Abstract: An electric motor includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor includes a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnets each disposed in one of the plurality of rotor cavities. The rotor core includes a plurality of polar pieces arranged annularly about the rotational axis. The plurality of permanent magnets includes a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet. The first permanent magnet is disposed inside the first rotor cavity. The second permanent magnet is disposed in the second rotor cavity. The rotor core includes an intra-polar bridge in each of the plurality of polar pieces. The first permanent magnet has a first surface area. The second permanent magnet has a second surface area. The second surface area is greater than the first surface area.

Abstract: A vehicle electric motor system includes an electric motor having a rotor. Multiple windings are mounted on the rotors individually having a coiled conductor including multiple conductor elements. A width of successive ones of the conductor elements is varied. At least one of the multiple conductor elements includes a continuous tapering body on the axis and alternatively at least one of the multiple conductor elements includes a smallest cross-sectional area having a first thickness approximately at a midpoint of the at least one of the multiple conductor elements and opposed ends positioned oppositely about the smallest cross-sectional area individually having a conductor element second thickness greater than the first thickness.

Abstract: A rotor for mounting on a rotational axis in an axial flux electric motor includes a ferromagnetic rotor core. The rotor also includes a plurality of alternating south and north pole permanent magnets (PMs) arranged on the ferromagnetic rotor core symmetrically around the rotational axis and facing the stator. The ferromagnetic rotor core includes a plurality of core saliencies extending to the rotor exterior surface. Each of the core saliencies is arranged between one south pole PM and one north pole PM. The plurality of core saliencies is phase-angle shifted relative to the plurality of alternating south and north pole PMs to thereby alter magnetic reluctance of the electric motor. An axial flux electric motor employing the above-described rotor is also contemplated.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes a rotationally-fixed stator defining a rotational axis of the electrical machine and having a plurality of stator magnetic poles, the stator magnetic poles disposed about the rotational axis. The electrical machine also has a rotor rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotational axis and axially spaced from the stator, the rotor having a plurality of permanent magnets facing the stator magnetic poles. Each stator magnetic pole includes a plurality of ferromagnetic laminations in a lamination stack that extends from a radially-inward extent to a radially-outward extent relative to the rotational axis, and a ferromagnetic composite pole portion affixed to the radially-outward extent or the radially-inward extent of the lamination stack of the stator magnetic pole.

Abstract: A vehicle electric motor system includes an electric motor having a rotor. Multiple windings are mounted on the rotor individually having a coiled conductor including multiple conductor elements. A width of successive ones of the conductor elements is varied.

Abstract: An electric motor includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor includes a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnets each disposed in one of the plurality of rotor cavities. The rotor core includes a plurality of polar pieces arranged annularly about the rotational axis. The plurality of permanent magnets includes a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet. The first permanent magnet is disposed inside the first rotor cavity. The second permanent magnet is disposed in the second rotor cavity. The rotor core includes an intra-polar bridge in each of the plurality of polar pieces. The first permanent magnet has a first surface area. The second permanent magnet has a second surface area. The second surface area is greater than the first surface area.

Abstract: An axial flux motor may include a stator, a rotor including a rotor frame and having a rotational axis, an axial air gap separating the stator and the rotor, the axial air gap corresponding to an axial position of the rotor frame, and at least one hydraulic actuator including a variable volume hydraulic fluid chamber defined within the rotor frame, wherein a change in the volume of the variable volume hydraulic fluid chamber causes a change in the axial position of the rotor frame and a corresponding change in the axial air gap separating the stator and the rotor.

Abstract: An electric drive system includes a permanent magnet motor, rotor magnets connected to a rotor thereof, a heating source such as a resistive heating element connected to the rotor magnets, and an electronic controller. The controller selectively heats the rotor magnets via the heating source during a predetermined low-load/high-speed operating mode of the electric drive system. The controller may preemptively cool the rotor magnets, e.g., via pre-chilled electrical coolant, in response to a predicted or impending high-load/low-speed operating mode. The heating element may include a positive temperature coefficient heating element disposed between a rotor yoke and the rotor magnets. A method includes detecting the low-load/high-speed operating mode, and selectively heating the rotor magnets via a heating source during such a mode. A motor vehicle includes road wheels and the electric drive system, the motor of which powers one or more of the road wheels.

Abstract: An example rotor includes a rotor yoke having an outer circumference and an inner circumference. The rotor further includes a plurality of rotor ribs on a surface the rotor yoke and extending between the outer circumference and the inner circumference. The rotor further includes a plurality of magnets, each of the plurality of magnets being disposed adjacent to and between two of the plurality of rotor ribs.

Abstract: A rotor for mounting on a rotational axis in an axial flux electric motor includes a ferromagnetic rotor core. The rotor also includes a plurality of alternating south and north pole permanent magnets (PMs) arranged on the ferromagnetic rotor core symmetrically around the rotational axis and facing the stator. The ferromagnetic rotor core includes a plurality of core saliencies extending to the rotor exterior surface. Each of the core saliencies is arranged between one south pole PM and one north pole PM. The plurality of core saliencies is phase-angle shifted relative to the plurality of alternating south and north pole PMs to thereby alter magnetic reluctance of the electric motor. An axial flux electric motor employing the above-described rotor is also contemplated.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes a rotationally-fixed stator defining a rotational axis of the electrical machine and having a plurality of stator magnetic poles, the stator magnetic poles disposed about the rotational axis. The electrical machine also has a rotor rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotational axis and axially spaced from the stator, the rotor having a plurality of permanent magnets facing the stator magnetic poles. Each stator magnetic pole includes a plurality of ferromagnetic laminations in a lamination stack that extends from a radially-inward extent to a radially-outward extent relative to the rotational axis, and a ferromagnetic composite pole portion affixed to the radially-outward extent or the radially-inward extent of the lamination stack of the stator magnetic pole.

Abstract: A cooled axial flux electric motor includes a rotationally-fixed stator defining a rotational axis and having a plurality of conductive stator magnetic poles arranged radially about the axis. The motor also includes a rotor spaced axially from one side from the stator and rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotational axis and defined by inside and outside diameters. The rotor has a first exterior surface facing the stator and a second exterior surface arranged opposite the first exterior surface. A ferromagnetic rotor core defines the rotor second exterior surface. The rotor also includes alternating south and north pole permanent magnets (PMs) arranged on the rotor core symmetrically around the axis and facing the stator. The rotor additionally includes channels extending radially outwardly across the rotor and configured to direct a coolant, via centrifugal force, from the inside diameter toward the outside diameter as the rotor rotates about the axis.

Abstract: A stator for an electrical machine defines a central axis and has a first stator face facing parallel to the central axis and a second stator face facing parallel to the central axis, with the first stator face and the second stator face facing in opposite directions. The stator includes a plurality of ferromagnetic segments disposed about the central axis, each segment having a pair of parallel faces that face parallel to the central axis of the stator. On each stator face, faces of adjacent segments of the plurality of segments form gaps therebetween, the gaps extending radially relative to the central axis, the gaps on the first stator face being angularly offset relative to the central axis from the gaps on the second stator face.

Abstract: An axial flux motor may include a stator, a rotor including a rotor frame and having a rotational axis, an axial air gap separating the stator and the rotor, the axial air gap corresponding to an axial position of the rotor frame, and at least one hydraulic actuator including a variable volume hydraulic fluid chamber defined within the rotor frame, wherein a change in the volume of the variable volume hydraulic fluid chamber causes a change in the axial position of the rotor frame and a corresponding change in the axial air gap separating the stator and the rotor.

Abstract: A rotor segment support member includes an annular body having an outer edge, an inner edge defining an opening, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface. The rotor segment support member has a circumferential axis extending about the annular body and a radial axis extending between the outer edge and a center of the opening through the inner edge. The annular body has a non-uniform cross-section extending along one of the circumferential axis and the radial axis.

Abstract: An example rotor includes a rotor yoke having an outer circumference and an inner circumference. The rotor further includes a plurality of rotor ribs on a surface the rotor yoke and extending between the outer circumference and the inner circumference. The rotor further includes a plurality of magnets, each of the plurality of magnets being disposed adjacent to and between two of the plurality of rotor ribs.

Abstract: A member for an axial flux electric machine, in accordance with a non-limiting example, includes a support member having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, an outer annular edge, and an inner annular edge that defines an opening having a center point. A plurality of members is mounted on one of the first surface and the second surface. Each of the plurality of members has a centerline that passes through the outer annular edge and the inner annular edge without passing through the center point creating a torque ripple reducing asymmetry in the member.

Abstract: A stator core segment for an axial flux electric motor includes a first lamination step having a first length, a first width, and a first thickness, and a second lamination step having a second length, a second width, and a second thickness. At least one of the second length, the second width, and the second thickness is distinct from corresponding ones of the first length, the first width, and the first thickness.