Robust permanent magnet electric machine and methods
AssigneeZero E Technologies, LLC
InventorsThomas H. Hopkins, Felipe J. Castillo, Scott T. Graham, Keith W. Klontz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for enhancing the robustness and stability of an electric machine having a rotor, stator and housing. The rotor includes a radially mounted array of permanent magnets and the stator includes a plurality of electromagnets radially positioned around the rotor. The rotor is stabilized by providing a first thermally conductive dielectric encapsulant in contact with adjacent permanent magnets. The stator is stabilized by providing a second thermally conductive dielectric encapsulant in contact with adjacent electromagnets.
Claims27
An electric machine comprising:
- a rotor comprising;
- a shaft defining a length-wise shaft axis;
- a rotor back assembly surrounding a portion of the shaft;
- a plurality of permanent magnets radially positioned around the rotor back assembly;
- and
- a first thermally conductive dielectric encapsulant substantially filling the gap between two adjacent permanent magnets and being in thermal contact with the two adjacent permanent magnets;
- a stator comprising;
- a plurality of electromagnets radially positioned around the rotor and separated from an exterior surface of the rotor by a magnetic air gap;
- and
- a second thermally conductive dielectric encapsulant in contact with adjacent electromagnets;
- and
- a housing supporting the rotor and stator.
A method of stabilizing an electric machine comprising:
- providing an electric machine comprising;
- a rotor comprising;
- a shaft defining a length-wise shaft axis;
- a rotor back assembly surrounding a portion of the shaft;
- and
- a plurality of permanent magnets radially positioned around the rotor back assembly;
- and
- a stator comprising;
- a plurality of electromagnets radially positioned around the rotor and separated from an exterior surface of the rotor by a magnetic air gap;
- supporting the stator and the rotor with a housing;
- stabilizing the rotor by providing a first thermally conductive dielectric encapsulant substantially filling the gap between two adjacent permanent magnets and being in thermal contact with the two adjacent permanent magnets;
- and
- stabilizing the stator by providing a second thermally conductive dielectric encapsulant in contact with adjacent electromagnets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.