Patent · US Expired

Solenoid for efficient pull-in and quick landing

US6737946B2 · kind B2 · utility

28Cited by
8References
17Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 21, 2001
Grant dateMay 18, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01F2007/185
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A solenoid with improved pull-in and landing characteristics. As a solenoid armature closes toward contact with the pole faces of a yoke, a geometric redistribution of a constant total flux causes the force to increase with decreasing gap. Latching force at saturation is maximized when the latching contact area matches the tightest bottleneck in the flux path. The addition of ferromagnetic area not making latching contact preserves the maximum latching force, increases power efficiency for pulling at a distance, and increases the flux redistribution effect of increasing force with decreasing gap at constant flux. The extra constant-flux force change at small gaps may be abrupt, for a high deceleration followed by a quick passive force increase to latch with low impact, or gradual, for tight servo control and very low impact. Conductive material can provide selective inductive damping near latching. Armature mass can be kept low despite the extra ferromagnetic area.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.