Rotational apparatus

• US 20060275155A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maglev Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Maglev Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Thibodeau, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/293,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20060275155A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/410.100
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/04 using solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/045 using solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/09 with magnetic bearings

Abstract

Disclosed herein are apparatuses having a stator and a rotor configured to provide both a magnetic drive means and a magnetic bearing means for a rotatable element. The stator and rotor are configured to operate in unison to provide a magnetic force to rotate a rotatable element associated with the rotor about an axis and to control a radial, an axial, and a tilt position of the rotatable element about the axis. The rotor and stator assemblies are configured with complementary surface shapes to produce shapeable magnetic drive forces and shapeable magnetic bearing forces to drive and control an axial, a radial, and a tilt position of an associated rotatable element.

Claims

1. A fluid movement apparatus comprising,

a housing having a circular cross-section, an inner passage having a longitudinal axis, a first portion adapted as an inlet to receive a fluid, and a second portion adapted as an outlet to provide an egress for the fluid;

an impeller disposed in the inner passage having a plurality of blades radially extending from a center portion of the impeller, and

an impeller drive assembly having a stator configured to generate a shapeable magnetic field to drive the impeller in an axial rotation about the longitudinal axis of the housing and to control a radial position and an axial position of the impeller in the inner passage of the housing.

2. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stator comprises a circular cross-section, an inner passage, an outer wall, and a shaped inner wall.

3. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 2, wherein the outer wall of the stator comprises a shaped outer wall.

4. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 2, wherein the shaped inner wall comprises a shape selected from the following:

a polygon shape, a concave shape, or a convex shape.

5. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a rotor.

6. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 5, wherein the rotor comprises a circular cross-section, a shaped outer wall, and an inner wall.

7. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inner wall of the rotor includes an aperture extending axially about the longitudinal axis.

8. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inner wall of the rotor adjoins a distal portion of one or more of the plurality of blades.

9. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 6, wherein the shaped outer wall of the rotor comprises a shape complimentary to the shaped inner wall of the stator.

10. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 1, wherein a change in magnitude of the magnetic field changes in substantially equal portions the drive to the impeller and the control of the radial and axial position of the impeller.

11. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stator comprises a magnet.

12. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stator comprises an electromagnet.

13. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field controls a tilt position of the impeller in the inner passage.

14. The fluid movement apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stator comprises a magnetic bearing and a magnetic drive means.

15. A rotational apparatus comprising,

a rotational element having a circular cross section;

and

a magnetic assembly having a stator configured to generate a shapeable magnetic field to drive the rotational element in axial rotation about an axis of rotation and to control a radial position and an axial position of the rotational element relative to the axis of rotation.

16. The rotational apparatus of claim 15, wherein the stator comprises a circular cross-section, an inner passage, an outer wall, and a shaped inner wall.

17. The rotational apparatus of claim 16, wherein the outer wall of the stator comprises a shaped outer wall.

18. The rotational apparatus of claim 16, wherein the shaped inner wall comprises a shape selected from the following:

a polygon shape, a concave shape, or a convex shape.

19. The rotational apparatus of claim 18, wherein the magnetic assembly further comprises a rotor.

20. The rotational apparatus of claim 19, wherein the rotor comprises a shaped outer wall, and an inner wall.

21. The rotational apparatus of claim 20, wherein the inner wall of the rotor adjoins a distal portion of the rotational element.

22. The rotational apparatus of claim 20, wherein the shaped outer wall of the rotor comprises a shape complimentary to the shaped inner wall of the stator.

23. The rotational apparatus of claim 15, wherein a change in magnitude of the magnetic field generated by the stator changes in substantially equal portions the drive of the rotational element and the control of the radial and the axial position of the rotation element.

24. The rotational apparatus of claim 15, wherein the stator comprises one of a magnet or an electromagnet.

25. The rotational apparatus of claim 15, wherein the magnetic field generated by the stator further controls a tilt position of the rotational element relative the axis of rotation.

26. The rotational apparatus of claim 15, wherein the stator comprises a magnetic bearing and a magnetic drive means.