Passive magnetic bearing for a motor-generator
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorRichard F. Post
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Conductive lap windings are interleaved with conventional loops in the stator of a motor-generator. The rotor provides magnetic induction lines that, when rotated, cut across the lap windings and the loops. When the rotor is laterally displaced from its equilibrium axis of rotation, its magnetic lines of induction induce a current in the interleaved lap windings. The induced current interacts with the magnetic lines of induction of the rotor in accordance with Lenz's law to generate a radial force that returns the rotor to its equilibrium axis of rotation.
Claims5
An apparatus for restoring a rotor to an equilibrium position having an axis of rotational equilibrium comprising:
- the rotor for rotating on an axis of rotation around a stator;
- the rotor including a Halbach array of magnets;
- the stator including conductive loops and lap windings,
- wherein said lap windings are interleaved with said conductive loops;
- a space in between the Halbach array and the stator;
- the space being radially symmetrical when the axis of rotation is collinear with the axis of equilibrium and being asymmetrical when the axis of rotation is displaced from the axis of equilibrium;
- rotation of the Halbach array relative to the lap windings inducing a net current in said conductive loops and in said lap windings and generating a restorative force acting on the rotor when the spacing is asymmetrical, tending to restore the axis of rotation to collinearity with the axis of equilibrium, wherein:
- the lap windings include parallel lateral sections that lie parallel to the axis of equilibrium;
- the restorative force being reactive to an induced force acting on the parallel lateral sections;
- and
- the induced force being induced by rotation of the Halbach array around the stator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.