Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8033365 | Magnetic rail brake device with asymmetric excitation coils and/or with multi-part coils A magnetic rail brake device includes a brake magnet with a solenoid former supporting a solenoid. A horseshoe-shaped magnet core is disposed adjacent to the solenoid former. The horseshoe-shaped magnet core includes a yoke having cheeks that project away from the y... | 10/11/2011 |
| 8025131 | Eddy current braking system for trolley zip line cable with a stationary conductor A trolley magnetic braking system having a brake block assembly engagable by a trolley, a substantially stationary conductor that is pitch adjustable and a carrier having magnetic members that are driven along the conductive member for braking a trolley. Providing a... | 09/27/2011 |
| 7984796 | Motion retarding system and method A motion retarding system includes a linear array of permanent magnets for providing a magnetic flux along with a diamagnetic member for engaging the magnetic flux and producing eddy currents in the diamagnetic member which results in the braking force between the l... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7866449 | Magnetic rail brake device The invention relates to a magnetic rail brake device of a railway vehicle, including a magnetic base or carrier element, and a magnetic coil which can be connected to a voltage source by means of a connecting mechanism that is on the base or carrier element and is ... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7806242 | Magnetic rail brake device A magnetic rail brake device of a rail vehicle comprises at least one braking magnet including a magnet coil body having a plurality of magnetic elements held thereon, and which magnetic elements are movable. The device also comprises at least one fixing strip runni... | 10/05/2010 |
| 7348695 | Linear motor, moving stage system, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method A linear motor includes a coil and a plurality of magnets disposed along a central axis of the coil. The magnetization directions of the plurality of magnets have different tilts with respect to the central axis. ... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7303054 | Popular amusement device with switchable eddy-current brake The invention relates to a popular amusement device with a personal transportation device, moving along a guide track arrangement (14), and eddy-current braking device (10, 70), comprising a magnet arrangement (10) and an induction body (70 | 12/04/2007 |
| 7273135 | Low cost magnetic brakes and motion control devices manufactured from conductive loaded resin-based materials Magnetic brake components are formed of a conductive loaded resin-based material. The conductive loaded resin-based material comprises micron conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination of conductive powder and conductive fibers in a base resin host.... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7126299 | Enhanced system and method for controlling discharge of electric energy from machines Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method comprising: receiving electrical energy from a braking system of a vehicle at a working coil, the vehicle comprising a first wheel drive comprising a first electric motor; and via the working coil, transferring the... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7104367 | Modular and adaptable brake system for an elevator sheave An adjustable brake is provided that applies a braking force directly to an elevator sheave over which a cable suspends an elevator car and a counterweight. The brake includes a pair of calipers that apply a braking force to either longitudinal end of the sheave. Th... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7106016 | Inductive heating system and method for controlling discharge of electric energy from machines Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a method comprising: receiving electrical energy from a braking system of a vehicle at a working coil, the vehicle comprising a first wheel drive comprising a first electric motor; and via the working coil, transferring the... | 09/12/2006 |
| 6953107 | Magnet track braking device The disclosure relates to a magnet track braking device comprising a magnetic base and/or support body and a pole shoe section containing a magnetic flow guiding area and a magnetic flow separating area. The disclosure is characterized in that the magnetic base and/... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6922905 | Probe head for a coordinate measuring apparatus The invention is directed to a probe for coordinate measuring apparatus. The apparatus includes measuring systems (15, 16, 17) for measuring the deviation of the flexible part (10) of the probe and a damping device damps the flexible part (10) o... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6918469 | Curvilinear eddy current braking apparatus Eddy current braking apparatus includes an array of spaced apart permanent magnets and a plurality of flux steering magnets may be disposed in gaps between the spaced apart permanent magnets. The flux steering magnets are orientated in a manner to provide a steering... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6769517 | Suspension for a rail brake The invention relates to a suspension for a rail brake on a bogie of a rail vehicle. A passive lifting device is provided which acts upon the rail brake according to the activation state thereof in such a way that said brake can be displaced between a lowered brakin... | 08/03/2004 |
| 6659237 | Eddy current brake An eddy current brake includes a diamagnetic member, a first support wall and a second support wall with the first and second linear arrays of permanent magnets disposed on the walls facing one another. Apparatus is provided for moving at least one of the... | 12/09/2003 |
| 6648108 | Sintered material for a magnetic track brake The invention relates to a sintered material as friction material for a pole shoe, a pole shoe area or at least an area of the pole shoe friction surface of a magnetic track brake (300), more particularly an eddy current brake and/or magnetic track brake ... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6533083 | Eddy current braking apparatus Eddy current braking Apparatus is provided which includes a single array of permanent magnet for providing a magnet flux. A electrically conducted member for exclusively engaging the magnetic flux provided by the single array of permanent magnet. The magn... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6523650 | Permanent magnet eddy brake with flux-steering poles Eddy current braking apparatus includes an array of spaced apart permanent magnets and a plurality of flux steering magnets may be disposed in gaps between the spaced apart permanent magnets. The flux steering magnets are orientated in a manner to provide... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6412611 | Eddy current brake system with dual use conductor fin An eddy current brake system with dual use conductive fin includes a linear array of spaced apart permanent magnets and a non-magnetic electrically conductive fin. The magnets are mounted with respect to the fin for enabling passage past one another at a ... | 07/02/2002 |
| 6364072 | Sintered material for a magnetic track brake A sintered material is used as a friction material for a pole shoe area of a magnetic track brake, having at least one of a magnetic basic member and a carrier member. The sintered material contains at least one of a proportion of pulverized wear inhibito... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6293376 | Apparatus including eddy current braking system Eddy current braking apparatus includes a linear array of spaced apart permanent magnets arranged for defining a slot therebetween. A diamagnetic or non-magnetic fin is disposed and sized for movement through the slot. A pivotal linkage enables the magnet... | 09/25/2001 |
| 6227334 | Elevator governor checking and adjusting method In a method for checking and adjusting an elevator governor which includes an emergency stop switch 20a) for tuning off the power supply of an elevator hoist to brake it; first and second fixed conductive guide rails (18) extending vertically the entire l... | 05/08/2001 |
| 6131704 | Elevator rail brake Rail brake (1) for an elevator, comprising a brake body attached to the elevator car, a clamp part comprising jaws (3,4) that engage a guide rail (2) via braking surfaces during braking. A spring (10) generates a load on the clamp part to press the brakin... | 10/17/2000 |
| 6041897 | Magnetic brake linear eddy current brake A magnetic brake, particularly a linear eddy-current brake for rail vehicles, having a magnet yoke which extends substantially along the whole eddy-current brake, has a concave shape with respect to a plane rail in its installed position.... | 03/28/2000 |
| 5979610 | Rail brake device having permanent magnetic energization A rail brake device (1) having permanent magnetic energization, comprising a housing (3) of magnetizable material, which housing is mounted for up and down movement and has at least one permanent magnetic element (5) which in an operating position of the ... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5862891 | Electromagnetic or permanent-magnetic rail brake A magnetic rail brake, particularly an eddy current brake for rail vehicles, has at least one exciter coil which comprises a coil around a pole core as well as a device for holding the coil and/or for the protection against outside environmental influence... | 01/26/1999 |
| 5647458 | Magnetic rail brake device A magnetic rail brake device comprising at least two wear pieces manufactured from ferromagnetic material, magnetically insulated from each other by a filling piece and connected to a magnet which, in operation, are capable of providing a magnetic field e... | 07/15/1997 |
| 5628385 | Elevator overspeed protection apparatus An elevator overspeed protection apparatus includes a brake apparatus which makes use of eddy currents. The brake apparatus includes a magnetic spring placed on a car in the proximity of a pickup of the elevator overspeed protection apparatus such that, w... | 05/13/1997 |
| 5467850 | Permanent magnet, magnetodynamic safety brake for elevators and the like A safety brake (14) for an elevator (or other) car has a plurality of permanent magnets (21, 23) arranged along the car guide rail (13) with alternate magnets disposed with opposite polar orientation so as to provide loops of flux (23) between the magnets... | 11/21/1995 |
| 5316109 | Lockdown apparatus with intermediate membrane A lockdown apparatus for releasably locking a coaxially mounted series of tool heads in a slitter-scorer machine includes an elongate locking member movable into simultaneous engagement with locking surfaces on each of the tool heads and a flexible membra... | 05/31/1994 |
| 5111916 | Apparatus for engaging and disengaging a permanent-magnet slipper brake For engaging and disengaging a permanent-magnet slipper brake for a rail vehicle there are required relatively high forces which are generated either by a hydraulic motor or an electric motor. Therefore, in rail vehicles without external electric or exter... | 05/12/1992 |
| 5018605 | Magnetic rail brake device A magnetic rail brake device for rail vehicles, comprising one or more pairs of brake blocks adapted to be pulled, in operation, magnetically against the rail. The brake device is characterized by at least one permanent magnet movable up and down in a mag... | 05/28/1991 |
| 4484666 | Electromagnetic sliding shoe brake An electromagnetic sliding shoe brake also referred to as a slipper shoe ke is constructed especially for use in or on rail vehicles, especially high speed rail vehicles. The magnetic core, with its energizing coil, has at least two pole pieces. The slid... | 11/27/1984 |
| 4482034 | Switchable permanent magnet brake A switchable permanent magnet eddy current or track brake which has a high density of permanent magnet material, a low internal flux leakage and a higher than heretofore output flux density. The pole shoes of the movable magnets are convex cylindrical seg... | 11/13/1984 |
| 4480727 | Electromagnetic track brake for a railway vehicle An electromagnetic track brake for a railway vehicle comprises an elongate brake energizing coil for energizing a plurality of U-shaped braking shoes mounted in a row on a rigid frame. To improve transmission of braking reaction forces from the shoes to t... | 11/06/1984 |
| 4341290 | Device for automatically controlling the braking force of an eddy current and/or friction track brake A shiftable or turnable permanent magnetic eddy current and/or friction track brake which automatically reduces the friction braking forces to usable limits as the vehicle slows down. The brake is movably supported on the vehicle in the line of movement a... | 07/27/1982 |
| 4299312 | Electromagnetic track brake for a railway vehicle An electromagnetic track brake for a railway vehicle comprises an elongate brake energizing coil (1), an oval frame (2) thereabout, and a plurality of U-shaped shoes (3) mounted in a row on the frame. In order to improve the working characteristics and th... | 11/10/1981 |
| 4144954 | Electromagnetic rail brake for railway vehicles An electromagnetic rail brake for railway vehicles of the type comprising an excitation coil and at least one shoe element consisting of a ferromagnetic core having its pole faces turned towards the rail whereby, when the coil is excited, the shoe element... | 03/20/1979 |
| 4122922 | Infinitely variable wear-free eddy current and/or hysteresis brake, preferably for track-bound vehicles An eddy current or hysteresis brake, preferably for track bound vehicles which is infinitely variable and wear-free. A cylindrical rotatable permanent magnet magnetized on its diameter is arranged between a pair of pole pieces in combination with the plur... | 10/31/1978 |
