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Clamp assembly including permanent magnets and coils for selectively magnetizing and demagnetizing the magnets

  • US 9,281,108 B2
  • Filed: 10/16/2014
  • Issued: 03/08/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of clamping a stack, the method comprising:

  • positioning permanent magnets against a first surface of the stack;

    placing a flux-conducting structure against a second surface of the stack; and

    applying external magnetic field pulses to the permanent magnets to magnetize and demagnetize the permanent magnets,wherein applying external magnetic field pulses to the permanent magnets to magnetize the permanent magnets comprises promoting magnetic domain alignment within the permanent magnets sufficient to clamp the stack between the permanent magnets and the flux conducting structure;

    wherein applying external magnetic field pulses to the permanent magnets to demagnetize the permanent magnets comprises demoting magnetic domain alignment within the permanent magnets sufficient to reduce a clamping force applied to the stack by the flux-conducting structure and the permanent magnets;

    wherein applying external magnetic field pulses is performed in a first direction for magnetizing the permanent magnets; and

    wherein applying external magnetic field pulses is performed in a second direction for demagnetizing the permanent magnets, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

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