Power conversion methods and apparatus

• US 6,239,524 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2000
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Martin N. Leibowitz
• Original Assignee: Martin N. Leibowitz
• Inventors: Leibowitz, Martin N.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLINS, BURTON S
• Application Number:
  US09/503,446
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 310/112, 310/114, 310/115, 310/118, 310/120, 290/6, 74/665 B, 74/63, 74/89.2
• US Class Current: 310/112
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 16/00 Machines with more than one rotor or stator machines for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; permanent magnet machines with multiple rotors or stators relatively rotated for vectorially combining the excitation fields or the armature voltages H02K21/029
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1004 with pulleys
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18832 including flexible drive connector [e.g., belt, chain, strand, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19056 Parallel

Abstract

Apparatus for generating rotating motion includes one or more electrical motors or generators arranged in a circle about a central shaft. The motors or generators are attached to a rotatable plate, which in turn is attached to the central shaft. The shafts of the motors or generators are belt connected to a fixed core. Operation of the motors results in rotation of the plate and the central shaft, which further results in the motors or generators orbiting around the central shaft.

Claims

1. A method for generating rotational power from electricity, comprising the steps of:

arranging one or more electrical motors in a circle about a rotatable central shaft, whereby a shaft of said one or more electrical motors is free to rotate about its own axis;

arranging a fixed core concentric to said rotatable central shaft;

arranging said one or more electrical motors to orbit about said fixed core;

arranging said central shaft to rotate about an axial center of said fixed core;

connecting a belt around said fixed core and around each of said one or more electrical motor shafts; and

rotating said central shaft by energizing said one or more electrical motors whereby the shaft of each of said one or more electrical motors rotates about its own axis and said one or more motors orbit about said fixed core.

2. The method of claim 1, including the step of substituting one or more electrical generators for said one or more electrical motors.

3. Apparatus for generating rotational motion, comprising:

a central rotatable shaft;

one or more electrical motors, each having a motor housing and a rotatable motor shaft, arranged in a circle about said central rotatable shaft, said motor housing of said one or more electrical motors being fixedly connected to said central rotatable shaft;

a fixed core arranged concentric with said rotatable central shaft; and

a drive means connecting each shaft of said one or more electrical motors to said fixed core whereby rotation of said one or more motor shafts results in orbiting of said one or more electrical motors about said fixed core and turning of said rotatable central shaft.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a pulley is connected to each of said one or more motor shafts.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said one or more electrical motors is spaced a discrete distance from an outer surface of said fixed core.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said one or more pulleys is each spaced a discrete distance from an outer surface of said fixed core.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said fixed core has a circular cross section perpendicular to said central rotatable shaft.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said one or more motors comprises a plurality of motors.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein one or more electrical generators are substituted for one or more of said plurality of electrical motors.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, including one or more electrical generators arranged in a circle about said central rotatable shaft and a belt is connected to a shaft of each of said one or more generators and said fixed core.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said drive means comprises a belt.