Polyphasic multi-coil electric device

• US 8,212,445 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DPM Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EXRO Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Ritchey, Jonathan Gale
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRAN N
• Application Number:
  US12/545,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 310/68.B, 310/68.R, 310/102, 310112-114, 310/75.R, 310/78, 310/96, 310/156.49, 310/168, 310266-268
• US Class Current: 310/112
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/08 Salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/14 Stator cores with salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/24 with magnets axially facing the armatures, e.g. hub-type cycle dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/108 with friction clutches
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A polyphasic multi-coil generator includes a drive shaft, at least first and second rotors rigidly mounted on the drive shaft so as to simultaneously synchronously rotate with rotation of the drive shaft, and at least one stator sandwiched between the first and second rotors. A stator array on the stator has an array of electrically conductive coils mounted to the stator in a first angular orientation about the drive shaft. The rotors each have an array of magnets which are circumferentially equally spaced around the rotor and located at the same radially spacing with respect to the centre of the rotor and the drive shaft at a first angular orientation relative to the drive shaft. The arrays of magnets on adjacent rotors are off-set by an angular offset relative to one another.

Claims

1. A polyphasic multi-coil electric device comprising:

a drive shaft;

a first rotor rotatable with said drive shaft and comprising a first array of circumferentially spaced magnets coupled to said first rotor;

a second rotor rotatable with said drive shaft and comprising a second array of circumferentially spaced magnets coupled to said second rotor, wherein when said first rotor and said second rotor rotate with said drive shaft, said first array of magnets is angularly offset in a drive shaft rotation direction from said second array of magnets; and

first and second stators interleaved with said first rotor and said second rotor, each of said first and second stators comprising an aperture that receives said drive shaft, said first stator further comprising circumferentially spaced electrically conductive coils coupled to said first stator, said second stator further comprising circumferentially spaced air coils coupled to said second stator, and each of said first and second rotors and first and second stators provided in substantially parallel planes.

2. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third rotor rotatable with said drive shaft, said third rotor comprising a third array of circumferentially spaced magnets coupled to said third rotor, wherein when said first rotor, said second rotor and said third rotor rotate with said drive shaft, said third array of magnets is angularly offset in a drive shaft rotation direction from said first array of magnets and said second array of magnets; and

a third stator comprising an aperture that receives said drive shaft, said third stator further comprising circumferentially spaced electrically conductive coils coupled to said third stator, said third rotor and said third stator provided in substantially parallel planes.

3. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third rotor rotatable with said drive shaft, said third rotor comprising a third array of circumferentially spaced magnets coupled to said third rotor, wherein when said first rotor, said second rotor and said third rotor rotate with said drive shaft, said third array of magnets is angularly offset in a drive shaft rotation direction from said first array of magnets and said second array of magnets; and

a third stator comprising an aperture that receives said drive shaft, said third stator further comprising circumferentially spaced air coils coupled to said third stator, said third rotor and said third stator provided in substantially parallel planes.

4. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, wherein each of said first array of circumferentially spaced magnets and said second array of circumferentially spaced magnets comprise pairs of magnets, each pair of magnets including one magnet closer to said drive shaft than the other magnet.

5. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 4, wherein each of said pairs of magnets is aligned along a common radial axis extending outward in a radial direction with respect to said drive shaft.

6. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, wherein each of said electrically conductive coils is wrapped around a radial core extending outward in a radial direction with respect to said drive shaft.

7. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive coils are aligned end to end in a concentric circle around said drive shaft.

8. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, wherein each of said circumferentially spaced air coils is centered on a radial axis extending outward in a radial direction with respect to said drive shaft.

9. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of successive stators interleaved with a plurality of successive rotors, wherein electrically conductive coils of said plurality of successive stators are electrically coupled to be selectively electrically energized between an open and a closed circuit state, resistance to rotation of said drive shaft reduced when in said open circuit state and increased when in said closed circuit state.

10. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, wherein said first rotor and said first stator define a first stage having a first diameter and said second rotor and said second stator define a second stage having a second diameter, said second diameter being greater than said first diameter.

11. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 1, wherein said first rotor and said first stator define a first stage having a first diameter and said second rotor and second stator define a second stage having a second diameter, said second diameter being less than said first diameter.

20. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive coils coupled to said first stator are at least in part co-planar with said first array of circumferentially spaced magnets.

21. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said air coils coupled to said second stator are at least in part co-planar with said second array of circumferentially spaced magnets.

12. A polyphasic multi-coil electric device comprising:

a drive shaft; and

a first electric device stage including first, second, and third rotors interleaved with first, second, and third stators, said first, second, and third rotors coupled to said drive shaft and each of said first, second, and third stators comprising an aperture that receives said drive shaft, at least one of said first, second, and third stators further comprising circumferentially spaced air coils coupled thereto, said first rotor further comprising a first array of circumferentially spaced magnets coupled to said first rotor, said second rotor further comprising a second array of circumferentially spaced magnets coupled to said second rotor, and said third rotor further comprising a third array of circumferentially spaced magnets coupled to said third rotor,

wherein when said first, second and third rotors rotate with said drive shaft, said first, second, and third array of magnets are angularly offset in a drive shaft rotation direction from each other, each of said first, second, and third rotors and said first, second, and third stators provided in substantially parallel planes.

13. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 12, further comprising a second electric device stage, the second electric device stage comprising three rotors interleaved with three stators, said second electric device stage having a first diameter, said first electric device stage having a second diameter, said second diameter being less than said first diameter.

14. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 12, further comprising a second electric device stage, the second electric device stage comprising three rotors interleaved with three stators, said second electric device stage having a first diameter, said first electric device stage having a second diameter, said second diameter being greater than said first diameter.

15. The polyphasic multi-core electric device of claim 12, wherein each of said first array of circumferentially spaced magnets, said second array of circumferentially spaced magnets, and said third array of circumferentially spaced magnets comprise pairs of magnets, each pair of magnets including one magnet closer to said drive shaft than the other magnet.

16. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 15, wherein each of said pairs of magnets is aligned along a common radial axis extending outward in a radial direction with respect to said drive shaft.

17. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 12, wherein each of said electrically conductive coils is wrapped around a radial core extending outward in a radial direction with respect to said drive shaft.

18. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 12, wherein said electrically conductive coils are aligned end to end in a concentric circle around said drive shaft.

19. The polyphasic multi-coil electric device of claim 12, wherein each of said circumferentially spaced air coils is centered on a radial axis extending outward in a radial direction with respect to said drive shaft.

22. The electric device of claim 12, wherein at least one of said first, second, and third stator comprises electrically conductive coils coupled thereto and said electrically conductive coils are at least in part co-planar with one of said first, second, or third array of circumferentially spaced magnets.

23. The electric device of claim 12, wherein said air coils coupled to at least one of said first, second, and third stator are at least in part co-planar with said first, second, or third array of circumferentially spaced magnets.