Magnetic structure

• US 9,536,650 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US14/461,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 871 Days
• Field of Search: 335/285, 335/306
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 13/003 Methods and devices for magnetising permanent magnets permanent magnets H01F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/02 Permanent magnets [PM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0215 Flexible forms, sheets

Abstract

Magnetic structure production may relate, by way of example but not limitation, to methods, systems, etc. for producing magnetic structures by printing magnetic pixels (aka maxels) into a magnetizable material. Disclosed herein is production of magnetic structures having, for example: maxels of varying shapes, maxels with different positioning, individual maxels with different properties, maxel patterns having different magnetic field characteristics, combinations thereof, and so forth. In certain example implementations disclosed herein, a second maxel may be printed such that it partially overwrites a first maxel to produce a magnetic structure having overlapping maxels. In certain example implementations disclosed herein, a magnetic printer may include a print head comprising multiple parts and having various properties. In certain example implementations disclosed herein, various techniques for using a magnetic printer may be employed to produce different magnetic structures. Furthermore, description of additional magnet-related technology and example implementations thereof is included herein.

Claims

1. A magnetic structure, comprising:

a single piece of magnetizable material comprising neodymium, said single piece of magnetizable material having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and said single piece of magnetizable material having a thickness between said first surface and said second surface; and

a maxel at a location on said first surface of said single piece of magnetizable material, said maxel comprising a first pole having a first polarity and a second pole having a second polarity opposite said first polarity, said first pole of said maxel being substantially exposed on said first surface of said single piece of magnetizable material within a first area about said location, said second pole of said maxel being not substantially exposed on said first surface of said single piece of magnetizable material, said maxel having a depth within said single piece of magnetizable material that is less than or equal to said thickness of said single piece of magnetizable material, said maxel having a magnetic flux density of at least 1500 Gauss as measured at said location on said first surface, wherein a second area of said first surface that is outside said first area is magnetized to have said second polarity, wherein said second area at least partially surrounds said first area.

2. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the magnetic flux density of said maxel is at least 2000 Gauss as measured at said location on said first surface.

3. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the magnetic flux density of said maxel is at least 2500 Gauss as measured at said location on said first surface.

4. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the magnetic flux density of said maxel is at least 3000 Gauss as measured at said location on said first surface.

5. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the magnetic flux density of said maxel is at least 3900 Gauss as measured at said location on said first surface.

6. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a radius greater than 0.08 inches.

7. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a radius less than 0.12 inches.

8. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a round shape on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

9. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has an oval shape on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

10. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a square shape on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

11. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a rectangular shape on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

12. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has an ellipsoid shape on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

13. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has an S-shape on said first surface of said single piece of first magnetizable material.

14. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a trapezoidal shape on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

15. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a parallelogram shape on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

16. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a hexagonal shape on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

17. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel area has a parabolic shape inside the single piece of magnetizable material.

18. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel has a Gaussian shape inside the single piece of magnetizable material.

19. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein said maxel extends from said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material to said second surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

21. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is less than or equal to 1.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

22. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is less than or equal to 2.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

23. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is less than or equal to 3.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

24. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is less than or equal to 4.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

25. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is greater than 4.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

26. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is greater than or equal to 1.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

27. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is greater than or equal to 2.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

28. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is greater than or equal to 3.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

29. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is greater than or equal to 4.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

30. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is greater than or equal to 5.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

31. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is greater than or equal to 6.0 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

32. The magnetic structure of claim 1, wherein the maxel has a width that is greater than 6.3 mm on said first surface of the single piece of magnetizable material.

20. A magnetic structure, comprising:

a magnetizable material comprising neodymium, said magnetizable material having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, and said magnetizable material having a thickness between said first surface and said second surface; and

a maxel at a location on said first surface of said magnetizable material, said maxel comprising a first pole having a first polarity and a second pole having a second polarity opposite said first polarity, said first pole of said maxel being substantially exposed on said first surface of said magnetizable material within a maxel area about said location, said second pole of said maxel being not substantially exposed on said first surface of said magnetizable material, said maxel extends to a depth within said magnetizable material that is less than said thickness of said magnetizable material, said maxel having a magnetic flux density of at least 1500 Gauss as measured at said location on said first surface, wherein a portion of said first surface that is outside said maxel area is one of unmagnetized or magnetized to have said second polarity.