Abstract: A rotor for a permanent magnet synchronous machine. A first layer of cavities formed circumferentially within the rotor core structure. Pairs of the cavities in the first layer form V-shaped configurations and are spaced circumferentially about the rotor core structure in the first layer. A second layer of cavities is formed circumferentially within the rotor core structure. Pairs of the cavities in the second layer form V-shaped configurations and are spaced circumferentially about the rotor core structure in the second layer. A first set of permanent magnets is inserted within each cavity in the first layer and a second set of permanent magnets inserted within each cavity in the second layer. Each respective V-shaped configuration of the second layer having permanent magnets disposed therein extend greater than half a radial distance from the outer cylindrical wall to the inner cylindrical wall.

Abstract: A rotor for a permanent magnet synchronous machine that includes a rotor core structure. A first set of permanent magnets forms poles within the rotor core structure. Each pole includes a pair of permanent magnets from the first set of permanent magnets. A first set of apertures is formed in a first radial layer of the rotor core structure. Each pole includes a pair of apertures from the first set of apertures. The first set of permanent magnets is inserted within the first set of apertures. Each pair of permanent magnets within a pole cooperatively generates a magnetic field in a same direction within the pole. The magnetic field generated by a respective pair of magnets in a respective pole is opposite to a magnetic field generated by a pair of permanent magnets in an adjacent pole.

Abstract: A method of monitoring performance of an electric motor includes calculating an actual input power and an expected input power of the electric motor. A power difference between the actual input power and the expected input power is recursively calculated over at least one period of an electrical cycle of the electric motor to determine a variance in the power difference during the at least one period of the electrical cycle. The variance in the power difference is compared to a threshold value to determine if the variance in the power difference is greater than the threshold value or less than the threshold value. The control module may signal that the electric motor is not operating within allowable operating parameters when the variance in the power difference is less than the threshold value.

Abstract: An electric machine is provided that includes a rotor assembly having a rotor core configured to support permanent magnets spaced around the rotor core to define a number of rotor poles. The rotor core has multiple rotor slots arranged as multiple barrier layers at each of the rotor poles. The rotor core is configured so that the electric machine satisfies predetermined operating parameters. In one embodiment, the electric machine is coupled with an engine through a belt drive train and provides cranking (engine starting), regeneration and torque assist modes.

Abstract: A foamable formulation composition comprises at least 50 weight percent of an ethylene/?-olefin interpolymer having a Comonomer Distribution Constant in the range of from 15 to 250; a density in the range of from 0.875 to 0.963 g/cm3; a melt index (I2) in a range of from 0.5 to 5 g/10 minutes; and long chain branching frequency in the range of from 0.05 to 3 long chain branches (LCB) per 1000 C; (2) a blowing agent; and (3) a cross link agent. The formulation may be processed to result in a foam having a density ranging from 0.05 to 0.25 g/cm3 and have properties such as split tear, compression set, and/or shrinkage percentage that are improved in comparison with otherwise-identical formulations lacking the identified ethylene/?-olefin interpolymer in comparable amount. These foams may be particularly useful for a variety of applications, including, in particular, footwear applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for diagnosing stator windings in an electric motor. An exemplary method for diagnosing stator windings in an electric motor involves determining an input energy imbalance across phases of the stator windings for an electrical period of the electric motor and identifying a fault condition when the input energy imbalance is greater than a first threshold value. In some embodiments, an input energy ratio across phases of the stator windings is also determined for the electrical period, wherein the fault condition is identified as a phase-to-phase short circuit fault condition when the input energy ratio is greater than a second threshold value and the input energy imbalance is greater than the first threshold value, or alternatively, as an in-phase short circuit fault condition when the input energy ratio is less than the second threshold value.

Abstract: A method for detecting a mechanical overload condition of an energized linear actuator to prevent commanding an activation signal to the linear actuator that may mechanically overload the linear actuator includes monitoring feedback variation of a movable element associated with the linear actuator including monitoring a present feedback signal of the movable element, monitoring a previous feedback signal of the movable element, comparing the present feedback signal and the previous feedback signal and determining the feedback variation based on the comparing. The feedback variation is compared to a feedback variation threshold. An input signal associated with the activation signal for controlling the linear actuator is monitored and the input signal compared to an input signal threshold. The electrical overload condition is detected when the feedback variation is less than the feedback variation threshold and the input signal is greater than the input signal threshold.

Abstract: An equivalent power method for reducing the effects of voltage variation during at least one active material actuation event, includes determining an applied real output based on the ideal voltage of a voltage source, the corresponding ideal output of a controller, and a measured real voltage, and for providing voltage out of bounds compensation, by further determining a difference based on the maximum available power output of the controller during said at least one event, and applying the difference to determine the applied real output during subsequent event(s).

Abstract: A vent assembly is disposed within an interior space of a vehicle for opening and closing fluid communication between the interior space and an exterior of the vehicle. The vent assembly includes a housing defining a plurality of openings and a plurality of vanes disposed in the openings. An actuator mechanism moves the vanes between an open position and a closed position, and includes a shaped memory alloy (SMA) member for actuating the vanes between the open and closed positions. The SMA member is activated when a hatch of the vehicle is opened to move the vanes into the open position and thereby open fluid communication between the interior space and the exterior to alleviate excessive air pressure buildup during closure of the hatch.

Abstract: A BAS machine that includes a specific combination of the number of stator slots to the number of rotor bars to reduce torque ripple without the need for skewing the rotor bars. Particularly, the ratio of the number of stator slots to the number of rotor bars is selected to prevent first and second order harmonics between the stator slots and the rotor bars, where the ratio includes 36/26, 54/44, 72/56, 72/58 or 72/62 for a six pole machine, 48/36, 72/52, 72/58 or 84/86 for an eight pole machine, and 60/44 or 60/46 for a ten pole machine.

Abstract: A method for determining a temperature of an electric motor including stator windings includes injecting an AC current into a D-axis current of a stator winding at a frequency that is synchronized with a control frequency of the electric motor, determining a DC-phase current, determining a resistance of the stator winding corresponding to the DC-phase current and an applied voltage, and determining a temperature of the electric motor as a function of the resistance of the stator winding.

Abstract: A system for controlling an active material actuator includes an active material actuator configured to actuate when energized, a power supply configured to supply electrical power, and a control circuitry including a plurality of circuits and configured to selectively establish an electrical connection between the active material actuator and the power supply upon receipt of an activation signal. The control circuitry is configured to de-energize at least one of the circuits when no activation signal is received by the control circuitry in order to minimize parasitic current drawn from the power supply.

Abstract: A multi-layered shrink film comprising: at least three layers including two skin layers and at least one core layer; wherein at least one layer comprises from 10 to 100 weight percent units derived from one or more ethylene-based polymer compositions characterized by having Comonomer Distribution Constant in the range of from 75 to 220, a vinyl unsaturation of from 30 to 100 vinyls per one million carbon atoms present in the backbone of the ethylene-based polymer composition; a zero shear viscosity ratio (ZSVR) in the range from at least 2.5 to 15; a density in the range of 0.924 to 0.940 g/cm3, a melt index (I2) in the range of from 0.1 to 1 g/10 minutes, a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) in the range of from 2.5 to 10, and a molecular weight distribution (Mz/Mw) in the range of from 1.

Abstract: A vent assembly is disposed within an interior space of a vehicle for opening and closing fluid communication between the interior space and an exterior of the vehicle. The vent assembly includes a housing defining a plurality of openings and a plurality of vanes disposed in the openings. An actuator mechanism moves the vanes between an open position and a closed position, and includes a shaped memory alloy (SMA) member for actuating the vanes between the open and closed positions. The SMA member is activated when a hatch of the vehicle is open to move the vanes into the open position and thereby open fluid communication between the interior space and the exterior to alleviate excessive air pressure buildup during closure of the hatch.

Abstract: An electric drive system for a PM electric machine, where the machine includes a stator, a rotor and an inverter. Each phase of the machine includes a stator winding separated into a first winding section and a second winding section and two switches in the inverter electrically coupled to the winding sections. The drive system includes a switch assembly for each phase electrically coupled to the inverter switches and the first and second winding sections, where the switch assembly includes at least two switch states. A first switch state of the switch assembly electrically couples the first winding section and the second winding section in series to the inverter switches and a second switch state electrically couples the second winding section to the inverter switches and electrically disconnects the first winding section from the inverter switches.

Abstract: A single stator electric machine includes a plurality of magnets for generating a first magnetic field. Each respective magnet represents a respective rotor pole. A magnet holder retains the plurality of magnets. A stator is disposed radially outward from the plurality of magnets for generating a second magnetic field. The stator includes a plurality of stator poles separated by slots with each of the stator poles having a concentrated winding with a respective number of turns formed around each respective stator pole. Each respective concentrated winding within the stator comprises non-overlapping phases which increase an active length of the windings of the stator and reduce an overhang of each respective winding with respect to each stator pole for improving torque efficiency. A number of rotor poles is at least eight and the number of rotor poles and a number of stator slots have a least common multiple of at least 36.

Abstract: A method of monitoring performance of an electric motor includes calculating an actual input power and an expected input power of the electric motor. A power difference between the actual input power and the expected input power is recursively calculated over at least one period of an electrical cycle of the electric motor to determine a variance in the power difference during the at least one period of the electrical cycle. The variance in the power difference is compared to a threshold value to determine if the variance in the power difference is greater than the threshold value or less than the threshold value. The control module may signal that the electric motor is not operating within allowable operating parameters when the variance in the power difference is less than the threshold value.

Abstract: A method of controlling and/or predicting the remaining useful life of an active material actuator, such as a shape memory alloy wire, includes obtaining historical actuation data of an inherent system variable, such as electrical resistance, over a secondary variable, such as time, determining a normal operating envelope having upper and lower bounds based on the data, determining a current profile for a given actuation cycle, and comparing the shape of the current profile to the envelope to determine an out-of-bounds event.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for diagnosing stator windings in an electric motor. An exemplary method for diagnosing stator windings in an electric motor involves determining an input energy imbalance across phases of the stator windings for an electrical period of the electric motor and identifying a fault condition when the input energy imbalance is greater than a first threshold value. In some embodiments, an input energy ratio across phases of the stator windings is also determined for the electrical period, wherein the fault condition is identified as a phase-to-phase short circuit fault condition when the input energy ratio is greater than a second threshold value and the input energy imbalance is greater than the first threshold value, or alternatively, as an in-phase short circuit fault condition when the input energy ratio is less than the second threshold value.

Abstract: A system for and method of reducing the effects of preheat period variation in shape memory alloy actuation, include sensing the removal of motion delay due to slack, backlash, and/or compliance in the actuator and drive-train of the system, and determining actuator activation, as a result thereof.