Lift magnet mechanism for flywheel power storage systems

#The present invention relates generally to flywheel driven power storage systems and particularly to enhancements developed to smooth the flux density across discontinuities or segments present in permanent magnets due to present manufacturing capability.

#In general within the art, descriptions of flywheel driven power storage systems and their various related elements can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,614,777 set forth by Bitterly et al; 5,767,595, 5,708,312, 5,770,909, and 5,864,303 by Rosen et al; 3,860,300 and 4,147,396 by Lyman; 3,791,704 and 4,088,379 by Perper; 5,627,419 by Miller; 4,910,449 by Hiyama et al: 5,760,510 by Nomura et al: 5,777,414 by Conrad; 5,319,844 by Huang et al; 4,444,444 by Benedetti et al; 5,844,339 by Schroeder et al; 5,495,221, 5,783,885, 5,847,480, 5,861,690, and 5,883,499 by Post; 5,705,902 by Merritt et al; 5,044,944 and 5,311,092 by Fisher; 5,107,151 and 5,677,605 by Cambier et al; and 5,670,838 by Everton; plus 3,969,005, 3,989,324, 4,094,560, and 4,141,607 by Traut; and 4,799,809 by Kuroiwa.

#More specific to the instant invention, U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,775 addresses use of electromagnets and permanent magnets to lift the rotor off of the bearings in flywheel applications in order to increase bearing life, reduce heat and eddy currents.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified cutaway assembly block diagram of the magnetic lift portion of the instant flywheel battery, illustrating the stator housing, the permanent magnet array which is comprised of segmented magnet array and the steel cylindrical member or pole, the coil, and the rotor, centered around the axis of rotation;

#FIG. 2 is a top view of the permanent magnet array illustrating the segmented nature of the segmented magnet array;

#FIG. 3 is block diagram illustrating the steel cylindrical member or pole;

#In flywheel driven power storage systems, the magnetic force generated either by permanent magnet or electromagnet or the combination of both is used to lift the rotor in a flywheel system. The magnetic force generated by a pair of stationary stator and rotor is normally highly sensitive to the air gap separating the stator and rotor. High sensitivity implies low magnetic force, as the gap is large and excessively high force as the gap is small.

#In order illustrate the numerous embodiments of the instant invention, referring first to FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified cutaway assembly block diagram of the flywheel power storage system magnetic ring apparatus 10 or magnetic lift portion of the instant flywheel battery, illustrating the stator housing and assembly 20, the permanent magnet array 30 which is comprised of segmented magnet array 31 and the steel cylindrical member 40 or pole 40, the coil 50, the gap between rotor and stator, or rotor/stator gap 60, and the rotor 70 including the slot 80.

#Next, referring to FIG. 2 is a top view of the permanent magnet array 30, illustrating the individual segments 90 of the magnet array. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the steel cylindrical member 40 or pole 40, designed to compensate for the segmented magnet array 31 and the discontinuity of the individual segments 90 which is problematic because it induces the magnetic flux variation which in turn generates the heat on the rotating member.