US 11,837,402 B2
Electromagnet-switchable permanent magnet device
David H. Morton, Boulder, CO (US); Thomas R. Whitt, Redmond, WA (US); Michael H. Reed, Westminster, CO (US); and Michael C. Blanchard, Thornton, CO (US)
Assigned to MAGSWITCH TECHNOLOGY, INC., Superior, CO (US)
Filed by MAGSWITCH TECHNOLOGY WORLDWIDE PTY LTD., Lafayette, CO (US)
Filed on Dec. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/076,893.
Application 18/076,893 is a continuation of application No. 17/340,557, filed on Jun. 7, 2021, granted, now 11,651,883.
Application 17/340,557 is a continuation of application No. 16/618,690, granted, now 11,031,166, issued on Jun. 8, 2021, previously published as PCT/US2018/036734, filed on Jun. 8, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/517,057, filed on Jun. 8, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0170122 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. H01F 7/20 (2006.01); H01F 7/02 (2006.01); H01F 7/04 (2006.01); H01F 7/17 (2006.01); B66C 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC H01F 7/206 (2013.01) [B66C 1/06 (2013.01); H01F 7/0257 (2013.01); H01F 7/04 (2013.01); H01F 7/17 (2013.01); H01F 2007/208 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic coupling device for magnetic coupling to a ferromagnetic workpiece, comprising:
a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion including a recess positioned between a first pole portion of the housing magnetically coupled to a first workpiece contact interface supported by the housing and a second pole portion of the housing magnetically coupled to a second workpiece contact interface supported by the housing;
a plurality of permanent magnets positioned relative to the first pole portion of the housing and the second pole portion of the housing, including
a first permanent magnet of the plurality of permanent magnets positioned between the first pole portion of the housing and the second pole portion of housing and positioned in the upper portion of the housing, and
a second permanent magnet positioned between the first pole portion of the housing and the second pole portion of the housing and positioned vertically offset from the first permanent magnet in the lower portion of the housing;
a plurality of electrical windings wrapped about the first permanent magnet, the plurality of electrical windings positioned between the first pole portion of the housing and the second pole portion of the housing; and
an electronic controller operatively coupled to the plurality of electrical windings and controlling a magnetic circuit through the ferromagnetic workpiece at the first workpiece contact interface and the second workpiece contact interface,
wherein the electronic controller establishes a first state of the magnetic circuit through the ferromagnetic workpiece at the first workpiece contact interface and the second workpiece contact interface with a first configuration of the plurality of permanent magnets and a second state of the magnetic circuit through the ferromagnetic workpiece at, the first workpiece contact interface and the second workpiece contact interface with a second configuration of the plurality of permanent magnets, the second state having a magnetic field strength at the first workpiece contact interface and the second workpiece contact interface greater than the first state.