Abstract: A method of making generally symmetrical lamination stacks for electrical machines comprises producing generally symmetrical pole tips from alternating asymmetrical pieces that each have an additional layer in the asymmetrical portion. With the alternating asymmetrical pieces combined, the resulting pole tip is generally symmetrical with a larger possible pole tip width compared with currently-used interleaved stamping techniques.

Abstract: An electric motor (2) for a clothes washing machine including the motor and a drive, the motor having a stator (25) held outboard of a frame carrying bearings (37, 38) in which a shaft (11) rotates, the shaft carrying the rotor (21) outboard of the stator (25), and permanent magnets (17) on an inner face of the rotor. The stator (25) is formed as an annular helical yoke edgewise wound from a strip of magnetic material and having an inner face and an outer face, the strip having pole pieces (8) formed integrally therewith extending from one edge of the strip and the strip being edgewise wound whereby the pole pieces coincide in stacked groups to form a plurality of poles arranged at equally spaced intervals extending radially outwardly from the outer face of the yoke.

Abstract: An electric motor (2) for a clothes washing machine including the motor and a drive, the motor having a stator (25) held outboard of a frame carrying bearings (37, 38) in which a shaft (11) rotates, the shaft carrying the rotor (21) outboard of the stator (25), and permanent magnets (17) on an inner face of the rotor. The stator (25) is formed as an annular helical yoke edgewise wound from a strip of magnetic material and having an inner face and an outer face, the strip having pole pieces (8) formed integrally therewith extending from one edge of the strip and the strip being edgewise wound whereby the pole pieces coincide in stacked groups to form a plurality of poles arranged at equally spaced intervals extending radially outwardly from the outer face of the yoke.

Abstract: A control apparatus and method for an electric motor having sensing devices which sense the frequency and polarity of EMFs in the rotor windings down to a condition where the rotor is in condition for reversing, and causing reversing of the motor when the frequency is such as to allow reversing and the polarits of a selected winding is at or near a zero crossing between positive and negative polarities. Cyclical reversal is effected by measuring the time the rotor takes to coast from a "power off" condition to the condition for reversing and with an electronically commutated motor reversing can usually be effected in one commutation period. The motor is used in a clothes washing machine or similar application where rapid reversal is required or timing of the time from one reversal to the next is required to be constant.

Abstract: An electric motor, a drive and a clothes washing machine including the motor and drive, the motor having a stator held outboard of a frame carrying bearings in which a shaft rotates, the shaft carrying the rotor outboard of the stator, the rotor having permanent magnets on an inner face thereof.

Abstract: An electric motor, a drive and a clothes washing machine including the motor and drive are described, the motor having a stator held outboard of a frame carrying bearings in which a shaft rotates, the shaft carrying the rotor outboard of the stator, the rotor having permanent magnets on an inner face thereof.

Abstract: A control apparatus and method for an electric motor having sensing devices which sense the frequency and polarity of EMFs in the rotor windings down to a condition where the rotor is in condition for reversing, and causing reversing of the motor when the frequency is such as to allow reversing and the polarits polarity of a selected winding is at or near a zero crossing between positive and negative polarities. Cyclical reversal is effected by measuring the time the rotor takes to coast from a “power off” condition to the condition for reversing and with an electronically commutated motor reversing can usually be effected in one commutation period. The motor is used in a clothes washing machine or similar application where rapid reversal is required or timing of the time from one reversal to the next is required to be constant.