Described herein are braking mechanisms and related methods of use using eddy current interactions to resist relative movement between members, the magnetic flux about an eddy current region being modified beyond an inherent drag effect resulting from a simple magnetic pole arrangement.

An eddy-current braking mechanism including a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis; at least one electrically conductive member coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith; at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to the plane of rotation of the conductive member, and characterized in that upon rotation of the rotor, the conductive member is configured to move at least partially radially from the rotor axis into the applied magnetic field.

A system includes an eddy current brake. The eddy current brake includes a back plate and a first inductor. The first inductor includes a pole coupled to the back plate and a winding disposed about the pole, wherein the winding is configured to conduct an electric current to generate a magnetic field. At least one of the back plate and the pole 104 includes a plurality of laminations.

A system includes an eddy current brake. The eddy current brake includes a back plate and a first inductor. The first inductor includes a pole coupled to the back plate and a winding disposed about the pole, wherein the winding is configured to conduct an electric current to generate a magnetic field. At least one of the back plate and the pole 104 includes a plurality of laminations.

This disclosure describes embodiments of novel line dispensing devices and methods for dispensing and retracting a line of a line dispensing device.

A personal escape device includes a main housing, a shaft, a magnet housing, and a plurality of magnets. The shaft is rotatably coupled with the main housing and is rotatable about a rotational axis. The magnet housing is positioned in the main housing and is coupled with the shaft such that the magnet housing rotates together with the shaft. The plurality of magnets is coupled with the magnet housing such that the plurality of magnets rotates together with the magnet housing. The stator assembly is coupled with the main housing and surrounds the magnet housing. The stator assembly and the magnet housing are radially spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween.

A personal escape device includes a main housing, a shaft, a magnet housing, and a plurality of magnets. The shaft is rotatably coupled with the main housing and is rotatable about a rotational axis. The magnet housing is positioned in the main housing and is coupled with the shaft such that the magnet housing rotates together with the shaft. The plurality of magnets is coupled with the magnet housing such that the plurality of magnets rotates together with the magnet housing. The stator assembly is coupled with the main housing and surrounds the magnet housing. The stator assembly and the magnet housing are radially spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween.

An electric power tool includes an output shaft, drivable by an associated drive motor, and a brake apparatus for braking the output shaft rotating in the unpowered state of the associated drive motor. The output shaft is mounted in a rotatable manner in an associated housing and the brake apparatus has a magnetic-field brake unit with at least one first and one second brake element. The first brake element is arranged radially with respect to the output shaft in a rotationally fixed manner in the associated housing and includes at least one first and one second magnetic pole configured to generate a magnetic field that alternates in the circumferential direction of the output shaft. The second brake element is magnetically conductive and rotationally connected to the output shaft via an activatable coupling device.

An electric power tool includes an output shaft, drivable by an associated drive motor, and a brake apparatus for braking the output shaft rotating in the unpowered state of the associated drive motor. The output shaft is mounted in a rotatable manner in an associated housing and the brake apparatus has a magnetic-field brake unit with at least one first and one second brake element. The first brake element is arranged radially with respect to the output shaft in a rotationally fixed manner in the associated housing and includes at least one first and one second magnetic pole configured to generate a magnetic field that alternates in the circumferential direction of the output shaft. The second brake element is magnetically conductive and rotationally connected to the output shaft via an activatable coupling device.

An actuation device for a clutch device is provided having a magnetic field brake with a brake stator and a brake rotor. This magnetic field brake can be operated as an eddy-current brake and/or as a hysteresis brake.