Correlated magnetic breakaway device and method

• US 7,961,068 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cedar Ridge Research LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D., Williams, Mitchell
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera; Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US12/894,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• Field of Search: 114127-144 E, 440/56, 248/548, 248640-643, 335/285, 335/306
• US Class Current: 335/306
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 13/003 Methods and devices for magnetising permanent magnets permanent magnets H01F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0242 Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0284 using a trimmable or adjustable magnetic circuit, e.g. for a symmetric dipole or quadrupole magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/03 having permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/10 of the permanent-magnet type

Abstract

A breakaway device for locking connected objects in relation to one another comprises a first magnetic field structure attached to a first object and a second magnetic field structure attached to a second object. The first magnetic field structure becoming attached to the second magnetic field structure when substantially aligned. The first structure and the second structure becoming detached when subjected to a force that overcomes a spatial force between the first magnetic field structure and the second magnetic field structure. The first magnetic field structure and the second magnetic field structure having magnetic field sources with polarities and positions in accordance with a code corresponding to a desired spatial force function.

Claims

1. A breakaway system for attaching and detaching two objects, comprising:

a first magnetic field structure attached to a first object; and

a second magnetic field structure attached to a second object, said first magnetic field structure attaching to the second magnetic field structure when substantially aligned, said first magnetic field structure and the second magnetic field structure becoming detached when subjected to a breakaway force that overcomes a spatial force between the first magnetic field structure and the second magnetic field structure, said first magnetic field structure having first magnetic field sources, and said second magnetic field structure having second magnetic field sources, said first magnetic field sources and said second magnetic field sources having polarities and positions in accordance with a code corresponding to a spatial force function, wherein said spatial force function is in accordance with the code, said code corresponding to a code modulo of said first magnetic field sources and a complementary code modulo of second magnetic field sources, said code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to substantial alignment of the code modulo of the first magnetic field sources with the complementary code modulo of the second magnetic field sources, said code also defining a plurality of off peak spatial forces corresponding to a plurality of different misalignments of the code modulo of the first magnetic field sources and the complementary code modulo of the second magnetic field sources, said plurality of off peak spatial forces have a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.

2. The breakaway system of claim 1, wherein said breakaway force is greater than a threshold value.

3. The breakaway system of claim 1, wherein said code is one of a pseudorandom code, a deterministic code, or a designed code.

4. The breakaway system of claim 1, wherein said code is one of a one dimensional code, a two dimensional code, a three dimensional code, or a four dimensional code.

5. The breakaway system of claim 1, wherein said code is one of a Barker code, a Gold code, a Kasami sequence, a hyperbolic congruential code, a quadratic congruential code, a linear congruential code, a Welch-Costas array code, a Golomb-Costas array code, a pseudorandom code, a chaotic codes, or an Optimal Golomb Ruler code.

6. The breakaway system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a turning mechanism, a tool insertion slot, an alignment mark, a latch mechanism, a pivot mechanism, a swivel mechanism, or a lever.

7. The breakaway system of claim 1, wherein said first object is a boat and said second object is one of a motor, a centerboard assembly, or a rudder.

8. The breakaway system of claim 1, wherein said breakaway force corresponds to at least one of a torque or a shear force.

9. The breakaway system of claim 1, wherein said threshold is established to reduce or eliminate the risk of damage to at least one of said first object or said second object.

10. A method for attaching and detaching two objects, comprising the steps of:

attaching a first magnetic field structure to a first object; and

attaching a second magnetic field structure to a second object, said first magnetic field structure attaching to the second magnetic field structure when substantially aligned, said first magnetic field structure and the second magnetic field structure becoming detached when subjected to a breakaway force that overcomes a spatial force between the first magnetic field structure and the second magnetic field structure, said first magnetic field structure having first magnetic field sources, and said second magnetic field structure having second magnetic field sources, said first magnetic field sources and said second magnetic field sources having polarities and positions in accordance with a code corresponding to a spatial force function, wherein said spatial force function is in accordance with the code, said code corresponding to a code modulo of said first magnetic field sources and a complementary code modulo of second magnetic field sources, said code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to substantial alignment of the code modulo of the first magnetic field sources with the complementary code modulo of the second magnetic field sources, said code also defining a plurality of off peak spatial forces corresponding to a plurality of different misalignments of the code modulo of the first magnetic field sources and the complementary code modulo of the second magnetic field sources, said plurality of off peak spatial forces have a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said breakaway force is greater than a threshold value.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said code is one of a pseudorandom code, a deterministic code, or a designed code.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said code is one of a one dimensional code, a two dimensional code, a three dimensional code, or a four dimensional code.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said code is one of a Barker code, a Gold code, a Kasami sequence, a hyperbolic congruential code, a quadratic congruential code, a linear congruential code, a Welch-Costas array code, a Golomb-Costas array code, a pseudorandom code, a chaotic codes, or an Optimal Golomb Ruler code.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said first object is a boat and said second object is one of a motor, a centerboard assembly, or a rudder.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said breakaway force corresponds to at least one of a torque or a shear force.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said threshold is established to reduce or eliminate the risk of damage to at least one of said first object or said second object.

18. A system for reducing damage to a first object attached to a second object, comprising:

associating a first field emission structure with said first object, said first field emission structure having first field emission sources; and

associating a second field emission structure with said second object, said second field emission structure having second field emission sources, said first field emission structure attaching to the second field emission structure when said first field emission sources and said second field emission sources are substantially aligned, said first field emission structure and the second field emission structure becoming detached when subjected to a breakaway force that overcomes a spatial force between the first field emission structure and the second field emission structure, said first field emission sources and said second field emission sources having polarities and positions in accordance with a code corresponding to a spatial force function, wherein said spatial force function is in accordance with the code, said code corresponding to a code modulo of said first field emission sources and a complementary code modulo of second field emission sources, said code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to substantial alignment of the code modulo of the first field emission sources with the complementary code modulo of the second field emission sources, said code also defining a plurality of off peak spatial forces corresponding to a plurality of different misalignments of the code modulo of the first field emission sources and the complementary code modulo of the second field emission sources, said plurality of off peak spatial forces have a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.