Magnetic locking or opening device, method and system

Abstract

An emergency shut-off device comprises an activation means configured to generate an activation force in response to detecting a seismic event, and a magnetic driver having a hollow guide tube with two magnets affixed at a selected position on opposite sides along a length of the guide tube with like poles facing each other and a drive piston movable inside the guide tube. The driver piston is coupled to a third magnet and has a first end for receiving an activation force to move the third magnet crossing a magnetic repulse shift line formed by the two magnets, and a second end for applying the drive force to an output system to effectuate a shut-off of a fluid line.

1 . A seismic emergency shut-off device, comprising:
 an activation means configured to generate an activation force in response to detecting a seismic event;   a magnetic driver, comprising:
 a guide tube that is hollow and has a longitudinal axis; 
 first and second magnets affixed at a selected position on opposite sides along a length of the guide tube with like poles facing each other, each magnet having a magnetic axis extending between its North and South poles, magnetic axes of first and second magnets being substantially aligned with each other to form a magnetic repulse shift line; 
 a drive piston movable inside the guide tube along the longitudinal axis; and 
 a third magnet coupled to the drive piston and configured to cross the magnetic repulse shift line to generate a drive force for extending the drive piston out of the guide tube, 
   wherein the drive piston has a first end for receiving the activation force to move the third magnet crossing the magnetic repulse shift line, and a second end for applying the drive three to an output system to effectuate a shut-off of a fluid line.