Variable reluctance motor

A variable reluctance motor, comprising:

• a rotor supported for rotation about an axis of rotation;
• a cylindrical stator assembly means having a plurality of independent stator segments circumaxially arranged about said axis of rotor rotation, each of said independent stator segments including one first and two second salient pole members, said two second pole members being in spaced relation with and disposed at opposite sides of said first pole member, said first pole member having a pole face and a first plurality of teeth on said pole face, each of said second pole members having a pole face and a second plurality of teeth on said pole face;
• non-magnetic spacing means located between adjacent ones of said independent stator segments for maintaining said adjacent independent stator segments in a spaced apart and non-contacting relationship with one another, said spaced apart relationship of said stator segments creating a plurality of radially inwardly projecting channels disposed around the periphery of said stator assembly means with each of said channels extending fully from the outer circumference to the inner circumference of said stator assembly means to essentially magnetically isolate and completely physically isolate said independent stator segments from one another and with one second pole of one independent stator segment and one second pole of an adjacent independent stator segment being located on opposite sides of each channel, and
• a plurality of electrically energizable windings disposed one for one on one of said first pole or said second pole members of said plurality of independent stator segments;
• said rotor including a variable reluctance member coaxial with said axis of rotor rotation and having a third plurality of teeth for coaction with said teeth of said first and second pole members.

A variable reluctance motor, comprising:

• a rotor supported for rotation about an axis of rotation;
• a cylindrical stator assembly means having a plurality of independent stator segments circumaxially arranged about said axis of rotor rotation, each of said independent stator segments including one first and two second salient pole members, said two second pole members being in spaced relation with and disposed at opposite sides of said first pole member, said first pole member having a pole face and a first plurality of teeth on said pole face, each of said second pole members having a pole face and a second plurality of teeth on said pole face each of said second pole members having a width equal to one-half the width of said first pole member, said rotor having a width substantially equal to said width of said second pole member;
• non-magnetic spacing means located between adjacent ones of said independent stator segments for maintaining said adjacent independent stator segments in a spaced apart and non-contacting relationship with one another, said spaced apart relationship of said stator segments creating a plurality of radially inwardly projecting channels disposed around the periphery of said stator assembly means with each of said channels extending fully from the outer circumference to the inner circumference of said stator assembly means to essentially magnetically isolate and completely physically isolate said independent stator segments from one another and with one second pole of one independent stator segment and one second pole of an adjacent independent stator segment being located on opposite sides of each channel, and
• a plurality of electrically energizable windings disposed one for one on one of said first pole members of said plurality of independent stator segments;
• said rotor including a variable reluctance member coaxial with said axis of rotor rotation and located radially inwardly of said first and second pole members and having a third plurality of teeth extending radially outwardly for coaction with said teeth of said first pole members, said third plurality of teeth circumferentially positioned with said first and second plurality of teeth;
• said independent stator segments being made of a grain oriented magnetic material.