Permanent magnet coupler with adjustable air gaps

• US 6,072,258 A
• Filed: 08/04/1999
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Magna Force Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Magna Force Incorporated
• Inventors: Lamb, Karl J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US09/368,385
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 310/191, 310/103, 310/90, 310/105, 310/75 D, 310/78, 310/115, 310/121
• US Class Current: 310/191
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/046 with an axial airgap

Abstract

A cage carrying two axially adjustable conductors is mounted on one shaft and a rotor is mounted on a second coaxial shaft to occupy a position between the conductors. Permanent magnets on the rotor have poles spaced by air gaps from the conductors. The air gaps are adjusted by sliding the conductors toward and away from one another along slide members on the cage by use of adjustment units engaging the conductor rotors. Alternatively, the conductors can be mounted on the rotor, and the magnets can be adjustably mounted on the cage.

Claims

1. An adjustable magnetic coupler comprising:

first and second rotary shafts having parallel rotary axis,

a cage mounted on said first shaft and surrounding said axis;

a magnet rotor mounted on said second shaft and extending radially within said cage from said second shaft, said magnet rotor containing permanent magnets;

two electro-conductive units movably carried by said cage and spaced by air gaps from said magnets at opposite ends of the magnet rotor; and

gap adjustment means for controlling the axial location of said electro-conductive units axially relative to said cage and magnet rotor to selectively vary said air gaps.

2. A coupler according to claim 1 in which said cage includes elongated members extending parallel to said axis, and said conductor units are slidably mounted on said members.

3. A coupler according to claim 2 in which said gap adjustment means includes adjustment bolts extending between said cage and said conductor units such that turning of the adjustment bolts varies said air gaps by positioning said conductor units along said members.

4. A coupler according to claim 2 in which said gap adjustment means includes turnbuckles extending between said conductor units for selectively moving said conductor units in unison in opposite directions toward or away from said magnet rotor to vary said air gaps.

5. A coupler according to claim 2 in which said gap adjustment means includes an adjustment bolt unit with threaded sections having their threads of opposite hand, said threaded sections interacting with said conductor units such that turning of such bolt unit responsively moves the conductor units in unison in opposite directions.

6. A coupler according to claim 1 in which said cage comprises a mounting disc mounted on said first shaft, a mounting ring axially spaced from said mounting disc, and spacer members extending between said disc and ring radially outward of said magnet rotor, and in which said electro-conductive units are slidably mounted on said spacer members.

7. A coupler according to claim 6 in which said gap adjustment means comprises a first set of gap adjustment bolts extending between said mounting disc and one of said electro-conductive units, and a second set of gap adjustment bolts extending between said mounting ring and the other one of said electro-conductive units.

8. A coupler according to claim 7 in which said first set of gap adjustment bolts has a threaded engagement with said mounting disc, and said second set of adjustment bolts has a threaded engagement with said mounting ring.

9. An adjustable magnetic coupler comprising:

first and second rotary shafts having a rotary axis;

a mounting unit on said first shaft and surrounding said axis;

a magnet rotor mounted on said second shaft and containing permanent magnets;

electro-conductive units slidably carried by said mounting unit and spaced by air gaps from said magnets at opposite ends of the magnet rotor; and

adjustment bolt units engaging said electro-conductive units for selectively moving them axially relative to said mounting unit and magnet rotor to thereby control the width of said air gaps.

10. A coupler according to claim 9 in which said adjustment bolt units each have heads rotationally interfitting with said electro-conductive units, and have shanks having a threaded interfit with said mounting unit whereby turning of said bolts causes axial movement of said electro-conductive units.

11. A coupler according to claim 9 in which said adjustment bolt units each have two spaced threaded sections threadably interfitting with respective of said electro-conductive units, said two threaded sections being of opposite hand whereby turning of said adjustment bolt units moves said electro-conductive units in unison in opposite directions.

12. An adjustable magnetic coupler comprising:

first and second coaxial rotary shafts having a rotary axis;

a cage mounted on said first shaft and surrounding said rotary axis;

a magnet rotor mounted on said second shaft and extending radially within said cage, said magnet rotor presenting a plurality of permanent magnets providing two sets of poles facing oppositely in parallel relation to said rotors axis; and

first and second conductor units slideably mounted on said cage for axial movement and providing electro-conductive elements in said cage spaced by air gaps from respective ones of said sets of poles; and

rotary gap controlling devices engaging said conductor units for selectively moving said conductor units axially in opposite directions relative to said magnet rotor and cage responsive to turning of the gap controlling devices.

13. A coupler according to claim 12 in which said gap controlling devices each engage said cage and one of said conductor units.

14. A coupler according to claim 12 in which said gap controlling devices extend between said conductor units and operate by each having threads of opposite hand.

15. A coupler according to claim 14 in which each of said gap controlling devices comprises a turnbuckle.

16. A coupler according to claim 14 in which said threads of opposite hand interfit with complementing threads in said conductor units.

17. An adjustable magnetic coupler comprising:

first and second coaxial rotary shafts having a rotary axis;

a cage mounted on said first shaft and surrounding said rotary axis;

a magnet rotor mounted on said second shaft and extending radially within said cage, said magnet rotor presenting a plurality of permanent magnets providing two sets of poles facing oppositely in parallel relation to said rotary axis;

first and second conductor units slideably mounted on said cage for axial movement and providing electroconductive elements in said cage spaced by air gaps from respective ones of said sets of poles; and

turnable gap adjustment devices extending between said conductor units in parallel relation to said rotary axis, said devices being operative to move said conductor units in unison in opposite directions responsive to turning of said devices.

18. A coupler according to claim 17 in which said gap adjustment devices comprise an adjustment bolt unit with threaded sections having threads of opposite hand, said threaded sections acting such that turning of said adjustment bolt unit responsively moves said conductor units in unison in opposite directions.

19. An adjustable magnetic coupler comprising:

two shafts having coaxial rotary axes,

a first group having two sets of magnet poles,

a second group having two conductor elements spaced by respective air gaps from respective ones of said sets of poles,

a cage mounted on one of said shafts and having two axially spaced mounting elements carrying one of said groups,

a rotor mounted on the other one of said shafts and carrying the other one of said groups,

and a mechanism carried by said cage for axially moving one of said groups relative to said mounting elements such as to vary said air gaps.

20. An adjustable magnetic coupler according to claim 19 in which said first group is provided by magnets passing through said rotor, and said second group is mounted on said cage.

21. An adjustable magnetic coupler according to claim 19 in which said second group is mounted on opposite sides of said rotor, and said first group is provided by two axially spaced sets of magnets carried by said cage and operatively associated with said mechanism.

22. An adjustable coupler according to claim 19 in which said mechanism is a screw operating device.

23. An adjustable coupler according to claim 19 in which the group carried by the cage is slidably mounted on slide elements on the cage extending between said mounting elements and said mechanism is a screw mechanism passing through said mounting elements.

24. An adjustable coupler according to claim 23 in which the screw mechanism is a turnbuckle type of screw mechanism.