Electromagnetic moving plate

Abstract

A system and method for moving a magnetic component across a plate including a plurality of electromagnets. The plurality of electromagnets includes a source electromagnet and a destination electromagnet. First, a magnetic field is generated at the destination electromagnet such that the magnetic component will be repelled by the center of the destination electromagnet. Next, a magnetic field is generated at the source electromagnet such that the magnetic component is repelled by the center of the source electromagnet such that the component moves to the edges of the source magnet and the destination magnet. Then, a magnetic field is generated at the destination electromagnet that attracts the magnetic component to the center of the destination electromagnet such that the component moves to the center of the destination electromagnet.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 398,433, filed on August 16, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a plate including a plurality of electromagnets and, more particularly, to a system and method for moving a magnetic piece across an electromagnetic plate using a plurality of electromagnets. Background Art

[0004] Electromagnets are known to exert force based on an electric current applied to a coil of conductive material. The electromagnetic coil generates a magnetic field, such as Fig. 20 The magnetic field produced through the center of the coil is in the opposite direction to that outside the coil. If the magnetic field is drawn around the entire coil, instead of Fig. 20 , then you can imagine the magnetic field as being roughly annular around the coil. By reversing the current flowing through the coil, the entire magnetic field around the electromagnet will reverse direction.

[0005] Electromagnets have been used to make electromagnetic plates that cause magnetic parts to move across the plate. However, the electromagnets are usually attached to motors. The electromagnets are turned on to lock the parts to the electromagnets, and then the motors move the electromagnets, thus moving the parts. A computer system can control where the motors move to avoid other parts or perform other functions. Electromagnetic systems involving motors and other moving parts are delicate, expensive, noisy, and have low reliability, leading to a need for a system that can move magnetic parts without expensive precision parts. In addition, these systems only allow a single part to be moved at a time due to a limited number of motors or motors physically blocking each other.

[0006] WO 2006 / 013580 describes a system for moving magnetic components without using motors. The system organizes a grid of electromagnets and turns one magnet off and the next magnet on to push the magnet off the plate. The system does not take into account the entire annulus of the magnetic field and is therefore inefficient or even ineffective. It would therefore be advantageous to create a system that efficiently and effectively moves magnetic components across an electromagnetic plate without using moving parts. Summary of the invention

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of moving a magnetic component across a plate having multiple electromagnets is described. The method first provides a magnetic component on the center of a source electromagnet. The method then causes the component to move from the center of the source electromagnet to the edge of the destination electromagnet by generating a magnetic field at the destination electromagnet such that the magnetic component will be repelled by the center of the destination electromagnet and generating a magnetic field at the source electromagnet such that the magnetic component is repelled by the center of the source electromagnet. Next, the method causes the component to move from the edge of the destination electromagnet to the center of the destination electromagnet by generating a magnetic field at the destination electromagnet that attracts the magnetic component to the center of the destination electromagnet such that the component moves to the center of the destination electromagnet.

[0008] Optionally, the electromagnets are arranged in a grid having at least two rows and at least two columns. Also optionally, each electromagnet is a coil having at least four sides.

[0009] Optionally, the method further comprises: causing the component to move from the center of the source electromagnet to the edge of the destination electromagnet further comprises generating a magnetic field at an adjacent electromagnet such that the magnetic component will be repelled from the center of the adjacent electromagnet, wherein the adjacent electromagnet shares a boundary with the source electromagnet and the destination electromagnet. Further optionally, the step of turning off the magnetic field in the source electromagnet further comprises turning off the magnetic field in the adjacent electromagnet.

[0010] Also optionally, after causing the component to move from the center of the source electromagnet to the edge of the destination electromagnet, the method further comprises detecting whether the component is located at the edge of the destination electromagnet.

[0011] Further optionally, the detection uses a method in the group consisting of: measuring electrical impedance; using radio frequency identification (RFID); using a camera; measuring weight. Optionally, the detection is done by an RFID sensor comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils in parallel with a plurality of electromagnets.

[0012] Optionally, the method further comprises generating a magnetic field at the source electromagnet such that the magnetic component is repelled by the center of the source electromagnet comprises providing a ramped up current to the source electromagnet.

[0013] Also optionally, the method further comprises generating a magnetic field at an electromagnet adjacent to the magnetic component to cause the orientation of the magnetic component to rotate, wherein the magnetic component comprises a secondary magnet.

[0014] Optionally, causing the component to move from an edge of the destination electromagnet to a center of the destination electromagnet further comprises turning off the magnetic field in the source electromagnet.

[0015] According to another embodiment, a system for moving a magnetic component is provided. The system includes a board, a plurality of electromagnets arranged on the board, and a controller configured to cause each of the plurality of electromagnets to generate a magnetic field. The controller is configured to cause the magnetic component at a source electromagnet to move to a destination electromagnet by:

[0016] a. causing a magnetic field to be generated at the destination electromagnet so that the magnetic component will be repelled by the center of the destination electromagnet, and then causing a magnetic field to be generated at the source electromagnet so that the magnetic component is repelled by the center of the source electromagnet; causing the magnetic component to traverse the plate from the source electromagnet to the edge of the destination electromagnet; and

[0017] b. causing a magnetic field to be generated at the destination electromagnet that attracts the magnetic component to the center of the destination electromagnet so that the component moves to the center of the destination electromagnet; causing the magnetic component to traverse the plate from the edge of the destination electromagnet to the center of the destination electromagnet.

[0018] Optionally, the electromagnets are arranged in a grid having at least two rows and at least two columns. Also optionally, each electromagnet is a coil, and further optionally, each electromagnet is a two-dimensional or three-dimensional spiral coil.

[0019] Also optionally, during step a, the controller causes a magnetic field to be generated at an adjacent electromagnet such that the magnetic component will be repelled by a center of the adjacent electromagnet, wherein the adjacent electromagnet shares a boundary with the source electromagnet and the destination electromagnet.

[0020] Optionally, shutting down the magnetic field in the source electromagnet further comprises shutting down the magnetic field in an adjacent electromagnet.

[0021] Optionally, after causing the component to move from the center of the source electromagnet to the edge of the destination electromagnet, the method further comprises detecting whether the component is located at the edge of the destination electromagnet. Further optionally, the detection is performed by an RFID sensor comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils parallel to the plurality of electromagnets.

[0022] Also optionally, generating a magnetic field at the source electromagnet such that the magnetic component is repelled by the center of the source electromagnet includes providing a ramped-up current to the source electromagnet.

[0023] Optionally, the system further comprises a secondary magnet on the magnetic component, wherein causing a magnetic field to be generated at the electromagnet adjacent to the magnetic component will cause the orientation of the magnetic component to rotate.

[0024] Also optionally, the controller is configured to cause the magnetic field in the source electromagnet to shut down when the magnetic component is located at an edge of the destination electromagnet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The foregoing features of the embodiments will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0026] Figure 1 is an isometric view of an electromagnetic plate 100 configured to move a magnetic component according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 is an isometric view of a single horizontal electromagnet in the electromagnetic plate 100 .

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a component 110 configured to move around an electromagnetic plate 100 .

[0029] Figure 4 is a flow chart showing one method of moving components across electromagnetic plate 100 .

[0030] Figure 5 is a plan view of an electromagnetic plate 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 is a plan view of an electromagnetic plate 500 having magnetic components 510 , 511 , and 512 .

[0032] Fig. 7A is an isometric view of the vertical electromagnet 103 .

[0033] Figure 7B is a front view of the vertical electromagnet 103 .

[0034] Fig. 8A is an isometric view of the vertical electromagnet 103 .

[0035] Figure 8B is a front view of the vertical electromagnet 103 .

[0036] Fig. 9 is an isometric view of an electromagnet 901 on an electromagnetic plate 900 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Fig.10 is an isometric view of an electromagnetic plate 900 having hexagonal electromagnets.

[0038] Fig.11 is an isometric view of a triangular shaped electromagnet 1101 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Fig.12 is an isometric view of a plurality of triangular electromagnets 1101 arranged on an electromagnetic plate 1100 .

[0040] Fig.13is an isometric view of a triangular shaped electromagnet plate 1300 including a horizontal electromagnet 1301 and a flat oval shaped vertical electromagnet 1303 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Fig.14 is a top isometric view of electromagnetic plate 1300 .

[0042] Fig.15 is a bottom isometric view of electromagnetic plate 1300 .

[0043] Fig.16 is an isometric view of a square electromagnetic plate 1600 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Fig.17 is an isometric view of an electromagnet 1601 in an electromagnetic plate 1600 having two flat oval vertical electromagnets 1603 .

[0045] Fig.18 is a bottom side view of the electromagnetic plate 1600 showing four flat oval vertical electromagnets 1603 .

[0046] Fig.19 is a schematic diagram of the switchgear that controls the electromagnet grid.

[0047] Fig. 20 is a diagram of the magnetic field around a current conducting coil.

[0048] Fig.21 is an isometric view of a ring magnet having a north pole 2101 and a south pole 2102 .

[0049] Fig. 22 is an isometric view of a bar magnet 2200 having a north pole 2201 and a south pole 2202.

[0050] Fig.23 is an isometric view of a cylindrical magnet 2300 having a north pole 2301 and a south pole 2302 .

[0051] Fig.24 is an isometric view of a magnetic component 2421 with orienting magnets 2423 on a plate 2403 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Fig.25 is an isometric view of plate 2403 having magnetic component 2421 and supplemental magnetic component 2511.

[0053] Fig.26 is an isometric view of the bar magnet 2200 on the electromagnetic plate 2603.

[0054] Fig. 27 is an isometric view of magnet 2300 inside component 2711 on plate 2703. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] The electromagnets in this application utilize a field perpendicular to the coil, in that a properly aligned magnet placed on or near the electromagnet will be attracted or repelled by the generated magnetic field.

[0056] Figure 1 1 is an isometric view of an electromagnetic plate 100 configured to move magnetic components according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electromagnetic plate 100 is composed of a plurality of horizontal electromagnets 101a, 101b, 101c, 101d. In one embodiment, the electromagnetic plate 100 is a printed circuit board. In various embodiments, the electromagnetic plate 100 has various numbers of rows and columns of electromagnets 101. In other embodiments, the electromagnetic plate 100 includes a collection of electromagnets 101 of various sizes and shapes. In one embodiment, the electromagnet 101a is composed of a coil of conductive material. In Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , the electromagnet 101a is represented as a square coil. The square coil can be advantageous in applying a grid shape to the locations of the electromagnet centers 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d. In one embodiment, the electromagnetic plate 100 includes vertical electromagnets 103a, 103b, 103c, 103d.

[0057] In some embodiments, the electromagnetic plate 100 includes a detection device for determining the position of the magnetic component on the electromagnetic plate 100. In various embodiments, the detection device measures electrical impedance, uses radio frequency identification (RFID), uses a camera, or measures weight to determine the position of the magnetic component. In some embodiments, the detection device can determine which electromagnet the component is located on top of, and in other embodiments, the detection device can determine the position of the component on the electromagnet. For example, whether the magnetic component is located at the edge of the electromagnet. In some embodiments, the detection device is a coil of the electromagnet, and the coil uses RFID to determine the position of the component. In a derivative embodiment, the detection device is a set of separate coils arranged above or below the horizontal electromagnet coil and parallel to the horizontal electromagnet. The coil for RFID can be aligned or misaligned with the coil used as the electromagnet.

[0058] Figure 2 1 is an isometric view of a single horizontal electromagnet 101a in the electromagnetic plate 100. The horizontal electromagnet 101a is composed of a square coil 104. In some embodiments, the coil 104 is made of a conductive material. When current is applied to the conductive material, a magnetic field is generated around the square coil 104. Fig. 20A sample magnetic field generated by current flowing through the coil 104 is depicted. The current is flowing in a current direction 120. The current causes the central magnetic field 121 to be directed upward, and the outer magnetic field 122 to be directed downward. The magnetic fields 121, 122 are generally in a toroidal shape around the coil. By alternating the current direction 120, the user can alternate the direction of the central magnetic field 121 and the outer magnetic field 122. Alternating the magnetic fields allows the magnetic field at the center 102a of the electromagnet to attract or repel components. When the magnetic field tends to attract components, it can be referred to as a pulling magnetic field; and when the magnetic field tends to repel components, it can be referred to as a pushing magnetic field.

[0059] Figure 3 1 is a schematic diagram showing a component 110 configured to move around an electromagnetic plate 100. In a preferred embodiment, the component 110 is magnetic. In a derivative embodiment, the component 110 is composed of magnets and other materials. In one embodiment, the weight of the component 110 is 20% magnets and 80% other materials. In other embodiments, the weight of the component 110 is 10% magnets. Figure 2 In the embodiment shown in , component 110 is located on source electromagnet 201. By generating a magnetic field, component 110 can be caused to travel to any other electromagnets on plate 100, each of which is depicted by a square. In various embodiments, the electromagnets are not precisely aligned with the squares.

[0060] In various embodiments, the components have different sizes and shapes. Fig.21 is an isometric view of a ring magnet with a north pole 2101 and a south pole 2102. The ring magnet can be part of a component or the entire component, depending on the application and design. Fig. 22 is an isometric view of a bar magnet 2200 having a north pole 2201 and a south pole 2202. Fig.26 is an isometric view of the bar magnet 2200 on the electromagnetic plate 2603. Fig.26 As shown in , the bar magnet can be the length of a single electromagnetic coil, however, in other embodiments, the bar magnet 2200 is larger or smaller. Fig.23 It is a cylindrical magnet 2300 having a north pole 2301 and a south pole 2302 . Fig. 27 is an isometric view of magnet 2300 inside component 2711 on plate 2703. Fig. 27 In the embodiment of the present invention, the size of magnet 2300 is a small percentage of the size of component 2711, but in other embodiments, magnet 2300 can be smaller or larger, including being an integral part of component 2711. Many different shapes of components and magnets can be used for various devices. For example, a spherical magnet can be used to roll an object.

[0061] Figure 41 is a flow chart showing a method of moving a component across an electromagnetic plate 100. First, in step 301, a push magnetic field is generated at the destination. Next, in step 302, a pull magnetic field is generated at the source. Finally, in step 303, a pull magnetic field is generated at the destination. The steps in the flow chart work because the electromagnetic coil generates a toroidal magnetic field. Step 301, a push magnetic field is generated at the destination. Figure 4 In the example above, the destination is the center of the electromagnet. Due to the circular magnetic field, Fig. 20 As shown in , when a pushing magnetic field is generated at the center of the electromagnet, an oppositely aligned magnetic field is generated at the edge of the electromagnet. Therefore, although it seems counterintuitive, a magnetic field that would push the magnet away from the center of the electromagnet will pull the magnet to the periphery of the electromagnet. The same effect will occur with the source magnet, where the pushing magnetic field will have an attractive force at the periphery of the electromagnet. Therefore, the pushing magnetic field at the destination and the pushing magnetic field at the source will cause the magnetic component to be pulled to the edge of each electromagnet. In one embodiment, each electromagnet is turned off before the pulling magnetic field is generated at the center of the destination, causing the magnetic component to be forced to the destination.

[0062] Since the magnetic field strength depends on the current strength, the amount of current applied to the electromagnet may be different. In some embodiments, it is advantageous to ramp up the current, and thus the magnetic field, to prevent the magnetic component from bouncing or popping off the electromagnetic plate. In various embodiments, providing different strengths of current to different electromagnetic coils is advantageous for moving the magnetic component.

[0063] Can be through Figure 3 The square on top explains Figure 4 An example of a process of. First, the magnetic component 110 is located at the center of the source electromagnet 201 and the destination is the center of the electromagnet 202. In one embodiment, the source electromagnet 201 has a small pulling magnetic field to hold the magnetic component 110 in place before it is moved. To start the movement, the destination electromagnet 202 is turned on to have a pushing force at its center. Then, the source electromagnet 201 is turned on to have a pushing force at its center. The magnetic component will move from the source electromagnet 201 to the edge of the source electromagnet 201 and the edge of the destination electromagnet 202. Once the magnetic component reaches the edge, the magnetic field is turned off and only the pulling magnetic field at the destination electromagnet 202 is turned on. The magnet will be pushed and pulled from the border to the center of the electromagnet 202. In some embodiments, the final destination of the component 110 is more than 1 square away. In such an embodiment, repeating Figure 4 processing to enable the component 110 to reach the final destination.

[0064] Figure 55 is an isometric view of an electromagnetic board 500 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The electromagnetic board 500 has a plurality of electrical terminals 501. The electrical terminals can receive an electric current and send the current to an electromagnet, such as electromagnet 502. In one embodiment, each terminal controls a single electromagnet. In other embodiments, multiple terminals are used to control each electromagnet. Fig.19 Multiple multiplexers 1901 are depicted, which can be used in place of terminals 501. In some embodiments, the multiplexers send signals from one side to generate a pulling force, and send signals from the other side to generate a pushing force. In other embodiments, the multiplexers work together to generate the appropriate magnetic field. In one embodiment, the multiplexers 1901 are controlled by a controller. The controller can be a computer system external to the electromagnetic board, or can be built into the electromagnetic board. In some embodiments, the controller responds to user input. In a derivative embodiment, the controller can determine the path required to move the component from the current location to the final destination. In yet other embodiments, the multiplexer is a MOSFET or other switching device.

[0065] Figure 5 The electromagnetic board 500 shown in has multiple electromagnets in each square of the board. For example, the center space has electromagnet E3 in the center, then half an electromagnet on the edge, and a quarter electromagnet on the corner. In an embodiment of the electromagnetic board 500, the destination will be the electromagnet. To move from the square centered at A1 to the square centered at E3, the magnetic component can go through multiple iterations, such as moving from A1-C6-E1-F2-E3. In other embodiments, the magnetic component can move from A1-D7-E3 in a diagonal direction, such as Figure 6 As shown in the electromagnetic plate 500 in.

[0066] Figure 6 is a plan view of an electromagnetic plate 500 having magnetic components 510 , 511 , and 512 . Figure 6 Magnetic component 510 is shown moving diagonally from one square of the board to another, avoiding other magnetic components 511 and 512. In some embodiments, as component 510 traverses the board, it is necessary to counteract the magnetic forces of magnetic components 511 and 512. In such embodiments, for example, the magnetic field strength in the destination electromagnet is increased compared to the strength when there are no other magnetic components around. In some embodiments, the electromagnets where components 511 and 512 are located generate a pulling force that prevents these components from moving when the electromagnets are changed around them, thereby moving component 510.

[0067] In some embodiments of the electromagnetic plate, component 110 has a horizontal orientation. In other words, component 110 faces a specific direction. In order to force component 110 to face the desired direction, electromagnetic plate 100 is equipped with vertical electromagnets 103a-d. When current is applied to vertical electromagnet 103, an electromagnetic field in the horizontal direction is generated. Therefore, adding vertical electromagnets allows the electromagnetic fields in all three dimensions to be controlled. Through the different orientations of vertical electromagnets 103a, 103b, 103c and 103d, a magnetic field that orients magnetic component 110 can be generated. In some embodiments, magnetic component 110 has a secondary magnet that is oriented to receive the horizontal directional force generated by vertical electromagnet 103. In other embodiments, a horizontal electromagnet adjacent to magnetic component 110 can be turned on to orient the magnetic component.

[0068] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig.24 2403 and moving magnet 2422. The primary purpose of the moving magnet is to allow the component 2421 to be moved from one position to another on the plate 2403, while the primary purpose of the orienting magnet 2423 is to allow the component 2421 to be rotationally oriented relative to the plate 2403. The orienting magnet 2423 is located at or near the edge of the component 2421. Therefore, when the magnetic field attracts the orienting magnet 2423, it will cause the component 2421 to rotate so that the orienting magnet 2423 is closest to the source of the magnetic field. Therefore, by generating a magnetic field on the right side of the component 2421, for example, the component will rotate so that the orienting magnet is located on the right side of the component. The component 2431 also has a larger moving magnet 2422 that is located at or near the center of mass of the component so that its reaction to the magnetic field does not cause the magnet to rotate. Alternatively, the moving magnet 2422, together with the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet, causes the magnetic attraction or repulsion required to move the component 2421 around the plate 2403. Figure 21-23 As shown in , the moving magnets typically have a horizontal polarity separation.

[0069] Fig.252403 with a magnetic component 2421 and a supplementary magnetic component 2511. Each component 2421, 2511 has a corresponding directional magnet 2423, 2513 of the directional component. In some embodiments, when the components pass each other, they perform a do-si-do-like operation, in which the components do not change orientation when they pass. In other operations, the components can change orientation when they pass, depending on the user's expectations. Components 2421, 2511 can be controlled to move simultaneously, or one at a time. In some embodiments, due to the speed at which the two components are alternately controlled, it may appear to the average user that the components are controlled simultaneously. During the alternating control, an electromagnet with a non-moving component thereon can apply a pulling force to lock the component in place. However, this may not be necessary in all embodiments, because the movement of the components is usually caused by generating a thrust to start the component from moving.

[0070] Fig. 7A is an isometric view of the vertical electromagnet 103, and Figure 7B 1 is a front view of the vertical electromagnet 103. In one embodiment, the vertical electromagnet 103 is printed into a printed circuit board (such as the electromagnetic board 100). Fig. 7A and 7B In the embodiment shown in , each coil loop includes a flat current conducting material connected to a cylindrical end that moves the current to another flat conductor. To maintain a complete loop, one cylindrical end 730 is slightly offset so as not to overlap any coils. In one embodiment, the offset cylindrical end 730 is one terminal where the current enters the vertical electromagnet 103.

[0071] Fig. 8A is an isometric view of the vertical electromagnet 103, and Figure 8B is a front view of the vertical electromagnet 103. Fig. 8A and 8B In the embodiment of , the vertical electromagnet has a rounded outer edge. Terminals 830a and 830b are connected to a power source to provide current through the vertical electromagnet 103. If the current through the terminals 830a, 830b is reversed, a magnetic field of opposite direction is obtained.

[0072] Fig. 9 FIG. 9 is an isometric view of an electromagnet 901 on an electromagnetic plate 900 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The electromagnet 901 is designed to generate a magnetic field when current flows through a coil 904. Fig. 9In some embodiments, coil 904 is hexagonal in shape. The hexagonal shape may be advantageous due to the desired shape of the board. In some embodiments, electromagnetic board 900 includes vertical coils 903a, 903b. The vertical coils are optional, depending on whether the magnetic component has a magnetically guided orientation. In some embodiments, vertical coils 903a, 903b can help move the magnetic component across the board.

[0073] Fig.10 is an isometric view of an electromagnetic plate 900 with hexagonal electromagnets. The electromagnets 901, 915, 916 consist of conductive coils in a hexagonal shape around a center. Between the borders and around the edges of the horizontal electromagnets are vertical electromagnets 903. Although Fig.10 Three electromagnets are shown, but in other embodiments, the hexagonal grid contains the desired number of electromagnets. In some embodiments, the electromagnets 901, 915, 916 are printed onto a circuit board.

[0074] Fig.11 1 is an isometric view of a triangular electromagnet 1101 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The triangular electromagnet 1101 is composed of a triangular conductive coil 1104. Due to the unique shape of the coil, the triangular electromagnet 1101 can have a unique magnetic field when current passes through the conductive coil 1104. The center of the electromagnet will attract or repel magnetic components, depending on whether the current passing through the conductive coil 1104 is clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0075] Fig.12 is an isometric view of a plurality of triangular electromagnets 1101 arranged on an electromagnetic plate 1100. Fig.12 In some embodiments, each coil is arranged so that the set of triangular electromagnets forms a hexagon. In some embodiments, the hexagonal set of triangular electromagnets forms an electromagnetic plate. In such embodiments, the center of the triangle can be a space on the plate. In other embodiments, each triangle is a space on the electromagnetic plate. In some embodiments, the magnetic component only moves across the sides of the triangle and does not traverse the corners of the magnetic field because the magnetic field strength is not sufficient to drive movement. However, the adjacent sides of the triangular electromagnets form a strong barrier that will allow the magnetic component to easily traverse without much interference from the magnetic coils of other electromagnets if other electromagnets are turned on at the same time.

[0076] Fig.13 1 is an isometric view of a triangular electromagnetic plate 1300 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the electromagnetic plate comprising a horizontal electromagnet 1301 and a flat oval vertical electromagnet 1303. The electromagnetic plate can be combined with other electromagnets of similar size to form a larger electromagnetic plate, such as Fig.14In some embodiments, the vertical electromagnets 1303 are shown protruding, but in other embodiments, they are incorporated into the flat electromagnetic plate. Fig.15 is a bottom isometric view of the electromagnetic plate 1300. The bottom view shows the angles of the vertical electromagnets 1303 relative to each other.

[0077] Fig.16 1 is an isometric view of a square electromagnetic plate 1600 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The electromagnetic plate 1600 includes four square electromagnets 1601, 1650, 1651 and 1652. Each electromagnet has a center and four sides. Between each square electromagnet is a vertical electromagnet 1603. If a magnetic component moves from a source 1602 to a destination 1660, it can cross the plate along a diagonal line. The electromagnet 1601 including the source 1602 can be referred to as a source electromagnet, and the electromagnet 1650 including the destination 1660 can be referred to as a destination electromagnet. Other electromagnets 1651, 1652 adjacent to the source and destination electromagnets 1601, 1650 can be referred to as adjacent electromagnets. The first step in moving a component to the destination 1660 is to turn on a magnetic field from the electromagnet 1650 that repels the component at the destination 1660. Since the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet has a toroidal nature, the generated magnetic field attracts the component on the edge of the electromagnet 1650. In most embodiments, the attraction of the component to the edge is not a strong enough force to counteract the static friction of the component. Therefore, the next step is to trigger a magnetic field at source 1602 that repels the component. Since the magnetic field around the electromagnet 1601 is not parallel to the direction of the coil, the magnetic field caused by the electromagnet 1601 can drive the component in any direction. However, due to the magnetic field generated by the edge of the electromagnet 1650, the component should be guided in that direction.

[0078] In some embodiments, electromagnets 1651 and 1652 can be turned on to help pull the part toward destination 1660. In some embodiments, in order to cause the part to move toward destination 1660, electromagnets 1651 and 1652 have a magnetic field that repels the part at its center and attracts the part at its edge. In a derivative embodiment, the part can move to the edge of electromagnets 1651, 1652, or 1650. In this embodiment, if the part moves to the edge of electromagnet 1651 or 1652, the electromagnet can be switched to generate a pulling magnetic field at the center, and then the process is restarted with the center of the electromagnet as the source. In such a process, the part moves across the electromagnetic plate in an L shape instead of diagonally. In some embodiments, the electromagnet can detect the position of the magnetic part on the plate to know which process to use. In other embodiments, a detection layer is provided above or below the electromagnetic plate 1600, which detects the position of the part. If the final destination is far away, the detection layer is also beneficial so that the electromagnetic plate 1600 knows when to start a step and move to the next step. For example, when a part is detected at destination 1660, this may trigger a new process with 1660 as the source and a farther electromagnet as the new destination.

[0079] Fig.17 is an isometric view of an electromagnet 1601 in an electromagnetic plate 1600 having two flat oval vertical electromagnets 1603 . Fig.18 1 is a bottom side view of the electromagnetic plate 1600 showing four flat oval vertical electromagnets 1603. The electromagnetic plate 1600 includes terminals 1630a, 1630b. These terminals allow a current source to be attached to the electromagnets. The current source is controlled via a controller and can change the current and the direction of the current.

[0080] The embodiments of the present invention described above are intended to be examples only; many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications should fall within the scope of the present invention as defined in any appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of moving a magnetic component across a plate having a plurality of electromagnets, the method comprising: positioning a magnetic component at the center of the source electromagnet; The component is caused to move from the center of the source electromagnet to the edge of the destination electromagnet by: generating a magnetic field at the destination electromagnet such that the magnetic component will be repelled by the center of the destination electromagnet; generating a magnetic field at the source electromagnet such that the magnetic component is repelled from the center of the source electromagnet; as well as The component is caused to move from an edge of the destination electromagnet to the center of the destination electromagnet by generating a magnetic field at the destination electromagnet that attracts the magnetic component to the center of the destination electromagnet so that the component moves to the center of the destination electromagnet. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnets are arranged in a grid having at least two rows and at least two columns.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each electromagnet is a coil having at least four sides.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the component to move from a center of the source electromagnet to an edge of the destination electromagnet further comprises: A magnetic field is generated at an adjacent electromagnet such that the magnetic component will be repelled by the center of the adjacent electromagnet, wherein the adjacent electromagnet shares a boundary with the source electromagnet and the destination electromagnet.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein shutting down the magnetic field in the source electromagnet further comprises shutting down the magnetic field in an adjacent electromagnet.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: After causing the component to move from the center of the source electromagnet to the edge of the destination electromagnet, the method further includes detecting that the component is at the edge of the destination electromagnet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting uses a method from the group consisting of: measuring electrical impedance; using radio frequency identification (RFID); using a camera; measuring weight.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting is performed by an RFID sensor comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils in parallel with the plurality of electromagnets.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a magnetic field at a source electromagnet such that magnetic components are repelled by a center of the source electromagnet comprises: A ramping up current is provided to the source electromagnet.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Generating a magnetic field at an electromagnet adjacent to a magnetic component causes the orientation of the magnetic component to rotate, wherein the magnetic component includes a secondary magnet.

11. A system for moving a magnetic component, comprising: plate; a plurality of electromagnets arranged on the plate; as well as a controller configured to cause each of the plurality of electromagnets to generate a magnetic field; Wherein the controller is configured to cause the magnetic component at the source electromagnet to move to the destination electromagnet by: a. causing a magnetic field to be generated at the destination electromagnet so that the magnetic component will be repelled by the center of the destination electromagnet, and then causing a magnetic field to be generated at the source electromagnet so that the magnetic component is repelled by the center of the source electromagnet; causing the magnetic component to traverse the plate from the source electromagnet to the edge of the destination electromagnet; as well as b. causing a magnetic field to be generated at the destination electromagnet that attracts the magnetic component to the center of the destination electromagnet so that the component moves to the center of the destination electromagnet; causing the magnetic component to traverse the plate from the edge of the destination electromagnet to the center of the destination electromagnet.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electromagnets are arranged in a grid having at least two rows and at least two columns.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein each electromagnet is a coil.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein each electromagnet is a three-dimensional helical coil.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein each electromagnet is a two-dimensional helical coil.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein: During step a, the controller causes a magnetic field to be generated at an adjacent electromagnet such that the magnetic component will be repelled by the center of the adjacent electromagnet, wherein the adjacent electromagnet shares a boundary with the source electromagnet and the destination electromagnet.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein shutting down the magnetic field in the source electromagnet further comprises shutting down the magnetic field in the adjacent electromagnet.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein: After causing the component to move from the source electromagnet to the destination electromagnet, causing the component to be detected at the destination electromagnet.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein causing the detection uses a method from the group consisting of: measuring electrical impedance; radio frequency identification (RFID); a camera; measuring weight.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the detecting is accomplished by an RFID sensor comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils in parallel with the plurality of electromagnets.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein generating a magnetic field at the source electromagnet such that the magnetic component is repelled by the center of the source electromagnet comprises: A ramping up current is provided to the source electromagnet.

22. The system of claim 11, further comprising a secondary magnet on the magnetic component, wherein causing a magnetic field to be generated at the electromagnet adjacent to the magnetic component causes the orientation of the magnetic component to rotate.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the component to move from an edge of the destination electromagnet to a center of the destination electromagnet further comprises: Turn off the magnetic field in the source electromagnet.

24. The system of claim 11, wherein: When the magnetic component is at the edge of the destination electromagnet, the controller is configured to cause the magnetic field in the source electromagnet to shut down.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing supplementary components on board; as well as The movement of the complementary component is simultaneously caused while causing the magnetic component to move.

26. The system of claim 11, further comprising a supplemental component, wherein the controller is configured to cause movement of the supplemental component simultaneously with causing movement of the magnetic component.

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