Multilevel correlated magnetic system and method for using same

• US 7,982,568 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2010
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cedar Ridge Research LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D., Mize, Dillon, Loum, Kelly, Machado, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US12/885,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20110068885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 304 Days
• Field of Search: 335205-207, 335/285, 335/306, 310/90.5
• US Class Current: 335/306
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/006 for covers or panels for manholes E02D29/1427; for holes enabling access to installations in buildings E04F19/08; for pressure vessels F16J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/16 Devices holding the wing by magnetic or electromagnetic attraction E05C17/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/021 Construction of PM H01F7/0278 takes precedence; PM compositions H01F1/032
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0242 Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices

Abstract

A multilevel correlated magnetic system and method for using the same are described herein. A wide-range of devices including a momentary snap switch, a cushioning device, and an exploding toy are also described herein that may incorporate one or more of the multilevel correlated magnetic systems.

Claims

1. A multilevel correlated magnetic system, comprising:

a first correlated magnetic structure including a first portion which has a plurality of coded magnetic sources and a second portion which has one or more magnetic sources;

a second correlated magnetic structure including a first portion which has a plurality of complementary coded magnetic sources and a second portion which has one or more magnetic sources;

wherein the first correlated magnetic structure is aligned with the second correlated magnetic structure such that the first portions and the second portions are respectively located across from one another; and

wherein the first portions each produce a higher peak force than the second portions while the first portions each have a faster field extinction rate than the second portions such that (1) the first portions produce a magnetic force that is cancelled by a magnetic force produced by the second portions when the first and second correlated magnetic structures are separated by a distance equal to a transition distance, (2) the first portions produce a stronger magnetic force than the magnetic force produced by the second portions when the first and second correlated magnetic structures have a separation distance from one another that is less than the transition distance, and (3) the first portions have a weaker magnetic force than the magnetic force produced by second portions when the separation distance between the first and second correlated magnetic structures is greater than the transition distance.

2. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 1, wherein the first portions produce an attractive magnetic force and the second portions produce a repulsive magnetic force such that (1) the first and second correlated magnetic structures repel one another when separated by a distance greater than the transition distance, (2) the first and second correlated magnetic structures neither repel or attract one another when separated by a distance equal to the transition distance, and (3) the first and second correlated magnetic structures attract one another when separated by a distance less than the transition distance.

3. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 2, wherein the first and second correlated magnetic structures are snapped together when separated by the distance less than the transition distance then if one of the first or second correlated magnetic structures are turned relative to the other then the first and second correlated magnetic structures repel one another.

4. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 1, wherein the first portions produce a repulsive magnetic force and the second portions produce an attractive magnetic force such that (1) the first and second correlated magnetic structures attract one another when separated by a distance greater than the transition distance, (2) the first and second correlated magnetic structures neither repel or attract one another when separated by a distance equal to the transition distance, and (3) the first and second correlated magnetic structures repel one another when separated by a distance less than the transition distance.

5. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 1, further comprising one or more movement constraining structures which attach the first correlated magnetic structure to the second correlated magnetic structure such that the one or more movement constraining structures only allow the first and second correlated magnetic structures to move towards and away from one another while ensuring the first and second correlated magnetic structures are parallel to each other.

6. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 1, further comprising a spacer attached to the first correlated magnetic structure or the second correlated magnetic structure to prevent the first correlated magnetic structure from completely contacting the second correlated magnetic structure.

7. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 1, wherein the first correlated magnetic structure is produced by printing maxels representing the coded magnetic sources onto a first conventional magnet, and the second correlated magnetic structure is produced by printing maxels representing the coded magnetic sources onto a second conventional magnet.

8. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 1, wherein:

the first correlated magnetic structure includes the first portion, the second portion, and a third portion, wherein the third portion has a plurality of coded magnetic sources;

the second correlated magnetic structure includes the first portion, the second portion, and a third portion, wherein the third portion has a plurality of coded magnetic sources; and

wherein the first correlated magnetic structure is aligned with the second correlated magnetic structure such that the first portions, the second portions, and the third portions are respectively located across from one another.

9. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the first correlated magnetic structure includes a plurality of coded magnetic sources, and the second portion of the second correlated magnetic structure includes a plurality of complementary coded magnetic sources.

10. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coded magnetic sources include first field emission sources and the plurality of complementary coded magnetic sources include second field emission sources, each field emission sources having positions and polarities relating to a desired spatial force function that corresponds to a relative alignment of the first and second correlated magnetic structures within a field domain, wherein the spatial force function being in accordance with a code, where the code corresponding to a code modulo of the first field emission sources and a complementary code modulo of the second field emission sources.

11. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 10, wherein the code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to a substantial alignment of the code modulo of the first field emission sources with the complementary code modulo of the second field emission sources, wherein the 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, wherein the plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, where the largest off peak spatial force being less than half of the peak spatial force.

12. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 10, wherein said positions and said polarities of each of said field emission sources are determined in accordance with at least one correlation function.

13. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 12, wherein said at least one correlation function is in accordance with the code.

14. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 13, wherein said code is one of a pseudorandom code, a deterministic code, or a designed code.

15. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 13, wherein said code is one of a one dimensional code, a two dimensional code, a three dimensional code, or a four dimensional code.

16. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 10, wherein each of said field emission sources has a corresponding field emission amplitude and vector direction determined in accordance with the desired spatial force function, wherein a separation distance between the first and second magnetic field emission structures and relative alignment of the first and second correlated magnetic structures creates a spatial force in accordance with the desired spatial force function.

17. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 16, wherein said spatial force include at least one of an attractive spatial force or a repellant spatial force.

18. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 10, wherein said field domain corresponds to first magnetic field emissions from said field emission sources of said first field emission structure interacting with second magnetic field emissions from said second field emission sources of said second magnetic field emission structure.

19. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 10, wherein said polarities of the field emission sources include at least one of North-South polarities or positive-negative polarities.

20. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 10, wherein at least one of said field emission sources includes a magnetic field emission source or an electric field emission source.

21. The multilevel correlated magnetic system of claim 10, wherein at least one of said field emission sources include a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, an electret, a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a portion of a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a soft magnetic material, or a superconductive magnetic material.

22. A device comprising:

a first correlated magnetic structure including a first portion which has a plurality of coded magnetic sources and a second portion which has one or more magnetic sources;

a second correlated magnetic structure including a first portion which has a plurality of complementary coded magnetic sources and a second portion which has one or more magnetic sources;

the first correlated magnetic structure is aligned with the second correlated magnetic structure such that the first portions and the second portions are respectively located across from one another;

a spacer to prevent the first correlated magnetic structure from completely contacting the second correlated magnetic structure; and

the spacer is sized such that if the first and second correlated magnetic structures are attached to one another and then if a force is applied to the first correlated magnetic structure or to the second correlated magnetic structure then this causes the first and second correlated magnetic structures to repel each other, wherein;

the first portions each produce a higher peak force than the second portions while the first portions each have a faster field extinction rate than the second portions such that (1) the first portions produce a magnetic force that is cancelled by a magnetic force produced by the second portions when the first and second correlated magnetic structures are separated by a distance equal to a transition distance, (2) the first portions produce a stronger magnetic force than the magnetic force produced by the second portions when the first and second correlated magnetic structures have a separation distance from one another that is less than the transition distance, and (3) the first portions have a weaker magnetic force than the magnetic force produced by second portions when the separation distance between the first and second correlated magnetic structures is greater than the transition distance; and

the first portions produce an attractive magnetic force and the second portions produce a repulsive magnetic force such that (1) the first and second correlated magnetic structures repel one another when separated by a distance greater than the transition distance, (2) the first and second correlated magnetic structures neither repel or attract one another when separated by a distance equal to the transition distance, and (3) the first and second correlated magnetic structures attract one another when separated by a distance less than the transition distance.

23. A method for using a multilevel correlated magnetic system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the multilevel correlated magnetic system having;

a first correlated magnetic structure including a first portion which has a plurality of coded magnetic sources and a second portion which has one or more magnetic sources;

a second correlated magnetic structure including a first portion which has a plurality of complementary coded magnetic sources and a second portion which has one or more magnetic sources;

aligning the first correlated magnetic structure with the second correlated magnetic structure such that the first portions and the second portions are respectively located across from one another; and

wherein the first portions each produce a higher peak force than the second portions while the first portions each have a faster field extinction rate than the second portions such that (1) the first portions produce a magnetic force that is cancelled by a magnetic force produced by the second portions when the first and second correlated magnetic structures are separated by a distance equal to a transition distance, (2) the first portions produce a stronger magnetic force than the magnetic force produced by the second portions when the first and second correlated magnetic structures have a separation distance from one another that is less than the transition distance, and (3) the first portions have a weaker magnetic force than the magnetic force produced by second portions when the separation distance between the first and second correlated magnetic structures is greater than the transition distance.