IP Library › Granted Patent US 12698819
Granted Patent B2
US 12698819 · App. 18/666,573 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Flywheel magnetic lift and bearing system

Inventors: Nathan Walkingshaw (Sandy, UT); Calab Nelson (Springville, UT); John Loveless (Layton, UT); Zahra Derafshi (Cambridge, MA); Cliff Lambarth (Portage, MI); Sean Peterson (Payson, UT)
Assignee: Torus Inc.
F16F15/3156F03G3/08F16C17/02F16F15/3153H02K7/09F05B2230/608F05B2240/40F05B2260/421F16C2361/55H02K7/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12698819
App. No.
18/666,573
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system may include a massive flywheel including a rotatable mass component and one or more axles coupled with the rotatable mass component. A system may include a magnetic lift component having one or more magnets positioned around a center perforation, the one or more axles passing through the center perforation in the magnetic lift component, the one or more magnets pulling the massive flywheel toward the magnetic lift component. A system may include a support structure coupled with the magnetic lift component, the support structure holding the magnetic lift component at a stationary location relative to the support structure. A system may include one or more bearings coupled with the support structure and the one or more axles to maintain the one or more axles at an axis of rotation.

Claims (67)

1 . A system comprising:

a flywheel including a rotatable mass component and one or more axles coupled with the rotatable mass component, wherein the rotatable mass component includes:

a top plate with a flat top surface, the top plate rotating about an axis of rotation, the flat top surface positioned adjacent to one or more magnets of a magnetic lift component, the top plate being attracted to the one or more magnets to reduce a downward force of the flywheel on one or more bearings;

the magnetic lift component having the one or more magnets positioned around a center perforation, the one or more axles passing through the center perforation in the magnetic lift component, the one or more magnets pulling the flywheel toward the magnetic lift component;

a support structure coupled with the magnetic lift component, the support structure holding the magnetic lift component at a stationary location relative to the support structure; and

the one or more bearings coupled with the support structure and the one or more axles to maintain the one or more axles at the axis of rotation, wherein the one or more axles at the axis of rotation include a top axle and a bottom axle, the top axle being separate from the bottom axle, the top axle passing through the center perforation of the magnetic lift component.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable mass component includes:

the top plate;

multiple plates stacked together; and

a bottom plate, the multiple plates being located between the top plate and the bottom plate.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the top plate and the bottom plate are coupled together using a plurality of fasteners, the top plate and the bottom plate applying a compressive force on the multiple plates.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more bearings include:

one or more top bearings and one or more bottom bearings, the one or more top bearings interacting with a top of the flywheel at the one or more axles, and the one or more bottom bearings interacting with a bottom of the rotatable mass component at the one or more axles.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets are configured to pull the flywheel with a force greater than a weight of the flywheel.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more seals that form an airtight seal between an inside and an outside of a flywheel enclosure, the support structure including the flywheel enclosure, the flywheel being located inside the flywheel enclosure.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the support structure includes a lid, the rotatable mass component being located inside the support structure;

the one or more magnets are coupled to a bottom side of the lid; and

the one or more magnets are located inside the support structure.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the support structure includes an enclosure that is sealed;

a vacuum assembly is coupled to the lid to establish an internal vacuum; and

the one or more magnets are located inside the internal vacuum.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic lift component includes:

a backer ring coupled to the support structure;

the one or more magnets disposed on the backer ring; and

a magnet holder enclosing the one or more magnets and coupled with the backer ring.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a magnetic coupling having a first rotor and a second rotor, the first rotor including a first set of magnets, the second rotor including a second set of magnets, the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets interacting to rotationally couple the first rotor to the second rotor.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising:

wherein the first rotor is located inside at least a portion of the second rotor, the first rotor being coupled with the one or more axles and the second rotor being coupled with an electric motor.

12 . A mechanical-energy storage unit comprising:

a flywheel including a rotatable mass component and one or more axles coupled with the rotatable mass component, the rotatable mass component including:

a top clamping plate;

multiple plates;

a bottom clamping plate, the multiple plates being located between the top clamping plate and the bottom clamping plate; and

a plurality of fasteners coupling the top clamping plate with the bottom clamping plate and applying a compressive force on the multiple plates;

a magnetic lift component having one or more magnets positioned around a center perforation, the one or more axles passing through the center perforation in the magnetic lift component, the one or more magnets pulling the flywheel toward the magnetic lift component, the top clamping plate being positioned adjacent to the one or more magnets of the magnetic lift component;

a support structure coupled with the magnetic lift component, the support structure holding the magnetic lift component at a stationary location relative to the support structure, wherein:

the support structure includes a lid, the rotatable mass component being located inside the support structure;

the one or more magnets are coupled to a bottom side of the lid; and

the one or more magnets are located inside the support structure; and

one or more bearings coupled with the support structure and the one or more axles to maintain the one or more axles at an axis of rotation, the top clamping plate being attracted to the one or more magnets to reduce a downward force of the flywheel on the one or more bearings.

13 . The mechanical-energy storage unit of claim 12 , wherein the one or more magnets are configured to pull the flywheel with a force greater than a weight of the flywheel.

14 . The mechanical-energy storage unit of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic lift component includes:

a backer ring coupled to the support structure;

the one or more magnets disposed on the backer ring; and

a magnet holder enclosing the one or more magnets and coupled with the backer ring.

15 . A flywheel assembly comprising:

a magnetic lift component having one or more magnets positioned around a center perforation, one or more axles of a flywheel passing through the center perforation in the magnetic lift component, the one or more magnets pulling the flywheel toward the magnetic lift component, the magnetic lift component being held by a support structure, wherein the magnetic lift component includes:

a backer ring coupled to the support structure;

the one or more magnets disposed on the backer ring; and

a magnet holder coupled with the backer ring and providing support to the one or more magnets.

16 . The flywheel assembly of claim 15 , wherein the one or more magnets are configured to pull the flywheel with a force greater than a weight of the flywheel.

17 . The flywheel assembly of claim 15 , wherein:

the support structure includes an enclosure with a lid, the flywheel being located inside the enclosure;

the one or more magnets are coupled to a bottom side of the lid; and

the one or more magnets are located inside the enclosure.

18 . A system comprising:

a flywheel including a rotatable mass component and one or more axles coupled with the rotatable mass component, wherein the rotatable mass component includes:

a top plate with a flat top surface, the top plate rotating about an axis of rotation, the flat top surface positioned adjacent to one or more magnets of a magnetic lift component, the top plate being attracted to the one or more magnets to reduce a downward force of the flywheel on one or more bearings;

the magnetic lift component having the one or more magnets positioned around a center perforation, the one or more axles passing through the center perforation in the magnetic lift component, the one or more magnets pulling the flywheel toward the magnetic lift component;

a support structure coupled with the magnetic lift component, the support structure holding the magnetic lift component at a stationary location relative to the support structure;

the one or more bearings coupled with the support structure and the one or more axles to maintain the one or more axles at the axis of rotation; and

one or more seals that form an airtight seal between an inside and an outside of a flywheel enclosure, the support structure including the flywheel enclosure, the flywheel being located inside the flywheel enclosure.