Bulk amorphous metal magnetic components for electric motors

• US 6,420,813 B1
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metglas, Inc. (Proterial Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Stamatis, Peter Joseph, DeCristofaro, Nicholas John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US09/187,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20020074885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 310/216, 310/156, 310/214, 310/26, 310/43, 310/45
• US Class Current: 310/216.004
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 1/15333 containing nanocrystallites, e.g. obtained by annealing
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/02 characterised by the magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/06 characterised by the shape, form or construction

Abstract

A high efficiency electric motor has a generally polyhedrally shaped bulk amorphous metal magnetic component in which a plurality of layers of amorphous metal strips are laminated together to form a generally three-dimensional part having the shape of a polyhedron. The bulk amorphous metal magnetic component may include an arcuate surface, and preferably includes two arcuate surfaces that are disposed opposite to each other. The magnetic component is operable at frequencies ranging from between approximately 60 Hz and 20,000 Hz and exhibits (i) a core-loss of less than or approximately equal to 1 watt-per-kilogram of amorphous metal material when operated at a frequency of approximately 60 Hz and at a flux density of approximately 1.4 Tesla (T); (ii) a core-loss of less than or approximately equal to 20 watts-per-kilogram of amorphous metal material when operated at a frequency of approximately 1000 Hz and at a flux density of approximately 1.4 T and (iii) a core-loss of less than or approximately equal to 70 watt-per-kilogram of amorphous metal material when operated at a frequency of approximately 20,000 Hz and at a flux density of approximately 0.30 T. Performance characteristics of the bulk amorphous metal magnetic component of the present invention are significantly better when compared to silicon-steel components operated over the same frequency range.

Claims

1. An electric motor having at least one bulk amorphous metal magnetic component comprising a plurality of substantially similarly shaped layers of amorphous metal strips having a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe₈₀B₁₁Si₉ and laminated together by impregnating the component with an epoxy resin and curing to form a polyhedrally shaped part, said bulk amorphous metal magnetic component having a core-loss of less than or approximately equal to 20 watts-per-kilogram of amorphous metal material when operated at a frequency of approximately 1000 Hz and a flux density of approximately 1.4T.

2. An electric motor having at least one bulk amorphous metal magnetic component comprising a plurality of substantially similarly shaped layers of amorphous metal strips having a composition defined essentially by the formula Fe₈₀B₁₁Si₉ and laminated together by impregnating the component with an epoxy resin and curing to form a polyhedrally shaped part, said bulk amorphous metal magnetic component having a core-loss of less than or approximately equal to 70 watts-per-kilogram of amorphous metal material when operated at a frequency of approximately 20,000 Hz and a flux density of approximately .30T.