Rotary electric machine and automobile provided with the same

A rotary electric machine comprising:

• a stator provided with windings;
• a rotor including axially arranged first and second rotor bodies each provided with field magnets of different polarities alternately arranged in a rotating direction;
• and
• a position changing mechanism for changing the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the first rotor body, said position changing mechanism changing the axial position of the second rotor body relative to the first rotor body in connection with the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body according to balance of magnetic force acting between the field magnets of the first rotor body and those of the second rotor body, and the direction of torque of the rotor;
• wherein, in changing the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the first rotor body and axially moving the second rotor body relative to the first rotor body to a predetermined position such that the intensity of a combined magnetic field created by the field magnets is reduced, the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the first rotor body and the axial position of the second rotor body are changed after changing the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the first rotor body, and axially moving the second rotor body to a position that makes the intensity of the combined magnetic field lower than that of the combined magnetic field that is created when the second rotor body is located at the predetermined position.

A rotary electric machine comprising:

• a stator;
• first and second rotor bodies each provided with field magnets of different polarities alternately arranged in a rotating direction;
• and
• means for changing an axial position of the second rotor body relative to the first rotor body according to balance of magnetic force acting between the field magnets of the first rotor body and the field magnets of the second rotor body, and a rotor direction of torque so that, in changing the axial position of the second rotor body relative to the first rotor body to a predetermined position, the second rotor body is moved axially to the predetermined position after axially moving the second rotor body relative to the first rotor body to a desired position.

A rotary electric machine comprising:

• a stator;
• axially arranged first and second rotor bodies each provided with field magnets of different polarities alternately arranged in a rotating direction;
• and
• means for changing a magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body relative to a magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the first rotor body and axially moving the second rotor body relative to the first rotor body in connection with the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body according to balance of magnetic force acting between the field magnets of the first rotor body and those of the second rotor body, and a rotor direction of torque such that;
• the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the first rotor body and the axial position of the second rotor body are changed after changing the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the second rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the first body, and axially moving the second rotor body to a position that makes the intensity of a combined magnetic field lower than that of a combined magnetic field that is created when the second rotor body is located at a predetermined position.

A method comprising changing a magnetic pole position of field magnets of one rotor body of a rotary electric machine relative to a magnetic pole position of field magnets of another rotor body of the rotary electric machine, and changing axial position of the one rotor body relative to the another rotor body in connection with the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the one rotor body according to balance of magnetic force acting between the field magnets of the rotor bodies, and a rotor direction of torque;

• wherein, in changing the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the one rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the another rotor body and axially moving the one rotor body relative to the another rotor body to a predetermined position such that the intensity of a combined magnetic field created by the field magnets is reduced, the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the one rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the another rotor body and the axial position of the one rotor body are changed after changing the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the one rotor body relative to the magnetic pole position of the field magnets of the another rotor body, and axially moving the one rotor body to a position that lowers intensity of the combined magnetic field relative to that of the combined magnetic field created when the one rotor body is located at the predetermined position.