AU617253B2

AU617253B2 - Magnetic force system for low-friction transportation of loads

Info

Publication number: AU617253B2
Application number: AU57099/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Schuster
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-02-27
Filing date: 1990-06-13
Publication date: 1991-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2007-02-23
Also published as: LV10411A; NO174497C; CA1270913A; LV10412B; LV10411B; BR8706040A; RO105679B1; FI874694A0; JPH088726B2; RU2069156C1; JPH088724B2; CN87102301A; DK545487D0; OA08832A; LV10412A; WO1987005271A1; DK545487A; EP0356370A1; DK167748B1; DK15291A

Abstract

A magnetic power system for transporting charges without friction includes at least one magnet (1) secured to the charge (7) and cooperating with a ferromagnetic profiled carrier (2). It is essential that the magnets (1) be so arranged relative to the profiled carrier (2) that the pole faces of a magnet (1) cooperate with at least one vertical wall of the profiled carrier and be essentially parallel to this wall. A particularly good implementation is obtained when magnets are so arranged on both sides of a profiled wall (2) that relative to the wall their poles having the same polarity face each other (principle of repulsion). Seen in their longitudinal direction, the magnets are arranged in pairs and each pair is short-circuited by a ferromagnetic plate (4).

Description

617253 S F Ref: 39430D1 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: 0 C Name and Address of Applicant: Address for Service: Peter Schuster Prinzregentenstrasse 41 D-8201 Raubling FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attornrys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia 0 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Magnetic Force System for Low-Friction Transportation of Loads The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5845/3 ,1 i 1 1. Abstract of the Disclosure Magnetic Force System for Low-Friction Transportation of Loads 0000 00 O 000 0 00 0000 0000 0 a 00 0 0 o 0 *0O 0 000 00 0 a0 00 00 0^ rr 0 a 00 0 0 The present invention relates to a magnetic force system for frictionless transportation of loads, comprising at least one ferromagnetic supporting profile secured to a stationary support, with at least one vertically oriented profile wall, including at least two pairs of magnets opposing each other relative to a profile wall consisting of poles oriented transversely to the direction of transportation and, by alternation, in the direction of transportation, which are disposed in tandem in the direction of transportation, the respectively outer poles of said pairs of magnets being short-circuited through a ferromagnetic plate, while air gaps are provided between the magnets and the supporting profile wall and between magnets In mutual succession. The loads are fastened at the magnets in this system. The essential aspect consists in the fact that the poles of the magnets which are opposing each other relative to the profile wall present respectively the same S-S) pole orientation (principle of repulsion) so that a horizontal flux of the lines of force will be established which results in a great increase in the density of the lines of force and thus in a high efficiency, due to the repulsion of the magnetic poles which are opposite to each other relative to the profile wall.

Fig. 1

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Magnetic Force System for Low-Friction Transportation of Loads Description O 0 0 S° The present Invention relates to a magnetic system for low-friction transportation .o of loads as defined in the introductory clause of Claim 1.

o The known magnetic force systems, also called "glide systems", move along supoaO porting rails practically without friction, at a certain spacing from these rails.

These systems are generally very expensive and complicated so that their economy and economic efficiency is doubted.

In VDI News No. 1 of 01/03/86, for instance, the "Transrapid 06" Magnetic Railway of Emden is described. It is evident that a considerable engineering expendi- Sture is necessary to lift the vehicle by 1 cm. Unfortunately, the energy consump- So tion is not specified which is required to keep the 120 ton vehicle hovering. With a load capacity of 196 passengers, however, this corresponds to a weight of about 120,000 kg, i.e. 612 kg per person (allowing for 80 kg per personj. To this add the expensive application technology and the problems due to snow and ice which are still unsolved.

Major difficulties have been experienced in the known Japanese suspension railways. Some of them must proceed on wheels until a speed of 200 km/h is reached at which point hovering begins.

It 2 The so-called "Berlin Magnetic Railway", described in the laid-open German Patent Application DE-OS 24 26 053, operates in a similar way, even though with the distinction that the guiding rollers are guided above the magnetic field.

Moreover, from the French Applicat!on 22 28 650, a magnetic transportation system has become known wherein pairs of permanent magnets presenting an alternating pole orientation In the direction of transportation are associated with ferromagnetic supporting profiles. The magnets are, however, arranged according to the principle of attraction, i.e. with opposing poles of opposite polarity, In relation to the supporting profiles. The combined load carrying capacity achieved is comparatively lo.w. The total load corresponds to a multiple of the payload in this 00 case, too.

0 0 0 00 The laid-open German Patent Application DE-OS 33 47 635 discloses a magnetic °o force system which, in terms of the arrangement of the magnets, is based as well o0 on the principle of attraction, i.e. with poles of opposite polarity facing each o o other. The result is a relatively small load-carrying capacity in this case, too.

Moreover, the used structure is very expensive since the arrangement of a great number of magnets is required in order to lift a given load.

The laid-open German Patent Application DE-OS 21 46 143 also discloses an eleco° o tromagnetic supporting and guiding system with at least one electromagnet with a substantially U-shaped core profile for attachment of the load, and a ferromago netic supporting U-section fastened at a stationary support, whose profile walls constituting the legs are vertically oriented. The lines of force are closed in an essentially vertical orientation through the two U-sections which face each other o. in an essentially vertical direction. Due to the use of electromagnets the system is comparatively expensive. Moreover, guiding systems with controlled solenoids are used for lateral guidance, which renders the system structure comparatively complex.

Finally, the US Patent 4,424,185 (Vinson) discloses a transportation system wherein permanent magnets for load suspension are provided with alternating poles c~ -i i, 3 in tandem relationship in the direction of transportation. Two rails constituted by ferromagnetic sheet metal stacks are provided at both pole sides of the permanent magnets, said rails forming essentially vertical walls which extend parallel to each other and to the magnetic poles. The magnets are disposed in the direction of transportation with air gaps therebetween and with an alternating pole orientation such that a substantially horizontal flux of the lines of magnetic force is established between respectively two successive magnets. Appropriate guide rails contribute to the fact that the air gaps between the supporting profiles and the magnets are maintained relatively constant.

Electromagnetic coils are embedded, all along the distance of transportation, in the supporting profiles which are made of sheet-metal stacks so as to avoid eddy currents; these coils are externally controlled in an appropriate way and cooperate with the permanent magnets disposed with opposite poles in the direction of transportation, which are attached to the load, so as to provide for advance and, at the same °o time, to contribute also to the hovering effect. As a result of th? sheet-laminated structure of the supporting profiles and due to the coils incorporated therein, this system presents a comparatively strongly 20 reduced efficiency. The structure, specifically of the supporting profiles, is highly comolex and expensive, particularly since the overall length of the distance of transportation must be made of the sheet metal stacks with coils therebetween.

2The present invention is based on the problem of defining a magnetic force system of the aforedescribed kind, which is simple to establish, has a light-weight structure and yet ensures reliable operation at a low energy consumption, with a high efficiency.

According to the present invention there is disclosed a magnetic force system for low-friction transportation of loads, comprising: at least one ferromagnetic supporting profile secured to a stationary support, with at least one vertically oriented profile wall which extends in parallel to the direction of transportation; at least two pairs of permanent magnets opposing each other relative to said profile wall, whereof one pair of magnets consists of two poles oriented transversely to the direction of transportation and,

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3A by alternation, in the direction of transportation, which are disposed in tandem in the direction of transportation, along said profile wall and essentially in parallel to the latter, the respectively outer poles of said pairs of magnets being short-circuited through a ferromagnetic plate; respectively one air gap between the magnets and the supporting profile wall and between magnets in mutual succession in the direction of transportation, while the loads are attached to said magnets; and mechanical means for permanently maintaining said air gaps, wherein the poles of said magnets which are opposite to each other in relation to the profile wall respectively present the same S-S) pole orientation (principle of repulsion).

Generally, the poles facing each other relative to the wall, are of the same polarity, i.e. N-N or S-S, respectively. In this way, the principle of repulsion is effectively applied. Tests have gone to show that the operation 0 0 0 0 lAD 1326 4 4 on the principle of repulsion achieves an efficiency increased by a multiple, compared against the principle of attraction which is used in the known systems.

Even though the US Patent 2,812,203 (Scholten) discloses a retaining system including permanent magnets, wherein two mutually opposing permanent magnets are provided, as well, which repel each other and are disposed relative to a ferromagnetic profile wall, here merely two magnets or several juxtaposed magnets of the same pole orientation in the longitudinal extension of the wall are provided whose outer poles are interconnected through a pole plate whereas the ferromagnetic profile is a T-section whose central vertical leg extends in the space between the magnets whereas its top bar contacts the pole plates in the introduced position. This arrangement establishes a vertical flux of the lines of force which, o o 0 however, is entirely interrupted as soor, as the T-section is withdrawn from the magnet system, which fulfils the intended function. In this case one may not speak I* o either of a horizontal transport of loads attached to the magnets, along the profile

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r o while during transport the relative spacing and the relative positions of the wall 0 and the magnets remain essentially constant, as that known retaining system has been designed specifically for refrigerator closures whereas the only relative movement that takes place is the sliding insertion and removal of the profile wall fastened at the refrigerator door or casing between the associated magnets corl respondingly fastened in the refrigerator casing or the door, so that the position "a g of the wall relative to the magnets will be changed from maximum superposition with a corresponding maximum flux of the lines of force to complete removal with a flux of the lines of force that may be practically neglected. The two systems are thus fundamentally different in terms of both their operation and their operative arrangement.

0 o According to an improvement of the inventive idea, a downwardly open U-section of a ferromagnetic material is provided so as to increase the load-carrying capacity of the supporting profile, the legs of said U-section constituting mutually parallel vertical profile walls while the pairs of magnets are disposed between and outside of the profile walls.

PI~ _IL^_ II The arrangement of several profiles in side-by-side relationship or the side-byside arrangement of several profiles which present several mutually parallel profile walls with correspondingly associated magnets may result in a further considerable improvement of the load-carrying capacity.

The inventive magnetic force system allows for its application in differently structured systems. For instance, the load to be transported by the system may be provided above the profile/magnet arrangement such that a so-called upright or standing system will be achieved.

The vehicle may be driven in different ways, e.g. by means of driving rollers cono oo tacting the supporting rails, or by means of a linear motor.

The load to be transported by the system may, however, also be provided below the profile/magnet system. In such a case the so-called suspended arrangement 0 is achieved. Such sr:spension may be considered to be the more expedient variant S° since its ferromagnetic supporting profiles and its driving elements are disposed below a supporting system, e.g. a concrete beam. In this way, the exposition to detrimental weather influences, specifically in winter, will be avoided.

In the following, the present invention will be explained in more detail in relation o to embodiments, with reference to the drawing wherein: 0 Fig. 1 shows a magnetic force system with a plate-shaped supporting profile and short-circuited pairs of magnets respectively disposed on either side of the profile, Fig. 2 illustrates another embodiment including a supporting U-section and pairs of magnets disposed between the legs and outside of the legs, Fig. 3 shows a multiple arrangement of the embodiment according to Fig. 2, Figs. 4 to 7 respectively Illustrate possible arrangements of the system in relation to a concrete beam and the load, specifically: 6 Fig. 4 shows a first mode of arrangement with the load to be conveyed below the profile/magnet arrangement (suspended arrangement), Fig. 5 a mode of arrangement with the load to be conveyed above the profile/ magnet arrangement (upright standing arrangement), Fig. 6 is a side view of the system with suspended load, said load being a vehicle for passenger transportation, and Fig. 7 is a front view of the system shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the inventive magnetic force system wherein the 0 rail-shaped supporting profile 2 Is shaped as a smooth plate with mutually facing 00 aa S pairs of magnets being disposed on either side thereof. The poles of the same o° ~o -polarity of the opposing magnets 1 are facing each other relative to the profile rail 2, i.e. S-S or N-N, respectively (principle of repulsion). The outside poles o of the pairs of magnets 1 which constitute one pair in the longitudinal direction are short-circuited with each other through a ferromagnetic plate 4. This provision optimizes the flux of the lines of magnetic force which passes between the pairs of magnets disposed in the longitudinal direction and the profile 2 or the 000. plate 4, respectively.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 is a design with force amplification, wherein oo the supporting profile 2 is a downwardly open U-section. Relative to the two lateral walls or legs, magnets are disposed in the same or in a similar way as that shown in Figs. 1 and 4, both between and outside of these walls or legs. Here, 0o° too, mutually opposing pole surfaces present the same polar orientation so that 0 the lines of force pass correspondingly through the ferromagnetic supporting walls 0 o or the short-circuiting plates, respectively, while repelling each other. Thus, in combination a corresponding amplification of the force -s achieved.

Fig. 3 shows a multiple arrangement of the embodiment according to Fig. 2. This arrangement provides for an amplification of the force.

-7 Fig. 4 shows one possible application of the system 1, 2 in a suspended arrangement. The supporting profiles 2 are 'astened at the underside of a concrete beam 6 while the magnets 1 cooperating with the profiles 2 are arranged at the upper side of a load 7 therebeneath, e.g. a transportation vehicle. Moreover, the guiding rollers 3 are provided at the upper side at the load or at the vehicle 7, which rollers cooperate with a central supporting rail. A linear motor 5 is provided, in the center as well, to induce the movement.

Fig. 5 illustrates a so-called upright standing arrangement of the load 7 in relation to the system 1, 2. In this case, too, the profiled supports 2 are disposed at the underside of the concrete beams or of side arms of the concrete beams 6. The oeoo load or the vehicle 7 is disposed above the beam 6 and engages under- the side arms of the concrete beam 6, carrying the magnets 1 in a way that they may appropriately cooperate with the supports 2. The concrete beam 6 includes at its o0 upper side a central guiding rail for guiding rollers and the linear motor 5 as the eo prime mover, which guiding rollers are not illustrated here.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a practical embodiment. The load the vehicle 7 is a vehicle for oassenger transportation in this case. At its upper side, magnets 1 are attached which extend into a downwardly open U-shaped support. It is evident that the vehicle will be driven in a suspended arrangement.

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-8 Magnetic Force System for Low-Friction Transportation of Loa&s List of Reference Numerals o CC. 0 0 00 00 0 0 0 0 o 0 00 0 o 0 00 0 Magnets supporting profiles guiding rollers ferromagnetic plate/U-section linear motor concrete beam load or vehicle insu~lating plate 0 0 0 0 0 C' 4) 0 0 4) 0 0

Claims

1. A magnetic force system for low-friction transportation of loads, comprising: at least one ferromagnetic supporting profile secured to a stationary support, with at least one vertically oriented profile wall which extends in parallel to the direction of transportation; at least two pairs of permanent magnets opposing each other relative to said profile wall, whereof one pair of magnets consists of two poles oriented transversely to the direction of transportation and, by alternation, in the direction of transportation, which are disposed in tandem in the direction of transportation, along said profile wall and essentially in parallel to the latter, the respectively outer poles of said pairs of magnets being short-circuited through a ferromagnetic plate; respectively one air gap between the magnets and the supporting profile wall and between magnets In mutual succession in the direction of transportation, while the loads are attached to said magnets; and mechanical means for permanently maintaining said air gaps, wherein the poles of said magnets which are opposite to each other in o relation to the profile wall respectively present the same S-S) pole orientation (principle of repulsion).

2. A magnetic force system according to claim 1, wherein a downwardly open U-section is provided as said ferromagnetic supporting profile, that inside said profile, between the two vertical legs or lateral walls at least one pair of magnets is disposed which is not short-circuited, and that at each respective outside of said profile side walls at least one pair of magnets is provided, with equlpolar magnet oo areas facing each other respectively in relation to the vertical walls (principle of repulsion).

3. A magnetic force system according to claim 2, wherein several profiles with appropriately associated magnets are disposed in side-by-side relationship so as to increase the load-carrying capacity.

4. A magnetic force system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the load to be conveyed by the system is provided above the profile/ magnet arrangement (upright arrangement). AD ).26o A magnetic force system according to riaim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the load to be conveyed by the system is provided below the profile/ magnet arrangement (suspended arrangement).

6. A magnetic force system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a linear motor is provided for movement in the system.

7. A magnetic force system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein driving rollers are provided for movement in the system which cooperate with said profile and are driven by at least one motor.

8. A magnetic force system for low-friction transport of loads substantially as described herein with reference to any one of Figs. 1 to or Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. DATED this FIFTH day of SEPTEMBER 1991 Peter Schuster Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON 0 09 IAD/13260