Plural Rotary Elements Patents (Class 310/114)
  • Patent number: 6977454
    Abstract: An electric machine (40) has a stator (43), a permanent magnet rotor (38) with permanent magnets (39) and a magnetic coupling uncluttered rotor (46) for inducing a slip energy current in secondary coils (47). A dc flux can be produced in the uncluttered rotor when the secondary coils are fed with dc currents. The magnetic coupling uncluttered rotor (46) has magnetic brushes (A, B, C, D) which couple flux in through the rotor (46) to the secondary coils (47c, 47d) without inducing a current in the rotor (46) and without coupling a stator rotational energy component to the secondary coils (47c, 47d). The machine can be operated as a motor or a generator in multi-phase or single-phase embodiments and is applicable to the hybrid electric vehicle. A method of providing a slip energy controller is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
    Inventor: John S. Hsu
  • Patent number: 6975055
    Abstract: A dynamo-electric machine has a stator with a primary winding and a rotor with a field magnet and a shaft. the field magnet includes a first field magnet having diferent polarity magnetic poles sequentially arranged in a rotation direction and a second field magnet having diferent polarity magnetic poles sequentially arranged in a rotation direction. The machine further has a mechanism for shifting the first and the second field magnets in axial and rotation directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kim Houng Joong, Shigeta Ueda
  • Patent number: 6969936
    Abstract: A rotational position detecting sensor-equipped motor is capable of reducing a dimension thereof in an axial direction thereof. The motor includes a motor section including a motor stator and a motor rotor, a revolving shaft to which the motor rotor is coupled, a bearing structure for rotatably supporting the revolving shaft, and a rotational position detecting sensor for detecting a rotational position of the revolving shaft. The bearing structure, revolving shaft, motor section and rotational position detecting sensor are arranged so as to be concentric with each other in a radial direction of the revolving shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuji Suzuki, Hideyuki Ishii, Hidetoshi Hayashi, Sakae Kishi
  • Patent number: 6943473
    Abstract: An electric rotating machine including a casing, two disk-shaped rotors arranged in concentric relation to each other within the casing, and a stator disposed concentrically with the rotors within the casing. The rotors include magnets, respectively. The magnet of one of the rotors and the magnet of the other of the rotors are disposed radially offset from each other. The stator includes a radially outer portion axially opposed to the magnet of one of the rotors and a radially inner portion axially opposed to the magnet of the other of the rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisayuki Furuse, Masaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 6930421
    Abstract: A torque converter includes a flywheel rotating about a first axis, the flywheel including a first body portion, a first plurality of permanent magnets mounted in the first body portion, each of the first plurality of permanent magnets extending along a corresponding radial axis direction with respect to the first axis, and a second plurality of permanent magnets mounted in the first body portion, each of the second plurality of permanent magnets being located between a corresponding adjacent pair of the first plurality of permanent magnets, and a generator disk rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the generator disk including a second body portion, and a third plurality of permanent magnets within the second body portion magnetically coupled to the first and second pluralities of permanent magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Magnetic Torque International, Ltd.
    Inventor: Richard J. Wise
  • Patent number: 6930422
    Abstract: An electrical machine includes first and second magnetically permeable parallel cores. Each core is elongated to thereby define a lengthwise direction and first and second core profiles transverse to the lengthwise direction. First coils are wound about the first core profile and sequentially disposed along the length of the first core. Second coils are wound about the second core profile and sequentially disposed along the length of the second core. A multi-pole elongated permanent magnet is parallel with the cores and located between them. The magnet is movable, relative to the cores, in the lengthwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Mitchell Rose
  • Patent number: 6924574
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel dual-rotor, radial-flux, toroidally-wound, permanent-magnet machine. The present invention improves electrical machine torque density and efficiency. At least one concentric surface-mounted permanent magnet dual-rotor is located inside and outside of a torus-shaped stator with back-to-back windings, respectively. The machine substantially improves machine efficiency by reducing the end windings and boosts the torque density by at least doubling the air gap and optimizing the machine aspect ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ronghai Qu, Thomas A. Lipo
  • Patent number: 6911752
    Abstract: A concatenated motor assembly for providing rotational power that includes a continuous rotatable shaft cooperating with a first motor module assembly. The first motor module assembly communicates with a motor coupling unit, which in turn communicates with a second motor module. The second motor module and the motor coupling unit each cooperate with the rotatable shaft. The first and second motor modules are wound rotor electric motor. The first motor module assembly generates and provides an induced current to the motor coupling unit, which in turn provides power input to the second motor module assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Wood Group ESP, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Breit, O. Howard Glaze
  • Patent number: 6909215
    Abstract: An electric motor comprising a shaft 300 on which is mounted n motor modules (where n is an integer). Each motor module consists of two generally disc-shaped rotors 302 having a coil 304 sandwiched between them. Each rotor/coil module is separated from the adjacent module by an insulative spacer element 306 and a PTFE disc 308 which is mounted on the shaft 300 concentrically with the rotors 302 and the coil 304. The axis about which each coil 304 is wound is substantially in line with the axis of rotation of the respective rotors 302.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventor: John Graham Bryant
  • Patent number: 6903471
    Abstract: A multi-shaft, multi-layer motor has a stator coaxially disposed between inner and outer rotors which are driven independently by a compound current. For cooling stator coils, first through last branch coolant passages are arranged around the axis. The upstream ends of the first through last branch passages are arranged in sequence circumferentially along a distributing circumferential passage in a direction away from a common introduction port for introducing the coolant into the distributing circumferential passage, and the downstream ends of the first through last branch passages are distributed in sequence circumferentially along a collecting circumferential passage in a direction toward a common discharge port for discharging the coolant from the collecting circumferential passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Arimitsu, Takashi Kato, Shuzo Miyake
  • Patent number: 6888273
    Abstract: An integrated motor and clutch assembly is provided, which includes a housing that rotatably supports an input shaft and an output shaft. A selectively engageable friction clutch is disposed between the input shaft and the output shaft for transferring torque therebetween. The friction clutch includes an outer hub connected for rotation with the output shaft. The integrated motor and clutch assembly also includes a motor having a rotor non-rotatably connected to the outer hub of the friction clutch and disposed coaxial with the input and output shafts. The motor also includes a stator secured to the housing and disposed concentric with the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas A. Hughes, James K. Spring
  • Patent number: 6886225
    Abstract: A worktable for numerical control machines, having a supporting structure hinged to the frame of the machine tool, and a faceplate fitted for rotation to the supporting structure to rotate, on command, about a first reference axis; the worktable having a first drive unit specially designed, on command, to rotate, and maintain rotation of, the faceplate at high speed about the first axis, and a second drive unit specially designed to vary, as required, the angular position of the faceplate about the first axis and with respect to a predetermined angular reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: O.M.V. Officine Meccaniche Venete S.r.l.
    Inventor: Franco Pasquetto
  • Patent number: 6876113
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved alternators for use alone or in combination with, for example, rotary internal combustion engines wherein the alternators are characterised by absence of moveable bearings or mountability to existing driving shafts by use of an aligning plate and through passage through the rotor of the alternator to mount to the driving shaft. The alternators may be further characterised by plural rotors on the rotor driving shaft. The rotary internal combustion engines of the present invention are characterised by fixed size combustion chambers formed of radial recesses around a rotor amongst other features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Inventor: David Jonathan Harris
  • Patent number: 6867560
    Abstract: A rotary electric machine having a plurality of rotors is driven by a compound current. A voltage to be applied to a stator of the rotary electric machine is in the form of a compound rectangular or stepwise voltage composed of a plurality of superposed components each of which is a rectangular or stepwise wave having a frequency corresponding to the revolution speed of a unique one of the rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Arimitsu
  • Patent number: 6864604
    Abstract: A multi-shaft, multi-layer motor includes an inner rotor, an outer rotor surrounding the inner rotor, and a stator disposed coaxially between the inner and outer rotors. The motor further includes an outer member surrounding the outer rotor and defining a first wet chamber between the outer rotor and the outer member; an inner member defining a second wet chamber surrounded by the inner rotor; and an intermediate member defining a dry chamber communicating with an outer air gap between the stator and the outer rotor, and an inner air gap between the stator and the inner rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Nakano, Takashi Kato
  • Patent number: 6864648
    Abstract: A motor that includes a stator that contains a first winding and a second winding driven by alternating currents. The rotor is arranged to rotate relative to the stator and contains a third winding and a fourth winding for generating a magnetic field with an amplitude and a phase angle relative to the alternating currents in the first and second windings of the stator. The motor includes a circuit in communication with the third and fourth windings for controlling the phase angle of the magnetic field and generating a rotating magnetic field that is in phase-lock with the alternating currents in the first and second windings of the stator. The motor also includes a control circuit and a comparator. The control circuit has an angular position feedback device for measuring the phase of the stator and the angular position and velocity of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Powersci, Inc
    Inventor: Ian D. Stedman
  • Patent number: 6844644
    Abstract: In a method of connecting an electric rotating machine, a second predetermined number of feeders on each of which a total sum of a current flow is zeroed is selected when the second predetermined number of the feeders are interconnected at a neutral point by a third predetermined number of groups from among a first predetermined number of the feeders and each coil of the rotating machine is connected between a corresponding one of the first predetermined number of the feeders and a corresponding one of the second predetermined number of the feeders for each of the third predetermined number of the groups, a product between the second predetermined number and the third predetermined number corresponding to that between a number of current phases in the compound current for driving a corresponding one of rotors and a number of pole pairs of the corresponding one of the rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minoru Arimitsu
  • Patent number: 6844647
    Abstract: The permanent magnet brushless motor permits dynamic change of output characteristics by varying the positional relationships of rotor components, with respect to each other and with respect to the stator, to progressively effect field weakening with increasing speeds. The force required to impart the limited range of motion involved is transmitted to the rotor component by way of bearings and/or an actuation motor, and a helical guide path is used to great advantage for constraining such movement. The wide, dynamically adjustable motor output range of the motor effectively provides the equivalent of an efficient, continuously variable transmission. High torque at low speeds, and efficient, constant power output over a wide high speed range, uniquely adapt the motor for use as the prime mover for electric/hybrid vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Seiberco Incorporated
    Inventor: Ralph W. Horber
  • Patent number: 6844643
    Abstract: A motor device including a pair of motor units and a driven member meshed with rotary gears of the pair of motor units to drive the driven member, the motor units each including a rotary magnet that is cylindrical and magnetized so as to have different magnetic poles in turn along the circumferential direction, a rotary gear having a plurality of teeth, the rotary gear rotating about the rotation axis of the rotary magnet together with the rotary magnet, and a stator member having a plurality of outer magnetic poles that are arranged on the outer periphery of the rotary magnet and an inner magnetic pole that is arranged on the inner periphery of the rotary magnet and is opposed to the outer magnetic poles, the plural outer magnetic poles and the inner magnetic pole being excited by a coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chikara Aoshima
  • Patent number: 6841911
    Abstract: A machine tool provided with an electric motor which can maintain the fixed output power in a wide speed range. The electric motor has a stator having a primary winding, and a rotor having a field magnet and a shaft, said field magnet comprising a first field magnet having different polarity magnetic poles sequentially arranged in a rotating direction and a second field magnet having different polarity magnetic poles sequentially arranged in a rotating direction, and a mechanism for shifting one field magnet in axial and rotating directions with respect to the other field magnet, whereby a composite magnetic field of said first and said second field magnets is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Houng Joong Kim, Toshiaki Okuyama
  • Patent number: 6841910
    Abstract: A magnetic coupling having two opposed annular arrays of angularly spaced permanent magnets magnetized to create magnetic north poles and magnetic south poles alternately spaced about each array. The north-pole and south-pole magnets of each array are tapered in cross-section from their surfaces at the gap to an annular surface of the array spaced from the gap, and permanent magnet spacer magnets completely fill in the space between the north-pole and south-pole magnets from the annular surface of the array at the gap to the spaced annular surface with the spacer magnets being magnetized generally transversely to the direction of magnetization of the adjacent north-pole, south-pole magnets so that the magnetic field created by the permanent magnets extends across the gap and annularly through each array to cause one of the arrays to rotate in synchronism with the other array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Quadrant Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Gery
  • Patent number: 6838790
    Abstract: A stator for use in a two rotor single stator type electric motor includes a stator core including a plurality of stator teeth that are circumferentially arranged around a common axis leaving a plurality of identical spaces each being defined between adjacent two of the stator teeth. Each stator tooth includes a plurality of flat magnetic steel plates that are aligned along the common axis. A plurality of coils are put around the stator teeth respectively. Bolts extend through identical spaces of the stator core for combining the flat magnetic steel plates to have a fixed structure of the stator core. A molded plastic fills the identical spaces of the stator core. A plurality of elongate plate bars extend in the identical spaces through the molded plastic respectively. Each elongate plate bar extends in parallel with the common axis and is constructed of a magnetic material that has an electric resistance higher than the bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Arimitsu, Masaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 6833646
    Abstract: A hybrid drive type vehicle having a permanent magnet type synchronous motor can provide high torque characteristics in low revolution speed range of the engine and high power generation characteristics at high revolution speed range of the engine. The hybrid drive type vehicle includes an electric rotary machine being formed with a stator and a rotor. A field magnet of the rotor include a first field magnet and a second field magnet. The first and second field magnets are opposing with a magnetic pole of the stator and having a mechanism for varying a phase of a magnetic pole resulting from combination of the first and second field magnets relative to the magnetic pole of the first field magnet depending upon direction of a torque of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kim Houng Joong, Kazuo Tahara, Kou Ajima, Koki Ueta, Toshiyuki Innami, Noriaki Hino, Taizo Miyazaki, Tomoyuki Hanyu, Kousaku Ohno
  • Publication number: 20040251761
    Abstract: A radial gap, transverse flux dynamoelectric machine comprises stator and rotor assemblies. The rotor assembly comprises at least two axially spaced, planar rotor layers having equal numbers of discrete rotor magnets disposed equiangularly about the rotor peripheral circumference with alternating north and south poles. A magnetically permeable member optionally links adjacent rotor magnets. The stator assembly comprises a plurality of amorphous metal stator cores terminating in first and second polefaces. The cores are disposed equiangularly about the peripheral circumference of the stator assembly with their polefaces axially aligned. Respective first and second polefaces are in layers radially adjacent corresponding rotor layers. Stator windings encircle the stator cores. The device is operable at a high commutating frequency and may have a high pole count, providing high efficiency, torque, and power density, along with flexibility of design, ease of manufacture, and efficient use of magnetic materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Andrew D. Hirzel
  • Publication number: 20040251759
    Abstract: A radial gap, transverse flux dynamoelectric machine comprises stator and rotor assemblies. The rotor assembly comprises at least two axially spaced, planar rotor layers having equal numbers of magnetic poles of alternating polarity disposed equiangularly about the rotor peripheral circumference. A magnetically permeable member optionally links adjacent rotor magnets. The stator assembly comprises a plurality of amorphous metal stator cores terminating in first and second polefaces. The cores are disposed equiangularly about the peripheral circumference of the stator assembly with their polefaces axially aligned. Respective first and second polefaces are in layers radially adjacent corresponding rotor layers. Stator windings encircle the stator cores. The device is operable at a high commutating frequency and may have a high pole count, providing high efficiency, torque, and power density, along with flexibility of design, ease of manufacture, and efficient use of magnetic materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Andrew D. Hirzel
  • Publication number: 20040245878
    Abstract: A radial core type double rotor brushless direct-current motor is provided in which a double rotor structure is employed with inner and outer rotors which are doubly disposed and thus a stator core is completely divided. The motor includes a rotational shaft which is rotatably mounted on a housing of an apparatus, cylindrical inner and outer yokes which are rotatably mounted on the center of the housing, inner and outer rotors including a number of magnets which are mounted with the opposing polarities on the outer surface of the inner yoke and the inner surface of the outer yoke, and a number of cores assemblies which are installed between the inner and outer rotors in which a number of coils are wound around a number of division type cores, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Pyung Kyu Kim, Kyu Hyuk Jeong, Hyung Geun Song, Sang Han Lee
  • Publication number: 20040239199
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel dual-rotor, radial-flux, toroidally-wound, permanent-magnet machine. The present invention improves electrical machine torque density and efficiency. At least one concentric surface-mounted permanent magnet dual-rotor is located inside and outside of a torus-shaped stator with back-to-back windings, respectively. The machine substantially improves machine efficiency by reducing the end windings and boosts the torque density by at least doubling the air gap and optimizing the machine aspect ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Ronghai Qu, Thomas A. Lipo
  • Patent number: 6822361
    Abstract: An orbiting multi-rotor homopolar machine employs axially parallel, cylindrical, electrically conductive magnets arranged circumferentially around vertical axis of central stator ring, intimately contacting and engaging non-slip rolling between rotor magnets and stator. A bearing rotatably secures each end of each magnet to a corresponding electrically conductive circular endplate, each slightly wider than the stator. An electrically conductive axle located in the center of the stator rigidly attaches to one of the top circular endplate, and an electrically insulating bearing means attaches the center of bottom circular endplate to a coaxial inner cylinder, located between the axle and the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Energy & Propulsion Systems LLC
    Inventors: Vladimir Vitalievich Roschin, Sergi Mikhailovich Godin
  • Publication number: 20040227423
    Abstract: This innovation of an electric motor is designed to replace the internal combustion engine, and will power many form of transportation and equipments. By using plurality of armature shafts with plurality of armatures disposed on each shaft, which work together as a unit to develop any required amount of torque. A torque coupling gear box having gear wheels, and shafts, are coupled to each different one of the armature shaft, and combine all of its torque into motive power at the output. Base on the components that is being used, and also the form in which they are configured, point to a device with tremendous output capability; for a small fraction of input. With modification, this innovation can also be use to generate electric current with the same tremendous efficiency, while operating pollution free.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventor: Sydney A. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 6819017
    Abstract: A device is presented having a multiplicity of motors connected to a shaft. A multiplicity of motor control devices are connected to the motors. A multiplicity of bearings are connected to the motors and the shaft. The multiplicity of motors, the multiplicity of motor control devices and the multiplicity of bearings continue to control the shaft rotation speed upon failure of either one of the multiplicity of motors, the multiplicity of motor control devices, or the multiplicity of bearings. Also presented is a device having at least one motor connected to a shaft. At least one bearing is connected to the at least one motor and the shaft. The at least one bearing has a multiplicity of rotating sleeves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Casey R. Winkel, Donovan D. Van Sleet, Robert J. Fite, Tomm V. Aldridge, Eyran Eylon
  • Patent number: 6815857
    Abstract: In an electrical rotating machine, two rotors are provided, each rotor has a plurality of permanent magnets along its peripheral direction thereof, arranged coaxially with the other rotor, and is driven by means of a compound current supplied to stator coils and a single stator has a plurality of stator coils through which the compound current is caused to flow, one of the rotors exhibiting a forward saliency characteristic and the other rotor exhibits a reverse saliency characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kan Akatsu
  • Patent number: 6815863
    Abstract: A stator (1) for an electrical induction machine comprises at least two stator sections (2, 3) at two different axial positions, each section having a plurality of circumferentially separated, radially extending teeth (6, 7) and each tooth having a single winding. The stator sections are mutually phase-shifted so as to reduce the effect of other harmonics than the working harmonics. In a stator having two separated stator sections, these are physically phase-shifted by 180° electrical±an angle related to skew, and then have their electrical supplies also shifted by 180° electrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Höganäs AB
    Inventors: Alan G. Jack, Barrie Mecrow, Öystein Krogen
  • Publication number: 20040217665
    Abstract: An electric motor, particularly an electronically commutated direct current motor, has a stator and a rotor. The stator and the rotor are arranged coaxially to a longitudinal axis of the electric motor. The stator features a plurality of electrical stator poles and a plurality of phase windings. The rotor features a permanent magnet with a least one magnetic pole pair which is dedicated to the phase windings. The phase windings and/or the permanent magnet are divided into several axial sections in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the electric motor and these sections are staggered around the longitudinal axis of the electric motor with respect to each other. Angular positions of the individual phases are offset with respect to each other is in such a way that torque ripple can be reduced and torque gaps can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Helmut Hans
  • Patent number: 6794781
    Abstract: An electrical machine comprises a combined magnetic gearbox and electrical generator. A first set of permanent magnets (30) are arranged on a rotor (16) to produce a spatially variable first magnetic field. A second set of permanent magnets (32) are arranged on a rotor (40,41,43), stationary pole pieces (36) are positioned between the first set of permanent magnets (30) and the second set of permanent magnets (32) to interfere with the first magnetic field. Rotation of the rotor (16) relative to the pole pieces (36) produces a second magnetic field which rotates the second set of permanent magnets (32). A stator (42) has windings (46) to transduce a changing second magnetic field produced by the rotation of the second set of permanent magnets (32) into an electrical voltage. The electrical machine is useful for a wind turbine generator. Alternatively the arrangement may be modified to produce an electrical motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Anthony G. Razzell, John J A Cullen
  • Patent number: 6787931
    Abstract: A starter generator for an internal combustion engine including: a rotating electric machine having a magnet rotor mounted to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, and a stator with a three-phase first armature coil and a three-phase second armature coil; a first battery and a second battery connected in series or in parallel; a first driver circuit provided between the first armature coil and the first battery, and a second driver circuit provided between the second armature coil and the second battery; and an inverter that converts voltages of the first battery and the second battery into an AC voltage, wherein drive currents are supplied to the first armature coil and the second armature coil from the first battery and the second battery through switch circuits in the first driver and the second driver, when the engine is started, and induced voltages of the first armature coil and the second armature coil are supplied to the batteries through rectifier circuits in the first driver and the second
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Kokusan Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Nakagawa, Yutaka Inaba, Shuichi Muramatsu, Hideaki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20040155554
    Abstract: A dual concentric AC motor allows for two independently operating AC motors that produce the same torque at the same current input as two conventional, separate electric motors while occupying a smaller physical volume. The dual concentric AC motor utilizes a single, hollow cylindrical stator core comprising inner and outer stators and an inner rotor and an outer rotor that operate independently of one another. The inner stator, with windings that face toward the center of the motor, couples to the inner rotor, which rotates inside the single stator core, while the outer stator, with windings that face away from the center of the motor, couples to the outer rotor, which rotates around the single stator core. A back iron, centrally located in the single stator core, physically and magnetically separates the inner and outer stators. The two rotors are coupled to separate, independent output shafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventor: John C. Morgante
  • Patent number: 6774591
    Abstract: A motor/generator comprises a stator (2) having plural coils (C1-C14), and plural rotors (3, 4) disposed coaxially with the above-mentioned stator and driven by a compound current. The phase difference between the currents (70, 71) driving the rotors (3, 4) is arranged to be other than 180 degrees. Thereby, the utilization factor of the voltage of the direct current power supply (10) is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Arimitsu, Shouichi Maeda
  • Patent number: 6768237
    Abstract: Electric motor system including at least a first electric motor that includes a first rotor. The first rotor is mechanically coupled to an engine. At least a second electric motor includes a second rotor. The second rotor is mechanically coupled to a mechanical aggregate. An electronic power system is also included. Each of the first electric motor and the second electrical motor is electrically coupled to one another via the electronic power system in order to exchange electric power at a freely selectable voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Inventor: Manfred Schroedl
  • Patent number: 6768215
    Abstract: In an engine starter of the present invention, a driving shaft to output a rotating force and a crankshaft of an engine are linked continuously. The engine starter comprises a one-way clutch to prevent an overrun of an armature after the engine starts. In the one-way clutch, a connecting rotation number in which an inner ring and an outer ring change from a disconnected state to a connected state in a decreasing process of engine revolutions is set above a lower limit of the engine revolutions above which the engine under suspension of the fuel supply is able to get restarted by itself by resuming of fuel supply. Therefore, the engine is always able to get restarted quickly even in a low-rotation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Souki, Akira Kato, Masaru Kamiya, Keisuke Tani, Kazuo Masaki
  • Patent number: 6744164
    Abstract: A motor according to the present invention is a motor using a rotor 5 including two first rotator portions 2, each having a permanent magnet 1, and a second rotator portion 3 having magnetic saliency inserted therebetween, coupled in a direction of a rotating shaft 4, and part of the rotor 5 is replaced with a reluctance motor, whereby an amount of the permanent magnet 1 is reduced, thus making it possible to reduce generated voltage. Further, there are provided the first rotator portion 2 on both sides of the second rotator portion 3, whereby the second rotator portion 3 is magnetically saturated through the effective use of going-round 18 of magnetic flux to raise salient ratio. Thus, reluctance torque caused in the second rotator portion 3 is increased, whereby it is possible to increase torque as a whole and to obtain a high-output motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kadoya, Yasuhiro Kondo, Masaki Tagome
  • Publication number: 20040090134
    Abstract: A generator comprising a generator main section having a stator provided with a winding and a rotor provided with a winding and opposed to the stator with an air gap therebetween, the rotor being rotatably supported by a rotating shaft, and an excitor having a stator provided with a winding and a rotor provided with a winding and opposed to the stator with an air gap therebetween, the rotor being rotatably supported by the rotating shaft of the generator main section, and wherein the winding provided on the rotor of the generator main section and the winding provided on the rotor of the excitor are electrically connected to each other through electronic parts, and the stator and the rotor of the excitor are opposed to each other with an air gap therebetween in a direction along the rotating shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazumasa Ide, Akiyoshi Komura, Mamoru Kimura, Shintaro Oku, Masayuki Tani
  • Patent number: 6731027
    Abstract: A three-phase hybrid type stepping motor of the present invention comprises a stator, a rotor arranged concentrically with the stator and with an air gap therebetween, six stator poles extending radially and formed at a regular pitch on the inner peripheral surface of an annular stator yoke, each of the stator poles having a plurality of small stator teeth at the tip end thereof, the rotor having two splitted rotor elements and a permanent magnet held therebetween and magnetized so as to form N and S poles in the axial direction thereof, fifty of small rotor teeth formed at a regular pitch on the outer peripheral surface of each of the rotor elements, the two splitted rotor elements being shifted from each other in angular position by a ½ pitch of the small rotor teeth, wherein a permeance distribution of the small stator teeth is a vernier pitch balanced by a six or three order harmonic wave, and a ratio of the width of the pole tooth to the rotor teeth pitch is set to 0.35-0.45.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Japan Servo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Ohnishi, Toshimi Abukawa, Masafumi Sakamoto, Koki Isozaki
  • Publication number: 20040080237
    Abstract: An electric motor includes: a stator having a plurality of first coils with a rotor receiving part formed inside thereof and generating a rotating magnetic field and a plurality of second coils making a pair with the first coils and generating an induction magnetic field induced by the magnetic field of the first coils; a first rotor formed as a hollow permanent magnet, installed in the rotor receiving part and rotated by the magnetic field formed in the first coils and the second coils of the stator; and a second rotor having a rotational shaft fixedly installed at a center of the second rotor, and being installed inside the first rotor so as to be rotated by rotation of the first rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Seung-Do Han, Kwan-Yuhl Cho, Hyoun-Jeong Shin
  • Patent number: 6727620
    Abstract: An axle drive apparatus includes a first rotor assembly with a first output shaft and a second rotor assembly with a second output shaft for providing independent rotation of the first and second output shafts. There also includes a first and second conductive assembly for, respectively, conducting electrical current into a inducing rotation of the first and the second rotor. Finally, an axial housing commonly connects the first and second rotor and the first and second brush card assembly. A method of operating an axle drive apparatus includes supplying current to a first conductive and second conductive assembly, respectively, to conduct the current into and inducing rotation of a first and second rotor assembly. Then the axle drive is operated by engaging a first rotor assembly and a second rotor assembly, respectively, providing independent rotation of a first and a second output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Stature Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris D. White, Roger G. Ormsby, Stan J. Morczek, Douglas P. Valin
  • Patent number: 6724113
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to gear transmission apparatus that are configured to largely eliminate the cogging effects and to reduce the backlash effects. In one embodiment, a transmission apparatus comprises a follower gear, a first drive gear set coupled with the follower gear to drive the follower gear, and a second drive gear set coupled with the follower gear to drive the follower gear. The first drive gear set includes at least one gear, and the second drive gear set includes at least one gear. A first motor is coupled with the first drive gear set. The first motor includes a first rotor having a plurality of poles which are movably disposed relative to a plurality of magnets. A second motor is coupled with the second drive gear set. The second motor includes a second rotor having a plurality of poles which are movably disposed relative to a plurality of magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Logitech Europe S.A.
    Inventor: David McVicar
  • Publication number: 20040066107
    Abstract: A magnetic coupling having two opposed annular arrays of angularly spaced permanent magnets magnetized to create magnetic north poles and magnetic south poles alternately spaced about each array. The north-pole and south-pole magnets of each array are tapered in cross-section from their surfaces at the gap to an annular surface of the array spaced from the gap, and permanent magnet spacer magnets completely fill in the space between the north-pole and south-pole magnets from the annular surface of the array at the gap to the spaced annular surface with the spacer magnets being magnetized generally transversely to the direction of magnetization of the adjacent north-pole, south-pole magnets so that the magnetic field created by the permanent magnets extends across the gap and annularly through each array to cause one of the arrays to rotate in synchronism with the other array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Gery
  • Patent number: 6713982
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an A. C. electrical machine comprising: a plurality of disk-shaped annular stator elements stacked and spaced equidistantly from each other and mounted on a frame; a plurality of disk-shaped rotor elements mounted on a rotational axis and spaced equidistantly from each other such that successive rotor elements are positioned between successive stator elements; a plurality of electrical windings on each of the first stator elements, which when energized with a current flow, produce a magnetic field in a direction substantially parallel to the axis; and a return path for completing a magnetic flux path in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on successive stator elements and through the rotor elements for generating a rotational force in the rotor elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Ronald Odell Burse
  • Patent number: 6713920
    Abstract: A linear actuator capable of inducing a linear motion as well as a rotational motion using only two rotors is provided. The linear actuator includes: first and second rotors connected to respective driving force sources; a linear motion unit formed on the first rotor to be linearly movable; and a driving power transmission unit which is fixed to the second rotor and engages the linear motion unit. A linear motion on a rotor can be easily induced using a relative angular velocity difference between two rotors without an additional driving power source for the linear motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji-yoon Kang, Woo-sup Han, Jun-o Kim, Yong-kyu Byun, Kyu-yong Kim
  • Patent number: 6710492
    Abstract: The motor/generator according to this invention is provided with a first rotor (23), a second rotor (21) and a stator (22) provided with a plurality of stator coils (1-6). The first rotor (23) is provided with magnetic poles by a magnet. The second rotor (21) is provided with magnetic poles by a magnet and a plurality of rotor coils (A-D). The motor/generator functions as a magnetic coupling by creating an equal number of magnetic poles in the first rotor (23) and the second rotor (21). When the first rotor (23) and the second rotor (21) are rotated by supplying a polyphase alternating current to the stator coils (1-6), a part of the rotor coils (A-D) are excited and the number of magnetic poles of the second rotor (21) is varied to allow independent rotation of the first rotor (23) and the second rotor (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuusuke Minagawa
  • Patent number: 6710491
    Abstract: The device includes at least a roller unit having a fixed immovable shaft rod combined with two coiled stator units having silicon steel stators respectively wound with a coil. Each coil stator unit has its outer circumference covered by a tubular-shaped magnet rotor unit having magnet rotors fitted inside, with every two abutting magnets axially and biasly positioned. A combination unit composed of a bearing and a bearing outer cover is fixed respectively at two ends of the magnet rotor unit. The roller unit includes gaps between the magnet rotors and gaps between the magnet rotors and the silicon steel stator. When the coiled stator units are electrically connected, the magnet rotor unit will rotate around the coiled stator unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Tonic Fitness Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mu-Chuan Wu, Bor-Jeng Lin, Mi-Ching Tsai, Shang-Hsun Mao