the second sets being selected and arranged to flatten a translocation force curve when one of said first and second translator members is displaced relative to the other of said first and second translator members.

26. The permanent magnet device of claim 25 wherein the permanent magnets of the sets are separated by pole pieces and are arranged in stacks with the stacks of permanent magnets of the first translator member being arranged proximate to the permanent magnets of the second translator member.