Compact electrical machine

An electrical motor arrangement comprising:

• a first plurality of permanent magnets collectively producing a spatially variable first magnetic field;
• a second plurality of permanent magnets arranged to rotate about a first axis;
• interference means positioned between the first plurality of permanent magnets and the second plurality of permanent magnets to interfere with the first magnetic field;
• and
• motive means for moving the first plurality of permanent magnets and interference means relative to one another, to produce a second magnetic field for rotating the second plurality of permanent magnets, said motive means comprising a stator having windings for transducing a changing electric field in the windings into a rotation of the first plurality of permanent magnets.

A method of generating electricity comprising the steps of:

• interfering with a first magnetic field produced by a first plurality of permanent magnets to form beats in the first magnet field;
• using said beating first magnetic field to rotate a second plurality of permanent magnets;
• and
• transducing the time variable magnetic field produced by the rotating second plurality of permanent magnets into electrical energy.

A method of transducing time varying electrical energy into the rotation of a motor shaft, comprising the steps of:

• using the time varying electrical energy to rotate a first plurality of permanent magnets;
• interfering with a first magnetic field produced by the rotating first plurality of permanent magnets to form beats in the first magnet field;
• and
• using said beating first magnetic field to rotate a second plurality of permanent magnets attached to the motor shaft.