Magnetically suspended angular momentum wheel

Claim 1

An angular momentum storage apparatus comprising: a rotor member in the shape of a circular disk having two parallel flat sides, the diameter of said rotor member being substantially greater than its thickness; a pair of stator members each having a flat surface of area substantially equal to the area of one flat side of said rotor member, the two stator members being positioned such that their two respective flat surfaces are parallel and facing each other and are separated from each other by a distance slightly greater than the thickness of said rotor member; and means for supporting said rotor member between said stator members free of mechanical contact with said stator members and free for rotation about a spin axis said means for supporting including, a plurality of single polarity axially magnetized permanent magnet rings mounted on the flat sides of said rotor member and the flat surfaces of said stator members, electromagnetic field generating means mounted on said stator members for generating a differential magnetic field between said stator members and said rotor member, position sensing means for detecting the displacement of said rotor from a predetermined position with respect to said stator members and for generating a signal which is a function of said rotor member displacement, and means for receiving the signal from said position sensing means and connected to said electromagnetic field generating means to control said magnetic field so as to maintain said rotor member in said predetermined position.