Rigid rotor structures for conical air gap electrodynamic machines

A rotor structure for a conical air gap electrodynamic machine, comprising:

• one or more rotor assemblies arranged on an axis of rotation, each of the one or more rotor assemblies including:
• magnetically permeable structures positioned radially about the axis of rotation, the magnetically permeable structures including:
• first surfaces confronting the conical air gap that are non-parallel to the axis of rotation,
• second adjacent surfaces, adjacent to the first surfaces, that are non-parallel to the axis of rotation,
• the second adjacent surfaces are disposed radially closer to the axis of rotation than the first surfaces, and
• non-confronting surfaces;
• one or more groups of magnetic structures including magnetic material, the one or more groups of magnetic structures including:
• a first group of magnetic structures interleaved with the magnetically permeable structures,
• a second group of magnetic structures, and
• a flux conductor shield disposed adjacent to the second group of magnetic structures, the flux conductor shield configured to provide return flux paths for the second group of the magnetic structures;
• a hub structure positioned axially on the axis of rotation which has mating surfaces which are adjacent to and coextensive with the second adjacent surfaces of the magnetically permeable structures;
• a magnetically permeable plate disposed in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, at least a portion of which is configured as a disk;
• and
• an inner ring positioned between the hub structure and the magnetically permeable structures, the inner ring having surfaces disposed adjacent to and coextensive with the second adjacent surfaces of the magnetically permeable structures.