GB2387204A

GB2387204A - Magnetic rotary suspension bearing

Info

Publication number: GB2387204A
Application number: GB0205983A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Camplin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-14
Filing date: 2002-03-14
Publication date: 2003-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-14
Also published as: GB2387204B; GB0205983D0

Abstract

A magnetic rotary suspension bearing is provided by the magnetic linkage at a point 4 between a stationary magnetic stator component 1 and a free to turn magnetic rotor component 2. The linkage may utilise magnetic attraction through a minimal point of contact 4 between a projecting surface of the stator 1 and a projecting surface of the rotor 2. In an alternative arrangement, either the stator 1 or rotor 2 can be magnetised.

Description

MAGNETIC ROTARY SUSPENSION BEARING

This invention relates to a magnetic rotary suspension bearing.

Rotary bearings are well known mechanisms, which allows a rotating linkage (rotor) to rotate with as little friction as possible whilst being retained by a non-rotating linkage (stator) Most types of rotary bearings however still retain appreciable mechanical friction and prevent the free rotation of loads when a rotational force of very low magnitude is given.

An object of this invention is to provide a suspension magnetic bearing, which allow a suspended load to rotate with the minimum amount of driving force.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

FIGURE 1 indicates the basic principle of the magnetic bearing.

According to the present invention there is provided two components one orboth of which is magnetised, one is a fixed, non-rotating stator 1 and the other is a suspended, free to rotate rotor 2 Supporting a suspended load 3, these are linked to each other by magnetic linkage meeting together at a point 4 to form a magnetic rotary suspension bearing.

The stator is magnetically linked to a rotor this is achieved by utilising focussed magnetic attraction through a small point contact via a surface projecting from one component to a surface projecting from the other component.

The form of the two projecting surfaces can be a point, a hemisphere, an elongated hemisphere or other suitable shape.

Either or both of the stator and rotor should be magnetised, either by being made of a permanent magnetic material like magnetic ferrite, neodymium, samarium or other magnetic material, or by an external electromagnetic field, but at least one must be magnetised and the other, if not

magnetized, must be a magnetically permeable material such as iron, steel, ferrite or another magnetically permeable material.

The stator, rotor or both components may be made up of sub-components to simplify manufacture, for example a rod magnet with an iron hemisphere as its terminal surface, a rod magnet with an iron cone as its terminal surface or a torroidal magnet with a ball bearing as its terminal surface, in this case all components will be made of magnetically permeable materials or magnetic or magnetised materials.

As the areas of physical contact are very small there is very little mechanical friction between them. The magnetic components are held together by a magnetic attraction force, this is balanced by the suspension force of the load to be rotated.

Suspension can be a downwards load force due to gravity acting on a weight, an upwards buoyant load force due to the pull of a hot air, helium or other lighter than air gas balloon or gas in a liquid or a load force in any direction due to electromagnetic or electrostatic fields.

Accordingly the invention allows the rotation of a mechanical load with a very small applied force.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in each case the convention for the sake of clarity will be that the stator is always the upper component and the rotor is always the lower component shown in the drawing: FIGURE 2 shows a magnetically linked stator 1 and rotor 2, one or both of which is magnetized, the stator is shaped at its lowest extremity in the form of a conic point 3, the rotor is shaped at its highest extremity in the form of a elongated hemi-spheroid 4.

FIGURE 3 is as Figure 2 except that the assembly is inverted, the stator 1, the rotor 2.

FIGURE 4 shows a magnetically linked stator 1 and rotor 2, one or both of which is magnetized, the stator is shaped at its lowest extremity in the form of a conic point 3, the rotor is shaped at its highest extremity in the form of a hemi-spheroid 4.

FIGURE 5 is as Figure 4 except that the assembly is inverted, the stator 1, the rotor 2.

FIGURE 6 shows a magnetically linked stator 1 and rotor 2, one or both of which is magnetized, the stator is shaped at its lowest extremity in the form of a elongated hemi-spheroid 3, the rotor is shaped at its highest extremity in the form of a hemi-spheroid 4.

FIGURE 7 is as Figure 6 except that the assembly is inverted, the stator 1, the rotor 2.

FIGURE 8 shows a magnetically linked stator 1 and rotor 2, one or both of which is magnetized, the stator is shaped at its lowest extremity in the form of a elongated hemi-spheroid 3, the rotor is shaped at its highest extremity in the form of a elongated hemi-spheroid 4.

FIGURE 9 shows a magnetically linked stator 1 and rotor, one or both of which is magnetised, the stator is shaped at its lowest extremity in the form of a conic point 3, the rotor is composed of a sub assembly of a rod 2 with an attached elongated hemi-spheroid at its highest extremity 4 FIGURE 10 is as Figure 9 except that the assembly is inverted the stator 1, the rotor 2.

FIGURE 11 shows a magnetically linked stator 1 and rotor 2, one or both of which is magnetized, the stator is composed of a sub assembly of a rod 1 with an attached conic point 3 at its lowest extremity, the rotor 2 is shaped at its highest extremity in the form of a elongated hemi-spheroid 4.

FIGURE 12 is as Figure 11 except that the assembly is inverted, the stator 1, the rotor 2.

FIGURE 13 shows a perspective view of the arrangement described in Figure 14.

FIGURE 14 shows a magnetically linked stator 1 and rotor, one or both of which is magnetized, the stator 1 is shaped at its lowest extremity in the form of a conic point 3, the rotor is composed of a sub assembly of a torroidal magnet 2 with an attached ball-bearing 4 acting as its highest extremity. FIGURE 14 is as Figure 13 except that the assembly is inverted, the stator 1, the rotor 2.

Claims

1 A magnetic bearing provided by the magnetic linkage at a point between a stationary magnetic stator component and a free to turn magnetic rotor component.

2 A magnetic bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a suspended load is able to rotate with a very

small driving force.

3 A magnetic bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a buoyant load is able to rotate with a very small driving force.

4 A magnetic bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a load held by electromagnetic suspension is able to rotate with a very small driving force.

5 A magnetic suspension bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a toad held by electromagnetic Suspension is able to rotate with a very small driving force.

5 A magnetic bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a load held by electrostatic suspension is able to rotate with a very small driving force.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLA MS

1 A magnetic suspension bearing provided by the nnagnedc linkage at a point between a stationary stator component and a free to turn rotor component, one of which is magnetized, the other magnetically permeable or both of which are magnetised.

2 A magnetic suspension bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a suspended load is able to rotate with a very small driving force.

3 A magnetic suspension bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein z buoyant load is able to rotate with a very small driving force.

4 A magnetic suspension.bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a load held by electrwnagnetic suspension is able to rotate- with a very small driving force.