The Touchless Magic of a Magnetic Clutch
1. Power transfer in either forward or reverse direction. No Clutch surface contact.
2. Constant spin of the motor to avoid initial rotation spike
3. Overload protection from torque shock
4. Mechanical separation between the motor and the driveshaft
5. Eliminates friction and heat
6. Extended equipment and reduced maintenance costs
7. Increased energy efficiency of 60-70%
8. Reduced start-up power demand of the motor
9. Enables the use of smaller, single direction motors
10. Extended travel range and battery life
11. Saves wear and tear on motors, transfer cases and transmissions
12. Provides shock protection for power tools such as drills, saws and sanders
Reversible Magnetic Clutch
Forward / Reverse with NO touch and NO friction
Read How and Why
How does it work ?
The center plate is composed of steel (or magnets) with a copper facing and is attached to the input shaft.
The two outer plates are composed of steel and imbedded with permanent magnets.
The two magnetic plates are connected to a paddle and shift rail. The paddles are designed to move the magnetic plates in the desired location.
In the attached drawing, the magnetic plates are moved to the left for forward and to the right for reverse motion.
As either plate is moved closer to the center plate they begin to rotate in unison (thru magnetic field) with the center plate and shaft. They do not come into direct contact with the center plate. The magnetic force of the outer plates induces them to rotate with the copper plate.
The left magnetic plate is connected to a chain or belt drive. (same rotation) This in turn rotates the output shaft and produces a forward momentum.
The right magnetic plate is connected to a spur gear. This rotates the output shaft in the reverse rotation.
The benefit of this design is that it enables the electric motor (or Engine) to continuously rotate at all times. The clutch plates do not make physical contact therefor they do not suffer from friction or excess torque.
In addition, the vehicle speed (or maximum torque) may be adjusted using the gap between the plates.
In summary, I disclose a reversible, continuously spinning transmission for electric (or Engine) for vehicles. This improvement over existing designs enables the electric motor to maintain rotation at all times. Continuous spinning of the motor while stopped or while shifting gears avoids the battery spike associated with current electric (or Engine)designs. A rotating motor creates a flywheel effect from the centrifugal force. This force is captured by the CST and converted into torque. This conversion provides substantial energy savings and greatly increases the travel range of the EV and the lifetime of the battery pack.
The CST is suitable for all designs (EV, ICE, etc,) including cars, trucks, motorcycles and forklifts.
Why does it work
Neodymium magnets
Neodymium magnets are a member of the Rare Earth magnet family and are the most powerful permanent magnets in the world. They are also referred to as NdFeB magnets, or NIB, because they are composed mainly of Neodymium (Nd), Iron (Fe) and Boron (B).
They are a relatively new invention and have only recently become affordable for everyday use.
Grades of Neodymium.
Neodymium magnets are all graded by the material they are made of. As a very general rule, the higher the grade (the number following the 'N'), the stronger the magnet. The highest grade of neodymium magnet currently available is N52. Any letter following the grade refers to the temperature rating of the magnet. If there are no letters following the grade, then the magnet is standard temperature neodymium. The temperature ratings are standard (no designation) - M - H - SH - UH - EH.
Demagnetization
Rare Earth magnets have a high resistance to demagnetization, unlike most other types of magnets. They will not lose their magnetization around other magnets or if dropped. They will however, begin to lose strength if they are heated above their maximum operating temperature, which is 176°F (80°C) for standard N grades. They will completely lose their magnetization if heated above their Curie temperature, which is 590°F (310°C) for standard N grades.
Strength
If you've never handled neodymium magnets before, you will be amazed at their strength. Neodymium magnets are over 10x stronger than the strongest ceramic magnets.
If you are currently using ceramic magnets in your project, you could probably use a much smaller neodymium magnet and have greater holding force.
Driven by the rising cost of SmCo permanent magnets’ raw material, General Motors and Sumitomo Special Metals invented the Nd2Fe14B compound in 1982. GM invented and supplied melt-spun nanocrystalline isotropic Neo powder for bonded Neo magnets manufacturing, and founded Magnequench in 1986 which became part of Neo Materials Technology, Inc. and later merged into Molycorp. As part of the Hitachi Corporation, Sumitomo Special Metals developed and currently manufactures and licenses other companies to produce full-density sintered Nd2Fe14B magnets. Hitachi currently holds more than 600 patents covering Neodymium magnets.
Chinese manufacturers have become a dominant force in neodymium magnet production, based on their control of much of the world’s sources of rare earth mines. Due to the abundant supply of rare earth ores, China has become the world leading contributor of Neodymium magnets production. In 2010, 129,000 metric tons of rare earth elements were produced worldwide, with a minor non-Chinese input.
Neodymium magnets are so strong because of their high resistance to demagnetisation (coercivity) and their high levels of magnetic saturation allowing them to generate large magnetic fields. A magnet's strength is represented by its maximum energy product value (BHmax) which is measured in Mega Gauss Oersteds (MGOe).
As our world advances at great speed towards more cost effective, environmental friendly and higher production future, neodymium magnets are essential with their great attributions in innovative technology development in the fields of renewable energy, robotics, alternative fuel automobiles and many more.