Title of Invention

"AN ADJUSTABLE COUPLER''

Abstract

An adjustable coupler has a rotary magnet rotor with magnet modules gaps from electroconductive elements on an electroconductive rotor. The magnet modules each have two side-by-side permanent magnets with their respective poles reversed and have a neutral plane between the magnets. The magnet modules can be turned for torque adjustment between a maximum torque position in which the neutral planes intersect at the rotary axis of the coupler, and a minimum torque position at which the magnet modules are turned 90 degrees from the maximum torque position.

Full Text

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a first embodiment of an adjustable coupler according to the present invention/Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of part of the magnet rotor as viewed in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary eleva.tional view taken with the cover plate removed as indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Figure 4-A through 4-C are elevational views of the magnet rotor with the cover plate removed showing, respectively, the maximum torque position, an intermediate torque position, and the minimum torque position of the magnet modules of the first embodiment; Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken like Fig, 1 and showing a second embodiment of adjustable coupler; Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of part of the rotor as viewed in Fig. 5; like body of the magnet rotor. With this arrangement the neutral plane between the adjacent side faces of the two side-by-side magnets can be moved relative to the rotary axis of the magnet rotor by turning the holder from a maximum torque position where the neutral plane radiates from the rotary axis of the rotor to a minimum torque position in which the neutral plane is perpendicular to its maximum torque position. In the simplest form of the invention the magnet modules are individually adjusted and locked in adjusted position as by a set screw. In a more complex arrangement the modules can be simultaneously turned to an adjusted position. Teeth can be provided on the holders meshing with a sun gear so as to turn simultaneously when one of the holders is turned or the sun ge'ar is turned. The present invention relates to: An adjustable coupler comprising: a magnet unit, an electroconductive unit spaced by a gap from said magnet unit, said units being mounted so that one of said units can be rotated relative to the other unit on a rotary axis. said magnet unit containing multiple magnet modules each presenting two magnet poles of opposite polarity facing said electroconductive unit, said modules being turnable within said magnet unit for torque adjustment. WE CLAIM; 1. An adjustable coupler comprising: a magnet unit (10), an electroconductive unit (9) spaced by a gap from said magnet unit (10), said units (9, 10) being mounted so that one of said units can be rotated relative to the other unit on a rotary axis (34,35). said magnet unit (10) containing multiple magnet modules (39) each presenting two magnet poles of opposite polarity facing said electroconductive unit (9), said modules (39) being turnable within said magnet unit (10) for torque adjustment. 2. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein said two magnet poles in each module (39) are provided by two respective side-by-side permanent magnets (42, 43). 3. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 2 wherein said magnets in each module (39) are mounted in a holder (40, 76) which is turnable within the said magnet unit (10). 4. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 3 wherein each said holder (40, 76) has a respective gear unit (77) operative when moved to turn the holder, and means (78) for selectively moving said gear units (77) a like amount, said mains (78) including a gear carried by said magnet unit (10) which meshes with at least one of said gear units (77). 5. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of said holders (40, 76) has a planertary gear section (77) and a sun gear (78) meshing with said gear sections so as to turn each of said holders (40, 76) a like amount responsive to turning of said sun gear (78). 6. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of said holders (40, 76) has a gear element, and gear means for turning said gear elements simultaneously. 7. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 3 wherein said holders (40, 76) are coupled to a motor (100) carried by said magnet unit (10) such as to turn said holders (40, 76) a like amount responsive to operation of said motor (100). 8. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electroconductive unit (9) presents a respective electroconductive ring (11) facing each end of said magnet unit (10) and spaced by a gap from adjacent of said magnet poles. 9. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 8 wherein each magnet module (39) has two side-by-side magnets (42, 43) on opposite sides of a neutral plane parallel to said rotary axis (34, 35), said two magnets (42, 43) each having their poles reversed relative to the poles of the other of said two magnets (42, 43). 10. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein a motor (100) is mounted on said magnet unit (10) and has a drive interconnection with each of said modules (39) whereby operation of said motor (100) turns each of said modules (39) a like amount. 11. An adjustable coupling as claimed in claim 10 wherein said units (9, 10) are journal-mounted to rotate on coaxial rotary axis (34, 35), and control means are provided for remotely controlling operation of said motor (100). 12. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 11 wherein said motor (100) is electric and powered from an electric power source remote from said magnet unit (10). 13. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 11 wherein said motor (100) is electric and powered from a battery carried by said magnet unit (10). 14. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein means (45) are provided on said magnet unit (10) for keeping said modules (39) in adjusted position relative to one another. 15. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 1 in which said units (9, 10) are independently mounted for rotation relative to one another on a rotary axis (34, 35), and said magnet modules (39) are mounted to turn about respective module axes which are parallel to said rotary axis (34, 35) and equally spaced therefrom. 16. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 15 wherein said magnet unit (10) has a sun gear (78) mounted to turn relative to said magnet unit (10) about said rotary axis (34, 35), gears (77) for coupling said sun gear (78) to said modules (39) for turning the modules (39) a like amount responsive to turning of said sun gear (78). 17. The adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the magnet unit (10) mounted for rotation about the rotary axis (34, 35), and the electroconductive unit (9) mounted for rotation independently of said magnet unit (10) about another rotary axis (34, 35), said magnet unit (10) having a magnet module (39) that is turnable within the magnet unit (10) about a module axis, which is spaced from and parallel to the rotary axis (34,35) of the magnet unit (10). 18. An adjustable coupler as claimed in claim 17 wherein said magnet module (39) has two side-by-side permanent magnets (42, 43) on opposite sides of said module axis and presenting poles of opposite polarity spaced by a gap from said electroconductive unit (9). 19. An adjustable coupling as claimed in claim 17 wherein said magnet unit (10) has multiple of said magnet modules (39) equally spaced from the rotary axis (34,35) of the magnet unit (10) and equally spaced from one another. 20. An adjustable coupler substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

2276-del-1996-abstract.pdf

2276-del-1996-claims.pdf

2276-del-1996-correspondence-others.pdf

2276-del-1996-correspondence-po.pdf

2276-del-1996-description (complete).pdf

2276-del-1996-drawings.pdf

2276-del-1996-form-1.pdf

2276-del-1996-form-13.pdf

2276-del-1996-form-19.pdf

2276-del-1996-form-2.pdf

2276-del-1996-form-3.pdf

2276-del-1996-form-4.pdf

2276-del-1996-form-6.pdf

2276-del-1996-gpa.pdf

2276-del-1996-petition-137.pdf

2276-del-1996-petition-138.pdf