University of Houston System

Ki-Bui Ma

Wei-Kan Chu

Chase K McMichael

Quark Yung-Sung Chen

Mark Alan Lamb

Ignatius S Tsong

Rodger Sheldon Cooley

Harold Zule Xia

Disclosed are devices for influencing and/or controlling relative motion between members, such as vibration damping or absorbing devices, clutches and brakes. The devices comprise a magnet on one member and a field cooled superconductor on the other member. The devices utilize the interaction of the magnetic field of the magnet as it moves through the pinned flux in the superconductor to either influence or control relative motion.

Magnet-superconductor systems for controlling and influencing relative

Disclosed is a flywheel system for storing kinetic energy which utilizes a high temperature superconductor/magnet system for the flywheel bearings. The flywheel includes a first magnet, and having a ring magnet defining an opening. The levitation system includes a magnet for attractively interacting with first flywheel magnet, with a high temperature superconductor interposed between them, and further includes a magnet system for repulsively interacting with and partially inserted into the ring magnet.

Magnet-superconductor flywheel and levitation systems

An isolation system for isolating a first object from vibrations from a second object. Such vibrations will have three orthogonal components, one oriented along a line between the objects, and two oriented 90.degree. apart in a plane normal to that line. The system includes three superconductor/magnet stages, each stage designed to extinguish one of the orthogonal components.

Vibration-free levitated platform

A superconductor-magnet system having high thrust and stability, with a method for increasing the thrust and stability of such a system, comprises a first magnet, a second magnet and a superconductor. The magnets are in motion relative to each other and the superconductor is in motion relative to one and stationary relative to the other magnet. High thrust and stability can be achieved by increasing the magnetic field of the magnet in motion relative to the superconductor. Also disclosed are magnetic thrust and journal bearings utilizing the above system.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Ki-Bui Ma