Abstract: A magnet element (37) and a method of its manufacture for assembly into a rotor (38), the magnet element (37) having magnetic domains aligned anisotropically to form a domain alignment pattern (42), wherein the magnetic domain alignment pattern (42) in the magnet element (37) has an orientation that varies substantially continuously across at least part of the magnet element (37) between its lateral edges from at least partially radial to at least partially tangential.

Abstract: A magnet element (37) and a method of its manufacture for assembly into a rotor (38), the magnet element (37) having magnetic domains aligned anisotropically to form a domain alignment pattern (42), wherein the magnetic domain alignment pattern (42) in the magnet element (37) has an orientation that varies substantially continuously across at least part of the magnet element (37) between its lateral edges from at least partially radial to at least partially tangential.

Abstract: A magnet element (37) and a method of its manufacture for assembly into a rotor (38), the magnet element (37) having magnetic domains aligned anisotropically to form a domain alignment pattern (42), wherein the magnetic domain alignment pattern (42) in the magnet element (37) has an orientation that varies substantially continuously across at least part of the magnet element (37) between its lateral edges from at least partially radial to at least partially tangential.

Abstract: A tranverse flux motor having multiple stator phase windings which are electronically commutated to produce a rotating flux to drive a permanent magnet rotor located externally of the stator. The stator is formed by two complementary facing pieces each carrying half the stator poles, the latter preferably being of claw pole configuration. The stator windings are sandwiched between the stator pieces and wound about cores which magnetically couple the stator pieces. Preferably the number of motor phases (P) is selected from the series 2, 3, . . . , N, the number of windings per phase (W) is selected from the series 1, 2, . . . , M, the number of poles per winding (PW) is selected from the series 2, 4, . . . , L, and the number of stator poles (SP) is equal to the product P*WP*PW and the number of rotor poles is SP±W.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the speed of a multi-phase, brushless DC electrically commutated motor (ECM). Voltage is commutated to the windings of the ECM based on rotor position information derived from back EMF or Hall effect sensors. The application of the commutating voltages is arranged such that the voltage applied to the windings always leads the back EMF generated in the windings by a selected constant lead angle. The speed of the motor is then controlled by pulse width modulating (PWM) the voltage applied to the windings of the ECM.