Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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212452
1
D E S C R T P T I 0 N
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
ROTARY APPARATUS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a rotary
apparatus capable of rotating a composite rotor at a high
speed with a magnetic force, which is structured by
arranging a plurality of ring-shaped rotors concentrically
with each other.
BACKGROUND ART
Heretofore, no rotary apparatus is known which
can rotate a composite rotor at a high speed, which has
a plurality of ring-shaped rotors arranged concentrically
with each other.
Therefore, the present invention has the object
to provide such a novel rotary apparatus.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In a first aspect of this invention, a rotary
apparatus is provided, which is characterized in that a
central rotor is centrally arranged so as to be rotatable;
a plurality of ring-shaped rotors are arranged concen-
trically with said central rotor in a relationship spaced
apart from each other so as to be rotatable coaxially with
said central rotor about its rotational axis; a group of
magnetic poles are disposed on a surface of each rotor:on
the side facing a surface of the adjacent rotor; a group
of the magnetic poles disposed on the surface of each
rotor is so arranged as to make each of the magnetic poles
equal in polarity to another group of the magnetic poles
disposed on the surface of the adjacent rotor; and each
magnetic pole of the group of the magnetic poles of each
rotor is arranged alternately in the rots-tional direction
2~.2~~~~
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with each respective magnetic pole of the another group
of the magnetic pole of the adjacent rotor.
For the rotary apparatus in the first aspect of
this invention, the driving force for rotation applied to
the central rotor is transmitted to the outer adjacent
rotor one after another by a magnetic repulsive force
which is caused to be produced between the rotor and the
adjacent rotor so as to repel against the displacement of
the rotor in the circumferential direction of the rotation
of the rotor. As a result, all the rotors are caused to
rotate integrally with each other.
Once the rotary apparatus starts rotating at a
high speed, the speed of the rotor on the outer side
becomes unlikely to vary due to the effect of a flywheel,
thereby inducing a so-called "return-back" phenomenon,
i.e. a phenomenon of causing the force of urging the
rotation transmitted from the side of the central rotor
to turn at the rotor on the outermost side through the
rotors on the inner side and eventually back to the
central rotor. This "return-back" phenomenon greatly
serves as accelerating the rotational speed of each rotor
in an extremely efficient way, thereby achieving an
extremely high rotational speed.
Further, the present invention in its second
aspect provides a rotary apparatus characterized in that
the central rotor is centrally arranged so as to be
rotatable; a plurality of ring-shaped rotors are arranged
concentrically with the central rotor in a relationship
spaced apart from each other so as to be rotatable a
coaxially with the central rotor about its rotational
axis; first and second groups of magnetic poles are
disposed on the surface of each rotor on the side facing
the surface of the adjacent rotor; the first and second
groups of the magnetic poles disposed on the surface of
each rotor are so arranged as to make each of the magnetic
poles equal in polarity to another first and second groups
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3
of. the magnetic poles disposed on the surface of the
adjacent rotor, respectively; each magnetic pole o~ the
first group of the magnetic poles disposed on the surface
of each rotor is arranged alternately in the rotational
direction with each respective magnetic pole of the
another group of the magnetic poles disposed on the
surface of the adjacent rotor; and each magnetic pole of
the second group of the magnetic poles disposed on the
surface of each rotor is arranged so as to overlap with
each magnetic pole of the second group of the magnetic
poles disposed on the surface of the adjacent rotor.
This arrangement of the rotary apparatus can
rotate each of the rotors smoothly because the magnetic
repulsive force acting between the first group of the
magnetic poles of the rotor can cancel the influence of
the magnetic poles having the opposite polarity appearing
between the first group of the magnetic poles of the
rotor.
In further aspects of this invention, the rotary
apparatus is provided, wherein the group or the first and
secand groups of the magnetic poles is or are disposed on
a side surface of each rotor, extending in a direction
perpendicular to the radial direction of the rotor, or
wherein each rotor is arranged with the adjacent rotor so
as to form an overlapped portion where a portion of the
each rotor overlaps with a portion of the adjacent rotor
in a vertically spaced relationship from each other and
the group or the first and second groups of the magnetic
poles is or are disposed on a surface of the overlapped a
portion of the rotor.
In a still further aspect, the present invention
provides a rotary apparatus wherein the group of the
magnetic poles is comprised of a plurality of magnetic
poles arranged in a relationship apart at a given constant
distance from each other in the circumferential direction
of the rotor.
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In another still aspect, the present invention
provides a rotary apparatus wherein the central rotor
and/or the outermost rotor is provided with a reverse
rotation blocking means for blocking the reverse rotation
of the respective rotor.
This arrangement can convert the urging force
applied from the outside into the force for urging the
rotation of each rotor with high efficiency by the means
for blocking the reverse rotation mounted to the central
rotor even at the time of the start of the rotation of the
rotary apparatus. Further, the same phenomenon as the
return-back phenomenon as described hereinabove can be
produced by the means for blocking the reverse rotation,
mounted to the rotor on the outermost side out of the
plural rotors, thereby enabling the rotational speed of
each rotor to be increased extremely effectively even at
the time of the rise during the start of rotation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a longitudinally cut-away, sectional
perspective view showing an outline of the rotary appa-
ratus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a side view in section showing the
details of the rotary apparatus according to the embodi
ment of this invention.
Fig. 3 is a view in section showing the mounting
of bearings and permanent magnets between the ring-shaped
rotors for the rotary apparatus according to the embodi-
ment of this invention. ~
Fig. 4 is a plan view showing an example of the
arrangement of permanent magnets for the rotary apparatus
according to the embodiment of this invention.
Figs. 5(a) and (b) are each a schematic repre
sentation for describing the operations of the rotary
apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 6 is a partial side view in section showing
212242
the arrangement of permanent magnets in the rotary appa-
ratus according to another embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 7 is a schematic representation showing the
arrangement of the permanent magnets according to another
5 embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 8 is a schematic representation showing
another example of the arrangement of permanent magnets
in the rotary apparatus according to another embodiment
of this invention.
Fig. 9 is a schematic representation showing the
arrangement of permanent magnets for the rotary apparatus
according to a further embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 10 is a schematic representation showing
the arrangement of permanent magnets for the rotary appa
ratus according to a still further embodiment of this
invention.
Fig. 11 is a schematic representation showing
the arrangement of permanent magnets for the rotary appa
ratus according to a still further embodiment of this
invention.
Fig. 12 is a partially cut-away, side view in
section showing the structure of a rotary disc section in
the rotary apparatus according to a still further embodi
' ment of this invention.
BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described in more
detail by way of examples with reference to the accompany-
ing drawings.
Fig. 1 is the longitudinally cut-away, perspec-
tive view in section showing the outline of the rotary
apparatus according to the embodiment of 'the present
invention; Fig. 2 shows the details of the rotary appara-
tus according to the embodiment of this invention; and
Fig. 3 shows the arrangement of the mounting of the bear-
ings and the permanent magnets between the ring-shaped
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6
rotors for the rotary apparatus according to the embodi-
ment of this invention. As shown in these drawings, a
housing 2 of this rotary apparatus is of a hollow disc
shape and a motor 1 is mounted to an upper surface of 'the
housing 2 in its central position. The motor 1 is struc-
tured in such a manner that its output shaft la extends
inside in its central position through the housing 2 over
the entire vertical length and that bearings 3 and 4 are
mounted between the housing 2 and the output shaft la so
as for the output shaft la to be rotatable.
To the output shaft la is fixed in its nearly
central position a spline gear lb which, in turn, is
engaged with a spline groove disposed in a central posi-
tion of a disc plate 11 so as to rotate the disc plate 11
integrally with the output shaft la when the motor 1 is
rotated. For example, four ring-shaped plates 12 to 15,
respectively, each having different radius, are arranged
concentrically with the disc plate 11 in a radially spaced
relationship apart from each other. Each of the ring-
shaped plates 12 to 15 is a plate of a ring-shaped form,
rectangular in section. Between the disc plate 11 and the
ring-shaped plate 12 and between two of the adjacent the
ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 are arranged spherical bear-
ings 21 to 24, respectively, thereby allowing each of the
disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 to
rotate independently and their relative positions to be
displaced smoothly.
To an upper surface at its outer circumferential
and end portion of each of the disc plate 11 and the ring- ~
shaped plates 12 to 14 is fixed an upper section of each
of vertical movement restricting members 31 to 34 in a
cross-sectional t-shaped ring plate form for restricting
the vertical movement of the disc plate 11 and the ring-
shaped plates 12 to 14, respectively. Likewise, to an
under surface of each of the disc plate 11 and the ring-
shaped plates 12 to 14 is fixed a lower section of each
7
of vertical movement restricting members 31 to 34 in a
cross-sectional L-shaped ring plate form for restricting
its vertical movement, respectively, at its outer circum-
ferential end portion. Each of the free end portions of
the respectively t- and L-shaped upper and lower sections
of the vertical movement restricting members 31 to 34 is
disposed extending up to the inner circumferential end
portions of each of the adjacent ring-shaped plates 12 to
15, respectively. Between the vertical movement restrict-
ing members 31 to 34, the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15, and
the housing 2 are disposed spherical bearings. ~'or in-
stance, a spherical bearing 311 is mounted between the
upper surface of the free end portion of each of the r-
shaped upper section of the vertical movement restricting
members 31 to 34 and the under surface of the housing 2
in the position right above the free end portion thereof;
a spherical bearing 312 is mounted between the under
surface of the free end portion of each of the t-shaped
upper section of the vertical movement restricting members
31 to 34 and the upper surface of the ring-shaped plates
12 to 15 in the position right under the free end portion
thereof; a spherical bearing 313 is mounted between the
under surface of the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 and the
' upper surface of the free end portion of each of the L
shaped under section of the vertical movement restricting
members 31 to 34; and a spherical bearing 314 is mounted
between the under surface of the free end portion of each
of the L-shaped under section of the vertical movement
restricting members 31 to 34 and the upper surface of the ~
under plate of the housing 2 in the position right under
the free end portion of each of the L-shaped under
sections of the vertical movement restricting members 31
to 34, respectively. The arrangement of the spherical
bearings 311 to 314 for the ring plate members 31 to 34
can prevent the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates
12 to 15 from moving vertically during their rotation.
212452
In the embodiment according to this invention,
assemblies of the disc plate 11 and each of the ring-
shaped plates 12 to I5 with the ring plate members 31 to
34 are arranged concentrically with the disc plate 11,
thereby constituting a composite rotor.
Each of the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped
plates 12 to 15 may be made of a semi-magnetic or non-
magnetic material such as copper, aluminium or an alloy
such as brass. Each of the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 is
arranged so as to become larger in radius at a constant
length than the adjacent ring-shaped plate to be disposed
on its inner side and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 are
disposed concentrically with the disc plate 11 with a gap
spaced equally apart from each other in such a manner that
the ring-shaped plate having the smallest radius is
disposed at the outer circumference of the disc plate 11,
the ring-shaped plate having a larger radius is disposed
at the outer circumference of the adjacent ring-shaped
plate having the smaller radius, and the ring-shaped plate
having the largest radius is disposed at the outermost
circumference of the composite rotor.
Each of the ring-shaped plates is embedded in
cavities formed in its surface facing the adjacent ring
' shaped plate with a plurality of permanent magnets so as
not to project from the respective flat side surface of
the ring-shaped plate embedded in the cavity. More speci-
fically, the disc plate 11 is embedded with a plurality
of permanent magnets 41 in cavities formed in its outer
circumferential side surface; the ring-shaped plate 12 a
with a plurality of permanent magnets 42 in cavities
formed in its inner and outer circumferential side surface
and; the rang-shaped plate 13 with a plurality of perma-
nent magnets 43 in cavities in its inner and outer circum-
ferential side surface; the ring-shaped plate 14 with a
plurality of permanent magnets 44 in cavities formed in
its inner and outer circumferential side surface; and the
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9
ring-shaped plate 15 with a plurality of permanent magnets
45 in cavities in its inner circumferential side surface.
Each of the permanent magnets 41 to 45 may be arranged at
an equal angle of 60° at a given distance from the center
of rotation. In the description that follows, each of the
permanent magnets 41 to 45 is provided with reference
symbol "a" after the corresponding reference numeral for
those which are arranged on the inner circumferential side
of the plate and with reference symbol "b" thereafter for
those which are arranged on its outer circumferential
side, as needed for distinction from each other.
Each of the permanent magnets 41 to 45 is
arranged so as for the permanent magnet disposed on a
surface of the plate facing a surface of the adjacent
plate of the disc plate 11 or facing a surface of each of
the ring-shaped plates I2 to 15 to be made equal in pola-
rity to the permanent magnet disposed on the surface of
the adj scent plate of the disc plate 11 or the ring-shaped
plate 12 to 15. In other words, for instance, the perma-
nent magnets 41b disposed at the outer circumferential
surface of the disc plate 11 and the permanent magnets 42a
disposed at the inner circumferential surface of the ring-
shaped plate 12 are directed all to the North magnetic
pole; the permanent magnets 42b disposed at the outer
eircumferential surface of the ring-shaped plate 12 and
the permanent magnets 43a at the inner circumferential
surface of the ring-shaped plate 13 axe directed all to
the South magnetic pole; the permanent magnets 43b
disposed at the outer circumferential surface of the ring-
shaped plate 13 and the permanent magnets 44a at the inner
circumferentiai surface of the ring-shaped plate 14 are
directed all to the North magnetic pole; and the permanent
magnets 44b at the outer circumferential surface of the
ring-shaped plate 14 and the permanent magnets 45a at the
inner circumferential surface of the ring-shaped plate 15
are directed all to the South magnetic pole.
2122452
Further, as shown in Fig. 4, the disc plate 11
and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 are arranged such
that, for example, for the ring-shaped plate 15, the arc
distance D interposed between the permanent magnet 45a and
5 the adjacent permanent magnet 45a is set to be longer than
the arc length L of each of the permanent magnets 45a.
Now, the actions and operations of the rotary
apparatus according to the embodiment of this invention
will be described hereinafter.
10 First, a description will be made of the basic
actions of the permanent magnets 41 to 45 mounted to the
disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15,
respectively, with reference to Figs. 5(a) and 5(b) by
taking the permanent magnets 44b disposed on the outer
circumferential surface of the ring-shaped plate 14 and
the permanent magnets 45a disposed on the inner circum-
ferential surface of the ring-shaped plate 15 as an
example. Fig. 5(a) shows the instance where the ring-
shaped plate 14 is rotated in the normal direction ( in the
clockwise direction in the drawing). In this case, the ~
permanent magnets 44b of the ring-shaped plate 14 are
allowed to come closer to the respective permanent magnets
45a of the ring-shaped plate 15, which are located ahead
- in the direction in which the ring-shaped plate 14 is
being rotated, and the ring-shaped plate 15 is caused to
rotate in the normal direction by the repulsive force
(repulsion) produced between the permanent magnets 44b of
the ring-shaped plate 14 and the permanent magnets 45a of
the ring-shaped plate 15 because the permanent magnets 44b ~
of the ring-shaped plate 14 and the permanent magnets 45a
of the ring-shaped plate 15 are directed all to the South
magnetic pole. On the other hand, Fig. 5(b) shows the
instance where the ring-shaped plate 15 is rotated in the
normal direction, to the contrary of the instance as shown
in Fig. 5(a). In this case, the permanent magnets 45b of
the ring-shaped plate 15 are allowed to come closer to the
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respective permanent magnets 44a of the ring-shaped plate
14, which are located ahead in the direction of 'the rota-
tion of the ring-shaped plate 15, and the ring-shaped
plate 14 is caused to rotate in the normal direction by
the repulsive force produced between the permanent magnets
45b of the ring-shaped plate I5 and the permanent magnets
44a of the ring-shaped plate 14.
Then, a description will be made of the opera
tions of starting the rotation of the rotary apparatus.
As the motor 1 is rotated in its normal direction, the
disc plate 11 is caused to rotate in the normal direction
and the rotation of the disc plate 11 induces the rotation
of the ring-shaped plate 12 located on the innermost side,
followed by rotating the ring-shaped plate 13 located on .
the adjacent side of the ring-shaped plate 12 in the
normal direction and further by rotating the ring-shaped
plate 14 and the ring-shaped plate 15 one after another
in the normal direction in the likewise manner, on the
basis of the principle as described with reference to Fig.
5(a). Hence, once the motor 1 starts up, the disc plate
11 is first allowed to rotate in the normal direction,
followed by the normal rotation of all the ring-shaped
plates 12 to 15 one after another, which are arranged
concentrically with the disc plate 11.
It is to be noted herein that the magnitude of
the repulsive force acting between every two plates out
of the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15
is set to be the extent of the force to which each of the
permanent magnets disposed on the surface of one plate
does not cross the position of each of the respective
permanent magnets disposed on the facing surface of the
adjacent plate. In other words, although there is a so-
called "magnetic mountain" caused by the repulsive force
in the position of each permanent magnet, each of the
permanent magnets disposed on the surface of the one plate
does not cross the so-called magnetic mountain ahead or
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12
behind of the position of each respective permanent magnet
disposed on the facing surface of the adjacent plate.
Therefore, the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates
12 to 15 are allowed to rotate in synchronization with
each other and integrally at substantially the same
speeds, as a whole, although there is to some extent a
relative variation in position within the range of the
distance at which each of the adjacent permanent magnets
is disposed in the circumferential direction.
The rotation of the disc plate 11 is urged by
the motor 1 in the manner as described hereinabove,
followed by transmitting the force for urging the rotation
in the outward direction to the ring-shaped plates 12 to
one after another and by increasing the rotational
15 speed gradually after the start of rotation of the disc
plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15. As the
rotational speed increases, a phenomenon of the return of
the force of urging the rotation, as will be described
hereinafter, is caused to occur to a remarkable extent,
thereby further increasing the speed of the rotation of
the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15.
In other words, when account is taken of the
relationship between the position of the disc plate 11 and
the position of each of the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15
in the initial stage of rotation, the ring-shaped plate
12 is followed and dragged by the ring-shaped plate 13
located on its outer side as a load and the ring-shaped
plate 13 in turn is followed and dragged by the ring-
shaped plate 14 located on its outer side as a load, ~
followed by causing the ring-shaped plate 14 to be
followed and dragged by the ring-shaped plate 15 located
on the outermost side as a load. Hence, in the initial
stage of rotation, each of the ring-shaped plates 12 to
14 located in the intermediate positions cannot move in
such a manner that the ring-shaped plate located on its
outer side advances ahead of the position (ahead in the
21~24~2
13
rotational direction) of the ring-shaped plate located on
its inner side. On the other hand, as the ring-shaped
plate 15 is not followed and dragged as a load by any
ring-shaped plate disposed on its outer side, the ring-
s shaped plate 15 can be rotated further ahead of the ring
shaped plate 14 by the rotational energy transmitted from
the ring-shaped plate 14 when the rotation of the ring
shaped plate 14 is urged. The status of the ring-shaped
plate 15 relative to the ring-shaped plate 14 is shown in
Fig. 5(b).
In the state as shown in Fig. 5(b), as the ring-
shaped plate 14 receives the force for urging the rotation
in the normal direction from both of the ring-shaped plate
located on its outer side and the ring-shaped plate l3
15 located on its inner side, the rotational speed of the
ring-shaped plate 14 is increased. However, since the
ring-shaped plate 15 should receive the force having the
same magnitude of the repulsive force in the reverse
direction, as a reaction, when the ring-shaped plate 14
is supplied with the force for urging the rotation in the
normal direction by the repulsive magnetic field, the
rotational speed should be decreased to some extent by the
reaction having the same magnitude of the repulsive force.
Accordingly, the effect of increasing the rotational speed
of the ring-shaped plate 15 may be said to be not great.
On the other hand, once the rotational speed of
the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15
becomes high, each of the disc plate 11 and the ring
shaped plates 12 to 15 acquires a large amount of the
rotational energy and eventually the rotational speed of
the plate disposed on its outer side comes to the state
in which it does not vary at a high speed due to the
flywheel effect because a larger amount of the inertia
moment works upon the ring-shaped plate on the outer side
due to the fact that the ring-shaped plate on the outer
side is larger in diameter and as a result heavier in
2122452
14
weight. Consequently, when the force of urging the rota-
tion has reached from -the ring-shaped plate disposed on
the inner side to the ring-shaped plate 15 disposed on the
outermost side and the ring-shaped plate 15 is caused to
advance ahead of the ring-shaped plate 14, that is, when
the status as shown in Fig. 5(b) has been realized, the
ring-shaped plate 15 is pulled bacl~ or returned in its
reverse direction due to a reaction to the force that has
pulled the ring-shaped plate 14 ahead in the normal direc-
tton. However, as a matter of fact, the flywheel effect
upon the ring-shaped plate 15 is greater than that upon
the ring-shaped plate 14, so that the rotational speed of
the ring-shaped plate 15 is not substantially decreased.
Therefore, the ring-shaped plate 15 serves as the point ,
on which the repulsive force and the reaction to the
repulsive force act and the ring-shaped plate 14 can
receive the force acted in the reverse direction as the
reaction applied to the ring-shaped plate 15, too, as the
force for urging the rotation in the normal direction. In
other words, the ring-shaped plate 14 can receive the two- . ,
fold magnitude of the force for urging the rotation,
thereby increasing its rotational speed in the normal
direction. '
Such a phenomenon also appears in each case
between the ring-shaped plates 14 and 13, the ring-shaped
plates 13 and 12, and the ring-shaped plate 12 and the
disc plate 11. Hence, the force for urging the rotation
is transmitted from the disc plate 11 to the ring-shaped
plates located on its outer side one after another while
I
increasing the rotational speed of each plate, and as the
force for urging the rotation has reached the ring-shaped
plate 15, it is returned at the ring-shaped plate 15,
followed by transmitting the force for urging the rotation
from the ring-shaped plate located on the outer side to
each of the ring-shaped plates located on the inner side
while increasing the rotational speed of each of the ring-
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shaped plates. Further, as the rotational speed has
reached the disc plate 11, it is returned again at the
disc plate 11, followed by transmitting the force for
urging the rotation from each of the ring-shaped plates
5 on the inner side to each of the ring-shaped plates on the
outer side. Therefore, the disc plate 11 and the ring-
shaped plates 12 to 15 can be rotated extremely effec-
tively, thereby providing a high rotational speed.
It can be noted herein that, when the plates are
10 being rotated at a high speed, the phenomenon of returning
the force for urging the rotation is observed as if one
wave is being propagated or is running from inward to
outward and then from outward to inward among the disc
plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15. It is
15 assumed that such a phenomenon appears in such a fashion
that, as the magnetic repulsive force between each
adjacent layers of the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped
plates 12 to 15 becomes bigger and bigger from the inner
adjacent layers thereof toward the outer adjacent layers
thereof once the driving force is applied from the motor
1, if the magnetic repulsive force between each of the
adjacent plates becomes so big that it exceeds a certain
critical point, it turns into the force for rapidly
pushing the ring-shaped plate 15 forwards and the force
is transmitted in such a wavy form.
In practicing this invention, various modifica-
tions and variations are possible. The arrangement of the
permanent magnets to be mounted to each plate is not
restricted to the embodiment as described hereinabove. For
a
example, various modes of the arrangements of the number
of permanent magnets to be mounted to the inner circumfe-
rential surface and/or the outer circumferential surface
of the disc plate and each of the ring-shaped plates, the
size of each permanent magnet, the angle at which the
permanent magnets are disposed, the distance between the
adjacent permanent magnets, the diameter of the disc plate
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16
or each of the ring-shaped plates, the distance between
each of the adjacent plates, and the like can be appro-
priately selected by taking account of the relationship
between each of the elements as described hereinabove.
Further, the positions in which the permanent magnets are
arranged are not restricted to the outer and/or inner
circumferential surface or surfaces of the plate and the
permanent magnets may be mounted to the vertically facing '
surface of each of the disc plate and the ring-shaped
plates.
Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of this inven-
tion, where the arrangement of the permanent magnets is
modified. As shown in Fig. 6, the arrangements of the
motor 1, the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped plates 12
to 15 are substantially the same as that in the embodiment
as described hereinabove, with the exception that the
permanent magnets are mounted to the vertically facing
surfaces of each of the disc plate 11 and the ring-shaped
plates 12 to 15, not to the side surface thereof.
In other words, in this case, a flange portion
of each of the upper and lower free-end sections of the
vertical movement restricting members 31 to 34 in the
embodiment as described hereinabove is extended outwardly
in the radial direction so as to substantially cover the
entire length of the respective ring-shaped plates 12 to
15 from upward and downward, respectively. Further, the
inside surface of each of the upper and lower free-end
sections of the vertical movement restricting members 31
to 34 facing the corresponding surface of the ring-shaped i
plates 12 to 15 is arranged with permanent magnets 51 to
54 and likewise each of the upper and under surfaces of
the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 is arranged with permanent
magnets 51 to 54 so as to face the permanent magnets 51
to 54, respectively, disposed on the ring-shaped plates
12 to 15. The reference numerals 51 to 54 are provided
with reference symbol "a" after the reference numeral for
.'~, 2122~~2
17
the corresponding permanent magnets disposed on the side
of the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 and with reference
symbol "b" thereafter for those disposed on the side of
the vertical movement restricting members 31 to 34,
respectively, as needed for distinction from each other.
Fig. 7 shows the instance of the arrangement of
the permanent magnets 51 to 55 by taking the permanent
magnets 55a mounted to the ring-shaped plate 15 as an
example. As shown in Fig. 7, each of the upper and under
surfaces of the ring-shaped plate 15 is arranged radially
with four permanent magnets, each in a small disc shape
( as indicated by circle marks in the drawing ) and they are
disposed at equal angles from the center of rotation and
in a spaced relationship equally apart from each other
along and in the circumferential direction. Likewise, the
inner surface of the flange portion of the upper and under
surfaces of the vertical movement restricting member 34
facing the respectively upper and under surfaces of the
ring-shaped plate 15 is arranged with the permanent
magnets 54b in substantially the same manner.
The permanent magnets 55a and 54b are arranged
such that the permanent magnets 54b of the vertical move-
ment restricting member 34 facing the upper surface of the
ring-shaped plate 15 are made equal in polarity to the
permanent magnets 55a of the ring-shaped plate 15. In
other words, in this embodiment, the permanent magnets 54b
disposed on the inner and upper surface of the vertical
movement restricting member 34 and the permanent magnets
55a disposed on the upper surface of the ring-shaped plate
i
15 are directed all to the North magnetic pole, while the
permanent magnets 54b disposed on the inner and under
surface of the vertical movement restricting member 34 and
the permanent magnets 55a disposed on the under surface
of the ring-shaped plate 15 are directed all to the South
magnetic pole.
It is to be noted herein that in the state in
18
which the ring-shaped plate 15 is resting and the magnetic
repulsive force acting between the permanent magnets 55a
disposed on the ring-shaped plate 15 and the permanent
magnets 54b disposed of the vertical movement restricting
member 34 is balanced, the permanent magnets 55a of the
ring-shaped plate 15 (as indicated by white circle marks)
are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction
with the permanent magnets 54b of the vertical movement
restricting member 34. (as indicated by hatched circle
marks), as shown in Fig. 8.
Further, although the number of the permanent
magnets arranged radially on each of the ring-shaped
plates in the embodiment as described hereinabove, the
angle at which the permanent magnets are arranged radially
is made larger as the diameter of the ring-shaped plate
becomes smaller, thereby making the distance between the
adjacent groups of the four permanent magnets substan-
tially equal to each other. Hence, in this case, the
number of the permanent magnets is increased for the ring-
shaped plates to be disposed on the outer side.
The basic operations of the rotary apparatus
according to the embodiment of this invention, as shown
in Fig. 6, are substantially the same as those of the
rotary apparatuses according to the embodiments of this
invention as described hereinabove wherein the arc-shaped
permanent magnets in a plate form are employed, with the
exception that a number of permanent magnets, each in a
small disc shape, are combined. In this respect, a dupli
cate description of the details will be omitted from the
3C following description.
Although there are employed permanent magnets
each in a small disc shape for the rotary apparatus as
shown in Fig. 6, as described hereinabove, the reason for
the use of such permanent magnets is merely because they
are easy for production. Hence, this invention is not
restricted to the permanent magnets of such small disc
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212252
19
shapes and it can include, for example, permanent magnets
of a generally rectangular shape with longer sides of each
permanent magnet arranged radially, for example, as shown
in Fig. 9. It is further possible to use only one disc-
s shaped permanent magnet having a longer diameter, instead
of the four small disc-shaped permanent magnets employed
for the previous embodiments of this invention. In this
case, too, the large disc-shaped permanent magnets may be
arranged radially at equal angles from each other in the
circumferential direction.
It should be noted herein, however, that the
rotary apparatuses according to the embodiments of this
invention as described hereinabove present problems as
will be described hereinafter. A description will be made
of such problems, for example, by taking the rotary
apparatus according to the first embodiment of this
invention as an example. For example, in the instance as
shown in Fig. 4, as a loop of the magnetic flux goes out
from the permanent magnets 44a on the inner side and
returns to the permanent magnets 44b on the outer side,
the South magnetic poles of the permanent magnets 44b
opposite to the polarities of the permanent magnets 44a
can be said to be seen in the position between the
adjacent permanent magnets of the ring-shaped plate, for
example, between the mutually adjacent permanent magnets
44a directed to the North magnetic pole. In this case, the
permanent magnets directed to the South magnetic pole have
the action to attract the North magnetic pole of the
adjacent ring-shaped plate 13. As a result, the South
i
magnetic pole of the ring-shaped plate 14 exerts the
influence upon the North magnetic pole of the facing ring-
shaped plate 13, thereby decreasing the circumferential
movement of the ring-shaped plate 13 in the normal direc-
tion to some extent. This phenomenon can be described by
taking "magnetic mountain" of the magnetic repulsive force
and "magnetic valley" thereof as an example. This status
20
can be said to be the state in which the facing ring-
shaped plate is unlikely to cross the magnetic valley and
move further on, because the magnetic valley is too deep.
In such a state, the force for urging the rotation cannot
be transmitted efficiently between the ring-shaped plates.
Fig. 10 shows an example of the rotary apparatus
according to the further embodiment of this invention,
which can solve the problems as described immediately
hereinabove. This example is a variation of the second
embodiment (the example as shown in Fig. 6) of the rotary
apparatus according to this invention, in which the
arrangement of the permanent magnets is modified and the
permanent magnets 55a of the ring-shaped plate 15 is taken
as an example. In other words, another group of permanent
magnets 55c having the same polarities as the other group
of the permanent magnets 55a is further disposed in the
intermediate positions between the adjacent permanent
magnets 55a. Likewise, permanent magnets having the same
polarities are disposed in the intermediate position
between the adjacent permanent magnets 54b of the ring-
shaped plate 14 facing the ring-shaped plate 15. This
allows the permanent magnets disposed on the circumferen-
tially outermost side at the facing surfaces of the
ad j acent ring-shaped plates 14 and 15 t;o overlap with each
ether, when the ring-shaped plates 14 and 15 are resting.
This arrangement allows the magnetic attractive
force of the magnetic poles having the opposite polarity
seen between the adjacent permanent magnets 55b to be
cancelled by the magnetic repulsive force of the newly
added permanent magnets 55c, which acts between the
overlapped permanent magnets of the adjacent ring-shaped
plates, thereby enabling a smooth displacement between the
ring-shaped plates.
It can be noted herein that the arrangement as
shown in Fig. 11 can reduce the influence of the magnetic
poles having the opposite polarity appearing between the
2122452
21
adjacent permanent magnets. This embodiment is arranged
in such a manner that the radially extending width of each
of the ring-shaped plates is narrowed, as compared with
the previous embodiment of the rotary apparatus according
to this invention (the drawing as shown in Figs. 1 and 2)
and a through hole is provided for each ring-shaped plate
so as to pass radially over the entire length, through and
into which the permanent magnet is embedded over its
entire depth. Fig. 11 shows two out of the ring-shaped
plates from top. The hatched portions in the drawing are
the portions at which the permanent magnets are embedded
into the corresponding ring-shaped plates. It can be noted
herein that the permanent magnets are structured in such
a manner that the permanent magnets with. their end
portions projecting from the side surface of the ring-
shaped plate are arranged alternately with the permanent
magnets with their end made as flat as the surface of the
ring-shaped plate into which the permanent magnets are
embedded.
Fig. 12 indicates an example of the rotary .,.
apparatus according to the further embodiment of this
invention and is a longitudinally cross-sectional side
view showing the portion of a disc 11' rotating in the
center of the rotary apparatus. As shown in the drawing,
a core shaft 71 is fixed to a housing 2. A hollow convex
portion is formed at a central portion of the disc 11' and
bearing systems 74 and 75 are disposed between the core
shaft 71 and the inner surface of the convex portion of
the disc 11' so as to allow the disc 11' to rotate about ~
the core shaft 71. Further, another groups of bearing
systems 72 and 73 are disposed between the disc 11' and
the housing 2. To the convex portion of the disc 11' is
fixed an output shaft la of the motor 1 to thereby allow
the disc 11' to be rotated directly by the motor 1. It
should be noted herein that at least one of the bearing
systems 72 to 75 be structured as a rachet bearing system,
--.
21.22452
22
thereby causing the disc 11' to be rotated only in the
normal direction while inhibiting the rotation in the
reverse direction>
The mounting of the racket bearing system to the
central disc 11' can provide the merits as will be
described hereinafter. In other words, when the disc plate -
11' is rotated by the motor 1 at the time of its start-up,
thereby urging the rotation of the adjacent ring-shaped
plate 12 in the normal direction, the disc plate 11'
receives the magnetic repulsive force in the reverse
direction from the ring-shaped plate 12 as a reaction
thereto. However, the racket bearing system blocks the
reverse rotation of the disc plate 11' and the magnetic
repulsive .force from the ring-shaped plate 12 acted as the
reaction is turned into the force for urging the rotation
of the ring-shaped plate 12 in the normal direction in the
position in which the racket bearing system has acted ( the
racket bearing system has blocked the reverse rotation).
Therefore, the ring-shaped plate 12 can receive a two-fold
magnitude of the magnetic repulsive force in the normal
direction, compared with the instance where no racket
bearing system is disposed on the ring-shaped plate 12,
thereby increasing the rotational speed of the ring-shaped
' plate 12. Further, this arrangement can allow even a
small-size motor to convert its rotational output into a
large magnitude of the rotational force for rotating the
ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 efficiently.
The location at which the racket bearing system
is to be mounted is not restricted to the central disc 11'
and the racket bearing system may be incorporated into the
ring-shaped plate 15 disposed on the outermost side in an
attempt to block the rotation of the ring-shaped plate 15.
This arrangement can convert the output of the motor into
the rotational force for rotating the ring-shaped plates
12 to 15 with high efficiency even at the time of the
start-up of the rotary apparatus, because substantially
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23
the same phenomenon may appear as the return phenomenon
of returning the force for urging the rotation, which
occurs at the time of a high speed, as described herein-
above. Therefore, this arrangement can bring the ring-
s shaped plates 12 to 15 into a high speed state rapidly
after the start of the rotary apparatus.
Further, when the racket bearing systems may be
mounted to all the disc plate 11' and the ring-shaped
plates 12 to 15, this arrangement enables the force for
urging the rotation to be transmitted with extremely high
efficiency at the time of the start of the rotary apps-
ratus. With this arrangement, however, as it can be
anticipated that the racket bearing system may reduce the
rotational speed of the rotary. apparatus to some extent
at the time of rotation at a high speed, the location at
which the racket bearing system is to be mounted should
be determined with such possibility taken into account.
Furthermore, when the racket bearing system is
incorporated, it is preferred to use a motor of a type
capable of driving the motor intermittently, such as a
stepping motor or a servo motor. The motor of this type
can convert its rotational output into the rotational
energy for rotating the ring-shaped plates 12 to 15 more
efficiently. It is further possible to use a system
capable of intermittently transmitting the rotational
output of a motor of a usual type to a rotary plate, such
as an electromagnetic clutch or any other mechanical
mechanism, in glace of the motors of the intermittently
driving type. a
In addition, the means for blocking the reverse
rotation to be employed for this invention is not re-
stricted to the racket bearing system and it may include
any other system capable of blocking the reverse rotation
of the disc plate and each of the ring-shaped plates, such
as any mechanism demonstrating the function as a one-way
clutch.
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212~45~
24
The mode of mounting of the permanent magnets to
the disc plate and each of the ring-shaped plates is not
restricted to the mode in each of the embodiments accord-
ing to this invention as have been described hereinabove.
In summary, the permanent magnets may be mounted to the
disc plate and each the ring-shaped plate in such a manner
that the magnetic mountain of the magnetic repulsive force
appearing between the disc plate and each of the ring-
shaped plates is arranged so as to be engaged with the
magnetic valley of the magnetic repulsive force at either
location between the adjacent layers.
It can further be noted that, although the
permanent magnets are employed for the means for generat-
ing the magnetic repulsive force between the disc plate
and each of the ring-shaped plates, this invention is not
restricted to the permanent magnets. In other words, an
electromagnet may be employed. Particularly, a supercon-
ductive electromagnet can produce an extremely large
magnitude of repulsion. A combination of the permanent
magnets with the electromagnet may be employed. When the
rotary apparatus is sought to be made compact in size, the
use of permanent magnets is effective.
The material of the disc plate and each of the
ring-shaped plates is not restricted to the material used
for them in the previous embodiments of this invention.
The material may be a non-magnetic material such as, for
example, a synthetic resin or wooden material. The shape
of each ring-shaped plate is not restricted to such a
shape as employed in the previous embodiments according
to this invention and any shape can be applicable as long
as each plate can be rotated concentrically.
For the rotary apparatuses according to the
above embodiments of this invention, the vertical movement
restricting members are disposed in order to prevent the
vertical vibration of the disc plate and each of the ring-
shaped plates . It can be noted, however, that the arrange-
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2122452
ment of the vertical movement restricting members is
mainly for preparation at the time of the start of the
rotary apparatus and, in this sense, the vertical movement
restricting member is not essential for this invention.
5 Therefore, the actions of the vertical movement restrict-
ing member are not required, particularly when the rotary
apparatus has reached its high speed state because each
of the ring-shaped plates become into a horizontal arran-
gement during the time of rotation at a high speed.
10 Further, for the rotary apparatus in the first
embodiment according to this invention, the same pola-
rities of the permanent magnets appearing between the disc
plate and each ring-shaped plate are arranged so as for
South magnetic poles and North magnetic poles to appear
15 alternately. This invention is not restricted to this
arrangement of the same polarities of the permanent
magnets and the permanent magnets may be arranged for all
their same polarities so as to direct to the South
magnetic pole or North magnetic pole.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention can provide a completely
novel rotary apparatus so adapted as to rotate a composite
rotor. at a high speed by utilizing the magnetic force, the
composite rotor being comprised of a plurality of ring-
shaped rotors arranged concentrically with each other.
It can be noted herein that, although the total
weight of the rotary apparatus prepared for trial experi-
ments is so considerably heavy that it cannot be moved
i
manually by an operator at the time when it is not in
operation, it surprisingly can be readily moved slidably
on a floor by hands of the operator during it is rotated
at a high speed. As is considered from the experimental
results, a certain floating force would act upon the
rotary apparatus during the rotation at a high speed. If
so, there is the possibility that the rotary apparatus
2122452
26
according to the present invention can be utilized as a
floating apparatus on the basis of a new floating
principle.
