Abstract: A rotor for an electric motor includes a core, a plurality of magnets, and a magnet retention cap. The core is rotatable about an axis and defines a plurality of magnet-receiving slots. Each of the magnets is received in a respective one of the magnet-receiving slots. The magnet retention cap is fixed relative to the core and includes a resiliently deformable magnet retention element configured to restrict axial movement of the magnets relative to the core.

Abstract: A rotary drive device includes a pair of drive force transmissions, a pair of decelerators, a pair of carriers, and at least one coupler. Driving rollers are included in the pair of drive force transmissions. Driving rollers transmit drive force to a main wheel. The main wheel includes driven rollers. The pair of drive force transmissions are rotatable about a rotation axis. The pair of carriers accommodate at least a portion of the decelerators. The pair of carriers oppose each other in an axial direction along the rotation axis. The pair of carriers include a first carrier and a second carrier that are directly or indirectly coupled by the at least one coupler.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly is provided for use with a mobile vehicle. The conveyor assembly includes a conveyor module. The conveyor module includes a first roller assembly. The first roller assembly includes a first rotatable roller body and a second rotatable roller body. The first and second roller bodies are interconnected to each other in such a manner as to share a first rotational axis yet be at least substantially rotationally independent of each other, such that each of the first and second roller bodies can rotate without causing or interfering with rotation of the other of the first and second roller bodies.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly includes a conveyor module including first and second roller bodies and a conveyor belt; a chassis; and a tensioning system. The tensioning system is operable to adjust the tension of the conveyor belt and includes a tensioning device selectively shiftably mounted to the chassis such that shifting of the tensioning system in the fore-aft direction along the chassis results in corresponding fore-aft shifting of the first roller body relative to the second roller body, thereby facilitating adjustment of the tension of the conveyor belt. The chassis includes a pair of side rails and a slider bed. A stiffening assembly includes a bracket spaced vertically below the slider bed such that a vertical gap is formed between the slider bed and the bracket. The stiffening assembly further includes an insert disposed on the bracket and extending upward across at least a portion of the gap.

Abstract: A rotor includes magnets and a core including arcuately arranged pole segments. Each pole segment includes first and second prongs that extend away from the rotor axis and are at least in part arcuately spaced apart to define a cutout therebetween. Each pair of arcuately adjacent pole segments defines therebetween a respective magnet-receiving slot, with the first prong of one of the pole segments and the second prong of the other of the pole segments defining the slot. The magnets are received in slots, such that each of the magnets is at least in part interposed between one of the pairs of adjacent pole segments. The magnets and the pole segments are dimensioned and configured so that at least one of the first and second prongs is deflected by the magnet received in the respective slot, such that the prongs cooperatively apply a clamping force on the magnet.

Abstract: An electric motor includes a stator assembly. The stator assembly includes a stator body and a generally toroidal stator ring. The stator body includes a core and a plurality of electrically conductive wires wound about the core. Each of the electrically conductive wires includes a first wire end projecting from the stator body at a predetermined first wire end location. The stator ring defines a plurality of arcuately spaced apart first terminal pockets, each configured to receive a wire-connecting terminal. The stator ring is oriented relative to the stator body such that the first terminal pockets are disposed in predetermined first terminal pocket positions correlating to the predetermined first wire end locations. Each of the first wire ends extends into a respective one of the first terminal pockets.

Abstract: An electric motor assembly includes a stator, a rotor, a motor housing, a rotatable shaft, a radial fan, and an air scoop. The motor housing at least partly houses the stator and rotor and presents an exterior motor surface. The rotatable shaft is associated with the rotor for rotational movement therewith, with the rotatable shaft extending along a rotational axis. The radial fan is mounted on the rotatable shaft exteriorly of the motor housing and is rotatable with the shaft to direct airflow in a radially outward direction. The air scoop extends radially outwardly relative to the radial fan and axially to receive radial airflow from the radial fan and turn the airflow axially to flow along the exterior motor surface. The air scoop includes spaced apart axially extending airflow vanes to guide the airflow as the airflow is turned axially.

Abstract: A sensor holder for an electrical motor controller. The sensor holder is configured for holding a sensor relative to a printed circuit board of an electrical motor controller. The sensor holder includes a body having a first side and a second side; and a retainer coupled to the first side and extending away from the first side and comprising a base coupled to the first side. Furthermore, the sensor holder includes an arm coupled to the base and extending away from the base wherein the base and arm are configured to receive the sensor. A spacer is coupled to the first side and configured to form a space between the sensor and the first side. Moreover, a support is coupled to the body and extending away from the body and coupled to the printed circuit board to position the retainer and the received sensor away from the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly includes a conveyor module including first and second roller bodies and a conveyor belt; a chassis; and a tensioning system. The tensioning system is operable to adjust the tension of the conveyor belt and includes a tensioning device selectively shiftably mounted to the chassis such that shifting of the tensioning system in the fore-aft direction along the chassis results in corresponding fore-aft shifting of the first roller body relative to the second roller body, thereby facilitating adjustment of the tension of the conveyor belt. The chassis includes a pair of side rails and a slider bed. A stiffening assembly includes a bracket spaced vertically below the slider bed such that a vertical gap is formed between the slider bed and the bracket. The stiffening assembly further includes an insert disposed on the bracket and extending upward across at least a portion of the gap.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for an electric motor includes a rotor core that is fabricated from a plurality of stacked laminations. The rotor core has a plurality of arcuately arranged, axially extending magnet receiving slots. The rotor core includes a plurality of magnets received in respective ones of the magnet receiving slots. The laminations include radially extending deflectable magnet retaining tabs that extend into the magnet receiving slots. The magnet retaining tabs engage and are deflected by a corresponding one of the magnets to exert a reactive force against the magnets.

Abstract: An electric motor assembly includes a stator, a rotor, a motor housing, a rotatable shaft, a radial fan, and an air scoop. The motor housing at least partly houses the stator and rotor and presents an exterior motor surface. The rotatable shaft is associated with the rotor for rotational movement therewith, with the rotatable shaft extending along a rotational axis. The radial fan is mounted on the rotatable shaft exteriorly of the motor housing and is rotatable with the shaft to direct airflow in a radially outward direction. The air scoop extends radially outwardly relative to the radial fan and axially to receive radial airflow from the radial fan and turn the airflow axially to flow along the exterior motor surface. The air scoop includes spaced apart axially extending airflow vanes to guide the airflow as the airflow is turned axially.

Abstract: A variable frequency drive motor system and method with a single variable frequency drive controller controlling multiple synchronous reluctance motors in an open-loop mode using volts-per-Hertz control. Each motor includes a rotor including three or more curved, spaced-apart barrier slots extending longitudinally through each quadrant of the rotor. The rotor also includes a conductive cage including a plurality of conductive rotor bars contained within the barrier slots and also extending longitudinally through each quadrant, and conductive end rings located at opposite ends of the rotor and electrically connected to the respective ends of the rotor bars. The controller controls speed and torque by varying input frequency and voltage in an open-loop mode by adjusting the voltage magnitude of an inverter's output to each motor to match a required load torque in a volts-per-Hertz relationship. An operator interface allows for starting, stopping, adjusting, and otherwise controlling the operation of each motor.

Abstract: A dual encoder system includes first and second encoders on a single printed circuit board mounted on an electric motor. Each encoder independently generates feedback information used by motor and safety controllers for controlling the motor. A single magnet is mounted on the motor shaft. The first encoder cooperates with the magnet to provide first encoder information to the motor controller regarding magnetic alignment between a rotor and a plurality of stator windings of the motor and regarding real-time position and velocity. The second encoder cooperates with the same magnet to provide second encoder information to a safety controller, wherein the second encoder information should be identical to the first. The safety controller may receive the first encoder information from the motor controller, compare the second encoder information to the first encoder information, and brake the electric motor if the second encoder information is different from the first encoder information.

Abstract: A gearmotor includes a motor assembly, a gear assembly, and an electronics assembly. The motor assembly includes a rotor including a rotor shaft; a stator; and a stator retention apparatus. The stator includes a core defining a core orientation feature, and a plurality of coils. The stator retention apparatus includes an apparatus orientation feature and an electronics assembly support structure. The gear assembly includes an output shaft. The electronics assembly includes a rotor shaft rotation sensor that is radially spaced from a rotor shaft position indicium, an output shaft rotation sensor that is radially spaced from an output shaft position indicium, and a magnetic sensor mounted to the electronics assembly support structure. The core orientation feature and the apparatus orientation feature engage one another to position the stator retention apparatus radially and arcuately relative to the core, such that the magnetic sensor is positioned adjacent an axial coil margin.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for an electric motor includes a rotor core and a plurality of magnets. The rotor core defines a rotation axis. Each of the magnets includes a magnet stem portion and a magnet arm portion. The magnet stem portion extends radially relative to the rotational axis to present a radially outermost stem end. The magnet arm portion is located at least in part radially outward from the stem end. In addition, the magnet arm portion extends circumferentially in opposite directions relative to the magnet stem portion.

Abstract: An electric motor includes a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator. The rotor includes an axial shaft, a disc projecting radially from the shaft, and a ring magnet affixed to the disc. The shaft and the disc are integrally formed as a unitary body.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for an electric machine includes a rotor core that is fabricated from a plurality of laminations stacked along a rotational axis of the electric machine. The rotor core has a plurality of arcuately arranged, axially extending magnet-receiving slots. The rotor core includes a plurality of magnets received in respective ones of the magnet-receiving slots. Each of the laminations includes opposed deflectable magnet-retaining prongs that extend into a corresponding one of the magnet-receiving slots. The magnet-retaining prongs are deflected by and engage the magnets to exert a reactive force against the magnets and hold them in place. Each of the laminations also includes respective support posts axially adjacent the magnet-retaining prongs. The support posts extend alongside and thereby limit the deflection of the magnet-retaining prongs when engaged with the corresponding one of the magnets.

Abstract: An adaptive speed control system and method for adapting control of an electric motor under a changing load condition. A load torque observer determines a load torque value when the motor is operating at a constant speed, and the load torque value is used to adapt a torque. An inertia observer determines an inertia load value when the motor is operating at a changing speed, and the inertia load value is used to adapt a controller gain. An active disturbance input decoupler provides disturbance rejection when the motor is operating at a constant speed. An adaptive control switch switches the load torque observer between driving the inertia observer and driving the active disturbance input decoupler. The system may be configured for a multi-axis system in which multiple motors are each associated with a different axis of motion, and multiple adaptive speed control systems are each associated with a different motor.