GB2501103A

GB2501103A - Apparatus applying static or varying magnetic fields across electronic equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2501103A
Application number: GB201206470A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mervyn Stanley Curtis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-04-12
Filing date: 2012-04-12
Publication date: 2013-10-16
Also published as: GB201206470D0

Abstract

The apparatus seeks to improve the performance of audio, video and other electronic equipment 2 by applying an external magnetic field 7 across the equipment with the aim of improving the equipments performance. The field may be sufficiently strong to swamp residual magnetism in components 5, 6 of the equipment 2 that may exist and may help to align all magnetic domains in the same direction. At least two permanent magnets 3 or electromagnets with opposite poles facing Further one or more bodies 8 of a material of high electrical conductivity may also absorbed or dissipate current generated fields. The magnets may arrange the field to be vertical or horizontal (fig 3). One embodiment uses substantially planar assemblies which may comprise a single permanent magnet 3 or an array and may also use magnetic materials 13 of various shapes (figs 4,5 9 to 14) to spread and widen the magnetic field. An alternative arrangement is shown in figure 6 where the magnetic assemblies are provided at a localised position inside the equipment housing. Further embodiments instead use electro-magnets which may be driven with DC current or AC current at preferably above 50kHz. The idea may also be applicable to directing a magnetic field across wires or cables as figures 11 and 12 show. Other equipment that may be used with the invention include a projector (fig 13) and satellite receiver LNB (fig 14).

Description

Magnetic apparatus for improving the performance of electronic equipment

Field of invention

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for improving the performance of audio, video and other electronic equipment or apparatus by controlling the magnetic and electromagnetic properties of such equipment through controlling and changing and reducing the magnetic and electromagnetic interactions between components within such equipment.

Whenever an electrical current passes through a wire or component in an electrical system it creates a matching electromagnetic field around the wire or component.

Whenever this electromagnetic field intersects another electrically conducting wire or component an equivalent electrical current will be generated in that wire or component. If the original electric current was an alternating current such as an audio or video signal then a similar signal will be generated in the second wire or component. The level of the second, interference, current will depend upon the distance between the two components and their physical construction and location.

This mutual interference current or signal is normally unwanted and adds noise or distortion to the various electrical currents in a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus. Such a piece of equipment may have hundreds of wires and components all of which are capable of generating interactions with multiple resulting interference currents. Hitherto such effects could only be mitigated by the careful layout of printed circuit boards and wiring arrangements and the use of localised electromagnetic screening. However as electrical equipment has become smaller and more crowded with components these palliatives have become less possible or effective.

A study of the magnetic and electromagnetic fields inside even a simple piece of electrical equipment or apparatus shows a field map of great complexity which is very difficult to analyse and improve. The interactions degrade the sound quality of an audio system and the picture quality of a video system and the performance of most electronic devices. Thus there is a need for an invention that improves this situation.

Description of the Prior Art

A number of methods for reducing noise and interference in electrical circuits through the use of magnets or magnetic materials have been proposed in the documents cited.

An invention presented in US Patent No. 5,109,140 used an insulated ferromagnetic layer placed around the conductors of an audio cable. The purpose is to retain the self-generated magnetic fields within the ferromagnetic layer so that no energy of the signal is used to create the external magnetic field and so this minimizes the distortion of the audio signal.

US Patent No. 0,115,728 presents the use of a coil through which the signal passes to create a self-generated magnetic field which minimizes the distortion of the audio signal in the cable. The coil may incorporate magnetic material to increase the magnetic strength of the field which is generated by the audio current through the cable.

US Patent No. 4,873,505 uses a magnetic material, such as a ferrite body, wrapped around an electrical cable with the intention of absorbing electrical noise in the signal.

US Patent No. 4,882,561 uses the same principle with ring shaped bodies to absorb the electrical noise conducted by a cable.

US Patent Nos. 4,885,559, and 4,972,167 and 4,983,932 are all variations of the same method using differently shaped bodies.

US Patent No. 5,355,109 also uses a ferrite absorber body to reduce electrical noise.

US Patent No. 5,349,133 uses two layers of magnetic material wrapped around a cable in a magnetically opposed arrangement providing a shielding of the cable from external electromagnetic noise or interference.

US Patent No. 5,506,909 passes a wire through a specially shaped magnet in order to absorb electrical noise within the current in the wire.

US Patent No. 5,814,761 shows an electromagnetic interference dissipation device to reduce self-generated and externally generated electromagnetic interference using an array of components and a number of permanent magnets mounted in a sandwich form and positioned over a piece of electronic equipment. The electromagnetic interference generated within the equipment is radiated into the array of components which then absorbs the energy.

US Patent No. 6,469,594 uses a single pair or multiple permanent magnets positioned on either side of an electrical cable to absorb and reduce electromagnetic noise.

German Patent Application No. WO/201 0/102797 uses a very strong magnet field to create a uniform motion of electrons in the material of electrical components to reduce the effects of external sources of interference and so improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal passing through the electrical components.

Whilst the structural arrangements of the currently known devices and methods, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. The present invention as described hereinafter admits advantages that are not available with the prior devices and methods.

Statements of invention

The need to control the magnetic and electromagnetic behaviour of an item of electrical equipment or apparatus is addressed by the apparatus and method of the current invention. The invention is typically utilised with a pair of permanent magnets or electromagnets place above and below (or at either side) of the equipment so that the magnetic field flows through and across the equipment and a body or plurality of bodies made from electrically conductive material designed to absorb electrical energy.

In a preferred embodiment a magnet is placed on the top surface of the equipment with another magnet placed on the bottom surface. The magnets are arranged with the opposite magnetic poles facing each other so that a magnetic field crosses through the equipment or apparatus from one magnet to the other. The electrically conductive bodies are placed adjacent to the magnets or within the structure of the magnets.

The invention seeks to achieve an improvement in the performance of the electronic equipment or apparatus. The magnetic field is made sufficiently high to exceed any magnetic fields created by currents flowing through electronic components by a factor of four or more and steers the magnetic fields generated by such currents towards the electrically conducting bodies. In so doing it minimises the influence of such currents on the performance of the electronic equipment or apparatus.

It has been observed that a temporary application of the composite magnet assemblies used in the invention creates an improvement in the performance of the electronic equipment even after the assemblies and the magnetic field is removed.

This improvement lasts for a time which is dependent upon the dimensions and materials of the electronic equipment. The description of composite magnetic assembly within this invention refers to the combined magnet assembly and the electrically conductive body or bodies assembly.

The effectiveness of the invention on a particular piece of electronic equipment or apparatus will depend upon the dimensions and locations of the magnets and the body or bodies of electrical conductive material.

Brief description of drawings

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated, with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 shows a magnet mounted above and below an electronic circuit with the magnetic poles mounted to create lines of magnetic flux through the electronic circuits and the electrically conductive bodies located to absorb energy.

Figure 2 is perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the composite magnetic assemblies, comprising magnets and electrically conductive bodies, in a housing mounted above and below a piece of electronic apparatus.

Figure 3 shows the composite magnetic assemblies mounted on either side of a piece of electronic apparatus.

Figure 4 shows how permanent magnets with associated electrically conductive bodies can be mounted inside housings which can be placed above and below a piece of electronic apparatus.

Figure 5 shows one implementation of how permanent magnets and associated electrically conductive bodies can be mounted on a sheet or block of magnetic material, this being a material capable of being magnetised; and placed above and below a piece of electronic apparatus.

Figure 6 shows one implementation of how the composite magnetic assemblies can be mounted inside a piece of electronic apparatus to create a magnetic field across components or electronic circuits and to absorb energy.

Figure 7 shows one implementation where the permanent magnet is replaced by an electromagnet.

Figure 8 shows how a single permanent magnet can be used as part of the composite magnetic assembly and the magnetic field spread wider using an additional component made of a magnetic material, this being a material capable of being magnetised. Again one composite magnetic assembly is placed above the piece of electronic apparatus and one below.

Figure 9 shows an alternative design with additional magnetic material, this being a material capable of being magnetised; used to spread the magnetic field over a wider area.

Figure 10 shows multiple permanent magnets and field spreading components and electrically conductive bodies mounted within housings. Again one complete composite magnetic assembly is placed above the piece of electronic apparatus and one below.

Figure 11 shows one implementation where a permanent magnet and a field spreading component and an electrically conductive body mounted within a housing either side of a pair of electrical wires or cables. Again one complete composite magnetic assembly is placed above the wires or cables and one below.

Figure 12 shows one implementation where a wire or cable having two or more electrical conductors are passed through an assembly comprising a permanent magnet and an electrically conductive body. The cable or wire is wrapped through the composite magnetic assembly for one or more turns.

Figure 13 shows one implementation of how permanent magnets and associated electrically conductive bodies can be mounted in a housing placed above and below a video projector type of electronic apparatus.

Figure 14 shows one implementation of how permanent magnets and associated electrically conductive bodies can be mounted one either side of a LNB (low-noise block) used in a satellite receiving antenna assembly.

Detailed description of drawings and invention

Figure 1 shows the operation of the invention in detail. Here a piece of electronic circuitry comprising a circuit board 5 with electronic components 6 is placed between two permanent magnets 3. Lines of magnetic field 7 then pass between the magnets 3 and through the electronic circuit board 5 and components 6. The magnetic poles 4 must be aligned so that North is facing South or South is facing North. Bodies of electrically conductive material 8 are located adjacent to magnets 3 or, in an alternative embodiment, there may be a single body 8 positioned next to one of the magnets 3. The magnetic field 7 is made sufficiently powerful to exceed by a factor of four or more any of the magnetic fields created by currents flowing through

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electronic components 6 and to direct the energy created by such currents into the conductive body or bodies 8 and so minimise the interactions caused by these multiple magnetic fields being generated inside the electronic equipment or apparatus 5, 6.

Figure 2 is perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the composite magnet assembly mounted above and below a piece of electronic apparatus. A composite magnet assembly in a housing 1 is placed above and below a piece of electronic apparatus 2. Each housing 1 contains permanent magnets or electromagnets such that a magnetic field is created across the piece of apparatus 2 and bodies of a material of high electrical conductivity. The magnetic field is created by ensuring that the magnetic poles in the housings 1 above and below the apparatus 2 are aligned North to South or South to North.

Figure 3 shows a similar arrangement to that in Figure 1 but with the composite magnetic assemblies in housings 1 placed on either side of a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 2. The magnetic field and energy absorption is now created across the piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 2.

Figure 4 shows one possible embodiment of the invention where magnets 3 and electrically conductive bodies 8 are placed inside a housing 9. These housing assemblies can then be placed above and below a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 2.

Figure 5 shows one possible embodiment of the invention where magnets 3 and electrically conductive bodies 8 are placed on a plate or block 10 made of a magnetic material, this being a material capable of being magnetised. These magnetic assemblies, comprising magnets 3 and bodies 8, can then be placed above and below a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 2.

Figure 6 shows one possible embodiment of the invention where magnets 3 and electrically conductive bodies 8 are placed inside a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 11 being positioned to be on either side of a piece of electronic circuitry 5 with electronic components 6. Lines of magnetic field then pass between the magnets 3 and through the electrically conductive bodies 8 and the electronic circuitry 5 and components 6.

Figure 7 shows one possible embodiment of the invention where an electromagnet 12 is mounted on a block or plate of magnetic material 10; this being a material capable of being magnetised; and adjacent to electrically conductive bodies 8. The resulting composite magnetic assembly can then be placed above and below a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 2. Every embodiment of the invention may use an electromagnet in place of a permanent magnet. Normally the electromagnet would be fed with an electrical direct current (DC) to create a constant magnetic field.

However the electromagnet can be fed from a high-frequency electrical current (AC).

Typically such a current would have a frequency above 50 kHz.

Figure 8 shows one possible embodiment of the invention where magnets 3 and electrically conductive bodies 8 are placed onto a plate or block 13 made of a magnetic material, this being a material capable of being magnetised; and designed to spread the magnetic field over a wider area. These magnetic assemblies can be placed into housings 9. These composite magnetic assemblies can then be placed above and below a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 2.

Figure 9 shows one possible embodiment of the invention where magnets 3 and electrically conductive bodies 8 are placed onto plates or blocks 10 made of a magnetic material, this being a material capable of being magnetised; and designed to spread the magnetic field over a wider area. These composite magnetic assemblies can be placed into housings 9. These composite magnetic assemblies can then be placed above and below a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 2.

Figure 10 shows one possible embodiment of the invention where magnets 3 and bodies of electrically conductive material 8 are placed onto plates or blocks 10 made of a magnetic material, this being a material capable of being magnetised; and designed to spread the magnetic field over a wider area. One or more such composite magnetic assemblies can be placed into housings 9. These composite magnetic assemblies inside housings can then be placed above and below a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus 2.

Figure 11 shows one possible embodiment of the invention where magnets 3 and a body or bodies of an electrically conductive material 8 are placed onto plates or blocks 13 made of a magnetic material, this being a material capable of being magnetised; and designed to spread the magnetic field over a wider area. One or more such composite magnetic assemblies can be placed into housings 9. These composite magnetic assemblies inside housings can then be placed above and below, or to either side of two or more electrical cables or wires 17.

Figure 12 shows one possible embodiment where a wire or cable 17 having two or more electrical conductors are passed through a composite magnetic assembly comprising a permanent magnet 3 and an electrically conductive body 8. The cable or wire 17 is wrapped through the composite magnetic assembly for one or more turns.

Figure 13 shows one possible embodiment using permanent magnets 3 and electrically conductive bodies 8 can be mounted in housings 9 placed above and below a video projector type of electronic apparatus 14 with an optical lens 15.

Figure 14 shows one possible embodiment using permanent magnets 3 and an electrically conductive body or bodies 8 can be mounted one either side of a LNB (low-noise block) 16 used in a satellite receiving antenna assembly.

Although most of these drawings show the composite magnetic assemblies or composite magnetic assembly housings mounted above and below a piece of electronic equipment or apparatus they could equally be mounted at either side or at the front and rear or at any angle that allows a flow of magnetic field 7 through the electronic equipment or apparatus. The most effective implementation of the invention may vary from apparatus to apparatus.

It has been observed that the temporary application of the composite magnet assemblies creates an improvement in the performance of the electronic equipment even after the assemblies are removed. This improvement lasts for a time which is dependent upon the dimensions of the electronic equipment and the materials used therein.

Whilst the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications in active and passive audio or video components, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art lying within the spirit and scope of the claims appended hereto will recognise additional modifications, applications and embodiments within additional fields such as digital electronics; radio frequency and medical fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.

Claims

Magnetic apparatus for improving the performance of electronic equipment Claims 1. An apparatus for improving the performance of electronic equipment or apparatus by controlling the magnetic and electromagnetic properties of such equipment and controlling and changing and reducing the magnetic and electromagnetic interactions between two or more components within such equipment comprising; a. two or more magnetic assemblies mounted on either side or above and below the piece of electronic equipment or apparatus to create a strong constant magnetic field passing through the said electronic equipment or equipment.b. the magnetic assemblies being mounted such that their facing magnetic poles are aligned North to South or South to North thereby ensuring that the poles are attracted together and create a magnetic field between the magnetic assemblies.c. A body of high electrical conductivity being positioned within or adjacent to the magnet or magnetic assembles.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the magnetic assemblies comprise one or more permanent magnets and one or more bodies of high electrical conductivity housed in a non-magnetic material.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the magnetic assemblies comprise one or more permanent magnets and one or more bodies of high electrical conductivity housed on or in a magnetic material.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein where the magnetic assemblies comprise one or more bodies of high electrical conductivity and one or more permanent magnets attached to components made of magnetic material whose purpose is to spread the area of magnetic field.
5. The apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3, and 4 wherein where the permanent magnets can be replaced by electromagnets powered by a direct electrical current.
6. The apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3, and 4 wherein where the permanent magnets can be replaced by electromagnets powered by an alternating electrical current having a frequency of greater than 50 kHz.
7. The apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3, and 4 where the permanent magnets can be made of Alinco; ferrite materials; ceramic materials; Neodymium or any other magnetic material.
8. The apparatus of claims 3 and 4 where the magnetic material can be made of iron, steel, ferrite materials; ceramic materials; or any other magnetic material.
9. The apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3, and 4 where the high electrical conductive body or bodies can be made of Copper; Brass; Silver or any other material of high electrical conductivity.
10. The apparatus of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 when the application of the magnet assemblies, comprising magnets and one or more bodies of high electrical conductivity, is for a temporary period able to give a subsequent improvement in the performance of the electronic equipment.