Abstract: A method for varying motor output using magnets of different fluxes includes manufacturing standardized parts, ascertaining desired motor output, selecting from a group of interchangeable magnets to provide the desired output, and assembling a motor with the selected magnets and standardized parts such that the desired output is provided. Additionally, a motor kit including a rotor configured to accommodate magnets of varying residual induction values and lengths, a stator configured to operate with the rotor, and a plurality of interchangeable magnets with different residual induction values and lengths.

Abstract: A method for varying motor output using magnets of different fluxes includes manufacturing standardized parts, ascertaining desired motor output, selecting from a group of interchangeable magnets to provide the desired output, and assembling a motor with the selected magnets and standardized parts such that the desired output is provided. Additionally, a motor kit including a rotor configured to accommodate magnets of varying residual induction values and lengths, a stator configured to operate with the rotor, and a plurality of interchangeable magnets with different residual induction values and lengths.

Abstract: A method for facilitating the reduction of transmitted motor noise using a mounting system in a frame. The mounting system includes a motor assembly having an end bell, a mounting bracket including a brace, a plurality of attachment openings, a plurality of leaf springs attached to the brace and an anchor device attached to each leaf spring. Each anchor device includes a fastener opening and a grommet. The leaf springs and grommets are configured to filter and damp noise transmitted from the motor to the frame.

Abstract: A rotor position sensor mounting assembly includes a housing, a hall effect device, a printed circuit board, a plurality of leads, and a cable tie. The housing includes two pairs of guides that fixedly attach the housing to a stator end cap and a plurality of stator laminations. The second pair of housing guides extend substantially flush with the top wall. A gap extends between the first pair of housing guides and the second pair of housing guides and the first pair of housing guides has a wedge shape. In addition, a pair of internal guides extend from the second side walls into the cavity such that the internal guides form the cavity into a substantially inverted T at a first end of the housing to precisely locate the hall effect device.

Abstract: An inside out motor includes a rotor including a concave member, a shaft defining a longitudinal axis mounted on the concave member and a magnet mounted on an interior surface of the concave member. A bearing receives the shaft for rotatably mounting the rotor. A stator assembly is mounted on said bearing and includes a bobbin mounted generally coaxially with the rotor shaft and having an interior diameter, an exterior diameter, a first axial end and a second axial end. A winding is wound on the bobbin and extends around the axis of the rotor shaft. The winding has a width in a direction parallel to the lengthwise extension of the rotor shaft. Plural separate ferromagnetic members are on each of the first and second axial ends of the bobbin. Each ferromagnetic member has a radially outer leg extending generally between the winding and the magnet.

Abstract: A motor having an external rotor, or "inside out motor" has a split C arrangement of ferromagnetic members which function as the poles of the electromagnet in the motor. The ferromagnetic members are generally C-shaped and mounted on opposite end caps of the motor. The ferromagnetic members on the opposing end caps are angularly offset from each other. The ferromagnetic members on each end cap are also spaced apart from each other, and receive a portion of the motor windings within them. The motor is constructed for assembly using few or no separate fastening devices to secure the components together. In one embodiment, a bearing core serves as the base on which all parts are assembled.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a salient pole electronically commutated motor includes associating a plurality of bobbins between base and tip sections of a plurality of salient pole pieces, winding the bobbins with an insulated conductor, disposing the salient pole pieces on preselected pitch axes so as to extend generally outwardly from an outer circumferential surface of a yoke section for the motor, and securing the base sections of the salient pole pieces to the yoke section against displacement therefrom at least generally adjacent the outer circumferential surface.

Abstract: A laundry machine having an electronically commutated motor which includes a plurality of salient pole pieces disposed on preselected pitch axes so as to extend generally outwardly from an outer circumferential surface of a yoke section, with base sections of the salient pole pieces secured to the yoke section against displacement therefrom at least generally adjacent the outer circumferential surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for pumping fluid such as an integral pump/motor is provided. A housing having an inlet and an outlet has a rotatable assembly including an impeller located within and adapted to rotate within the housing to move fluid through the housing from the inlet to the outlet. Secured to the exterior of the housing is a stationary assembly for applying an electromagnetic field through the housing to and around the impeller to rotate the impeller and thereby to cause it to move fluid through the housing.The apparatus is for use in a cooling system, such as a cooling system of an automobile engine, to pump fluid through the cooling system. A temperature sensor is provided for sensing the temperature of the fluid within the cooling system. An electronic control, responsive to the temperature sensor, supplies electrical power to stationary assembly.Also, a method of circulating fluid within a system, such as a cooling system of an automobile engine, is disclosed.

Abstract: A suspension system for controlling the relative position of a vehicle and a wheel assembly supporting the vehicle for travel over a surface of terrain. The system includes a member for resiliently connecting the vehicle and the wheel assembly to establish an equilibrium position therebetween in which the vehicle is supported in a predetermined position with respect to the surface of the terrain. The system further includes a dynamoelectric machine comprising a stationary assembly and a rotatable assembly magnetically coupled thereto, the stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized to apply an electromagnetic field to said rotatable assembly thereby to rotatably drive the rotatable assembly about an axis. A ball screw translates rotation of the rotatable assembly driven by the stationary assembly into linear motion between the wheel assembly and the vehicle.

Abstract: A drive system for a laundry machine utilizing a switched reluctance motor of three or more phases and with stator/rotor pole ratios selected from the ratios of 6:4 and 8:6 with the actual number of poles being a multiple of 2 or more times those numbers. A stator/rotor gap of 10-20 mils is maintained in large diameter motors and cooling for the coils and electronic components positioned within the motor is provided.

Abstract: A fan motor assembly provides axial air flow. A rotatable assembly including a substantially cylindric central portion supported for rotation about an axis coaxial with said central portion. The central portion has at least one permanent magnet element which rotates about the axis as the central portion rotates. The rotatable assembly further includes fan blades on an annular wall of the central portion and extending radially outwardly from the central portion. The annular wall and the central portion form an annular channel. The blades axially move air which is located about the outer periphery of the rotatable assembly as the rotatable assembly rotates. A stationary assembly includes a support for an annular core having a central opening to receive the central portion and having winding stages thereon in magnetic coupling relation with the permanent magnet element and electrically energized to generate an electromagnetic field, the core received within the annular channel of the rotatable assembly.

Abstract: An electronically commutated motor has substantially constant air gap energy to reduce cogging. A rotatable assembly has permanent magnet elements which rotate about an axis of rotation. The elements are oriented with respect to said axis of rotation to provide a magnetic field with lines of flux along a plane forming a skew angle of s.sub.1 mechanical degrees with respect to the axis of rotation, wherein s.sub.1 is not equal to zero. The elements may be provided with an unmagnetized portion referred to as a phantom skew. A stationary assembly is in magnetic coupling relation with the permanent magnet elements of the rotatable assembly and has t spaced teeth with adjacent teeth defining a slot therebetween, wherein t is positive integer. Each tooth has a surface adjacent the rotatable assembly having one or more notches forming a skew angle of s.sub.2 mechanical degrees with the axis of rotation. Each tooth has winding stages adapted for commutation in at least one preselected sequence.

Abstract: An apparatus for pumping fluid such as an integral pump/motor is provided. A housing having an inlet and an outlet has a rotatable assembly including an impeller located within and adapted to rotate within the housing to move fluid through the housing from the inlet to the outlet. Secured to the exterior of the housing is a stationary assembly for applying an electromagnetic field through the housing to and around the impeller to rotate the impeller and thereby to cause it to move fluid through the housing.The apparatus is for use in a cooling system, such as a cooling system of an automobile engine, to pump fluid through the cooling system. A temperature sensor is provided for sensing the temperature of the fluid within the cooling system. An electronic control, responsive to the temperature sensor, supplies electrical power to stationary assembly.Also, a method of circulating fluid within a system, such as a cooling system of an automobile engine, is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a salient pole electronically commutated motor with the salient pole electronically commutated motor including a lanced strip of generally thin ferromagnetic material. The lanced strip is formed into a generally annular edgewise wound yoke section for the salient pole electronically commutated motor, and a set of salient poles are established on the edgewise wound yoke section being disposed about preselected pitch axes so as to extend generally outwardly from the edgewise wound yoke section, respectively.

Abstract: An inside-out salient pole core for a dynamo-electric machine. The core has an edgewise wound yoke including an edgewise and helically wound strip of generally thin ferromagnetic material having at least one edge defining an outer circumferential surface on the edgewise wound yoke and extending generally axially thereacross. A set of salient pole pieces is secured to the edgewise wound core at least generally adjacent its outer circumferential surface, and extends generally outwardly from the outer circumferential surface about a set of preselected pitch axes, respectively.

Abstract: An electronically commutated motor has a printed circuit board with opposite sides and a heat dissipating means arranged in spaced apart relation at least in part in the path of at least some of the cooling circulated in the electronically commutated motor by the rotatable assembly thereof. A plurality of insulated gate transistors are located on the heat dissipating means in heat transfer relation therewith adjacent one opposite side of the printed circuit board and are operable to commutate power supplied to the winding stages of the electronically commutated motor. Other solid state components for controlling the conductivity of the insulated gate transistors are located on the other opposite side of the printed circuit board, and the insulated gate transistors and the other solid state components are connected in circuit relation with the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A method of operating a laundry machine. The machine has a pair of rotatable components and is driven by an electronically commutated motor having a stationary assembly with a plurality of winding stages and also having a rotatable assembly adapted to be selectively coupled to at least one of the rotatable components. In this method, a DC voltage for application to the motor is received, and a first control function is imposed on the operation of the machine to control the application of the DC voltage in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of first waveshapes so as to provide a resultant effective voltage to the motor.

Abstract: A method of operating a laundry machine. The machine has a pair of rotatable components and is driven by an electronically commutated motor having a stationary assembly with a plurality of winding stages and also having a rotatable assembly adapted to be selectively coupled to at least one of the rotatable components. In this method, a DC voltage for application to the motor is received, and a first control function is imposed on the operation of the machine to control the application of the DC voltage in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of first waveshapes so as to provide a resultant effective voltage to the motor.