Abstract: A stator assembly that provides a concentric housing and stator, the stator radially positioned inside the housing, the housing having an inner surface, the stator having an outer surface radially facing the inner surface. One of the outer surface of the stator and the inner surface of the housing has recessed shapes and the other one of the outer and inner surface has protruding shapes. When the two shapes are arranged in a first relative position, the protruding shapes are inserted in the recessed shapes so that the stator can be mounted radially inside the housing along a central axis of the assembly, and in a second relative position that is angularly shifted relative to the first position around the central axis, the protruding shapes exert, against the one of the housing and the stator that bears the recessed shapes, a radial force that angularly and axially locks the stator.

Abstract: A device for detecting the axial position of a rotor shaft of a rotary machine having a stator and a rotor is provided. The detecting device includes a sensor stator ring, secured to the stator, made from ferromagnetic material, facing the shoulder of one end of the hollow or not hollow rotor shaft and arranged so as to leave an axial airgap with the one end of the rotor shaft. The sensor stator ring having at least one annular slot receiving an annular induction coil. The rotor shaft is made from solid magnetic steel, an outer end of the rotor shaft acts as a target surface whose axial position is to be measured by the sensor stator ring.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing, adapted to equip a rotary apparatus. The magnetic bearing comprises: an actuator sub-assembly provided with a magnetic base and at least three actuator bobbins mounted on the magnetic base, and a sensor sub-assembly provided with at least three magnetic sensors associated with the actuator bobbins. At least one sub-assembly amidst the actuator sub-assembly and the sensor sub-assembly comprises at least three sectors mounted together. Each sector includes at least one actuator bobbin when the sector belongs to the actuator sub-assembly, or at least one magnetic sensor when the sector belongs to the sensor sub-assembly. The invention also concerns a rotary apparatus comprising such a magnetic bearing and a method for manufacturing such a magnetic bearing.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing, comprising: a magnetic base; at least three actuator bobbins mounted on the magnetic base; and magnetic sensors associated with the actuator bobbins. At least one magnetic system amidst the magnetic actuators and the magnetic sensors comprises together: a coil holder; a coil wound up around the coil holder; and a connector device integrated to the coil holder and designed for plugging at least one wire. Additionally disclosed is an apparatus comprising such a magnetic bearing and a method for manufacturing such a magnetic bearing.

Abstract: A modular motor and magnetic bearing assembly comprising a positioning casing having a plane reference surface, an outer cylindrical reference surface, a central portion provided on an outer face with cooling liquid flow channels, and intermediate portions provided with openings for gaseous fluid entry and exit; a rotor presenting an inner cylindrical reference surface and a plane reference surface; an electric motor; radial magnetic bearings; an axial abutment; and auxiliary mechanical bearings. The modular assembly can then be incorporated in a main casing simply by sliding and it can be connected directly to a functional unit without reworking adjustments of the magnetic bearings.

Abstract: A rotor sensor target for magnetic bearings, the rotor sensor target comprising a ring-shaped assembly of magnetic material mounted on a generally ring-shaped assembly of non-magnetic material. The magnetic and non-magnetic ring shaped assemblies are coaxially arranged and mounted on a shaft having a longitudinal axis of rotation X?-X. The generally ring-shaped assembly of non-magnetic material comprises at least one ring-shaped slit having the longitudinal axis X?-X and may be made of a cheaper material, such as aluminum. The ring-shaped slit provides flexibility which permits operation over a wide range of temperatures without risking of damaging the ring-shaped assembly of magnetic material.

Abstract: A multidirectional wheel for traversing a surface is provided that includes a magnet and a plurality of rollers disposed around an outer periphery of each of the hubs of the wheels. The rollers are mounted for rotation in a second axial direction that is perpendicular to a first axial direction of the wheel. The rollers are supported by a plurality of magnetically-inducible brackets attached to the hub. The brackets are optimally sized and shaped to reduce the space between the magnetized materials of the wheel and the surface upon which the wheel travels.

Abstract: A device for detecting the axial position of a rotor shaft of a rotary machine having a stator and a rotor is provided. The detecting device includes a sensor stator ring, secured to the stator, made from ferromagnetic material, facing the shoulder of one end of the hollow or not hollow rotor shaft and arranged so as to leave an axial airgap with the one end of the rotor shaft. The sensor stator ring having at least one annular slot receiving an annular induction coil. The rotor shaft is made from solid magnetic steel, an outer end of the rotor shaft acts as a target surface whose axial position is to be measured by the sensor stator ring.

Abstract: A rotary machine provides a stator having a stator casing, and a rotor shaft having a rotational axis and supported in the stator casing by at least one radial magnetic bearing. The rotary machine further provides an axial mechanical thrust bearing being disposed proximate a radial surface of one end of the rotor shaft, the axial mechanical thrust bearing, including a rolling element located on the rotational axis of the rotor shaft.

Abstract: A permanent magnet rotor assembly includes a cylindrically shaped shaft having an outer surface, a plurality of permanent magnets constituting portions of annular segments and an outer retaining cylindrical sleeve surrounding the plurality of permanent magnets. The assembly further includes a cylindrical magnet housing mounted on the cylindrically shaped shaft for supporting the plurality of permanent magnets. The cylindrical magnet housing is formed of a magnetic material. The retaining cylindrical sleeve is preloaded by a resultant interference fit IF2 defined by the following formula IF2=?ØY+?{square root over (((ØY+IF1)^2+ØY^2?ØX^2))}, where ?Y is an external diameter of the plurality of permanent magnets, ?X is an internal diameter of the cylindrical magnet housing, and IF1 is a primary interference fit between an external diameter of the cylindrically shaped shaft and the internal diameter of the cylindrical magnet housing.

Abstract: A multidirectional wheel for traversing a surface that includes at least one hub is provided. The hub defines a first axial direction of rotation. A plurality of rollers are disposed around an outer periphery of the hub. The rollers are mounted for rotation in a second axial direction that is at an angle to the first axial direction. The wheel includes at least one magnet that is mounted to the hub. The hub is made of a magnetically inducible material that concentrates the flux of the at least one magnet toward the surface being traversed.

Abstract: A vacuum pump including a pump main unit and a control unit is disclosed. The control unit includes a substrate having electronic elements mounted thereon and terminal pins soldered to the substrate at a first end edge of the substrate. The substrate is mounted to a plate via an attachment near a second end edge opposing the first end edge and the plate is mounted to the pump main unit. The terminal pins extend through the plate. Upon linear thermal expansion of the terminal pins, by reason of the location of the terminal pins near the first end edge and the attachment near the second end edge, stresses in the soldered pin connections are reduced. A molding material having a Shore hardness of less than 50, is molded around the electronic elements on the substrate in one embodiment.

Abstract: This rotary machine includes a shaft and a housing. The shaft is rotatable with respect to the housing thanks to at least one axial magnetic bearing including a magnetic thrust disc coupled in rotation to the shaft (3) and magnetic actuators fixed to the housing and located axially around the magnetic thrust disc. This rotary machine includes a magnetically insulating insert mounted between the magnetic thrust disc and the shaft so that there is no contact between the magnetic thrust disc and the shaft.

Abstract: A robotic vehicle chassis is provided. The robotic vehicle chassis includes a first chassis section, a second chassis section, and a hinge joint connecting the first and second chassis sections such that the first and second chassis sections are capable of rotation with respect to each other in at least a first direction. The vehicle includes a drive wheel mounted to one of the first and second chassis sections and an omni-wheel mounted to the other of the first and second chassis sections. The omni-wheel is mounted at an angle orthogonal with respect to the drive wheel. The hinge joint rotates in response to the curvature of a surface the vehicle is traversing.

Abstract: A stator assembly having a housing and a stator that are concentric, the stator being mounted radially inside the housing is provided. This stator assembly includes fastening elements that are mounted between a radial inner surface of the housing and a radial outer surface of the stator and exert a radial fastening force on the housing and the stator.

Abstract: A system and method for determining orientation of a vehicle is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a vehicle having a hinge joint such that sections of the chassis are capable of rotation with respect to each other. A first and second wheel is mounted to one and the other of the chassis sections, respectively. Vehicle geometric data defining a distance between the hinge joint and the centers of the first and second wheels, respectively, and the diameter of the wheels is provided. Surface geometric data defining the curvature of the surface can be provided. The angle of rotation about the hinge joint is measured. An orientation of the vehicle relative to the surface based on the vehicle geometric date, the surface geometric data, and the measured angle of rotation can be determined. A system and method for determining the orientation of an object is also provided.

Abstract: A stator assembly that provides a concentric housing and stator, the stator radially positioned inside the housing, the housing having an inner surface, the stator having an outer surface radially facing the inner surface. One of the outer surface of the stator and the inner surface of the housing has recessed shapes and the other one of the outer and inner surface has protruding shapes. When the two shapes are arranged in a first relative position, the protruding shapes are inserted in the recessed shapes so that the stator can be mounted radially inside the housing along a central axis of the assembly, and in a second relative position that is angularly shifted relative to the first position around the central axis, the protruding shapes exert, against the one of the housing and the stator that bears the recessed shapes, a radial force that angularly and axially locks the stator.

Abstract: The present apparatus is configured to carry an instrument or probe and optionally deploy it against a surface, such as a metal pipeline or storage tank. The apparatus can include a sensor probe for inspecting the integrity of the surface and a first linkage that is operatively coupled to the sensor probe and configured to move the sensor probe according to a first path (in a first direction/first degree of freedom). An actuator can be operatively connected to the first linkage for moving the first linkage so as to move the sensor probe along the first path. A second linkage is operatively connected to the sensor probe and configured to passively move the sensor probe according to a second degree of freedom to cause the sensor probe to become normal to the surface when at least a portion of the apparatus contacts the surface.

Abstract: A method of protecting ferromagnetic lamination stacks of a component of an electric machine, comprises the following steps: creating a component module by arranging a laminations stack of ferromagnetic sheets into a housing, (b) protecting locations of the component module where coating is unwanted, (c) inserting the component module into a hermetic chamber receiving an ionized gas, (d) polarizing the component module to submit a fixed electric potential to the component module, (e) depositing a thin layer of protective coating on the laminations stack of ferromagnetic sheets through a method of Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) at a temperature lower than 150° C., (f) monitoring the deposition homogeneity and deposition thickness of the thin layer of protective coating until desired thickness, and (g) rectifying the surface of the thin layer of protective coating to have a uniform protective layer.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing, adapted to equip a rotary apparatus. The magnetic bearing comprises: an actuator sub-assembly provided with a magnetic base and at least three actuator bobbins mounted on the magnetic base, and a sensor sub-assembly provided with at least three magnetic sensors associated with the actuator bobbins. At least one sub-assembly amidst the actuator sub-assembly and the sensor sub-assembly comprises at least three sectors mounted together. Each sector includes at least one actuator bobbin when the sector belongs to the actuator sub-assembly, or at least one magnetic sensor when the sector belongs to the sensor sub-assembly. The invention also concerns a rotary apparatus comprising such a magnetic bearing and a method for manufacturing such a magnetic bearing.