Lightweight high power electromagnetic transducer

• US 5,311,092 A
• Filed: 10/12/1990
• Issued: 05/10/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: UQM Technologies, Inc. (Danfoss A/S)
• Original Assignee: Unique Mobility, Inc. (Danfoss A/S)
• Inventors: Fisher, Gene A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skudy, R.
• Application Number:
  US07/596,371
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 310/266, 310/44, 310/43, 310/45, 310/156, 310/198, 310/207, 310/180, 310/181, 310/216, 310/184, 310/218, 310/67 R, 310/64, 310/46, 310/65, 310/177, 310/115, 310/261, 310/185 , 310/188, 310/195, 310/232, 310/233, 310/248, 310/52, 310/62, 310/63, 310/179
• US Class Current: 310/266
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/02 characterised by the magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/06 characterised by the shape, form or construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/165 Shape, form or location of the slots
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/12 with stationary armatures and rotating magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 23/56 Motors or generators having iron cores separated from armature winding
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/00 Details of windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/04 Windings characterised by the conductor shape, form or construction, e.g. with bar conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/12 arranged in slots
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/47 Air-gap windings, i.e. iron-free windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/06 with polarised armatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/18 with coil systems moving upon intermittent or reversed energisation thereof by interaction with a fixed field system, e.g. permanent magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/03 Synchronous motors; Motors moving step by step; Reluctance motors H02K41/035 takes precedence

Abstract

An electromagnetic transducer is disclosed that is lightweight and has a high power to weight ratio, with the transducer being capable of operation as an efficient motor, alternator or generator, and being particularly useful, for example, in connection with self-propelled vehicle applications such as passenger cars. The electromagnetic transducer can utilize a shell construction, which enhances heat removal, and includes a magnetic-flux producing assembly, having a plurality of spaced magnetic elements, and an armature assembly formed by a winding arrangement of dispersed conductive elements which are separated by flux carrying elements which, to the extent that such flux carrying elements are electrically conductive, are dispersed in one, two or three dimensions to thus be dispersed-phase flux carrying elements. The armature conductors and flux carrying elements are dispersed to minimize creation of opposing induced current, or eddy currents, depending on the effect produced on transducer operation. This dispersal enables operation of the transducer at high efficiency with high torque being maintained even during high speed relative motion between the magnetic flux producing assembly and the armature with the combination of high torque and high speed producing higher power per unit weight than can now known devices.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic transducer, comprising:

(a) magnetic flux producing means of high energy permanent magnets for producing a magnetic flux;

(b) an armature means for intercepting said magnetic flux, said armature means including conductor means having a plurality of discrete active regions for carrying electrical current and which are spaced apart and have a substantially rectangular cross-section to provide a plurality of discrete elongated open space areas between said active regions,

said active regions comprising a plurality of parallel conductive wires insulated from one another, said conductive wires having a diameter on the order of 0.008",

magnetic flux carrying means comprising a multiplicity of discrete flux carrying members formed of non-sintered highly compressed iron powder particles interposed between said active regions of said conductor means,

said flux carrying members containing a bonding agent to hold together said flux carrying means and a bonding agent to bond said flux carrying means and said conductor means;

(c) a movable member having one of said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means secured thereto; and

(d) means for mounting another of said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means to allow said movable member to move relative thereto, whereby said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means are able to move relative to one another.

2. A high-speed, high torque electromagnetic transducer comprising:

a housing;

a shaft mounted on said housing to rotate relative thereto;

a magnetic field generating rotor secured to said shaft to rotate therewith, said rotor having a mounting disk connected to said shaft and one of a first annular wall means having a cylindrical first magnetic means mounted thereon for generating a magnetic flux and a second annular wall means comprising an outer annular wall and an inner annular wall;

both said inner and outer annular walls being supported by said mounting disk and spaced radially apart to define an annular gap therebetween, said inner annular wall being spaced radially apart from said shaft, and a second means for generating a magnetic flux mounted on at least one of said inner and outer annular walls;

an armature for intercepting and dispersing a phase of said magnetic flux, said armature fixed to said housing, said armature comprising an annular winding structure comprising winding conductors and having a generally cylindrical shape with two flat ends at which the winding conductors are reversed in direction, an active area between said flat ends;

a plurality of circumferentially spaced discrete elongated openings in said active area;

a plurality of discrete elongated dispersed phase magnetic flux carrying members pressed powdered iron particles inserted into said elongated openings so as to act as dispersed phase magnetic flux carrying means;

said dispersed phase magnetic flux carrying members radially inner and radially outer elongated edges;

a bonding agent surrounding said winding structure and said dispersed phase magnetic flux carrying members; and

means for mounting said armature to allow said rotor to move relative thereto, whereby said rotor and said armature are rotated relative to each other and to said housing to provide high power output.

3. An electromagnetic transducer, comprising:

(a) magnetic flux producing said means for producing said magnetic flux;

(b) an armature means for intercepting said magnetic flux, said armature means including conductor means having a plurality of discrete active regions for carrying electrical current which are spaced apart and have a substantially rectangular cross-section to provide a plurality of discrete elongated open space areas between said active regions,

said active regions comprising a plurality of parallel conductive wires insulated from one another,

magnetic flux carrying means comprising a multiplicity of discrete flux carrying members formed of compressed fine iron powder particles of diameter generally from 10-100 microns, said particles being reactively coated with phosphate insulation,

said flux carrying members being interposed between said active regions of said conductor means, and a bonding agent comprising wax to hold together said flux carrying means and said conductor means;

(c) a movable member having one of said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means secured thereto; and

(d) means for mounting the other of said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means to allow said movable member to move relative thereto, whereby said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means are able to move relative to one another.

4. An electromagnetic transducer, comprising:

(a) magnetic flux producing means of high energy permanent magnets for producing a magnetic flux;

(b) an armature means for intercepting said magnetic flux, said armature means including conductor means having a plurality of discrete active regions for carrying electrical current and which are spaced apart and have a substantially rectangular cross-section to provide a plurality of discrete elongated open space areas between said active regions,

said active regions comprising a plurality of parallel conductive wires insulated from one another,

magnetic flux carrying means comprising a multiplicity of discrete flux carrying members formed of non-sintered highly compressed iron powder particles interposed between said active regions of said conductor means,

said flux carrying members containing a bonding agent to hold together said fluxing carrying means and a bonding agent to bond said flux carrying means, said compressed iron powder particles being 10-100 microns in diameter, and said bonding agent comprising epoxy;

(c) a movable member having one of said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means secured thereto; and

(d) means for mounting another of said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means to allow said movable member to move relative thereto, whereby said magnetic flux producing means and said armature means are able to move relative to one another.

5. A high-speed, high torque electromagnetic transducer comprising:

a housing;

a shaft mounted on said housing to rotate relative thereto;

a magnetic field generating rotor secured to said shaft to rotate therewith, said rotor having a mounting disk connected to said shaft and one of a first annular wall means having a cylindrical first magnetic means mounted thereon for generating a magnetic flux and a second annular wall means comprising an outer annular wall and an inner annular wall;

both said inner and outer annular walls being supported by said mounting disk and spaced radially apart to define an annular gap therebetween, said inner annular wall being spaced radially apart from said shaft, and a second magnetic means for generating a magnetic flux mounted on at least one of said inner and outer annular walls;

an armature for intercepting and dispersing a phase of said magnetic flux, said armature fixed to said housing, said armature comprising an annular winding structure comprising winding conductors and having a generally cylindrical shape with two flat ends at which the winding conductors are reversed in direction, an active area between said flat ends;

a plurality of circumferentially spaced discrete elongated openings in said active area;

a bonding agent surrounding said winding structure; and

means for mounting said armature to allow said rotor to move relative thereto, whereby said rotor and said armature are rotated relative to each other and to said housing to provide high power output.