초록 ▼

Residual magnetic locks, brakes, rotation inhibitors, clutches, actuators, and latches. The residual magnetic devices can include a core housing and an armature. The residual magnetic devices can include a coil that receives a magnetization current to create an irreversible residual magnetic force b

Residual magnetic locks, brakes, rotation inhibitors, clutches, actuators, and latches. The residual magnetic devices can include a core housing and an armature. The residual magnetic devices can include a coil that receives a magnetization current to create an irreversible residual magnetic force between the core housing and the armature.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of preventing actuation of an ignition switch in a vehicle, the method comprising: forming a substantially closed magnetic path between an armature and a core housing in order to create an irreversible residual magnetic force; and substantially preventing actua

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of preventing actuation of an ignition switch in a vehicle, the method comprising: forming a substantially closed magnetic path between an armature and a core housing in order to create an irreversible residual magnetic force; and substantially preventing actuation of the ignition switch due to the irreversible residual magnetic force. 2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising creating the irreversible residual magnetic force between the armature and the core housing by providing a magnetization current to a coil. 3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising misaligning magnetic domains in at least one of the armature and the core housing in order to null the irreversible residual magnetic force by at least one of providing a demagnetization current to the coil and increasing an air gap between the armature and the core housing. 4. The method of claim 3 and further comprising restoring the irreversible residual magnetic force by providing the magnetization current again to the coil. 5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising creating the irreversible residual magnetic force in order to substantially prevent a shear force from causing movement between the armature and the core housing. 6. The method of claim 1 and further comprising creating the irreversible residual magnetic force in order to substantially prevent a force from overcoming at least one detent between the armature and the core housing. 7. The method of claim 1 and further comprising coupling the core housing to a substantially grounded element. 8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising creating the irreversible residual magnetic force in order to substantially prevent rotational movement of the ignition switch. 9. The method of claim 1 and further comprising creating the irreversible residual magnetic force in order to substantially prevent translational movement of the ignition switch. 10. The method of claim 1 and further comprising creating a magnetic air gap of less than approximately 0.005 inches between the core housing and the armature when the irreversible residual magnetic force is present. 11. The method of claim 1 and further comprising providing a core housing with a first cross-sectional area of an inner core being substantially equal to a second cross-sectional area of an outer core of the core housing, which is substantially equal to a third cross-sectional area of the armature, which is substantially equal to a fourth cross-sectional area of a yoke of the core housing. 12. The method of claim 1 and further comprising constructing at least one of the armature and the core housing of at least one of SAE 1002 steel, SAE 1018 steel, SAE 1044 steel, SAE 1060 steel, SAE 1075 steel, and SAE 52100 steel. 13. The method of claim 1 and further comprising constructing at least one of the armature and the core housing of chromium steel. 14. The method of claim 1 and further comprising determining whether the irreversible residual magnetic force is present between the core housing and the armature. 15. The method of claim 1 and further comprising magnetically saturating substantially all portions of the core housing and the armature at substantially the same time. 16. The method of claim 1 and further comprising substantially nulling the irreversible residual magnetic force between the core housing and the armature. 17. The method of claim 16 and further comprising substantially nulling the irreversible residual magnetic force by providing a demagnetization current with a substantially constant value due to the core housing and the armature being substantially magnetically saturated when the irreversible residual magnetic force is created. 18. The method of claim 1 and further comprising providing an input device including at least one of a key and a passive ignition start knob. 19. The method of claim 1 and further comprising substantially preventing a start rotation of the ignition switch when the irreversible residual magnetic force is present to prevent the vehicle from starting. 20. The method of claim 1 and further comprising substantially preventing a return rotation of the ignition switch when the irreversible residual magnetic force is present to provide a park interlock function. 21. The method of claim 1 and further comprising forcing the armature to move axially away from the core housing when the irreversible residual magnetic force is substantially nulled. 22. The method of claim 21 and further comprising providing at least one of a compression spring, a tension spring, an elastomeric member, a wedge, and a foam in order to force the armature to move axially. 23. The method of claim 1 and further comprising providing an axial force between the armature and the core housing to engage a detent configuration. 24. The method of claim 23 and further comprising providing at least one of a compression spring, a tension spring, an elastomeric member, a wedge, and a foam in order to provide the axial force to engage the detent configuration. 25. The method of claim 1 and further comprising limiting an input torque that can be applied with a break-away device coupled to an input device. 26. The method of claim 25 and further comprising at least one of shearing and releasing the break-away device when the input torque is less than a first maximum torque held between the armature and the core housing but greater than a second maximum torque that can be generated by an operator's hand. 27. The method of claim 1 and further comprising physically increasing an air gap between the armature and the core housing to substantially null the irreversible residual magnetic force. 28. The method of claim 27 and further comprising increasing the air gap by rotating a screw between the armature and the core housing. 29. The method of claim 27 and further comprising increasing the air gap by moving at least one of a cam, a wedge, and a lever arm between the armature and the core housing. 30. An ignition actuation blocking device for use in a vehicle having an ignition assembly, the ignition assembly including an input device and an ignition switch, the ignition actuation blocking device comprising: a core housing coupled to one of the vehicle and the ignition switch; an armature coupled to one of the vehicle and the ignition switch; and a coil adjacent to the core housing, the coil receiving a magnetization current to create a substantially closed magnetic path between the armature and the core housing in order to create an irreversible residual magnetic force and to prevent actuation of the ignition switch. 31. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 and further comprising a controller that provides a magnetization current to the coil to create a substantially closed magnetic path between the armature and the core housing in order to create the irreversible residual magnetic force. 32. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein magnetic domains become misaligning in at least one of the armature and the core housing in order to null the irreversible residual magnetic force by at least one of a controller providing a demagnetization current to the coil and a release mechanism increasing an air gap between the armature and the core housing. 33. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 32 wherein the controller restores the irreversible residual magnetic force by providing the magnetization current again to the coil. 34. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the irreversible residual magnetic force substantially prevents a shear force from causing movement between the armature and the core housing. 35. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the irreversible residual magnetic force substantially prevents a force from overcoming at least one detent between the armature and the core housing. 36. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the core housing is coupled to a substantially grounded element. 37. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the irreversible residual magnetic force substantially prevents rotational movement of a driver coupled to the input device. 38. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the irreversible residual magnetic force substantially prevents translational movement of a driver coupled to the input device. 39. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein a magnetic air gap exists between the core housing and the armature when the irreversible residual magnetic force is created, and wherein the magnetic air gap is less than approximately 0.005 inches. 40. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein a first cross-sectional area of an inner core of the core housing is substantially equal to a second cross-sectional area of an outer core of the core housing, which is substantially equal to a third cross-sectional area of the armature, which is substantially equal to a fourth cross-sectional area of a yoke of the core housing. 41. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein at least one of the armature and the core housing are constructed of at least one of SAE 1002 steel, SAE 1018 steel, SAE 1044 steel, SAE 1060 steel, SAE 1075 steel, and SAB 52100 steel. 42. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein at least one of the armature and the core housing are constructed of chromium steel. 43. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the controller determines whether the irreversible residual magnetic force is present between the core housing and the armature. 44. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein substantially all portions of the core housing and the armature magnetically saturate at substantially the same time. 45. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the demagnetization current is a substantially constant value due to the core housing and the armature being magnetically saturated when the irreversible residual magnetic force is created. 46. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the input device includes at least one of a key and a passive ignition start knob. 47. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the irreversible residual magnetic force substantially prevents a start rotation of the ignition switch to prevent the vehicle from starting. 48. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the irreversible residual magnetic force substantially prevents a return rotation of the ignition switch to provide a park interlock function. 49. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 wherein the core housing and the armature include a detent configuration that forces the armature to move axially away from the core housing before rotating. 50. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 49 wherein at least one of the core housing and the armature includes at least one female recess and at least one of the core housing and the armature includes a detent that mates with the at least one female recess. 51. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 50 wherein the at least one female recess includes at least one of an off recess, an accessory recess, and a run recess. 52. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 49 and further comprising a biasing member coupled between the armature and the core housing, the biasing member providing an axial force to engage the detent configuration. 53. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 52 wherein the biasing member includes at least one of a compression spring, a tension spring, an elastomeric member, a wedge, and a foam. 54. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 and further comprising a break-away device that limits an input torque that can be applied to a driver coupled to the input device. 55. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 54 wherein the break-away device at least one of shears and releases when the input torque is less than a first maximum torque held between the armature and the core housing but greater than a second maximum torque that can be generated by an operator's hand. 56. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 and further comprising a biasing member that biases the armature apart from the core housing after a demagnetization current has substantially nulled the irreversible residual magnetic force. 57. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 56 wherein the biasing member includes at least one of a compression spring, a tension spring, an elastomeric member, a wedge, and a foam. 58. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 and further comprising a screw between the armature and the core housing that can be rotated to physically increase an air gap between the armature and the core housing and substantially null the irreversible residual magnetic force. 59. The ignition actuation blocking device of claim 30 and further comprising at least one of a cam, a wedge, and a lever arm between the armature and the core housing that can be moved to physically increase an air gap between the armature and the core housing and substantially the irreversible residual magnetic force.