Multi position rotary detent device

Claim 2

A multi position rotary detent device including in combination a first rotary member, a plurality of circularly arranged first pole pieces of said first rotary member, said first pole pieces being formed of a magnetic material, a second rotary member rotatably supported with respect to said first rotary member, a magnet of said second rotary member having first and second surfaces respectively oriented magnetic north and magnetic south, a first pole member of said second rotary member adjacent said first surface and having second pole pieces, a second pole member of said second rotary member adjacent said second suRface and having third pole pieces, said pole members being in fixed relation with said magnet and formed of a magnetic material, said second and third pole pieces and said first pole pieces projecting toward each other, and means for relatively rotating said first and second rotary members whereby the relative angular position of said first rotary member with respect to said second rotary member determines the magnetic flux paths between selected second and third pole pieces and selected said first pole pieces.

Claim 3

A multi position rotary detent device including in combination a stator, a stator base of said stator formed with a plurality of circularly arranged stator pole pieces, said stator pole pieces being formed of a magnetic material, and a bushing formed on said stator base; a shaft rotatably supported in said bushing on the axis of said stator, said shaft being formed of a non-magnetic material; a rotor supported by said shaft in fixed relation with respect thereto, a magnet of said rotor having first and second surfaces respectively oriented magnetic north and magnetic south, a first rotor pole member adjacent said first surface and having first rotor pole pieces projecting radially outwardly therefrom, a second rotor pole member adjacent said second surface and having second rotor pole pieces projecting radially outwardly therefrom, said pole members being formed of a magnetic material and whereby the angular position of said shaft determines a plurality of magnetic flux paths, each of said flux paths being between selected first and second pole pieces and selected stator pole pieces which provides the magnetic circuit of said flux path.

Claim 4

A multi position rotary detent device including in combination a stator, a stator base of said stator formed with a plurality of circularly arranged stator pole pieces, said stator pole pieces being formed of a magnetic material, and a bushing formed on said stator base; a shaft rotatably supported in said bushing on the axis of said stator, said shaft being formed of a non-magnetic material; a rotor supported by said shaft in fixed relation with respect thereto, a magnet of said rotor having first and second surfaces respectively oriented magnetic north and magnetic south, a first rotor pole member adjacent said first surface and having first rotor pole pieces projecting radially outwardly therefrom, a second rotor pole member adjacent said second surface and having second rotor pole pieces projecting radially outwardly therefrom, said pole members being formed of a magnetic material and whereby the angular position of said shaft determines a plurality of magnetic flux paths, each of said flux paths being between selected first and second pole pieces and selected stator pole pieces which provides the magnetic circuit of said flux path.

Claim 5

A multi position rotary detent device in accordance with claim 2 in which said stator pole pieces are formed integral with said stator base.

Claim 6

A multi position rotary detent device in accordance with claim 2 in which said magnet is a circular disk and said pole members are disks with said rotor pole pieces projecting outwardly respectively in the planes thereof and the diameter of said magnet is less than the diameter of either of said pole members.

Claim 7

A multi position rotary detent device in accordance with claim 2 in which each of said stator pole pieces projects axially of said stator.

Claim 8

A multi position rotary detent device in accordance with claim 5 in which each of said stator pole pieces is a discrete rectangular member having an inwardly facing edge which in the detent position extends from one of said first rotor pole pieces to one of said second rotor pole pieces while spanning said magnet.

Claim 9

A multi position rotary detent device in accordance with claim 5 in which said stator has a generally circular wall of serpentine configuration surrounding said rotor with the inwardly directed crests thereof respectively providing the stator pole pieces and wherein each stator pole piece in the detent position extends from one of said first rotor pole pieces to one of said second rotor pole pieces while spanning said magnet.

Claim 10

A multi position rotary detent device in accordance with claim 2 in which each of said first rotor pole pieces forms a pair with one of said second rotor pole pieces and there are the same number of pairs so provided as are stator pole pieces.