Motive power generating device

• US 5,436,518 A
• Filed: 06/17/1993
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nihon Riken Company Limited, Teruo Kawai
• Original Assignee: Nihon Riken Company Limited, Teruo Kawai
• Inventors: Kawai, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASZKO, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US08/079,120
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 310/68 R, 310/68 B, 310/70 R, 310/152, 310/156, 310/184, 310/12, 310/81, 318/498, 318/135
• US Class Current: 310/156.18
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/20 having windings each turn of which co-operates only with poles of one polarity, e.g. homopolar machine
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 29/10 using light effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/02 Linear motors; Sectional motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/06 Rolling motors, i.e. motors having the rotor axis parallel to the stator axis and following a circular path as the rotor rolls around the inside or outside of the stator ; Nutating motors, i.e. having the rotor axis parallel to the stator axis inclined with respect to the stator axis and performing a nutational movement as the rotor rolls on the stator

Abstract

A motive power generating device comprises a permanent magnet disposed around a rotational output shaft for rotation therewith, the output shaft being mounted on a support member for rotation, a magnetic body disposed in concentric relationship with the permanent magnet for rotation with the rotational output shaft, the magnetic body being subjected to magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnet, a plurality of electromagnets fixedly mounted to the support member in such a manner that they are spaced at predetermined distances around the periphery of the magnetic body, each magnetic circuit of the electromagnets being adapted to be independent of one another, and excitation change-over means for the electromagnets, the excitation change-over means being adapted to sequentially magnetize one of the electromagnets which is positioned forwardly with regard to a rotational direction of the rotational output shaft, so as to impart to the particular electromagnet a magnetic polarity opposite to that of the magnetic pole of the permanent magnet, whereby magnetic flux passing through the magnetic body converges in one direction so as to apply a rotational torque to the rotational output shaft. No force opposing movement of a rotor or movable element is generated.

Claims

1. A motive power generating device for transforming magnetic energy into motive power comprising:

a stationary support member;

an output shaft rotatably mounted on the support member;

a permanent magnet disposed around the rotational output shaft for rotation therewith;

a magnetic body disposed in concentric relationship with said permanent magnet for rotation with said rotational output shaft, said magnetic body being subjected to the magnetic flux of said permanent magnet;

a plurality of electromagnets fixedly mounted on said support member in such a manner that they are spaced a predetermined distance apart around the periphery of said magnetic body, each magnetic circuit of said electromagnets being adapted to be independent of one another;

said magnetic body including magnetic notches and teeth which are disposed alternately in an outer peripheral portion thereof, each said tooth having an outer corner which is forwardly positioned in the rotational direction and has an acute angle configuration so as to cause further convergence of the magnetic flux;

certain of said electromagnets being disposed at positions corresponding to boundary portions between said notches and said magnetic teeth; and

excitation change-over means for said electromagnets to sequentially magnetize one of said electromagnets which is positioned forwardly in the direction of rotation with regard to the outer corner of the tooth so as to give said particular electromagnet a magnetic polarity magnetically opposite to that of the magnetic pole of said permanent magnet, whereby magnetic flux passing through said magnetic body is converged in one direction so as to apply a rotational torque to said rotational output shaft.

2. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said excitation change-over means includes a plurality of sensors mounted to said support member at positions corresponding to said plurality of electromagnets, and an ON-OFF member mounted on said rotational output shaft for turning said sensors on and off in response to rotation of said output shaft.

3. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said magnetic body includes three magnetic notches and three magnetic teeth which are disposed alternately in the outer peripheral portion thereof;

six (6) in twelve (12) of said electromagnets are disposed at positions corresponding to the boundary portions between said notches and said magnetic teeth; and

said excitation change-over means is adapted to sequentially magnetize three (3) in six (6) of said electromagnets, disposed at positions corresponding to said boundary portions between said notches and said magnetic teeth, that are positioned forwardly with respect to a rotational direction of said output shaft, so as to impart to said three electromagnets a magnetic polarity opposite to that of the magnetic pole of said permanent magnet.

4. A motive power generating device in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 3, wherein:

said electromagnets are arranged in parallel with said rotational output shaft; and

said permanent magnet and said magnetic body are disposed at opposite axial ends of said rotational output shaft in confronting relationship with respective axial ends of each of said electromagnets.

5. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

each of said electromagnets includes a pair of legs disposed at opposite axial ends of an iron core and extending toward the outer periphery of said magnetic body, and a coil wound around each of said legs.

6. A motive power generating device in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 3, wherein:

a plurality of said magnetic bodies are attached to the opposite axial ends and intermediate portion therebetween, respectively, of said rotational output shaft;

a permanent magnet magnetized in the axial direction is disposed between said first magnetic body located at one axial end of said output shaft and said third magnetic body located at said intermediate portion of said output shaft, and between said second magnetic body located at the other axial end of said output shaft and said third magnetic body;

the magnetic pole of said one permanent magnet adjacent to said third magnetic body and the magnetic pole of the other permanent magnet adjacent to said third magnetic body have the same magnetic polarity; and

each of said electromagnets includes legs positioned at said axial opposite ends and intermediate portion of an iron core and extending toward the outer peripheries of said first, second and third magnetic bodies, respectively, and a coil wound around each of said legs located at the axial opposite ends of said iron core.

7. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said magnetic body includes a cavity in the intermediate portion thereof; and

said permanent magnet has an annular configuration and is received in said cavity, said permanent magnet being magnetized so as to have an opposite polarity in the inner periphery to that of the outer periphery.

8. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

said first and second magnetic bodies include a cavity in their respective intermediate portions, respectively;

each of said permanent magnets has an annular configuration and is received in said corresponding one of the cavities in said first and second magnetic bodies, each of said permanent magnets being magnetized so as to have an opposite polarity in the inner periphery to that of the outer periphery.

15. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

each of said sensor comprises an optical sensor including a light receiving element and a light emitting element, said elements being oppositely disposed with a predetermined distance therebetween; and

said ON-OFF member includes a light shield plate disposed between said light receiving element and said light emitting element.

9. A motive power generating device for transforming magnetic energy into motive power comprising:

a stationary support member;

an output shaft rotatably mounted on the support member;

a permanent magnet disposed around the rotational output shaft for rotation therewith;

a magnetic body disposed in concentric relationship with said permanent magnet for rotation with said rotational output shaft, said magnetic body being subjected to the magnetic flux of said permanent magnet;

a plurality of electromagnets fixedly mounted on said support member in such a manner that they are spaced a predetermined distance around the periphery of said magnetic body, each magnetic circuit of said electromagnets being adapted to be independent of one another;

said magnetic body including a plurality of notches in the outer peripheral portion thereof, each of said notches being configured so as to gradually increase a gap between said magnetic body and said electromagnets in the rotational direction of said rotor; and

excitation change-over means to sequentially magnetize the electromagnets confronting a gap with an intermediate width which are disposed between the electromagnets confronting a gap with a narrower width and a gap with a broader width, so as to impart to them a magnetic polarity opposite to that of the magnetic pole of said permanent magnet whereby magnetic flux passing through said magnetic body is converged in one direction so as to apply a rotational torque to said rotational output shaft.

10. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

each of said electromagnets includes a pair of legs disposed at the axial opposite ends of an iron core and extending toward the outer periphery of said magnetic body, and a coil wound around each of said legs.

11. A motive power generation device in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

said magnetic body includes a cavity in the intermediate portion thereof; and

said permanent magnet has an annular configuration and is received in said cavity, said permanent magnet being magnetized so as to have an opposite polarity in the inner periphery to that of the outer periphery.

12. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

a plurality of said magnetic bodies are attached to the opposite axial ends and intermediate portion therebetween, respectively, of said rotational output shaft;

a permanent magnet magnetized in the axial direction is disposed between said first magnetic body located at one axial end of said output shaft and said third magnetic body located at said intermediate portion of said output shaft, and between said second magnetic body located at the other axial end of said output shaft and said third magnetic body;

the magnetic pole of said one permanent magnet adjacent to said third magnetic body and the magnetic pole of the other permanent magnet adjacent to said third magnetic body have the same magnetic polarity; and

each of said electromagnets includes lees positioned at said axial opposite ends and intermediate portion of an iron core and extending toward the outer peripheries of said first, second and third magnetic bodies, respectively, and a coil wound around each of said legs located at the axial opposite ends of said iron core.

13. A motive power generation device in accordance with any one of the claims 9, 10, 11 and 12, wherein:

said device includes two (2), three (3) or four (4) of said notches.

14. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

said excitation change-over means includes a plurality of sensors mounted to said support member at positions corresponding to said plurality of electromagnets, and an ON-OFF member mounted on said rotational output shaft for turning said sensors on and off in response to rotation of said output shaft.

16. A motive power generating device in accordance with claim 14, wherein:

each of said sensor comprises an optical sensor including a light receiving element and a light emitting element, said elements being oppositely disposed with a predetermined distance therebetween; and

said ON-OFF member includes a light shield plate disposed between said light receiving element and said light emitting element.