An eddy-current mechanism including a rotor rotatable about a rotor axis at least one electrically conductive material 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 characterised 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 braking arrangement for decelerating a heavy duty vehicle, the arrangement including a control unit, at least one electric machine arranged for regenerative braking, an electrical energy absorption device, an eddy current braking device, and a power distribution network arranged to connect the electric machine to the energy absorption device and to the eddy current braking device, wherein the control unit is configured to distribute regenerated electrical power from the electric machine between the energy absorption device and the eddy current braking device by the power distribution network in dependence of a target deceleration value of the heavy duty vehicle.

A double-stator rotating electric machine includes a rotor, an outer stator disposed radially outside the rotor with an outer gap formed therebetween, and an inner stator disposed radially inside the rotor with an inner gap formed therebetween. The outer stator has an outer multi-phase coil wound thereon, and the inner stator has an inner multi-phase coil wound thereon. Moreover, the inner gap formed between the inner stator and the rotor is set to be larger than the outer gap formed between the outer stator and the rotor.

Described herein is a device comprising members in a kinematic relationship. The kinematic relationship is at least partially governed by at least one magnetic flux interaction that, in effect, may provide a tunable resistance to movement, changing the rate of relative movement between the members. In one embodiment, the device comprises a first member in a kinematic relationship with at least one further member to form a system. The system moves within a limited range of motion and the system interacts when an external energizing force is imposed on the system causing the members to respond due to their kinematic and dynamic characteristics and thereby creating relative motion between the members. The trigger member is coupled to the at least the first member and moves in response to a pre-determined system movement. When the trigger member moves, the trigger member imposes a braking action on the system or a member or members thereof. The speed and/or intensity of the braking action imposed by the trigger member on the system or a member or members thereof is controlled by the trigger member rate of movement. This rate of movement is in turn governed by a magnetic flux interaction between the trigger member and the at least one first member causing formation of a magnetically induced eddy current force between the parts.

An apparatus has a first portion of a magnetic braking system with a first element disposed thereon. The first portion rotates about an axis. The position of the first element is a fixed distance from the axis. A second portion of the magnetic braking system has a second element disposed thereon. A spring biases the rotatable first portion a first distance from the second portion. Upon application of a force to one of the portions, the relative position of the rotatable first portion to the second portion is reduced to a second distance less than the first distance.

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 characterised 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.

Various magnetic camera brake embodiments are disclosed. According to some embodiments, the magnetic camera brakes leverage a magnetic attraction (or repulsion) force between an iron and magnetic body to hold the moving camera components at a desired focus positioneven under high amplitude acceleration loads. When high disturbance rejection is desired, the magnet attracts the camera to the desired focus position (e.g., an infinity focus position) with enough force to overcome approximately 10 g's of external acceleration. In some embodiments, ball bearings may be used to provide constraints in up to 5 degrees of freedom (e.g., all but z-axial translation along the optical axis), so there is no rocking of the image sensor (or lens barrel). When macro photos are desired of subjects closer than the hyperfocal distance, an actuator mechanism may be configured to pull the image sensor out of the desired focus position and into the macro focus region.

A brake for a motor includes a fixed-side engaging plate fixed to a motor shaft; a movable-side engaging plate coaxially opposed to the fixed-side engaging plate along the direction of a center axis; and a self-holding type solenoid that moves, in the direction of the center axis, the movable-side engaging plate to a halt cancelation position separated from the fixed-side engaging plate and a halt position where engagement with the fixed-side engaging plate occurs. When the motor is halted, the solenoid is driven to move the movable-side engaging plate from the halt cancelation position to the halt position. The movable-side engaging plate which has reached the halt position is mechanically engaged with the fixed-side engaging plate, and the motor shaft is forcibly halted.

Replaceable windings (101) for an electromagnetic machine (100) are provided. A replaceable winding (101) comprises a body (107) having a longitudinal axis (105), the body (107) comprising opposing surfaces along the longitudinal axis (105). The replaceable winding (101) further comprises an aperture (119) through the body (107), between the opposing surfaces, the aperture (119) having generally parallel internal sides about perpendicular to the opposing surfaces of the body (107), the aperture (119) configured to removably received a pole portion (109) of the electromagnetic machine (100). The replaceable winding (101) further comprises electrical conductors wound about the aperture (119) in the body (107). The replaceable winding (101) further comprises electrical connectors (123) at one or more external sides of the body (107), the electrical connectors (123) connected to the electrical conductors.

A brake device (12a, 12b) comprising a hard magnet (20); a soft magnet (22) configured to switch polarity between a first polarity and a second polarity when being subjected to a magnetic field and configured to maintain the polarity when the magnetic field is removed; an electric coil (24) located around the soft magnet; an electric control system (16) configured to apply a current pulse to the electric coil to generate the magnetic field for changing the polarization of the soft magnet; and a brake element (18) comprising a magnetic target section (28), the brake element being arranged to move to a released position (40) when the soft magnet adopts the first polarity, and arranged to move to a braking position (64) due to a magnetic field generated by the hard magnet and the soft magnet in combination and acting on the magnetic target section when the soft magnet adopts the second polarity.