System including a rotating magnetic roller and method of use thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a mechanical system including a pair of rotatable magnetic rollers. Each roller includes a set of magnets mounted on the rotating shaft. Each magnet in the set is radially magnetized. The present disclosure provides methods of reducing or eliminating torque of a rotating magnetic roller.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Rotating magnets can be used to align particles to enable the production of advanced abrasive, magnetic, electrothermal, and optical products. For example, PCT Patent Publication No. WO 2018 / 136268 (granted to Jesme et al.) describes a method for making abrasive products by varying a magnetic field relative to magnetizable abrasive particles on a surface to impart a non-random orientation and / or arrangement to the magnetizable abrasive particles. Summary of the invention

[0002] In one aspect, the present disclosure describes a mechanical system comprising a first magnetic roller and a second magnetic roller, the first magnetic roller comprising a first set of magnets mounted on a first rotating shaft extending along a first rotational axis, the second magnetic roller comprising a second set of magnets mounted on a second rotating shaft along a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being substantially parallel to the first rotational axis. The first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller are positioned with a gap between the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller. Each magnet in the first group and the second group is radially magnetized with a magnetic orientation substantially perpendicular to the first rotational axis or the second rotational axis.

[0003] In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a method comprising positioning a first magnetic roller and a second magnetic roller, the first magnetic roller extending along a first rotation axis, the second magnetic roller extending along a second rotation axis, the second rotation axis being substantially parallel to the first rotation axis. The first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller each include a first group of magnets or a second group of magnets mounted on a first rotation axis or a second rotation axis. Each magnet in the first group and the second group is radially magnetized with a magnetic orientation substantially perpendicular to the first rotation axis or the second rotation axis. The method also includes rotating the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller at a torque.

[0004] Various unexpected results and advantages are obtained in the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. One such advantage of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is that the torque required to start and complete the rotation of a pair of magnetic rollers is minimized, which also reduces power consumption, motor size, motor cost, mechanical vibration, and speed variability during rotation.

[0005] Various aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been summarized. The above summary of the invention is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the current certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The following drawings and detailed description more specifically illustrate certain preferred embodiments using the principles disclosed herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The present disclosure may be more fully understood by considering the following detailed description of various embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figure 1 is a side perspective view of a magnetic roller system according to one embodiment.

[0008] Figure 2A is a side perspective view of a pair of magnetic rollers according to one embodiment.

[0009] Figure 2B is a side perspective view of a pair of magnetic rollers according to another embodiment.

[0010] Figure 2C yes Figure 2B Diagram of the magnetic flux of the pair of magnetic rollers.

[0011] Figure 3A is a schematic diagram of a magnet according to one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 3B is a schematic diagram of a set of magnets according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of a pair of magnetic rollers and their associated magnetic fields in a first position according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 4B It is in the second position Figure 4A Schematic diagram of the pair of magnetic rollers and their associated magnetic fields.

[0015] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a pair of magnetic rollers according to one embodiment.

[0016] Fig. 6A is a schematic diagram of a magnetic field of a pair of magnetic rollers in a first position according to another embodiment.

[0017] Figure 6B It is in the second position Fig. 6A Schematic diagram of the magnetic field of the pair of magnetic rollers.

[0018] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a pair of magnetic rollers according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a pair of magnetic rollers according to another embodiment.

[0020] Fig. 9 yes Figure 7 A graph of the magnetic moments of the pair of magnetic rollers.

[0021] Fig. 10A is a schematic diagram of a mechanical system coupled to a pair of magnetic rollers in a first state according to one embodiment.

[0022] Fig. 10B It is in the second state Fig. 10A Schematic diagram of the mechanical system.

[0023] Fig. 10C It is in the third state Fig. 10A Schematic diagram of the mechanical system.

[0024] In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals indicate like elements. Although the above-identified drawings, which may not be drawn to scale, set forth various embodiments of the present disclosure, other embodiments as mentioned in the detailed description are also contemplated. In all cases, the present disclosure describes the currently disclosed disclosure in the manner of representation of exemplary embodiments rather than by expressing limitations. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will be able to conceive of many other modifications and embodiments that fall within the scope and essence of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] For example, it is desirable to use a stronger magnetic field during the production process, which can provide a series of advantages, including, for example, being able to manipulate less magnetic and / or lower cost particles on the coil, being able to better align particles, being able to run at a faster line speed, etc. A method of providing greater magnetic field strength is to add a second counter-rotating magnet above the coil line to form a pair of magnets between which the coil passes. The pair of magnets may strongly tend to maintain magnetic alignment, and the motor required to rotate the magnet may need to be very large to generate the torque required during startup to overcome the strong magnetic attraction. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides various means to reduce or eliminate this torque requirement, making it possible to use a much smaller (and / or much cheaper) motor and motor controller to rotate the magnet, thereby allowing the device to be installed in the available space of many pilot and production coil lines.

[0026] Figure 11 is a side perspective view of an electromechanical system 100 of rotating magnets according to one embodiment. The system 100 includes a first magnetic roller 110 and a second magnetic roller 120, the first magnetic roller being formed by mounting a first set of magnets on a first rotating shaft 111, and the second magnetic roller being formed by mounting a second set of magnets on a second rotating shaft 121. The magnetic rollers 110, 120 are each mounted on a mounting and positioning mechanism 130, such that the first shaft 111 extends along a first rotational axis, and the second shaft 121 extends along a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being substantially parallel to the first rotational axis. The mounting and positioning mechanism 130 also includes a crank and / or wheel 132, which is used to adjust the gap 5 between the magnetic rollers 110, 120. The system 100 also includes a first motor 113, which is mechanically connected to the first rotating shaft 111 to rotate the first magnetic roller 110, and a second motor 123, which is mechanically connected to the second rotating shaft 121 to rotate the second magnetic roller 120.

[0027] The first magnetic roller 110 and the second magnetic roller 120 each include a group of magnets. Figure 2A is a side perspective view of a magnet assembly 200 comprising a pair of magnet rollers 110, 120. According to one embodiment, each roller comprises an array of disc magnets 10 mounted on a rotating shaft 111, 121. Figure 2B is a side perspective view of a magnet assembly 200 ′ according to another embodiment, the magnet assembly including a pair of disk-shaped magnetic rollers 110 , 120 each including a magnet 10 mounted on a rotating shaft 111 , 121 .

[0028] exist Figure 3A An exemplary magnet 10 according to some embodiments is shown in FIG. The magnet 10 is a radially magnetized cylinder or disk, which includes two magnetic poles N and S, each of which is in the shape of a hemisphere and is arranged on both sides of the rotation axis AR. The magnetic orientation of the magnet is indicated by an arrow pointing from the S pole to the N pole. The magnet 10 has a width w in the range of, for example, 0.5 cm to 7.0 cm, and a diameter d in the range of, for example, 0.5 cm to 13 cm. It should be understood that the size of the magnet may be related to practical magnet structure limitations.

[0029] Figure 3B is a schematic diagram of a magnet assembly 30 according to one embodiment. The magnet assembly 30 includes a first magnet 10a and a second magnet 10b, each of which is a radially magnetized cylinder or disk. The orientations of the first magnet 10a and the second magnet 10b are rotated relative to each other about a rotation axis A so that the magnetic pole N of the first magnet 10a is not directly aligned with the magnetic pole N of the second magnet 10b. Instead, the first magnet 10a and the second magnet 10b are angularly displaced relative to the axis A, with an angle α between their respective orientations. The first magnet and the second magnet can be mounted on a rotating shaft (e.g., FIG. 2A to FIG. 2B The first magnet 10a and the second magnet 10b are oriented on the axes 111, 121 of the embodiment of the present invention, and the respective axes are aligned along the rotation axis A. The respective orientations of the first magnet 10a and the second magnet 10b are angularly displaced or moved relative to the axis A. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the magnet assembly 30 can be a composite assembly, including a first part as a first magnet and a second part as a second magnet, and the first part and the second part are integrated into a single-piece structure. It should also be understood that the magnet assembly 30 may include two or more integrated parts / magnets assembled along the axis A.

[0030] Refer again Figure 2A and Figure 2B , the first magnetic roller 110 and the second magnetic roller 120 each include N magnets 10. The number N may be in the range of, for example, 4 to 50. It should be understood that the number N may depend on the desired application. The axes of the magnets 10 in each magnetic roller 110, 120 are aligned along their respective rotation axes 111, 121. The magnetic pole direction of each cylinder 10 is substantially perpendicular to the respective rotation axes 111, 121. As the magnets 10 are assembled along the rotation axis, each magnetic roller 110, 120 has a width W=Nw, where N is the number of magnets in the magnetic roller, and w is the width of each magnet 10. It should be understood that a thin layer of glue or other suitable material may be used to assemble the magnets. The roller width W may be substantially the same as or comparable to the width of the coil passing between a pair of magnetic rollers 110, 120.

[0031] In one application, the mechanical system described herein can be used to manipulate magnetic or magnetizable particles on a substrate surface (such as a web). Magnetic or magnetizable particles supported by the substrate surface can be passed between the pair of magnetic rollers, wherein the magnetic field from the rotating rollers can manipulate the particles, such as, for example, assembling the particles into a desired structure, imparting a non-random orientation and / or arrangement of the magnetic or magnetizable particles relative to the substrate surface. In some embodiments, particles can be added to the substrate, for example, via a drop coater, while the substrate is within the magnetic field of the magnetic rollers.

[0032] Suitable magnetic or magnetizable particles may include particles formed from any magnetizable material described elsewhere (optionally coated with another material) and particles formed from a non-magnetizable material and coated with a magnetizable material. For example, suitable magnetizable particles include nickel-coated graphite flakes, nickel-coated glass spheres, and nickel-coated plastic particles (e.g., nickel-coated polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) particles).

[0033] exist Figure 2AIn the embodiment 200 shown, the N pole and S pole of the magnet 10 in each roller 110, 120 are aligned. When the motor is not powered to rotate the rollers, the N pole of the magnet in one magnetic roller is magnetically attracted to the S pole of the magnet in the other magnetic roller. It is found in the present disclosure that the smaller the gap g between the pair of magnetic rollers, the greater the torque required to rotate the magnetic rollers to start rotation. In some embodiments, the gap g between the pair of magnetic rollers can be adjusted to be greater than a critical value to start rotation. In some embodiments, the gap can be in the range of, for example, about 0.005 cm to about 100 cm, about 0.01 cm to about 50 cm, or about 0.05 cm to about 30 cm. For a given configuration of the pair of rollers (i.e., the number, size and magnetism of the magnets, the gap between the pair of rollers, etc.), the torque T0 required to rotate the magnetic rollers can be determined experimentally.

[0034] The present disclosure provides various embodiments to minimize the maximum torque required to start and / or complete the rotation of a pair of magnetic rollers. It should be understood that at some angular positions of a complete rotation, the required torque T0 may be higher than at other angular positions. Various embodiments can minimize the highest (or maximum) torque required to complete a complete rotation. When compared to the reduced or minimized torque, the torque required to complete a complete rotation is Figure 2A The above torque T0 of the configuration in can be used as a reference torque.

[0035] exist Figure 2B In the illustrated embodiment 200', the N and S poles of adjacent magnets 10 in each magnet roller 110, 120 are substantially angularly displaced or moved at an angle of 180° / N, where N is the number of magnets in the respective magnet roller 110, 120. For example, Figure 2B Each of the exemplary rollers in the embodiment includes 15 magnetic units, and the angle is about 180° / 15=12 degrees. That is, the poles of each magnet are shifted by an equal angle of 12 degrees, with the intention that when one set of poles is pulled apart, the other set of poles is pulled together to eliminate or greatly minimize the net torque required to rotate the magnetically coupled rollers. With this angular displacement or shift, the same as completing Figure 2A The torque T1 required to complete the rotation of the magnetic roller can be reduced compared to the torque T0 required to complete the rotation of the magnetic roller. In some embodiments, the torque T1 can have a value in the range of, for example, from about 50% to about 0.5%, from about 30% to about 1%, or about 30% to about 5% of the torque T0.

[0036] In the present disclosure, simulation tools have been used to obtain information about the shape and distribution of the magnetic field for various configurations of magnetic roller pairs. In some cases, CST Studio software from Dassault Systemes was used. A full three-dimensional computer-aided design (3D CAD) representation of the magnets was used, and calculations were performed with a magnetostatic solver. According to one example, the 3D model consisted of two rows (rollers) of 15 disks each, such as Figure 2B As shown, they have a variable distance. Each disk can be pre-set with respect to the rotation angle offset of the other disks. In addition, all disks of the roller can be rotated with a total angle value. Therefore, any angular offset between adjacent disks and any rotation angle of each roller can be simulated and visualized. Since the distance between the rollers is also parameterized, a scan of the effect of the distance between the rollers on the magnetic field shape can be visualized. The simulation results can be displayed as a 2D or 3D representation of the magnetic field vector generated by the actual setting and rotation of the magnets. The magnetic field can be displayed as an absolute value to obtain the overall magnetic field magnitude, or it can also be displayed only in the x-direction, y-direction or z-direction in the (x,y,z) Cartesian coordinate system.

[0037] Figure 2C The CST modeling and simulation results are shown. Figure 2B Magnetic flux diagram of the configuration 200'. Figure 2C In the setup shown, the y component of the magnetic field vector is a measure of the force between the two rollers, which should be constant for all roller rotation angles. The z and x components are not required and should be minimized as part of the design optimization process. The magnetic field of each magnet is marked with a different gray scale, and the darker the gray, the stronger the magnetic field.

[0038] Modeling and simulation results show that the magnetic flux is concentrated toward the ends of the magnetic roller, resulting in uneven magnetic flux density along the rotation axis. Figure 4A It further shows Figure 2B The net system torque of the configuration 200' is shown in FIG. 2 . It should be noted that the arrows are used to represent a simplified example of seven magnets per magnetic roller (e.g., magnetic disks in this example). The magnetic orientations of adjacent magnets in each roller are angularly shifted, substantially equally offset by an angle α. Figure 4A As shown, the end magnets have a stronger magnetic field. Figure 4B The figure shows that when the magnetic roller is rotated 45 degrees as shown by the arrow, the stronger magnetic poles at the ends of the roller will tend to realign, thereby overcoming the attraction of the weaker magnetic poles in the middle of the roller, causing the magnetic assembly to return to Figure 4A Orientation shown.

[0039] It is found in the present disclosure that when the magnetic flux along the rotation axis is Figure 2CWhen the magnetic poles are more evenly distributed in the figure, the torque required to separate the magnetic poles at the ends of the cylinder can be offset by the torque pulling the magnetic poles together at the center of the magnetic roller. The present disclosure provides some embodiments of magnetic assemblies with further reduced mechanical drive requirements.

[0040] In various embodiments, a mechanical system including a pair of magnetic rollers is provided with a reduced torque (compared to a reference torque T0) to complete the rotation of the rollers. The reference torque T0 refers to the torque required to start and complete the rotation of the rollers. Figure 2A The torque of the rotation of the rollers 110, 120 in the system 200 shown, wherein the magnetic orientations of the magnets in each set are arranged to be substantially parallel. The same number of identical magnets used in a given system (e.g., Figure 3A Various configurations are provided to reduce the torque to no more than 50% of the reference torque, no more than 30% of the reference torque, no more than 20% of the reference torque, or optionally no more than 10% of the reference torque, with the same gap between the magnet 10 in the roller and the pair of rollers. In some embodiments, the torque can be reduced to substantially zero.

[0041] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of a mechanical assembly 500 according to one embodiment is shown. The assembly 500 includes a first magnetic roller 110 and a second magnetic roller 120, each magnetic roller including a set of magnets 10, the set of magnets being arranged in a manner similar to that of the first magnetic roller 110 and the second magnetic roller 120. Figure 2B The first magnetic roller 110 and the second magnetic roller 120 each further include a set of compensation magnets 12 located near one end of the set of magnets 10 .

[0042] The two groups of compensating magnets 12 can be oriented to repel each other when the magnets 10 of the magnetic rollers 110 and 120 are rotated at an angle at which the magnets 10 tend to attract each other. For example, the north pole of one group of compensating magnets repels the north pole of the other group of compensating magnets. Each group of compensating magnets 12 may include an appropriate number n of magnets 10, and the respective magnetic poles of the magnets are aligned along the rotation axis 111, 121. The magnetic poles of the compensating magnets 12 can be aligned with the adjacent end magnets 10 in the corresponding rollers 110, 120. The number n can be determined experimentally. In some embodiments, the number ratio n / N can be in the range of, for example, from 0.01 to 0.5, from 0.01 to 0.3, or from 0.01 to 0.2, where N is the number of magnets 10 and n is the number of compensating magnets 12 per magnetic roller. For example, it was determined experimentally that 2 magnets in each compensating assembly cannot fully offset the torque generated by the ends of these groups of magnets 10, and 3 magnets in each compensating assembly overcompensates and the system tends to be stationary with the north pole of one compensating group aligned with the south pole of the other compensating group.

[0043] It has been discovered in the present disclosure that a slight offset of the two sets of compensating magnets relative to each other along the length of the axes 111, 121 can reduce the overcompensation effect of the compensating magnets 12. Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the two sets of three compensating magnets for the respective magnetic rollers 110, 120 can be offset relative to each other by just the amount required to substantially cancel the residual torque of the system as described above. It should be understood that the gaps g1 and g2 between the set of magnets 10 and the set of compensating magnets 12 for the rollers 110, 112 can be adjusted to achieve the desired compensation effect.

[0044] Refer again Figure 4A , the orientations of adjacent magnetic units 10 of the same magnetic roller are displaced or moved at substantially equal angles by an angle α=180° / N, where N is the number of magnets in the respective magnetic rollers 110, 120. It has been discovered in the present disclosure that when the orientations of adjacent magnetic units have unequal angular spacings, a sufficiently close-to-zero torque may result for a desired range of gaps between magnetic rollers that are actually implemented. Fig. 6A It is further shown that Figure 2B The net system torque of configuration 600 modified from configuration 200' is Figure 4A Or 4B, the shift angle α in configuration 200' is substantially equal, while the shift angle α' in configuration 600 is unequal. In some embodiments, the end magnets may be more sparsely spaced than the middle magnets. It should be noted that the arrows are used to represent a simplified example where each magnetic roller has seven magnetic units (e.g., magnetic disks in this example). The magnetic field of each magnet is marked with a different grayscale, and the darker the gray, the stronger the magnetic field. The magnetic orientations of adjacent magnets in each roller are angularly shifted at different angles α'. As Fig. 6A As shown, Figure 4A In comparison, the end magnets, which have a stronger magnetic field and the strongest magnets, are spaced more sparsely at an angle. Figure 6B It is shown that when the magnet roller is rotated 45 degrees as shown by the arrows, in the position shown, the stronger but more sparsely spaced poles at the edges can be canceled by the weaker but more densely spaced center poles, which can result in essentially zero net torque.

[0045] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a mechanical assembly 700 according to one embodiment. The assembly 700 includes a pair of magnetic rollers 110, 120 magnetically coupled to each other. The magnetic roller 110 includes a first set of magnets 710a and a second set of magnets 720a mounted on a first rotating shaft 111 with a gap therebetween. The magnetic roller 120 includes a first set of magnets 710b and a second set of magnets 720b mounted on a second rotating shaft 121 with a gap therebetween. Each set includes an array of magnets, such as Figure 3AThe magnets 10 of the present invention are arranged such that the orientation of the magnets in each group is aligned along the axis of rotation. Group 710a and group 710b are magnetically engaged with each other. Group 720a and group 720b are magnetically engaged with each other. Group 710a and group 720a of the first roller 110 have an orientation that is angularly offset by 90 degrees. Group 710b and group 720b of the second roller 120 have an orientation that is angularly offset by 90 degrees.

[0046] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic assembly 800 according to one embodiment. The magnetic assembly 800 includes a pair of magnetic rollers 110, 120 magnetically coupled to each other. The magnetic roller 110 includes a first group of magnets 810a and a second group of magnets 820a mounted on a first rotating shaft 111 with a gap therebetween. The magnetic roller 120 includes a first group of magnets 810b and a second group of magnets 820b mounted on a second rotating shaft 121 with a gap therebetween. Each group includes a magnet array, such as Figure 3A The magnets 10 in each group, wherein the orientation of the magnets in each group is angularly displaced or moved at an angle α or α', as described above for Figure 4A or Fig. 6A The configuration discussed in . Group 810a and group 810b are magnetically engaged with each other. Group 820a and group 820b are magnetically engaged with each other. Group 810a and group 820a of the first roller 110 have an orientation that is angularly offset by 90 degrees. Group 810b and group 820b of the second roller 120 have an orientation that is angularly offset by 90 degrees.

[0047] Figure 7 and Figure 8 The illustrated embodiment provides a magnetic roller system that includes a magnetic linear / torsional mechanically coupled magnetic pair that can reduce the net torque required to begin rotating the magnetic roller to substantially zero. Fig. 9 The left side shows (e.g., Figure 7 710a and 710b) and the torque on the right side (eg, Figure 7 of 720a and 720b), resulting in essentially net zero torque.

[0048] According to some embodiments, the mechanical systems described herein show that substantially no (or only very little) energy is required to maintain the rotation of the magnetic roller, and there is no significant energy loss during the rotation of the magnetic roller. Fig. 9 As shown, the torque of the system is approximately sinusoidal, and the net torque during one rotation (or even 1 / 2 rotation) is essentially zero, because for equal angular displacements, the torque is positive and the torque is negative, and they have the same magnitude.

[0049] The mechanical system or method described herein can include various torque reduction mechanisms. One mechanism is potential energy storage and release. In this method, the potential energy of the magnetic system can be exported and converted into potential energy stored in the mechanical system for a portion of the rotation. For example, the potential energy can be stored in the form of a compression spring. For the other portion of the rotation, the stored mechanical potential energy is converted back into magnetic potential energy. Energy is cycled from one form of energy to another, much like the energy of a swinging pendulum oscillates between the pure potential energy at the top of the swing and the pure kinetic energy at the bottom of the swing. Because the energy of the system is retained (ignoring any system losses due to friction, etc.), a large amount of additional energy (in the form of torque at a certain rotation angle) is not required to start or maintain the rotation of the system.

[0050] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C A mechanical system 90 is shown, which is functionally connected to the rotation axis of at least one of the first roller 110 and the second roller 120 to convert between the magnetic potential energy and the mechanical potential energy of the system. The mechanical system 90 includes a cam 92 fixed to the rotation axis and a spring 94 functionally connected to the cam 92 via a cam roller 93. Fig. 10A The system is shown in a first state in the process of converting more magnetic potential energy into mechanical potential energy, wherein approximately equal amounts of energy are stored in magnetic potential energy and mechanical potential energy. Fig. 10B The system is shown in a second state, in which all energy is converted into magnetic potential energy and the spring 94 is decompressed. Fig. 10C The system is shown in a third state, in which substantially all of the energy is stored in spring 94 as mechanical potential energy.

[0051] In some embodiments, the systems or methods described herein can be applied to kinetic energy storage and release. For example, when, for example FIG. 10A to FIG. 10C As the system shown rotates, the rotational inertia can be used to smooth the angular velocity of the rotation, especially when the amount of rotational kinetic energy is much greater than the amount of energy stored as magnetic potential energy. In some embodiments, when it is of interest to have greater angular velocity stability during rotation, the magnetic moment can be reduced (e.g., by increasing the gap between the pair of magnetic rollers) to allow the system to rotate faster, and / or the moment of inertia can be increased (e.g., by adding a flywheel to the rotating shaft).

[0052] Various modifications and changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the exemplary embodiments described below, but should be controlled by the limiting factors shown in the claims and any equivalents thereof.

[0053] List of Exemplary Embodiments

[0054] Exemplary embodiments are listed below. It should be understood that any of Embodiments 1 to 12 and Embodiments 13 to 23 may be combined.

[0055] Embodiment 1 is a mechanical system, the mechanical system comprising:

[0056] A first magnetic roller, the first magnetic roller includes a first group of magnets, the first group of magnets is installed

[0057] on a first rotational axis extending along a first rotational axis; and

[0058] a second magnetic roller, the second magnetic roller comprising a second set of magnets, the second set of magnets being mounted on a second rotational shaft along a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being substantially parallel to the first rotational axis, the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller being positioned with a gap therebetween,

[0059] Wherein each magnet in the first group and the second group is radially magnetized with a magnetic orientation substantially perpendicular to the first rotation axis or the second rotation axis.

[0060] Embodiment 2 is the system of embodiment 1, wherein the magnetic orientations of adjacent magnets in the first group or the second group are angularly shifted.

[0061] Embodiment 3 is the system of embodiment 2, wherein the magnets in each group are angularly displaced by an angle of 180° / N, where N is the number of magnets in the first group or the second group.

[0062] Embodiment 4 is the system of embodiment 2, wherein the magnets in each group are angularly displaced at unequal angles.

[0063] Embodiment 5 is the system of any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the system further comprises a pair of compensating magnets adjacent to the same end of the first group of magnets and the second group of magnets, and the pair of compensating magnets are positioned to repel each other.

[0064] Embodiment 6 is a system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the first group of magnets is arranged as a first subset and a second subset side by side, and the second group of magnets is arranged as a first subset and a second subset side by side, and the first subset and the second subset of the second group of magnets are magnetically coupled to the first subset and the second subset of the first group of magnets, respectively.

[0065] Embodiment 7 is the system of embodiment 6, wherein the magnetic orientations of the first subset and the second subset are angularly offset by approximately 90 degrees.

[0066] Embodiment 8 is the system of any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the system further comprises a mechanical system functionally connected to at least one of the first rotating axis and the second rotating axis to convert between magnetic potential energy and mechanical potential energy of the system.

[0067] Embodiment 9 is the system of embodiment 8, wherein the mechanical system includes a cam and a spring, the cam being fixed to at least one of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, and the spring being functionally connected to the cam via a cam roller.

[0068] Embodiment 10 is the system of any one of embodiments 1 to 9, the system further comprising a first motor and a second motor, the first motor being mechanically connected to the first rotating shaft and the second motor being mechanically connected to the second rotating shaft.

[0069] Embodiment 11 is the system of any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the gap between the first roller and the second roller is in the range of 0.01 cm to 50 cm.

[0070] Embodiment 12 is the system of any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets are positioned such that the torque rotating the roller is substantially zero.

[0071] Embodiment 13 is a method, the method comprising:

[0072] positioning a first magnetic roller and a second magnetic roller, the first magnetic roller extending along a first rotational axis, the second magnetic roller extending along a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being substantially parallel to the first rotational axis, the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller each comprising a first group of magnets or a second group of magnets mounted on a first rotational axis or a second rotational axis, wherein each magnet in the first group and the second group is radially magnetized with a magnetic orientation substantially perpendicular to the first rotational axis or the second rotational axis; and

[0073] The first and second magnetic rollers are rotated with a torque to complete the rotation.

[0074] Embodiment 14 is the method of embodiment 13, further comprising reducing the torque to accomplish the rotation by angularly shifting the magnetic orientations of adjacent magnets in each group.

[0075] Embodiment 15 is the method of embodiment 14, wherein the magnets are angularly displaced at an angle of 180° / N, where N is the number of magnets in the first group or the second group.

[0076] Embodiment 16 is the method of embodiment 14, wherein the magnetic orientations of the magnets in each group are angularly shifted at unequal angles.

[0077] Embodiment 17 is the method of any one of embodiments 13 to 16, further comprising reducing the torque to complete the rotation by positioning a pair of compensating magnets adjacent to the same end of the first group of magnets and the second group of magnets.

[0078] Embodiment 18 is a method described in any one of embodiments 13 to 17, wherein the first group of magnets is arranged as a first subset and a second subset side by side, and the second group of magnets is arranged as a first subset and a second subset side by side, and the first subset and the second subset of the second group of magnets are magnetically coupled to the first subset and the second subset of the first group of magnets, respectively.

[0079] Embodiment 19 is the method of embodiment 18, wherein the magnetic orientations of the first subset and the second subset are angularly offset by approximately 90 degrees.

[0080] Embodiment 20 is the method of any one of embodiments 13 to 19, further comprising functionally connecting a mechanical system to at least one of the first rotating axis and the second rotating axis to convert between magnetic potential energy and mechanical potential energy of the device.

[0081] Embodiment 21 is the method described in embodiment 20, wherein the mechanical system includes a cam and a spring, the cam being fixed to at least one of the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft, and the spring being functionally connected to the cam via a cam roller.

[0082] Embodiment 22 is the method of any one of embodiments 13 to 21, further comprising adjusting the gap between the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller in a range of about 0.01 cm to about 50.0 cm.

[0083] Embodiment 23 is the method described in any one of embodiments 13 to 22, further comprising reducing the torque to no greater than 30%, no greater than 20%, or optionally no greater than 10% of a reference torque, wherein the reference torque refers to the torque required to complete the rotation of the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller while aligning the magnetic orientations of the magnets in each group to be substantially parallel.

[0084] "One embodiment", "certain embodiments", "one or more embodiments" or "embodiments" mentioned throughout this specification, whether or not the term "exemplary" is included before the term "embodiment", means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, expressions such as "in one or more embodiments", "in certain embodiments", "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment in certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Although this specification has described certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can easily think of changes, modifications and equivalents of these embodiments after understanding the above. Therefore, it should be understood that the present disclosure should not be unduly limited to the exemplary embodiments shown above. In addition, various exemplary embodiments are described. These embodiments and other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A mechanical system comprising: a first magnetic roller, the first magnetic roller comprising a first set of magnets, the first set of magnets being mounted on a first rotating shaft extending along a first rotating axis; and a second magnetic roller, the second magnetic roller comprising a second set of magnets, the second set of magnets being mounted on a second rotational shaft along a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being substantially parallel to the first rotational axis, the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller being positioned with a gap therebetween, Wherein each magnet in the first group and the second group is radially magnetized with a magnetic orientation substantially perpendicular to the first rotation axis or the second rotation axis. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic orientations of adjacent magnets in the first group or the second group are angularly displaced.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the magnets in each group are angularly displaced by an angle of 180° / N, where N is the number of magnets in the first group or the second group.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the magnets in each set are angularly displaced at unequal angles.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a pair of compensating magnets adjacent to a same end of the first and second sets of magnets.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first group of magnets is arranged as a first subset and a second subset side by side, and the second group of magnets is arranged as a first subset and a second subset side by side, and the first subset and the second subset of the second group of magnets are magnetically engaged with the first subset and the second subset of the first group of magnets, respectively.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the magnetic orientations of the first subset and the second subset are angularly offset by approximately 90 degrees.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical system functionally connected to at least one of the first and second rotating axes to convert between magnetic potential energy and mechanical potential energy of the system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mechanical system comprises a cam fixed to at least one of the first and second rotation axes, and a spring functionally connected to the cam via a cam roller.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first motor and a second motor, the first motor being mechanically coupled to the first rotating shaft and the second motor being mechanically coupled to the second rotating shaft.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a gap between the first roller and the second roller is in a range of 0.01 cm to 50 cm.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets are positioned such that the torque rotating the roller is substantially zero.

13. A method comprising: positioning a first magnetic roller and a second magnetic roller, the first magnetic roller extending along a first rotational axis, the second magnetic roller extending along a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being substantially parallel to the first rotational axis, the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller each comprising a first group of magnets or a second group of magnets mounted on a first rotational axis or a second rotational axis, wherein each magnet in the first group and the second group is radially magnetized with a magnetic orientation substantially perpendicular to the first rotational axis or the second rotational axis; and The first and second magnetic rollers are rotated with a certain torque.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising reducing the torque to accomplish the rotation by angularly shifting the magnetic orientations of adjacent magnets in each group.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the magnets are angularly displaced by an angle of 180° / N, where N is the number of magnets in the first group or the second group.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the magnetic orientations of the magnets in each group are angularly shifted at unequal angles.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising reducing the torque to accomplish the rotation by positioning a pair of compensating magnets adjacent to a same end of the first and second sets of magnets.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the first group of magnets is arranged as a first subset and a second subset side by side, and the second group of magnets is arranged as a first subset and a second subset side by side, the first subset and the second subset of the second group of magnets being magnetically coupled to the first subset and the second subset of the first group of magnets, respectively.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the magnetic orientations of the first subset and the second subset are angularly offset by approximately 90 degrees.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising functionally connecting a mechanical system to at least one of the first and second rotational axes to convert between magnetic potential energy and mechanical potential energy of a device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the mechanical system comprises a cam fixed to at least one of the first and second rotational axes, and a spring functionally connected to the cam via a cam roller.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising adjusting a gap between the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller within a range of about 0.01 cm to about 50.0 cm.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising reducing the torque to no more than 30%, no more than 20%, or optionally no more than 10% of a reference torque, wherein the reference torque refers to the torque that completes the rotation of the first magnetic roller and the second magnetic roller while aligning the magnetic orientations of the magnets in each group to be substantially parallel.

Images