Linear actuator system with integrated transverse flux motor

A method for operating an integrated motor linear actuator system, the method comprising:

• inducing current in a stator comprising a plurality of stator stages disposed along an axial extent within a housing, wherein the stator stages comprise a plurality of windings, each of the windings extending about a longitudinal axis within a stator core;
• guiding magnetic flux through the stator cores responsive to the current, wherein the magnetic flux defines a flux path extending radially from each stator core to a plurality of stator teeth distributed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis, and axially along the stator teeth, along the longitudinal axis at an inner diameter of the respective stator core;
• driving a rotor having a hollow core rotor body into rotation about the longitudinal axis responsive to the magnetic flux, wherein the rotor comprises a plurality of magnets defining magnetic poles distributed circumferentially about an outer surface of the hollow core rotor body, extending along the axial extent of the stator, adjacent the stator teeth across an air gap;
• and
• converting the rotation of the rotor into linear motion of a thrust tube, wherein the thrust tube translates along the longitudinal axis in response to the rotation of the rotor;
• wherein inducing the current comprises defining a plurality of current loops extending circumferentially about the rotor in the windings, transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• wherein converting the rotation of the rotor to the linear motion of the thrust tube comprises:
• rotationally engaging the rotor with a nut and screw assembly operationally coupled to the rotor, wherein the hollow core rotor body is disposed coaxially about the nut and screw assembly, extending longitudinally from a first end adjacent a rotor hub proximate a back end of the housing to a second end proximate a front end of the housing, with the nut disposed within the hollow core rotor body along the longitudinal axis, and
• operationally coupling the nut with the thrust tube such that the thrust tube translates in one or more opposing directions along the longitudinal axis, in response to the rotation of the rotor in one or more opposing directions about the longitudinal axis.

An integrated motor actuator comprising:

• a stator comprising a plurality of stator stages disposed along an axial extent within a housing, each stator stage having a winding and a stator core disposed about a common longitudinal axis, with a plurality of stator teeth configured to guide magnetic flux generated by the winding;
• and
• a rotor disposed along the longitudinal axis, within the plurality of stator stages, the rotor having a plurality of magnetic poles distributed circumferentially about an outer surface, adjacent the stator teeth;
• wherein each winding defines a current loop disposed about the rotor when current is induced in the winding, transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• wherein alternating pairs of the stator teeth extend on opposing sides of the current loops induced in the respective windings, the alternating pairs of stator teeth configured to drive the rotor into rotational motion about the longitudinal axis via coupling with the magnetic flux;
• and further comprising:
• a nut and screw assembly operationally coupled to the rotor;
• and
• a thrust tube coupled to the nut, wherein the nut and screw assembly is configured to convert the rotational motion of the rotor about the longitudinal axis into linear motion of the thrust tube along the longitudinal axis;
• wherein the rotor comprises a hollow core rotor body disposed coaxially about the nut and screw assembly, extending longitudinally from a first end adjacent a rotor hub proximate a back end of the housing to a second end proximate a front end of the housing, with the nut disposed within the hollow core rotor body;
• and
• further comprising a plurality of surface-mounted permanent magnets circumferentially disposed about the outer surface of the hollow core rotor body, extending along the axial extent of the stator, wherein the surface-mounted permanent magnets define the magnetic poles.