Abstract: A rotary electric machine includes a rotor and a stator. The stator has windings and teeth extending radially from a stator core. Each tooth is separated from an adjacent tooth by a stator slot that opens to a radial stator-rotor airgap via a slot opening. The windings are positioned within each slot. Each stator tooth has a tooth tip with a surface profile configured to guide rotor flux away from areas of the windings proximate the respective slot opening. The tip surface profile may be a concave region, e.g., a dent/chamfer, and/or a convex region, e.g., a bump/bulge, and is formed in a distal end surface of the tip proximate the opening. The stator-rotor airgap is smaller at the convex region and larger at the concave region than elsewhere along the distal end surface. An electrical system includes the machine, a battery, and a power inverter module.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) includes a rotor with rotatable magnets and a stator defining an air gap with the rotor. An actuator rotates the rotatable magnets at predetermined operating points through an angular distance sufficient for changing magnetic pole orientations of the rotatable magnets, and thus modifies magnetic flux linkage with stator windings across the air gap. Fixed magnets may be arranged around a circumference of the rotor. The actuator may be actively or passively driven. Flux-shunting elements are optionally disposed in the rotor to further modify the flux linkage. A gear set connected to torque transfer elements may be driven by the actuator to rotate the rotatable magnets. A vehicle includes drive wheels, a transmission, and the PM machine. A method controls magnetic flux linkage in the PM machine noted above.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) for a vehicle or other system includes a rotor assembly, fixed permanent magnets, a stator, an actuator, and one or more repositionable/moveable flux-shunting elements. The flux-shunting element is repositioned to control flux at specific operating points of the PM machine. The rotor assembly has a rotor coaxially surrounding and coupled to a rotor shaft. The permanent magnets are mounted to or in the rotor, and the moveable flux-shunting element is positioned between the rotor shaft and a respective one of the permanent magnets. Inboard and outboard ends of each respective permanent magnet may be oriented toward the rotor shaft and stator, respectively. The actuator selectively positions the moveable flux-shunting element at one or more operating points of the PM machine to vary reluctance in a magnetic circuit formed by the stator and rotor assembly.

Abstract: A stator assembly includes a plurality of stator slots having multiple respective slot layers and a plurality of hairpins. The plurality of hairpins have a respective first leg positioned in one of the multiple respective slot layers and a respective second leg positioned in another of the multiple respective slot layers. A first set of n adjacent slots of the plurality of stator slots is configured to accommodate the plurality of hairpins carrying a current in a first phase, n being an integer. The plurality of hairpins is configured in respective conductor layers (L1, L2 . . . ) having a plurality of respective turn locations defining n respective turn positions. The plurality of hairpins is configured to occupy the n respective turn positions an equal number of times such that the respective conductor layers (L1, L2 . . . ) are electrically balanced.

Abstract: A rotary electric machine includes a rotor and a stator. The stator has windings and teeth extending radially from a stator core. Each tooth is separated from an adjacent tooth by a stator slot that opens to a radial stator-rotor airgap via a slot opening. The windings are positioned within each slot. Each stator tooth has a tooth tip with a surface profile configured to guide rotor flux away from areas of the windings proximate the respective slot opening. The tip surface profile may be a concave region, e.g., a dent/chamfer, and/or a convex region, e.g., a bump/bulge, and is formed in a distal end surface of the tip proximate the opening. The stator-rotor airgap is smaller at the convex region and larger at the concave region than elsewhere along the distal end surface. An electrical system includes the machine, a battery, and a power inverter module.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) includes a rotor with rotatable magnets and a stator defining an air gap with the rotor. An actuator rotates the rotatable magnets at predetermined operating points through an angular distance sufficient for changing magnetic pole orientations of the rotatable magnets, and thus modifies magnetic flux linkage with stator windings across the air gap. Fixed magnets may be arranged around a circumference of the rotor. The actuator may be actively or passively driven. Flux-shunting elements are optionally disposed in the rotor to further modify the flux linkage. A gear set connected to torque transfer elements may be driven by the actuator to rotate the rotatable magnets. A vehicle includes drive wheels, a transmission, and the PM machine. A method controls magnetic flux linkage in the PM machine noted above.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) for a vehicle or other system includes a rotor assembly, fixed permanent magnets, a stator, an actuator, and one or more repositionable/moveable flux-shunting elements. The flux-shunting element is repositioned to control flux at specific operating points of the PM machine. The rotor assembly has a rotor coaxially surrounding and coupled to a rotor shaft. The permanent magnets are mounted to or in the rotor, and the moveable flux-shunting element is positioned between the rotor shaft and a respective one of the permanent magnets. Inboard and outboard ends of each respective permanent magnet may be oriented toward the rotor shaft and stator, respectively. The actuator selectively positions the moveable flux-shunting element at one or more operating points of the PM machine to vary reluctance in a magnetic circuit formed by the stator and rotor assembly.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) includes a rotor with rotatable magnets and a stator defining an air gap with the rotor. An actuator rotates the rotatable magnets at predetermined operating points through an angular distance sufficient for changing magnetic pole orientations of the rotatable magnets, and thus modifies magnetic flux linkage with stator windings across the air gap. Fixed magnets may be arranged around a circumference of the rotor. The actuator may be actively or passively driven. Flux-shunting elements are optionally disposed in the rotor to further modify the flux linkage. A gear set connected to torque transfer elements may be driven by the actuator to rotate the rotatable magnets. A vehicle includes drive wheels, a transmission, and the PM machine. A method controls magnetic flux linkage in the PM machine noted above.

Abstract: A rotating electric machine includes a stator and a rotor disposed within the stator. The stator defines a plurality of teeth and a plurality of semi-open slots. The plurality of semi-open slots further include a plurality of slot groups wherein each slot group further includes a plurality of slot subgroups. Each slot group includes at least a first subgroup of slots having a first slot opening width and being dedicated to a first phase, and a second subgroup of slots having a second slot opening width and being dedicated to a second phase, the second slot opening width being different from the first slot opening width.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) for a vehicle or other system includes a rotor assembly, fixed permanent magnets, a stator, an actuator, and one or more repositionable/moveable flux-shunting elements. The flux-shunting element is repositioned to control flux at specific operating points of the PM machine. The rotor assembly has a rotor coaxially surrounding and coupled to a rotor shaft. The permanent magnets are mounted to or in the rotor, and the moveable flux-shunting element is positioned between the rotor shaft and a respective one of the permanent magnets. Inboard and outboard ends of each respective permanent magnet may be oriented toward the rotor shaft and stator, respectively. The actuator selectively positions the moveable flux-shunting element at one or more operating points of the PM machine to vary reluctance in a magnetic circuit formed by the stator and rotor assembly.

Abstract: A stator assembly includes a plurality of stator slots having multiple respective slot layers and a plurality of hairpins. The plurality of hairpins have a respective first leg positioned in one of the multiple respective slot layers and a respective second leg positioned in another of the multiple respective slot layers. A first set of n adjacent slots of the plurality of stator slots is configured to accommodate the plurality of hairpins carrying a current in a first phase, n being an integer. The plurality of hairpins is configured in respective conductor layers (L1, L2 . . . ) having a plurality of respective turn locations defining n respective turn positions. The plurality of hairpins is configured to occupy the n respective turn positions an equal number of times such that the respective conductor layers (L1, L2 . . . ) are electrically balanced.

Abstract: A synchronous reluctance motor includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is configured to rotate relative to the stator about a rotational axis. The rotor is spaced apart from the stator to define an air gap between the stator and the rotor and includes a rotor core defines an outermost rotor surface and an innermost rotor surface opposite the innermost rotor surface. The rotor core includes a plurality of ribs separating rotor cavities from each other and includes a plurality of rotor bridges separating the air gap and the rotor cavities. Permanent magnets are each disposed in one of the rotor cavities. The magnet surface area of the permanent magnets is less than cavity surface area of the rotor cavities. Each of the permanent magnets is adjacent to the outermost rotor surface to maximize magnetic saturation at the ribs and the rotor bridges.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a stator which includes the following steps: (1) providing a plurality of stator laminations; (2) stacking the plurality of stator laminations in a stator housing; (3) providing a plurality of conductors; (4) sliding at least two linear portions of each conductor into a corresponding dual position slot for the linear portion; (5) applying a jig to the plurality of dual position slots so as to close the dual position slots into a closed position. The plurality of stator laminations defining a plurality of dual position slots being in an open position when the stator laminations are stacked in the stator housing.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) includes a rotor with rotatable magnets and a stator defining an air gap with the rotor. An actuator rotates the rotatable magnets at predetermined operating points through an angular distance sufficient for changing magnetic pole orientations of the rotatable magnets, and thus modifies magnetic flux linkage with stator windings across the air gap. Fixed magnets may be arranged around a circumference of the rotor. The actuator may be actively or passively driven. Flux-shunting elements are optionally disposed in the rotor to further modify the flux linkage. A gear set connected to torque transfer elements may be driven by the actuator to rotate the rotatable magnets. A vehicle includes drive wheels, a transmission, and the PM machine. A method controls magnetic flux linkage in the PM machine noted above.

Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) for a vehicle or other system includes a rotor assembly, fixed permanent magnets, a stator, an actuator, and one or more repositionable/moveable flux-shunting elements. The flux-shunting element is repositioned to control flux at specific operating points of the PM machine. The rotor assembly has a rotor coaxially surrounding and coupled to a rotor shaft. The permanent magnets are mounted to or in the rotor, and the moveable flux-shunting element is positioned between the rotor shaft and a respective one of the permanent magnets. Inboard and outboard ends of each respective permanent magnet may be oriented toward the rotor shaft and stator, respectively. The actuator selectively positions the moveable flux-shunting element at one or more operating points of the PM machine to vary reluctance in a magnetic circuit formed by the stator and rotor assembly.

Abstract: An electric device and a stator assembly for the electric device includes a stator core defining a plurality of slots spaced from each other. The stator assembly includes a plurality of bar conductors disposed in each of the slots and arranged to present a first winding path, a second winding path and a third winding path. A first set of the bar conductors of the first, second and third winding paths are configured to receive current in a parallel circuit arrangement. The stator assembly also includes a plurality of electrical jumpers electrically connected to a predetermined number of the bar conductors such that an amount of current flowing through the first winding path and the third winding path is substantially the same and an amount of current flowing through the second winding path is different from the amount of current flowing through the first and third winding paths.

Abstract: An electric machine assembly includes a rotor assembly that includes a plurality of rotor parts including a reference rotor part and a first control rotor part. Each rotor part is rotatable about a longitudinal axis and mechanically separated from another rotor part along the longitudinal axis. The first control rotor part is controllable to rotate while aligned with the reference rotor part with a zero or near zero skew angle relative to the reference rotor part. The first control rotor part is also controllable to rotate while unaligned with the reference rotor part with a non-zero skew angle relative to the reference rotor part. The electric machine assembly further includes a rotor controller that is configured to control the degree of skew angle between the control rotor part and the reference rotor part.

Abstract: A stator assembly includes a plurality of stator slots, including a first stator slot defining a slot axis. A plurality of conductors is at least partially positioned in the first stator slot and forms a winding set. The assembly is characterized by uneven conductor lengths and a combination of series and parallel connections in the coil sets of the winding set. The winding set includes at least one coil set with the conductors connected in series and at least one coil set with the conductors connected in parallel. At least one of the conductors extends a first conductor length along the slot axis and at least another of conductors extends a second conductor length along the slot axis. The first conductor length is different from the second conductor length. The assembly results in reduced winding alternating current losses, enhanced motor torque and additional turn count options.

Abstract: A synchronous reluctance electric machine is described, and includes a stator including a plurality of electrical windings and a rotor disposed in a cylindrically-shaped void formed within the stator. The rotor includes a plurality of steel laminations assembled onto a shaft, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis. Each of the steel laminations includes a plurality of poles and each of the poles includes a plurality of slots disposed near an outer periphery. The slots of the steel laminations are longitudinally aligned. A plurality of packets assembled from anisotropic material are disposed in the slots.

Abstract: An interior permanent magnet electric machine is described, and includes a stator including a plurality of electrical windings and a rotor disposed in a cylindrically-shaped void formed within the stator. The rotor includes a plurality of steel laminations assembled onto a shaft, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis. Each of the steel laminations includes a plurality of poles and each of the poles includes a plurality of slots disposed near an outer periphery. The slots of the steel laminations are longitudinally aligned. A plurality of permanent magnets are disposed in a first subset of the slots, and plurality of packets assembled from anisotropic material are disposed in a second subset of the slots.