Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A device including: a type II superconductor (S), a magnet (M), a conductor (10) through which an electrical current can flow to produce a magnetic field intercepting at least a substantial portion of said superconductor to alter the flux penetration properties of said superconductor, said magnet being capable of suspension or levitation or rotation with respect to said superconductor, the levitation or suspension distance or rotational displacement being adjustable over a range depending on the magnitude of electrical current through said conductor.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A device including: a type II superconductor (S), a magnet (M), a conductor (10) through which an electrical current can flow to produce a magnetic field intercepting at least a substantial portion of said superconductor to alter the flux penetration properties of said superconductor, said magnet being capable of suspension or levitation or rotation with respect to said superconductor, the levitation or suspension distance or rotational displacement being adjustable over a range depending on the magnitude of electrical current through said conductor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 1, where said superconductor is a high T c superconductor, preferably containing copper-oxygen current-carrying planes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 1, where said superconductor is a metal or metal alloy.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
18 words
The device of any one of the preceding claims, where said conductor is a coil surrounding said superconductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The device of claim 4, where the axis of said coil being at an angle between 0° and 90° with respect to the plane of said superconductor, preferably the axis of said coil being substantially perpendicular to the plane of said superconductor.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
26 words
The device of any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, where said conductor and said magnet are located on opposite sides of said superconductor.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
24 words
The device of any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, where said conductor is substantially coplanar with the plane of said superconductor.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
33 words
The device of any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, where said magnet and said conductor are located on the same side of said superconductor, said magnet superconductor and said conductor.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
45 words
The device of any one of the preceding claims, where the magnetic field H produced by electrical current in said conductor is in the range H c1 <H<H c2 where H c1 and H c2 are the lower and upper critical fields of said superconductor.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
18 words
The device of any one of the preceding claims, further including cooling means (14) for cooling said superconductor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
Magnetic storage system comprising a magnetic head which is positioned with respect to a magnetic storage medium by means of a device according to any one of the preceding claims.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
Switching means wherein the switching function is accomplished by a device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 10.