Adjustable permanent magnet coupler

• US 5,739,627 A
• Filed: 10/20/1995
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Magna Force Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Magna Force Incorporated
• Inventors: Lamb, Karl J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALLACE, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/546,480
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 310/75 D, 310/103, 310/104, 310/105, 310/83, 310/106, 310/84, 310/92
• US Class Current: 310/75.00D
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2213/09 Machines characterised by the presence of elements which are subject to variation, e.g. adjustable bearings, reconfigurable windings, variable pitch ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/046 with an axial airgap

Abstract

An adjustable coupler has a rotary magnet rotor with magnet modules gaps from electroconductive elements on an electroconductive rotor. The magnet modules each have two side-by-side permanent magnets with their respective poles reversed and have a neutral plane between the magnets. The magnet modules can be turned for torque adjustment between a maximum torque position in which the neutral planes intersect at the rotary axis of the coupler, and a minimum torque position at which the magnet modules are turned 90 degrees from the maximum torque position.

Claims

1. An adjustable coupler comprising:

shaft means for establishing a rotary axis;

a magnet unit,

an electroconductive unit,

said units being mounted on said shaft means so that one of said units can be rotated relative to the other unit on said rotary axis,

said magnet unit containing multiple magnet modules spaced from said rotary axis and each presenting two magnet poles of opposite polarity facing said electroconductive unit, and spaced therefrom by an air gap, whereby torque is transferred by magnetic action responsive to rotational movement of one of said units relative to the other one of said units,

said modules being turnable within openings in said magnet unit for torque adjustment.

2. An adjustable coupler comprising:

two coaxial rotary shafts;

a magnet unit,

an electroconductive unit spaced by a gap from said magnet unit,

said units being mounted on said shafts so that one of said units can be rotated relative to the other unit,

said magnet unit containing multiple magnet modules each presenting two magnet poles of opposite polarity facing said electroconductive unit,

said two magnet poles in each module being provided by two respective side-by-side permanent magnet in each module,

said modules being turnable within said magnet unit for torque adjustment.

3. An adjustable coupler according to claim 2 in which said magnets in each module are mounted in a holder which is turnable within said magnet unit.

4. An adjustable coupler according to claim 3 in which each said holder has a respective gear unit operative when moved to turn the holder,

and means for selectively moving said gear units a like amount,

said means including a gear carried by said magnet unit which meshes with at least one of said gear units.

5. An adjustable coupler according to claim 3 in which each of said holders has a planetary gear section, and

a sun gear meshing with said gear sections so as to turn each of said holders a like amount responsive to turning of said sun gear.

6. An adjustable coupler according to claim 3 in which each of said holders has a gear element, and gear means for turning said gear elements simultaneously.

7. An adjustable coupler according to claim 3 in which said holders are coupled to a motor carried by said magnet unit such as to turn said holders a like amount responsive to operation of said motor.

8. An adjustable coupler comprising:

two parallel shafts,

a magnet unit,

an electroconductive unit,

said units being mounted on said shafts so that one of said units can be rotated relative to the other unit,

said magnet unit containing multiple magnet modules each presenting two magnet poles of opposite polarity facing said electroconductive unit, said electroconductive unit presenting a respective electroconductive ring facing each end of said magnet unit and spaced by a gap from adjacent of said magnet poles,

said modules being turnable within openings in said magnet unit for torque adjustment.

9. An adjustable coupler according to claim 8 in which each magnet module has two side-by-side magnets on opposite sides of a neutral plane parallel to said rotary axis, said two magnets each having their poles reversed relative to relative to the poles of the other of said two magnets.

10. An adjustable coupler comprising:

shaft means establishing a rotary axis;

a magnet unit,

an electroconductive unit,

said units being mounted on said shaft means so that one of said units can be rotated relative to the other unit on said rotary axis,

said magnet unit containing multiple magnet modules each presenting two magnet poles of opposite polarity facing said electroconductive unit, said electroconductive unit presenting a respective electroconductive ring facing each end of said magnet unit and spaced by a gap from adjacent of said magnet poles,

said modules being turnable within openings in said magnet unit for torque adjustment, and a motor mounted on said magnet unit and having a drive interconnection with each of said modules whereby operation of said motor turns each of said modules a like amount.

11. An adjustable coupling according to claim 10 in which said units are journal-mounted to rotate on coaxial rotary axes, and control means are provided for remotely controlling operation of said motor.

12. An adjustable coupler according to claim 10 in which said motor is electric and is powered from an electric power source remote from said magnet unit.

13. An adjustable coupler according to claim 10 in which said motor is electric and powered from a battery carried by said magnet unit.

14. An adjustable coupler comprising:

two parallel rotary shafts,

a magnet unit,

an electroconductive unit,

said units being mounted on said shafts so that one of said units can be rotated relative to the other unit,

said magnet unit containing multiple magnet modules each presenting two magnet poles of opposite polarity facing said electroconductive unit, said electroconductive unit presenting a respective electroconductive ring facing each end of said magnet unit and spaced by a gap from adjacent of said magnet poles,

said modules being turnable within openings in said magnet unit for torque adjustment,

and means on said magnet unit for keeping said modules in adjusted position relative to one another.

15. An adjustable coupler comprising:

two coaxial shafts each having a rotary axis,

a magnet unit,

an electroconductive unit spaced by a gap from said magnet unit,

said units being independently mounted on respective of said shafts for rotation relative to one another on said rotary axis,

said magnet unit containing multiple magnet modules each presenting two magnet poles of opposite polarity facing said electroconductive unit,

and said magnet modules being mounted to turn for torque adjustment within openings in said magnet unit about respective module axes which are parallel to said rotary axis and equally spaced therefrom.

16. An adjustable coupler according to claim 15 in which said magnet unit has a sun gear mounted to turn relative to said magnet unit about said rotary axis, and gears for coupling said sun gear to said modules for turning the modules a like amount responsive to turning of said sun gear.

17. An adjustable coupler comprising:

two rotary shafts mounted for rotation about a rotary axis,

a magnet unit mounted on one of said shafts for rotation about said rotary axis, and

an electroconductive unit mounted on the other of said shafts for rotation independently of said magnet unit about said rotary axis and having a non-ferrous electroconductive ring centered on said rotary axis and backed by a ferrous element,

said magnet unit containing a magnet module with poles spaced by an air gap from said electroconductive ring, said module being turnable within the magnet unit about a module axis spaced from and parallel to said rotary axis, said module having a position wherein torque is transferred by magnetic action responsive to rotational movement of one of said units relative to the other of said units.

18. An adjustable coupler comprising:

two rotary shafts each having a rotary axis,

a magnet unit mounted on one of said shafts for rotation about its rotary axis, and

an electroconductive unit mounted on the other of said shafts for rotation independently of said magnet unit about its rotary axis,

said magnet unit containing a magnet module turnable within an opening in the magnet unit about a module axis spaced from and parallel to said rotary axis of the magnet unit, said magnet module having two side-by side-permanent magnets on opposite sides of said module axis and presenting poles of opposite polarity spaced by a gap from said electroconductive unit.

19. An adjustable coupling comprising:

a magnet unit mounted for rotation about a rotary axis,

an electroconductive unit mounted for rotation independently of said magnet unit about a rotary axis,

said magnet unit containing multiple magnet modules spaced by a gap from said electroconductive unit and each turnable within a respective opening in the magnet unit about a respective module axis spaced from and parallel to said rotary axis of the magnet unit, said magnet modules being equally spaced from the rotary axis of the magnet unit and equally spaced from one another,

and rotary shafts for said units centered on said rotary axes.

20. An adjustable coupler comprising:

a shaft having a rotary axis,

a magnet unit mounted for rotation about said rotary axis, and

an electroconductive unit mounted for rotation independently of said magnet unit about said rotary axis,

said magnet unit containing a magnet module spaced by a gap from said electroconductive unit and turnable within an opening in the magnet unit about a module axis spaced from and parallel to said rotary axis of the magnet unit,

and a motor on said magnet unit having a drive connection to said module for turning said module when the motor is activated.