Electromagnetic actuator magnetically locked into two or more stable positions
US6020804A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 15, 1998 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 15, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02K37/125
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electromagnetic actuator has four positions which are stable in the absence of a current and moves rapidly between these positions when acted upon by a current. The actuator has a thin, rotatable magnet (3) with two pairs of magnetic poles transversally magnetised in alternate directions, and a stator member having four pole pieces (9-12, 34-37, 48-51) of developed length P, each with an excitation coil. Two consecutive poles of the thin magnet (3) are spaced by a distance d. The thin magnet (3) is movable in an airgap of width E. wherein the size ratio P:E and P:d is greater than 8. The invention is useful for driving a device such as a valve or a switch.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.