Permanent magnet structure for use in electric machinery

Abstract

Magnetically rigid materials are utilized to enhance the field magnitudes oduced by permanent magnet structures that are utilized in electric machinery. Magnetic circuit losses due to unnecessary magnetic fields are eliminated without employing a conventional shunt. The magnetically rigid material is cylindrically configured and magnetized to provide individual magnetic fields between sets of north and south poles on only one cylindrical surface thereof. At least one coaxial cylinder of the magnetically rigid material is included in each permanent magnet structure of the invention and each of the cylinders is constructed from a plurality of segments in one preferred embodiment thereof. Segments having a substantially triangular cross-sectional configuration are utilized in other preferred embodiments, while flux contributions from at least three segments combine to sustain each set of north and south poles in still other preferred embodiments.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.