Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
361144000 | For lifting or holding | 18 |
20080218929 | MAGNETIC LEVITATION APPARATUS - A magnetic levitation apparatus supports a magnetic element in a magnetic field. A control system controls a variable magnetic field to maintain the magnetic element at an equilibrium location relative to an unstable axis. In some embodiments the variable magnetic field has a gradient in the direction of the unstable axis but no field component. In some embodiments the magnetic field is provided by an array of four discrete magnets. In some embodiments additional magnets provide increased field intensity at the equilibrium location this increases stability of the levitated magnetic element against overturning. Light and electrical power may be supplied to the levitating magnetic element. | 09-11-2008 |
20080239612 | System and method for controlling electromagnet lift power for material handlers - A method for operating an electromagnetic lift that includes a generator-driven electromagnet comprises adjusting a position of the electromagnet, in response to a first position command. Upon receiving a lift command, an output power level of a generator is established at a predetermined level above a predefined normal power level. In response to an excess release command, the output power level is set to a first predetermined level below the normal power level. In response to a transport command, the output power level is established as approximately the normal power level. Upon receiving a release command, the output power level is established at a second predetermined level below the normal power level. | 10-02-2008 |
20090103227 | MAGNETIC LEVITATION APPARATUS - An exciting voltage arithmetic portion calculates an exciting voltage of an electromagnet using a signal of a gap sensor. On the other hand, a sensorless exciting voltage arithmetic portion calculates an exciting voltage of the electromagnet using a signal of the current sensor. The exciting voltage adjusting portion adjusts a mixing ratio between an output value of an exciting voltage arithmetic portion and an output value of the sensorless exciting voltage arithmetic portion corresponding to a gap length. The excitation of the electromagnet is controlled according to an output value of the exciting voltage adjusting portion so as to reduce influences of noises on the gap sensors thereby always achieving a stable levitation control. | 04-23-2009 |
20090161284 | Method and apparatus for controlling a lifting magnet supplied with an AC source - A magnet controller supplied by an AC source controls a lifting magnet. Two bridges allow DC current to flow in both directions in the lifting magnet. During “Lift”, relatively high voltage is applied to the lifting magnet until it reaches its cold current. Then voltage is lowered. After a desired interval, once the magnet has had time to build its electromagnetic field, voltage is further reduced to prevent the magnet from overheating. The magnet lifting forced is maintained due to the magnetic circuit hysteresis. During “Drop”, reverse voltage is applied briefly to demagnetize the lifting magnet. At the end of the “Lift” and the “Drop”, most of the lifting magnet energy is returned to the line source. A logic controller controls current and voltage of the magnet and calculates the magnet's temperature. In one embodiment, a “Sweep” switch is provided to allow reduction of the magnet power to prevent attraction to the bottom or walls of magnetic rail cars or containers. | 06-25-2009 |
20100208407 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A LIFTING MAGNET OF A MATERIALS HANDLING MACHINE - A magnet controller supplied by a DC generator controls a lifting magnet. Four transistors, forming an H bridge, allow DC current to flow in both directions in the lifting magnet. During “Lift”, full voltage is applied to the lifting magnet. During “Drop”, reverse voltage is applied briefly to demagnetize the lifting magnet. At the end of the “Lift” and the “Drop”, most of the lifting magnet energy is returned to the DC generator. A transient voltage suppressor protects against voltage spike generated when current reverses in the generator. | 08-19-2010 |
20100321851 | Method and Apparatus for Moving Material - A method and apparatus for moving magnetic material includes an electromagnet for lifting the magnetic material where upon its release, the residual magnetic flux of the lifted magnetic material is reduced. The apparatus includes a generator coupled to the electromagnet. The generator includes a control input and an armature having a voltage output. A controller has an output coupled to the generator's control input and armature voltage output, whereupon receiving a release material signal from an operator interface panel to release the magnetic material from the electromagnet, the controller transmits a plurality of control signals, one of which is at least partially dependent upon the duration of a previously transmitted control signal, to effectively alternate the polarity and reduce the magnitude of the magnetizing force of the electromagnet. | 12-23-2010 |
20110181995 | COIL SYSTEM FOR THE CONTACTLESS MAGNETIC NAVIGATION OF A MAGNETIC BODY IN A WORK SPACE - A coil system for the contactless magnetic navigation of a magnetic body in a work space, has a plurality of coils and a current controller for controlling the respective currents in the plurality of coils. In order to navigate the magnetic body to a variably predeterminable position in the work space, the current controller is designed such that the currents in the plurality of coils are such that the magnetic forces generated by the currents and acting upon the magnetic body at multiple positions at the edge of a convex environment around the predetermined position are directed into the environment. The coil system has the advantage that a movement of the magnetic body toward a spatial position is achieved without any mechanical movement of the coil system and without a positioning system for determining the position of the magnetic body. The coil system is utilized particularly in a medical device, wherein a magnetic body in the form of a probe is moved in the body of a patient. In this way, fast navigation of the probe in the patient's body can be achieved without mechanical movements of the patient table or of the coil system. | 07-28-2011 |
20110286140 | Method And System For Moving Material - A method and system for moving magnetic material includes an electromagnet wherein known problems associated with DC power circuit interruptions are substantially reduced. The system includes a generator coupled to an electromagnet, the generator being powered by a power supply through a first set of contactors which arc configured to open and close a first circuit between the power source and the generator coupled to the magnet to start and stop a lifting sequence, wherein the first circuit includes a first bridge rectifier, a reactance element, and a first resistance element. The system includes a second set of contactors configured to open and close a second circuit between the power source and the generator coupled to the magnet to start and stop a dropping sequence, wherein the second circuit includes a second bridge rectifier and at least one pair of contactors for discharging power from the generator, the at least one pair of contactors being configured to open and close a discharge circuit between at least the reactance element and the generator. | 11-24-2011 |
20120063052 | Electronic system with secured data accessing - A first electronic device includes an electromagnetic component embedded in its connecting port and controlled to be activated during data transmission between the first electronic device and a second electronic device to which the first electronic device is connecting, or during memory accessing of the first electronic device. As the electromagnetic component is activated, an attraction force exists between the two connecting ports of the first and the second electronic devices such that a user of the first electronic device will feel a resistance when he/she tries to disconnect the first electronic device from the second electronic device. | 03-15-2012 |
20120099238 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A LIFTING MAGNET SUPPLIED WITH AN AC SOURCE - A magnet controller supplied by an AC source controls a lifting magnet. Two bridges allow DC current to flow in both directions in the lifting magnet. During “Lift”, relatively high voltage is applied to the lifting magnet until it reaches its cold current. Then voltage is lowered. After a desired interval, once the magnet has had time to build its electromagnetic field, voltage is further reduced to prevent the magnet from overheating. The magnet lifting forced is maintained due to the magnetic circuit hysteresis. During “Drop”, reverse voltage is applied briefly to demagnetize the lifting magnet. At the end of the “Lift” and the “Drop”, most of the lifting magnet energy is returned to the line source. A logic controller controls current and voltage of the magnet and calculates the magnet's temperature. In one embodiment, a “Sweep” switch is provided to allow reduction of the magnet power to prevent attraction to the bottom or walls of magnetic rail cars or containers. | 04-26-2012 |
20120120540 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A LIFTING MAGNET OF A MATERIALS HANDLING MACHINE - A magnet controller supplied by a DC generator controls a lifting magnet. Four transistors, forming an H bridge, allow DC current to flow in both directions in the lifting magnet. During “Lift”, full voltage is applied to the lifting magnet. During “Drop”, reverse voltage is applied briefly to demagnetize the lifting magnet. At the end of the “Lift” and the “Drop”, most of the lifting magnet energy is returned to the DC generator. A transient voltage suppressor protects against voltage spike generated when current reverses in the generator. | 05-17-2012 |
20120134064 | Solid-state magnet controller for use with an alternating current generator - A solid-state magnet controller powered by an AC generator using separate silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) bridges to drive current through the magnet in opposite directions. The invention eliminates high voltage transients, first by switching flyback diodes across the magnet using solid state devices, then employing secondary discharge methods to dissipate the remaining stored magnetic energy. Isolated DC-to-DC converters are used as a means of providing drive signals to the solid-state elements. A method to prevent inadvertent FET turn-on is included, as well as a method to slowly decrease the magnet current when desired. | 05-31-2012 |
20130279060 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SPATIALLY MODULATING MAGNETIC FIELDS USING CONTROLLABLE ELECTROMAGNETS - A method, device and system for spatially modulating magnetic fields using controllable electromagnets arranged into array configurations. An external controller modulates electromagnets and magnetic arrays by varying strength and polarity of electromagnets. Arrays are non-permanently latched and unlatched by controlling magnetic field patterns, without altering the properties of the magnetic elements, other than by electronic control signals. Arrays may contain combinations of electromagnets and permanent magnets. | 10-24-2013 |
20140055905 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAGNETICALLY UNLOADING A ROTOR BEARING - An apparatus and method for unloading a rotor bearing is described. The apparatus includes an electromagnet for levitating the rotor. In one embodiment, a sensor of the magnetic field near the electromagnet is used to control the current to levitate the rotor. In another embodiment, a method is provided that includes rotating the rotor, increasing the current to levitate the rotor and decrease the gap between electromagnet and rotor, and then reducing the current to levitate the rotor with a minimal amount of electric power to the electromagnet. | 02-27-2014 |
20140204498 | Magnetically Movable Objects Over a Display of an Electronic Device - In one implementation, the present disclosure provides a method for imparting motion to a magnetically movable object. The method includes disposing the magnetically movable object over a display of an electronic device. The method further includes imparting motion to the magnetically movable object by adjusting a magnetic field that is produced by a magnetic field source, the magnetic field being applied to the magnetically movable object through the display of the electronic device. The adjusting the magnetic field can be based on a location of the magnetically movable object over the display. Furthermore, the display can be a touch sensitive display and the adjusting the magnetic field can be based on touch input of the touch sensitive display. The imparting motion can include moving the magnetically movable object around the display. | 07-24-2014 |
20140321022 | Magnetic Levitation Apparatus - A magnetic levitation apparatus includes at least one pair of magnets arranged to create a static magnetic field that generates position-dependent energy dependent on a resultant force of a gravitational force and a magnetic force for a magnetic body to be levitated, a position detecting unit that generates location information indicating a location of the magnetic body in an unstable axis, an electromagnet that generates a magnetic field having a gradient along the unstable axis at an equilibrium position by a supply of electric power, a controller that receives the location information and that controls the supply of electric power to the electromagnet, a support member that has a support surface supporting the magnetic body at any time other than at the time of levitation of the magnetic body, and an equilibrium position moving member that moves the equilibrium position to change a height of the equilibrium position. | 10-30-2014 |
20150109711 | Magnetically Movable Objects Over a Display of an Electronic Device - In one implementation, the present disclosure provides a method for imparting motion to a magnetically movable object. The method includes disposing the magnetically movable object over a display of an electronic device. The method further includes imparting motion to the magnetically movable object by adjusting a magnetic field that is produced by a magnetic field source, the magnetic field being applied to the magnetically movable object through the display of the electronic device. The adjusting the magnetic field can be based on a location of the magnetically movable object over the display. Furthermore, the display can be a touch sensitive display and the adjusting the magnetic field can be based on touch input of the touch sensitive display. The imparting motion can include moving the magnetically movable object around the display. | 04-23-2015 |
20160203901 | Hybrid Magneto-Active Propellant Management Device for Active Slosh Damping in Spacecraft | 07-14-2016 |