Abstract: A brush motor including a rotor having a core with a winding wound thereon and a commutator electrically connected to the winding, a brush configured to contact the commutator to cause a current to be supplied to the rotor, and a movable permanent magnet arranged to oppose the core with a gap therebetween and to be movable in a circumferential direction of the rotor within an angle range. The angle range includes a retarded angle position and an advanced angle position, in which the movable permanent magnet is displaced respectively in a retarded angle direction and an advanced angle direction relative to the brush, to thereby respectively cause a first torque and a second torque higher than the first torque. The movable permanent magnet is movable in the retarded or advanced angle direction within the angle range at least within a period in which a current is supplied to the rotor.

Abstract: A starter motor for starting up an engine mounted to a straddled vehicle. The starter motor includes a rotor, a brush in contact with the rotor to cause a current supplied thereto, and a movable permanent magnet arranged to oppose a core of the rotor with a gap therebetween and to be movable in a circumferential direction of the rotor within an angle range. The angle range includes a retarded angle position and an advanced angle position in which the movable permanent magnet is displaced respectively in a retarded and advanced angle direction relative to the brush. The movable permanent magnet is located in the advanced angle position when the rotor starts to rotate upon a supply of the current to the rotor, and to be moved in the retarded angle direction to the retarded angle position within a period in which the rotor is rotating with the current supplied to the rotor.

Abstract: A current supply system configured to receive a rotational driving force and supply a current for driving an electrical load device in accordance with a current requirement. The current supply system includes a rotor, including a permanent magnet, configured to receive the rotational driving force, and a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, the rotational driving force causing the rotor and the stator to generate the current. The current supply system further includes a supply current adjustment device configured to change magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding in accordance with the current requirement, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust the generated current.

Abstract: A transmission for outputting a rotational torque in accordance with a torque requirement. The transmission includes a generator, a motor and a control device. The generator includes a rotor configured to receive first rotational power from an engine, a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device configured to adjust magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust a current outputted by the generator. The motor is driven by the current outputted from the generator, to thereby output second rotational power. The control device controls the supply current adjustment device to change the inductance of the winding, in accordance with the torque requirement.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body, an electromotive driving unit mounted on the vehicle body, an engine operable with a liquid fuel, a generator that generates electric power, and a control device including a power generation control unit and an electric power output unit. The power generation control unit outputs a signal for controlling the engine and the generator, the electric power output unit outputting electric power generated by the generator to the electromotive driving unit. The control device in combination with the engine and the generator constitutes a physically integrated unit that is mountable to and dismountable from the vehicle body. The control device is configured to output a store visit promotion signal to an informing device while the physically integrated unit is mounted on the vehicle body, to prompt a visit to a store where the physically integrated unit is replaceable.

Abstract: An electric power supply system configured to supply electric power to an electrical load device in accordance with a current requirement. The electric power supply system includes an engine configured to output rotational power, a generator configured to receive the rotational power and to supply a current to the electrical load device. The generator includes a rotor, and a stator including a winding and a stator core with the winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device configured to adjust magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust the supplied current. The electric power supply system further includes a control device configured to control the engine to adjust the output rotational power and to control the supply current adjustment device to adjust the inductance of the winding.

Abstract: A vehicle including an engine, a generator, a motor, a driving member and a control device. The generator includes a rotor, a stator having a stator core with a winding wound thereon, and an inductance adjustment device that changes an inductance of the winding by changing magnetic resistance of a magnetic circuit for the winding that passes through the stator core. The current adjustment device adjusts a current outputted from the generator to the motor, which drives the driving member. The control device, upon receiving a request for increasing the current to be supplied to the motor, directs the inductance adjustment device to adjust the generator to operate in a state in which the inductance of the winding is low, directs the engine to increase a rotation speed thereof to increase the rotational power, and directs the current adjustment device to increase the output current of the generator.

Abstract: A drive system, mountable onto a vehicle including a detachable rotational drive mechanism, for driving the rotational drive mechanism in accordance with a torque requirement. The drive system includes an engine that outputs first rotational power, and a generator that includes a rotor for receiving the first rotational power, a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device for adjusting magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust an output current of the generator. The drive system further includes a motor driven by the outputted current of the generator to output second rotational power to the rotational drive mechanism, and a control device configured to control both the engine and the supply current adjustment device, in accordance with the torque requirement.

Abstract: A starter motor for starting up an engine mounted to a straddled vehicle. The starter motor includes a rotor, a brush in contact with the rotor to cause a current supplied thereto, and a movable permanent magnet arranged to oppose a core of the rotor with a gap therebetween and to be movable in a circumferential direction of the rotor within an angle range. The angle range includes a retarded angle position and an advanced angle position in which the movable permanent magnet is displaced respectively in a retarded and advanced angle direction relative to the brush. The movable permanent magnet is located in the advanced angle position when the rotor starts to rotate upon a supply of the current to the rotor, and to be moved in the retarded angle direction to the retarded angle position within a period in which the rotor is rotating with the current supplied to the rotor.

Abstract: A brush motor including a rotor having a core with a winding wound thereon and a commutator electrically connected to the winding, a brush configured to contact the commutator to cause a current to be supplied to the rotor, and a movable permanent magnet arranged to oppose the core with a gap therebetween and to be movable in a circumferential direction of the rotor within an angle range. The angle range includes a retarded angle position and an advanced angle position, in which the movable permanent magnet is displaced respectively in a retarded angle direction and an advanced angle direction relative to the brush, to thereby respectively cause a first torque and a second torque higher than the first torque. The movable permanent magnet is movable in the retarded or advanced angle direction within the angle range at least within a period in which a current is supplied to the rotor.

Abstract: A relative rotational angular displacement detection device includes a pair of rotatable members rotatable relative to each other in a circumferential direction. A permanent magnet is attached to one of the rotatable members and includes magnetic poles magnetized in an axial direction of the axis of rotation and arranged to alternate in polarity in the circumferential direction. A magnetic flux guiding ring includes an annular ring body attached to the other of the rotatable members and is arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation, and a plurality of protruding portions each having a circumferential width smaller than the circumferential width of the magnetic pole. A magnetic detection unit is configured to detect magnetic fluxes of the ring body of the magnetic flux guiding ring. The magnetic flux guiding ring is magnetized depending on the positions of the protruding portions relative to the positions of the magnetic poles.

Abstract: A vehicle including an engine, a generator, a motor, a driving member and a control device. The generator includes a rotor, a stator having a stator core with a winding wound thereon, and an inductance adjustment device that changes an inductance of the winding by changing magnetic resistance of a magnetic circuit for the winding that passes through the stator core. The current adjustment device adjusts a current outputted from the generator to the motor, which drives the driving member. The control device, upon receiving a request for increasing the current to be supplied to the motor, directs the inductance adjustment device to adjust the generator to operate in a state in which the inductance of the winding is low, directs the engine to increase a rotation speed thereof to increase the rotational power, and directs the current adjustment device to increase the output current of the generator.

Abstract: A drive system, mountable onto a vehicle including a detachable rotational drive mechanism, for driving the rotational drive mechanism in accordance with a torque requirement. The drive system includes an engine that outputs first rotational power, and a generator that includes a rotor for receiving the first rotational power, a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device for adjusting magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust an output current of the generator. The drive system further includes a motor driven by the outputted current of the generator to output second rotational power to the rotational drive mechanism, and a control device configured to control both the engine and the supply current adjustment device, in accordance with the torque requirement.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body, an electromotive driving unit mounted on the vehicle body, an engine operable with a liquid fuel, a generator that generates electric power, and a control device including a power generation control unit and an electric power output unit. The power generation control unit outputs a signal for controlling the engine and the generator, the electric power output unit outputting electric power generated by the generator to the electromotive driving unit. The control device in combination with the engine and the generator constitutes a physically integrated unit that is mountable to and dismountable from the vehicle body. The control device is configured to output a store visit promotion signal to an informing device while the physically integrated unit is mounted on the vehicle body, to prompt a visit to a store where the physically integrated unit is replaceable.

Abstract: A current supply system configured to receive a rotational driving force and supply a current for driving an electrical load device in accordance with a current requirement. The current supply system includes a rotor, including a permanent magnet, configured to receive the rotational driving force, and a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, the rotational driving force causing the rotor and the stator to generate the current. The current supply system further includes a supply current adjustment device configured to change magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding in accordance with the current requirement, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust the generated current.

Abstract: An electric power supply system configured to supply electric power to an electrical load device in accordance with a current requirement. The electric power supply system includes an engine configured to output rotational power, a generator configured to receive the rotational power and to supply a current to the electrical load device. The generator includes a rotor, and a stator including a winding and a stator core with the winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device configured to adjust magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust the supplied current. The electric power supply system further includes a control device configured to control the engine to adjust the output rotational power and to control the supply current adjustment device to adjust the inductance of the winding.

Abstract: A transmission for outputting a rotational torque in accordance with a torque requirement. The transmission includes a generator, a motor and a control device. The generator includes a rotor configured to receive first rotational power from an engine, a stator including a stator core with a winding wound thereon, a magnetic circuit for the winding passing through the stator core, and a supply current adjustment device configured to adjust magnetic resistance of the magnetic circuit for the winding, to thereby change an inductance of the winding to adjust a current outputted by the generator. The motor is driven by the current outputted from the generator, to thereby output second rotational power. The control device controls the supply current adjustment device to change the inductance of the winding, in accordance with the torque requirement.

Abstract: A magnetic resistance changing mechanism for changing a magnetic resistance of a stator magnetic path including a stator yoke portion and each tooth portion by mechanically changing the stator magnetic path is provided. A pair of side protruded portions are formed on circumferential sides of a rotor side end portion of each tooth portion. The rotor side end face of each tooth portion is shaped so that a gap between the rotor side end face of each tooth portion and an outer periphery of the rotor is increased continuously or stepwisely from a circumferential intermediate portion of the rotor facing end face toward circumferential end portions thereof.

Abstract: A relative rotational angular displacement detection device includes a pair of rotatable members rotatable relative to each other in a circumferential direction. A permanent magnet is attached to one of the rotatable members and includes magnetic poles magnetized in an axial direction of the axis of rotation and arranged to alternate in polarity in the circumferential direction. A magnetic flux guiding ring includes an annular ring body attached to the other of the rotatable members and is arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation, and a plurality of protruding portions each having a circumferential width smaller than the circumferential width of the magnetic pole. A magnetic detection unit is configured to detect magnetic fluxes of the ring body of the magnetic flux guiding ring. The magnetic flux guiding ring is magnetized depending on the positions of the protruding portions relative to the positions of the magnetic poles.

Abstract: A wheel includes an axle, a motor, a hub and a rotational displacement detection mechanism. The axle is supported on a body frame of a wheelchair. The motor is mounted on the axle. The hub includes a wheel hub mounted on the axle and handrim base section relatively rotatably supported on the axle and rotatable relative to the wheel hub. The rotational displacement detection mechanism detects rotational displacements of the handrim base section relative to the wheel hub and has a center of rotation coinciding with an axle center of the motor.