Magnetic system

• US 8,947,185 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2013
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon
• Application Number:
  US14/061,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20140043126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 335205-207, 335/285, 335/306, 26714014-14015, 200/404
• US Class Current: 335/285
• 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 1/1616 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 7/02 Permanent magnets [PM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/021 Construction of PM H01F7/0278 takes precedence; PM compositions H01F1/032
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0231 Magnetic circuits with PM for power or force generation
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0242 Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0252 PM holding devices H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0263 Closures, bags, bands, engagement devices with male and female parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/20 without armatures cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 ; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381

Abstract

A multilevel magnetic system described herein includes first and second magnetic structures that produce a net force that transitions from an attract force to a repel force as a separation distance between the first and second magnetic structures increases. The multi-level magnetic system is configured to maintain a minimum separation distance between a transition distance where the net force is zero and a separation distance at which a peak repel force is produced.

Claims

1. A magnetic system, comprising:

a first magnetic structure;

a second magnetic structure; and

at least one movement constraining structure that limits movement of said first magnetic structure relative to said second magnetic structure to a plurality of alignment positions, said plurality of alignment positions including a first alignment position where said first and second magnetic structures produce a first composite force curve where a net force transitions from an attractive force to a repel force as a function of the separation distance between said first and second magnetic structures, said plurality of alignment positions including a second alignment position where said first and second magnetic structures produce a second composite force curve where a net force does not transition from an attractive force to a repel force as a function of the separation distance between said first and second magnetic structures.

2. The magnetic system of claim 1, wherein said first composite force curve transitions from an attractive force to a repel force when said first and second magnetic structures are separated by a first separation distance.

3. The magnetic system of claim 2, wherein said first and second magnetic structures produce an attractive force when said first and second magnetic structures are separated by a distance less than said first separation distance.

4. The magnetic system of claim 3, wherein said at least one movement constraining structure maintains at least a second separation distance between said first and second magnetic structures, said second separation distance being greater than or equal to said first separation distance and less than a third separation distance between said first and second magnetic structures at which said first and second magnetic structures produce a peak repel force.

5. The magnetic system of claim 1, wherein said second composite force curve is a repel-only force curve.

6. The magnetic system of claim 1, wherein said at least one movement constraining structure limits rotational movement of said first magnetic structure relative to said second magnetic structure.

7. The magnetic system of claim 1, wherein said at least one movement constraining structure limits translational movement of said first magnetic structure relative to said second magnetic structure.

8. The magnetic system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure comprises a plurality of magnetic sources.

9. The magnetic system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of magnetic sources includes a first magnetic source having a first polarity and a second magnetic source having a second polarity opposite said first polarity.

10. The magnetic system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one movement constraining structure comprises a spacer.

11. A magnetic system, comprising:

a first magnetic structure; and

a second magnetic structure, said first and second magnetic structures producing a first composite force curve where a net force transitions from an attractive force to a repel force as a function of the separation distance between said first and second magnetic structures when said first magnetic structure is in a first alignment position relative to said second magnetic structure, said first and second magnetic structures producing a second composite force curve where a net force does not transition from an attractive force to a repel force as a function of the separation distance between said first and second magnetic structures when said first magnetic structure is in a second alignment position relative to said second magnetic structure.

12. The magnetic system of claim 11, wherein said first composite force curve transitions from an attractive force to a repel force when said first and second magnetic structures are separated by a first separation distance.

13. The magnetic system of claim 12, wherein said first and second magnetic structures produce an attractive force when said first and second magnetic structures are separated by a distance less than said first separation distance.

14. The magnetic system of claim 11, wherein said second composite force curve is a repel-only force curve.

15. The magnetic system of claim 11, further comprising:

at least one movement constraining structure for limiting the movement of said first magnetic structure relative to said second magnetic structure.

16. The magnetic system of claim 15, wherein said at least one movement constraining structure limits rotational movement of said first magnetic structure relative to said second magnetic structure.

17. The magnetic system of claim 15, wherein said at least one movement constraining structure limits translational movement of said first magnetic structure relative to said second magnetic structure.

18. The magnetic system of claim 15, wherein:

the at least one movement constraining structure comprises a spacer.

19. The magnetic system of claim 11, wherein at least one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure comprises a plurality of magnetic sources.

20. The magnetic system of claim 19, wherein said plurality of magnetic sources includes a first magnetic source having a first polarity and a second magnetic source having a second polarity opposite said first polarity.