MAGNETIC COUPLING

摘要

A rotatable magnetic coupler includes disc carrying, circumferentially spaced magnets arranged in rows on a first side of the disc. The magnets are oriented such that one pole of a first magnetic polarity from each magnet faces outwardly from the disc rotation axis while the other pole of a second magnetic polarity for each magnet faces inwardly toward the axis of rotation. The inner row magnets are preferably of lesser height than the outer row magnets to intensify a virtual gear-coupling effect in the magnetic field lines. A magnetic coupling is formed when two such couplers are rotatably mounted sufficiently close to one another that their magnetic fields are coupled together, such that rotation of one coupler rotatably drives the second coupler.

主权项

1. A rotatable magnetic coupler (12) comprising:
a disc (16) having an axis of rotation (20) about which it is adapted to rotate, the disc (16) comprising a plurality of magnets (24, 28) spaced circumferentially around the disc (16) such that one pole (N, S) of a first magnetic polarity from each magnet (24, 28) faces outwardly from the disc (16) while the other pole of a second magnetic polarity (S, N) for each magnet (24, 28) faces inwardly toward the axis of rotation (20) of the disc (16), and wherein the magnets (24, 28) on the disc (16) comprise an outer row (22) and an inner row (26).