Rotary motion control device

• US 20070176035A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MAP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: MAP Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Campbell, John
• Application Number:
  US11/341,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20070176035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/288
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 89/01555 using magnets
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 89/016 Fly reels , i.e. with a stub shaft support
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 89/033 with a rotary drum , i.e. for reels with a rotating spool antibacklash devices A01K89/0155
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 57/002 comprising a medium with electrically or magnetically controlled internal friction, e.g. electrorheological fluid, magnetic powder
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/535 Magnetorheological [MR] fluid dampers springs comprising magnetorheological [MR] elastomers F16F1/361

Abstract

This invention is a rotary motion control device comprising a housing, a rotor for connection to a rotary member to be braked, a magnetorheological material contacting the rotor, a first set of magnets having alternating magnetic orientation and a second set of magnets having alternating magnetic orientation, the first and second sets of magnets are adapted for selective alignment with respect to each other so that the magnetic orientation of one of the magnet sets may be repositioned relative to the other of the magnet sets to modulate the overall field strength of the magnets and change the viscosity of the magnetorheological material so that the shearing force on the rotor is increased or decreased. The invention further includes a fishing reel with a brake and a method for controlling the speed of a rotating member.

Claims

1. A rotary motion control device comprising:

a) a housing;

b) a rotor, said rotor adapted for connection to a rotary member to be braked;

c) a magnetorheological material, said magnetorheological material is in contact with said rotor;

d) a first set of magnets having alternating magnetic orientation; and

e) a second set of magnets having alternating magnetic orientation, said first and second sets of magnets are adapted for selective alignment with respect to each other so that said magnetic orientation of one of said first and second magnet sets may be repositioned relative to the other of said first and second magnet sets to modulate the overall field strength of said magnetic sets and cause a change in the viscosity of said magnetorheological material whereby the shearing force on said rotor is increased or decreased.

2. A device as in claim 1 and wherein one of said first and second sets of magnets is stationary.

3. A device as in claim 1 and further comprising:

a) a first steel plate for directing the magnetic field of said first and second sets of magnets, said first steel plate is adjacent said first and second sets of magnets.

4. A device as in claim 3 and further comprising:

a) a second steel plate for directing the magnetic field of said first and second magnets, said first and second steel plates comprise a first pair of steel plates, said first and second sets of magnets are disposed between said first and second steel plates.

5. A device as in claim 1 and wherein said first and second sets of magnets are coplanar and extend radially from a common axis, the radius from the common axis for one of said first and second sets of magnets is less than that for the other of said first and second sets of magnets.

6. A device as in claim 4 and wherein said first set of magnets is mounted on a first disk and said second set of magnets is mounted on a second disk, said disks are concentric and said second disk is rotatable relative to said first disk.

7. A device as in claim 6 and wherein each of said first and second sets of magnets comprising equal numbers of multiple pairs of permanent magnets arranged on the respective one of said first and second disks in a spaced relation.

8. A device as in claim 6 and wherein said first and second disks are concentric to and coplanar with said rotor.

9. A device as in claim 1 and wherein said rotor having openings extending therethrough to allow said magnetorheological material to channel through said rotor.

10. A device as in claim 8 and wherein said housing comprises a cup member and a drive plate, said drive plate is connected to said rotor and rotatable therewith.

11. A device as in claim 10 and wherein said first steel plate is secured to said cup member and said second steel plate is secured to said first disk.

12. A device as in claim 1 and further including:

a) a control member, said control member is operatively associated with said second disk to selectively rotate the same.

13. A device as in claim 12 and wherein said control member is a dowel pin connected to said second disk and extending transverse therefrom.

14. A device as in claim 1 and wherein said magnetorheological material is at least one of a liquid, semi-liquid, or grease.

15. A device as in claim 1 and wherein said magnetorheological material having a lithium based grease as the carrier component.

16. A device as in claim 1 and wherein said first and second sets of magnets are in the form of separate permanent magnets in the shape of a disk.

17. A device as in claim 11 and further comprising:

a) additional pairs of steel plates where one of the steel plates comprising each of said additional pairs of steel plates is secured to said cup member and in a spaced relation from said first pair of steel plates and the other steel plate forming each of said additional pairs of steel plates is secured to said first disk and in a spaced relation from said first pair of steel plates.

18. A device as in claim 10 and wherein said drive plate is adapted to be connected to the rotating member to be braked.

19. A device as in claim 1 and wherein said first and second sets of magnets comprise rare earth magnets.

20. A device as in claim 19 and wherein said first and second sets of magnets are NdFeB magnets.

21. A fishing reel comprising:

a) a reel housing;

b) a spool, said spool rotatably supported within said housing; and

c) a brake, said brake rotor comprising a rotor connected to said spool and rotatable therewith, a magnetorheological material, said magnetorheological material is in contact with said rotor, a first set of magnets having alternating magnetic orientation, a second set of magnets having alternating magnetic orientation, said first and second sets of magnets are adapted for selective alignment with respect to each other so that said magnetic orientation of one of said first and second magnet sets may be repositioned relative to the other of said first and second magnet sets to modulate the overall field strength of said magnetic sets and cause a change in the viscosity of said magnetorheological material whereby the shearing force on said rotor is increased or decreased and said spool is selectively braked.

22. A fishing reel as in claim 21 and wherein one of said first and second sets of magnets is stationary.

23. A fishing reel as in claim 21 and further comprising:

a) a first steel plate for directing the magnetic field of said first and second sets of magnets, said first steel plate is adjacent said first and second sets of magnets.

24. A fishing reel as in claim 23 and further comprising:

a) a second steel plate for directing the magnetic field of said first and second magnets, said first and second steel plates comprise a first pair of steel plates, said first and second sets of magnets are disposed between said first and second steel plates.

25. A fishing reel as in claim 21 and wherein said first and second sets of magnets are coplanar and extend radially from a common axis, the radius from the common axis for one of said first and second sets of magnets is less than that for the other of said first and second sets of magnets.

26. A fishing reel as in claim 24 and wherein said first set of magnets is mounted on a first disk and said second set of magnets is mounted on a second disk, said disks are concentric and said second disk is rotatable relative to said first disk.

27. A fishing reel as in claim 26 and wherein each of said first and second sets of magnets comprising equal numbers of multiple pairs of permanent magnets that are arranged on the respective one of said first and second disks in a spaced relation.

28. A fishing reel as in claim 26 and wherein said first and second disks are concentric to and coplanar with said rotor.

29. A fishing reel as in claim 21 and wherein said rotor having openings extending therethrough to allow said magnetorheological material to channel through said rotor

30. A fishing reel as in claim 28 and further comprising:

a) a brake housing, said brake housing comprising a cup member fixed to said reel housing and a drive plate cooperating with said cup member, said drive plate is rotatably connected to said rotor and adapted for rotatable engagement with said reel spool.

31. A fishing reel as in claim 30 and wherein said first steel plate is secured to said cup member and said second steel plate is secured to said first disk.

32. A fishing reel as in claim 30 and further including:

a) a control member, said control member is operatively associated with said second disk to selectively rotate the same.

33. A fishing reel as in claim 32 and wherein said control member is a dowel pin connected to said second disk and extending transverse therefrom through each of said cup member and said reel housing.

34. A fishing reel as in claim 21 and wherein said magnetorheological material is at least one of a liquid, semi-liquid, or grease.

35. A fishing reel as in claim 21 and wherein the carrier in said magnetorheological material is a lithium based grease.

36. A fishing reel as in claim 21 and wherein said first and second sets of magnets are in the form of separate permanent magnets each of which is disc shaped.

37. A fishing reel as in claim 31 and further comprising:

a) additional pairs of steel plates where one of the steel plates forming each of said additional pairs of steel plates is secured to said cup member and in a spaced relation from said first pair of steel plates and the other of the steel plates forming each of said additional pairs of steel plates is secured to said first disk and in a spaced relation from said first pair of steel plates.

38. A fishing reel as in claim 30 and wherein said drive plate is adapted to be connected to said spool.

39. A fishing reel as in claim 21 and wherein said first and second sets of magnets comprise rare earth magnets.

40. A fishing reel as in claim 39 and wherein said first and second sets of magnets are NdFeB magnets.

41. A fishing reel as in claim 30 and further comprising:

a) a ratcheting pawl mechanism connected to said drive plate and gear teeth provided on said spool, said ratcheting pawl mechanism operatively associated with said gear teeth provide selective rotational engagement of said drive plate with said spool.

42. A method for controlling the rotary motion of a rotating member, comprising the steps of:

a) immersing the rotary member in a magnetorheological material;

b) providing a plurality of permanent magnets;

c) subjecting the magnetorheological material to a magnetic field generated by the magnets; and

d) varying the position of the magnets relative to each other to modify the magnetic field strength in the magnetorheological material thereby changing the viscosity of the magnetorheological material to increase or decrease the drag of the magnetorheological material on the rotating member.

43. A method as in claim 42 and comprising the additional steps of:

a) providing first and second magnetic plates on either side of the rotating member;

b) positioning the magnets at one end of the plates and the rotating member at the other end of the plates; and

c) orientating the polarity of the magnets such that the magnetic field strength at the other end of the plates is increased to thereby increase the magnetic field strength entering the magnetorheological material whereby the viscosity of the magnetorheological material is caused to be increased.

44. A method as in claim 42 and comprising the additional steps of:

a) providing first and second magnetic plates on either side of the rotating member;

b) positioning the magnets at one end of the plates and the rotating member at the other end of the plates; and

c) orientating the polarity of the magnets relative to each other such that the magnetic field strength at the other end of the plates is decreased thereby to decrease the magnetic field strength directed against the magnetorheological material, whereby the viscosity of material is caused to be decreased.