Lightweight high power electromotive device

• US 4,900,965 A
• Filed: 09/28/1988
• Issued: 02/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Linda Horbal
• Original Assignee: N/A
• Inventors: Fisher, Gene A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salce, Patrick R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REBSCH, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US07/250,263
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 310/45, 310/156, 310/67 R, 310/216, 310/218, 310/261, 310/265, 310/266, 310/12, 310/256
• US Class Current: 310/216.006
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/06 characterised by the shape, form or construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/12 with stationary armatures and rotating magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/14 with magnets rotating within the armatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/22 with magnets rotating around the armatures, e.g. flywheel magnetos
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/28 with armatures rotating within the magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 23/40 characterised by the arrangement of the magnet circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/00 Details of windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/031 of the permanent magnet type

Abstract

A lightweight electromotive device with a high power-to-weight ratio capable of operating as an efficient motor, alternator or generator includes an mangetic-flux producing assembly comprising spaced magnetic elements, and an armature assembly formed by winding conductive, non-magnetic wire, such as copper wire on flux carrying core or stator bar elements. The elements are shaped to form an eddy current shield for the windings and provide two heat radiating surfaces. This allows the device to operate with minimal eddy current losses and maximum radiation and convection cooling. The armature windings and flux carrying elements are dispersed as a further measure to avoid creating opposing induced currents.

Claims

1. An electromotive device, comprising:

an inductor including a plurality of magnetic flux conducting bars and electric windings disposed about said bars for generating an electromagnetic field;

said electric windings comprising electrical conductors randomly dispersed between said flux conducting bars;

said bars incorporating a geometry which shields said windings from the magnetic fields within the electromotive device;

a magnetic field generator positioned adjacent to one side of said inductor;

a first flux return path on the side of said magnetic field generator opposite said inductor; and

a second flux return path on the side of said inductor opposite said magnetic field generator.

2. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said flux conducting bars comprise a lamination of flux conducting sheets.

4. An electromotive device as defined in claim 2, wherein said flux conducting sheets are fabricated with a material grain direction parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars.

5. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, comprising:

means for reducing heat generation within said electromotive device, said means including said flux conducting bars fabricated with a material grain direction parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars.

6. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said flux conducting bars are fabricated from a metal alloy having an iron content which creates a flux carrying ability approximately equal to the flux saturation point as determined by the electrical properties of the design of said electromotive device.

7. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein the dimension of said flux conducting bars along the axis parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars is short relative to the longitudinal axis of said bars which parallels the major axis of said electric windings disposed about said bars for generating an electromagnetic field.

9. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said magnetic field generator comprises permanent magnets.

10. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said first flux return path is iron.

11. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said second flux return path is fabricated from the same alloy as said bars.

12. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said second flux return path is fabricated from the same material as said bars.

13. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said inductor is a stator.

14. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said inductor is an armature.

15. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromotive device is a linear motor.

16. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromotive device is a rotary motor.

17. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromotive device is a generator.

18. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromotive device is an alternator.

19. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said geometry defines an "I".

20. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electric windings comprise large diameter conductors relative to the dimensions of said inductor.

21. An electromotive device as defined in claim 1, wherein said geometry includes extensions at the longitudinal edges for increasing the heat exchange surface of the inductor in addition to providing said magnetic shielding.

3. An electromotive device comprising:

an inductor including a plurality of magnetic flux conducting bars comprising a lamination of flux conducting sheets and electric windings disposed about said bars for generating an electromagnetic field;

said electric windings disposed about said bars for generating an electromagnetic field comprising electrical conductors randomly dispersed between said flux conducting bars;

said bars incorporating a geometry which shields said windings from the magnetic fields within the electromotive device;

said flux conducting sheets are fabricated from silicon iron and insulated from each other by a coating of silicon oxide;

a magnetic field generator positioned adjacent to one side of said inductor;

a first flux return path on the side of said magnetic field generator opposite said inductor; and

a second flux return path on the side of said inductor opposite said magnetic field generator.

8. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said geometry includes extensions at the longitudinal edges for increasing the heat exchange surface of the inductor in addition to providing said magnetic shielding.

24. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said flux conducting sheets are fabricated with a material grain direction parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars.

25. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, comprising:

means for reducing heat generation within said electromotive device, said means including said flux conducting bars fabricated with a material grain direction parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars.

26. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said flux conducting bars are fabricated from a metal alloy having an iron content which creates a flux carrying ability approximately equal to the flux saturation point as determined by the electrical properties of the design of said electromotive device.

27. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein the dimension of said flux conducting bars along the axis parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars is short relative to the longitudinal axis of said bars which parallels the major axis of said electric windings disposed about said bars for generating an electromagnetic field.

28. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said magnetic field generator comprises permanent magnets.

29. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said first flux return path is iron.

30. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said second flux return path is fabricated from the same alloy as said bars.

31. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said second flux returning path is fabricated from the same material as said bars.

32. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said inductor is a stator.

33. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said inductor is an armature.

34. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said electromotive device is a linear motor.

35. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said electromotive device is a rotary motor.

36. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said electromotive device is a generator.

37. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said electromotive device is an alternator.

38. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said geometry defines an "I".

39. An electromotive device as defined in claim 3, wherein said electric windings comprise large diameter conductors relative to the dimensions of said inductor.

22. An electromotive device, comprising:

a stator including a plurality of magnetic flux conducting bars and windings comprising electrical conductors disposed about and randomly dispersed between said bars for generating an electromagnetic field;

said flux conducting bars incorporating a geometry which shields said windings from the magnetic fields within the electromotive device, said flux conducting bars comprising a lamination of flux conducting sheets insulated from each other by a coating of silicon oxide and fabricated with a material grain direction parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars from a silicon iron metal alloy having a flux carrying ability approaching the flux saturation point as determined by the electrical properties of the design of said electromotive device;

a plurality of permanent magnets positioned adjacent to one side of said stator;

a solid iron flux return path on the side of said magnetic field generator opposite said stator; and

a flux return path on the side of said inductor opposite said magnetic field generator, said flux return path comprising a lamination of flux conducting sheets insulated from each other by a coating of silicon oxide and fabricated with a material grain direction parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars from a silicon iron metal alloy having a flux carrying ability approximately equal to the flux saturation point as determined by the electrical properties of the design of said electromotive device.

23. An electromotive device, comprising:

a rotor including a plurality of magnetic flux conducting bars and windings comprising electrical conductors disposed about and randomly dispersed between said bars for generating an electromagnetic field;

said flux conducting bars incorporating a geometry which shields said windings from the magnetic fields within the electromotive device, said flux conducting bars comprising a lamination of flux conducting sheets insulated from each other by a coating of silicon oxide and fabricated with a material grain direction parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars from a silicon iron metal alloy having a flux carrying ability approaching the flux saturation point as determined by the electrical properties of the design of said electromotive device;

a plurality of permanent magnets positioned adjacent to one side of said rotor;

a solid iron flux return path on the side of said magnetic field generator opposite said rotor; and

a flux return path on the side of said inductor opposite said magnetic field generator, said flux return path comprising a lamination of flux conducting sheets insulated from each other by a coating of silicon oxide and fabricated with a material grain direction parallel to the primary flux path through said flux conducting bars from a silicon iron metal alloy having a flux carrying ability approximately equal to the flux saturation point as determined by the electrical properties of the design of said electromotive device.