Personal escape device with eddy current braking

Abstract

A personal escape device includes a main housing, a shaft, a magnet housing, and a plurality of magnets. The shaft is rotatably coupled with the main housing and is rotatable about a rotational axis. The magnet housing is positioned in the main housing and is coupled with the shaft such that the magnet housing rotates together with the shaft. The plurality of magnets is coupled with the magnet housing such that the plurality of magnets rotates together with the magnet housing. The stator assembly is coupled with the main housing and surrounds the magnet housing. The stator assembly and the magnet housing are radially spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A personal escape device comprising:
 a main housing;   a shaft rotatably coupled with the main housing and rotatable about a rotational axis;   a magnet housing positioned in the main housing and coupled with the shaft such that the magnet housing rotates together with the shaft;   a plurality of magnets coupled with the magnet housing such that the plurality of magnets rotates together with the magnet housing;   a stator assembly coupled with the main housing and surrounding the magnet housing, the stator assembly and magnet housing being radially spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween, wherein:
 each magnet has a flux density; 
 at least a portion of the magnet housing is interposed between each magnet and an adjacent magnet of the plurality of magnets; and 
 the portion of the magnet housing that is interposed between each magnet and an adjacent magnet of the plurality of magnets is configured to transmit substantially the entirety of the flux density from each magnet to the stator. 
   
     
     
         2 . The personal escape device of  claim 1  wherein the magnet housing comprises a hub and a rotor that are each formed of a metal and cooperate to retain a plurality of magnets. 
     
     
         3 . The personal escape device of  claim 2  wherein the hub is formed of a non-ferrous material. 
     
     
         4 . The personal escape device of  claim 1  wherein the stator assembly comprises a stator and a back iron, the back iron being sandwiched between the stator and the main housing. 
     
     
         5 . The personal escape device of  claim 4  wherein the stator is formed of a non-ferrous material and the back iron is formed of a ferrous material. 
     
     
         6 . The personal escape device of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of magnets comprise eight magnets. 
     
     
         7 . The personal escape device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a pulley attached to the shaft and comprising a pair of disc members that are coupled together and cooperate with each other to define a groove; and 
 a cord disposed in the groove and only partially wound upon the disc members; 
 wherein rotation of the disc members facilitates dispensation of a portion of the cord from the disc members. 
 
     
     
         8 . The personal escape device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the magnet housing comprises a hub and a rotor that are each formed of a metal and cooperate to retain a plurality of magnets; and 
 the stator assembly comprises a stator and a back iron, the back iron being sandwiched between the stator and the main housing. 
 
     
     
         9 . The personal escape device of  claim 8  wherein:
 the hub is formed of a non-ferrous material; 
 the stator is formed of a non-ferrous material; and 
 the back iron is formed of a ferrous material. 
 
     
     
         10 . A personal escape device comprising:
 a main housing;   a shaft rotatably coupled with the main housing and rotatable about a rotational axis;   a magnet housing positioned in the housing and coupled with the shaft such that the magnet housing rotates together with the shaft;   a plurality of magnets coupled with the magnet housing such that the plurality of magnets rotate together with the magnet housing;   a stator assembly coupled with the main housing and surrounding the magnet housing, the stator assembly and magnet housing being radially spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween, wherein:
 each magnet of the plurality of magnets has an axis of polarization; and 
 each magnet of the plurality is arranged such that the axis of polarization is oriented tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft. 
   
     
     
         11 . The personal escape device of  claim 10  wherein the magnet housing comprises a hub and a rotor that are each formed of a metal and cooperate to retain a plurality of magnets. 
     
     
         12 . The personal escape device of  claim 11  wherein the hub is formed of a non-ferrous material. 
     
     
         13 . The personal escape device of  claim 10  wherein the stator assembly comprises a stator and a back iron, the back iron being sandwiched between the stator and the main housing. 
     
     
         14 . The personal escape device of  claim 13  wherein the stator is formed of a non-ferrous material and electrically conductive back iron is formed of a ferrous material. 
     
     
         15 . The personal escape device of  claim 10  wherein at least a portion of the magnet housing is interposed between each magnet and an adjacent magnet of the plurality of magnets. 
     
     
         16 . The personal escape device of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a pulley attached to the shaft and comprising a pair of disc members that are coupled together and cooperate with each other to define a groove; and 
 a cord disposed in the groove and only partially wound upon the disc members; 
 wherein rotation of the disc members facilitates dispensation of a portion of the cord from the disc members. 
 
     
     
         17 . A personal escape device comprising:
 a main housing;   a shaft rotatably coupled with the main housing and rotatable about a rotational axis;   a magnet housing positioned in the housing and coupled with the shaft such that the magnet housing rotates together with the shaft;   a plurality of magnets coupled with the magnet housing such that the plurality of magnets rotates together with the magnet housing;   a stator assembly coupled with the main housing and surrounding the magnet housing, the stator assembly and magnet housing being radially spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween;   a pulley attached to the shaft; and   a cord routed at least partially around the pulley, wherein rotation of the pulley facilitates dispensation of a portion of the cord from the pulley, wherein:
 each magnet of the plurality of magnets has an axis of polarization; 
 each magnet of the plurality is arranged such that the axis of polarization is oriented tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft; and 
 at least a portion of the magnet housing is interposed between each magnet and an adjacent magnet of the plurality of magnets. 
   
     
     
         18 . The personal escape device of  claim 17  wherein:
 the magnet housing comprises a hub and a rotor that are each formed of a metal and cooperate to retain a plurality of magnets; and 
 the stator assembly comprises a stator and a back iron, the back iron being sandwiched between the stator and the main housing. 
 
     
     
         19 . The personal escape device of  claim 18  wherein:
 the hub is formed of a non-ferrous material; 
 the stator is formed of a non-ferrous material; and 
 the back iron is formed of a ferrous material. 
 
     
     
         20 . The personal escape device of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of magnets comprises eight magnets.