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US 12,609,567 B1Granted
Selectively pocketed back iron for axial flux machines
AssigneeE-Circuit Motors, Inc.
InventorsSteven Robert Shaw, George Harder Milheim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotor component for a motor or generator may include a support structure made of a magnetic material, a first magnet, and a second magnet. The first magnet may be attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the motor or generator, and the second magnet may be attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the motor or generator. The magnetic material of the support structure may provide a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion, and the first portion of the support structure may include a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material.
Claims30
A rotor component for a motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the motor or generator;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the motor or generator;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature, a second pocket feature adjacent the first pocket feature, a third pocket feature, and a fourth pocket feature adjacent the third pocket feature, and
- a first distance between the first pocket feature and the second pocket feature is greater than a second distance between the third pocket feature and the fourth pocket feature.
6 more elements
A rotor component for a motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the motor or generator;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the motor or generator;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature having a first closed perimeter at a surface of the first portion and a second pocket feature having a second closed perimeter at the surface of the first portion, and
- the first closed perimeter is greater than the second closed perimeter.
6 more elements
A rotor component configured for use in an axial flux motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material, the support structure forming an annulus;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the first portion being a first angular portion of the annulus;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the second portion being a second angular portion of the annulus;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature and a second pocket feature,
- the first pocket feature is located at a first angular position within the first angular portion,
- the second pocket feature is located at a second angular position, different than the first angular position, within the first angular portion, and
- the first pocket feature has a greater depth than the second pocket feature.
8 more elements
A rotor component configured for use in an axial flux motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material, the support structure forming an annulus;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the first portion being a first angular portion of the annulus;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the second portion being a second angular portion of the annulus;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature, a second pocket feature adjacent the first pocket feature, a third pocket feature, and a fourth pocket feature adjacent the third pocket feature,
- the first pocket feature and the second pocket feature are located at a first angular position within the first angular portion,
- the second pocket feature and the third pocket feature are located at a second angular position, different than the first angular position, within the first angular portion, and
- a first distance between the first pocket feature and the second pocket feature is greater than a second distance between the third pocket feature and the fourth pocket feature.
8 more elements
A rotor component configured for use in an axial flux motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material, the support structure forming an annulus;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the first portion being a first angular portion of the annulus;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the second portion being a second angular portion of the annulus;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature having a first closed perimeter at a surface of the first portion and a second pocket feature having a second closed perimeter at the surface of the first portion,
- the first pocket feature is located at a first angular position within the first angular portion,
- the second pocket feature is located at a second angular position, different than the first angular position, within the first angular portion, and
- the first closed perimeter is greater than the second closed perimeter.
8 more elements
A rotor component configured for use in an axial flux motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material, the support structure forming an annulus;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the first portion being a first angular portion of the annulus;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the second portion being a second angular portion of the annulus;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature having a first volume and a second pocket feature having a second volume,
- the first pocket feature is located at a first angular position within the first angular portion,
- the second pocket feature is located at a second angular position, different than the first angular position, within the first angular portion, and
- the first volume is greater than the second volume.
8 more elements
A rotor component configured for use in an axial flux motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material, the support structure forming an annulus;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the first portion being a first angular portion of the annulus;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the second portion being a second angular portion of the annulus;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature and a second pocket feature,
- the first pocket feature is located at a first radial distance from a center of the annulus,
- the second pocket feature is located at a second radial distance, different than the first radial distance, from the center of the annulus, and
- the first pocket feature has a greater depth than the second pocket feature.
8 more elements
A rotor component configured for use in an axial flux motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material, the support structure forming an annulus;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the first portion being a first angular portion of the annulus;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the second portion being a second angular portion of the annulus;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature, a second pocket feature adjacent the first pocket feature, a third pocket feature, and a fourth pocket feature adjacent the third pocket feature,
- the first pocket feature and the second pocket feature are located at a first radial distance from a center of the annulus,
- the third pocket feature and the fourth pocket feature are located at a second radial distance, different than the first radial distance, from the center of the annulus, and
- a first distance between the first pocket feature and the second pocket feature is greater than a second distance between the third pocket feature and the fourth pocket feature.
8 more elements
A rotor component configured for use in an axial flux motor or generator, comprising:
- a support structure made of a magnetic material, the support structure forming an annulus;
- a first magnet attached to a first portion of the support structure to form a first magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the first portion being a first angular portion of the annulus;
- and
- a second magnet attached to a second portion of the support structure to form a second magnetic pole of the axial flux motor or generator, the second portion being a second angular portion of the annulus;
- wherein:
- the magnetic material of the support structure provides a flux return path from the first magnet to the second magnet via the first portion and the second portion,
- the first portion of the support structure includes a first plurality of pocket features that are free of the magnetic material,
- the first plurality of pocket features includes at least a first pocket feature having a first closed perimeter at a surface of the first portion and a second pocket feature having a second closed perimeter at the surface of the first portion,
- the first pocket feature is located at a first radial distance from a center of the annulus,
- the second pocket feature is located at a second radial distance, different than the first radial distance, from the center of the annulus, and
- the first closed perimeter is greater than the second closed perimeter.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.