System and method for tailoring polarity transitions of magnetic structures

• US 9,404,776 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Zimmerman, Jacob S., Evans, Robert S., Machado, David P., Morgan, Jason N., Roberts, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US14/462,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20150042430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 335/284, 335/302
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/00 Testing or calibrating apparatus or arrangements provided for in groups G01D1/00 - G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 13/003 Methods and devices for magnetising permanent magnets permanent magnets H01F7/02
• 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
• 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: H01T 13/32 characterised by features of the earthed electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/02 characterised by the magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/03 having permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/0358 moving along a curvilinear path

Abstract

A system and method for tailoring a polarity transition of a magnetic structure is provided that involves printing one or more reinforcing maxels alongside one side or both sides of a polarity transition boundary between a first polarity region of the magnetic structure having a first polarity and a second polarity region of the magnetic structure having a second polarity, where printing reinforcing maxels alongside the polarity transition boundary improves the magnetic field characteristics of the polarity transition.

Claims

1. A magnetic structure having multiple poles, comprising:

a first polarity region magnetized to have a first polarity;

a second polarity region magnetized to have a second polarity; and

a polarity transition boundary, at least one of said first polarity region or said second polarity region having at least one reinforcing maxel that was printed alongside said polarity transition boundary.

2. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel changes magnetic field characteristics across a polarity transition.

3. The magnetic structure of claim 2, wherein the polarity transition has a steeper slope than the slope of the polarity transition of the magnetic structure without said at least one reinforcing maxel.

4. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel enables more efficient use of a magnetizable material.

5. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel produces higher torque.

6. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said first polarity region has at least one reinforcing maxel having said first polarity.

7. The magnetic structure of claim 6, wherein said second polarity region has at least one reinforcing maxel having said second polarity.

8. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel comprises a round maxel.

9. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel comprises an elongated maxel.

10. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel comprises a first maxel that overlaps a second maxel.

11. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel comprises a row of maxels.

12. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel comprises maxels printed along a curved perimeter of at least one of said first polarity region or said second polarity region.

13. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel comprises maxels having different sizes.

14. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel comprises maxels having different shapes.

15. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said at least one reinforcing maxel comprises maxels having different amplitudes.

16. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said magnetic structure was produced by printing a maxel having said first polarity onto a side of a single pole magnet having said second polarity.

17. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein at least one dimension of the surface of a magnetizable material upon which said at least one reinforcing maxel was printed is smaller than at least one dimension of the aperture of the print head used to print the at least one reinforcing maxel.

18. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said magnetic structure was produced by printing a maxel with a magnetizable material backing layer beneath and at least proximate to the magnetizable material upon which said at least one reinforcing maxel was printed.

19. The magnetic structure of claim 18, wherein said magnetizable material backing layer comprises at least one of a conductive ferromagnetic material, a non-conductive ferromagnetic material, or a conductive non-ferromagnetic material.

20. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said magnetic structure was produced by printing a maxel using a print head having a print head backing layer.