PERMANENT MAGNETIC MALE AND FEMALE LEVITATION SUPPORTS

Abstract

A permanent magnetic male and female levitation support has a first part with a cavity and a plurality of retainment mechanisms incorporated therein, and a plurality of first permanent magnets evenly distributed around the perimeter of the cavity and held in place by the retainment mechanisms, wherein the first permanent magnets produce a first rotationally invariant magnetic field around a first axis. A second part is rigidly connected to a base and produces a second rotationally invariant magnetic field around a second axis. When the first axis is aligned with the second axis, the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously produce a repulsive force and a restorative force to levitate the first part relative to the second part.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a female part having a series of permanent magnets located within a frusto-conical cavity;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3; of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the female part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a male part embodying the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates the male part of FIG. 5, having a plurality of permanent magnets formed therein;

FIG. 7 illustrates three levitation supports in accordance with the present invention, wherein the female parts are suspended relative to the corresponding male parts which are themselves connected to a base;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of one of the permanent magnetic male and female levitation supports taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a permanent magnetic male and female levitation support capable of rotating about a pivot point; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

Claims

1. A permanent magnetic levitation support, comprising: a first part having a cavity and a first axis extending through the center of the cavity;a plurality of first permanent magnets distributed about a perimeter of the cavity, wherein the first permanent magnets produce a first rotationally invariant magnetic field around a node aligned with the first axis; anda second part rigidly connected to a base, the second part producing a second rotationally invariant magnetic field around a second axis;wherein when the first axis is at least partially aligned with the second axis, and the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously produce a repulsive force and a restorative force to levitate the first part relative to the second part.

2. The levitation support of claim 1, wherein the first permanent magnets are co-aligned about the perimeter of the cavity such that each of the first permanent magnets have a magnetic pole extending substantially perpendicular to a wall in the cavity.

3. The levitation support of claim 1, wherein the first permanent magnets are disposed at least partially within a plurality of grooves formed in the perimeter of the cavity.

4. The levitation support of claim 3, wherein the first permanent magnets are at least partially affixed within the grooves by friction, glue, or mechanical restriction.

5. The levitation support of claim 1, wherein the second part comprises at least one second permanent magnet.

6. The levitation support of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first permanent magnets and the second part comprise a ferrous, ceramic, or other permanent magnetic material.

7. The levitation support of claim 1, wherein the first part is rotatable about a pivot pin positioned opposite the second part and aligned with the first axis.

8. The levitation support of claim 1, wherein the first permanent magnets produce the first magnetic field that is symmetric about a first plane corresponding to the first axis, and the second part produces the second magnetic field that is symmetric about a second plane corresponding to the second axis, wherein when the first plane is substantially aligned with the second plane along a transverse plane, the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously producing the repulsive force and the restorative force to permit movement of the first part along the transverse plane as levitated relative to the second part.

9. The levitation support of claim 1, wherein the cavity has a frusto-conical shape.

10. The levitation support of claim 9, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously produce the repulsive force and the restorative force to levitate the first part relative to the second part when the angle between the first axis and the second axis does not exceed a defining angle of the frusto-conical cavity.

11. The levitation support of claim 1, wherein the first part comprises plastic, metal, wood, or other non-ferromagnetic material.

12. A permanent magnetic levitation support, comprising: a first part having a cavity and a first axis extending through the center of the cavity;a plurality of first permanent magnets distributed about a perimeter of the cavity, wherein the first permanent magnets are co-aligned about the perimeter of the cavity such that each of the first permanent magnets have a magnetic pole extending substantially perpendicular to a wall in the cavity to produce a first rotationally invariant magnetic field around a node aligned with the first axis; anda second part rigidly connected to a base, the second part producing a second rotationally invariant magnetic field around a second axis;wherein when the first axis is at least partially aligned with the second axis, and the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously produce a repulsive force and a restorative force to levitate the first part relative to the second part.

13. The levitation support of claim 12, wherein the first permanent magnets are disposed at least partially within a plurality of grooves formed in the cavity.

14. The levitation support of claim 13, wherein the first permanent magnets are at least partially affixed within the grooves by friction, glue, or mechanical restriction.

15. The levitation support of claim 12, wherein the second part comprises at least one second permanent magnet.

16. The levitation support of claim 12, wherein the plurality of first permanent magnets and the second part comprise a ferrous, ceramic, or other permanent magnetic material.

17. The levitation support of claim 12, wherein the first part is rotatable about a pivot pin positioned opposite the second part and aligned with the first axis.

18. The levitation support of claim 12, wherein the first permanent magnets produce the first magnetic field that is symmetric about a first plane corresponding to the first axis, and the second part produces the second magnetic field that is symmetric about a second plane corresponding to the second axis, wherein when the first plane is substantially aligned with the second plane along a transverse plane, the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously producing the repulsive force and the restorative force to permit movement of the first part along the transverse plane as levitated relative to the second part.

19. The levitation support of claim 12, wherein the cavity has a frusto-conical shape.

20. The levitation support of claim 19, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously produce the repulsive force and the restorative force to levitate the first part relative to the second part when the angle between the first axis and the second axis does not exceed a defining angle of the frusto-conical cavity.

21. The levitation support of claim 12, wherein the first part comprises plastic, metal, wood, or other non-ferromagnetic material.

22. A permanent magnetic levitation support, comprising: a first part having a cavity and a first axis extending through the center of the cavity;a plurality of first permanent magnets distributed about a perimeter of the cavity, wherein the permanent magnets are co-aligned about the perimeter of the cavity such that each of the first permanent magnets have a magnetic pole extending substantially perpendicular to a wall in the cavity to produce a first rotationally invariant magnetic field around a node aligned with the first axis; anda second part comprising at least one second permanent magnet rigidly connected to a base, the second part producing a second rotationally invariant magnetic field around a second axis, wherein the first permanent magnets produce the first magnetic field that is symmetric about a first plane corresponding to the first axis, and the second part produces the second magnetic field that is symmetric about a second plane corresponding to the second axis, wherein when the first plane is aligned with the second plane along a transverse plane, the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously producing a repulsive force and a restorative force to permit movement of the first part along the transverse plane as levitated relative to the second part;wherein when the first axis is at least partially aligned with the second axis, and the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously produce the repulsive force and the restorative force to levitate the first part relative to the second part, the first part is rotatable about a pivot pin positioned opposite the second part and aligned with the first axis.

23. The levitation support of claim 22, wherein the first permanent magnets are disposed at least partially within a plurality of grooves formed in the cavity.

24. The levitation support of claim 23, wherein the first permanent magnets are at least partially affixed within the grooves by friction, glue, or mechanical restriction.

25. The levitation support of claim 22, wherein the cavity has a frusto-conical shape.

26. The levitation support of claim 25, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field simultaneously produce the repulsive force and the restorative force to levitate the first part relative to the second part when the angle between the first axis and the second axis does not exceed a defining angle of the frusto-conical cavity.