Claims
- 1. A solenoid comprising a yoke and a ferromagnetic armature capable of axial motion with respect to said yoke, wherein:
a) said armature approaches said yoke at a limit of said axial motion; b) a magnetic flux path through said armature and said yoke achieves a minimum reluctance at said limit of said axial motion; and, c) wherein said armature is subdivided into laminations lying in planes perpendicular to the axis of said axial motion.
- 2. The solenoid of claim 1 wherein:
a) said yoke includes a first part and second part; b) said limit of said axial motion is a first limit, said armature approaching said first part at said first limit; and, c) wherein when said armature approaches said second part at a distinct second limit of said axial motion.
- 3. The solenoid of claim 1, wherein:
a) said yoke includes a ferromagnetic U-core and an electrical winding; b) said armature is rectangular; and, c) wherein when said armature approaches the two ends of said U-core, a substantially closed ferromagnetic loop is formed.
- 4. The solenoid of claim 1, wherein:
a) said yoke includes a ferromagnetic E-core and an electrical winding; b) said armature is rectangular; and, c) wherein when said armature approaches the three ends of said E-core, a pair of substantially closed ferromagnetic loops is formed.
- 5. The solenoid of claim 1, wherein:
a) said yoke includes a ferromagnetic pot core and an electrical winding; b) said armature is circular; and, c) wherein when said armature approaches a center post and an outer region of the open end of said pot core, a substantially closed toroidal magnetic loop is formed.
- 6. The solenoid of claim 3, wherein said laminations include laminations with slots extending from two opposing sides of the rectangle of said rectangular armature toward the region of said armature landing between said two ends of said U-core.
- 7. The solenoid of claim 4, wherein said laminations include laminations with slots extending from two opposing sides of the rectangle of said rectangular armature toward the middle end of said three ends of said E-core.
- 8. The solenoid of claim 7, further including laminations with slots extending from the middle of said rectangle toward said two opposing sides of said rectangle.
- 9. The solenoid of claim 5, wherein said laminations include laminations with slots extending radially inward from the perimeters of said laminations.
- 10. The solenoid of claim 9, further including laminations with slots extending radially from a central region.
- 11. A method of fabricating a solenoid armature, including steps of:
a) cutting ferromagnetic laminations wherein at least some of said laminations include slots running substantially parallel to intended magnetic flux pathways; b) stacking said laminations; c) joining said laminations into a solid body; and, d) coupling said laminations into a solenoid structure for motion substantially perpendicular to the parallel planes of stacking of said laminations.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least some of said slots do not align with similar slots in adjacent layers of said stacking.
- 13. A cylindrical solenoid, including a cylindrical ferromagnetic structure fabricated from spirally wound sheet.
- 14. The solenoid of claim 13, wherein said cylindrical ferromagnetic structure is a central post surrounded by an electrical winding.
- 15. The solenoid of claim 13, wherein said cylindrical ferromagnetic structure is a hollow cylindrical body surrounding an electrical winding.
- 16. The solenoid of claim 13, wherein a central post and outer cylinder are bridged by a flat ferromagnetic cap including laminations lying perpendicular to the axis of armature motion.
- 17. The solenoid of claim 16, wherein said flat ferromagnetic cap includes radial slots.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/171,326, of the same title and naming Gary Bergstrom as inventor.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60171326 |
Dec 1999 |
US |