APPARATUS FOR USE AS A MOTOR OR GENERATOR

• US 20130088117A1
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deregallera Holdings Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Deregallera Holdings Ltd.
• Inventors: Boughtwood, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,148,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/300
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/004 in which a body is moved along a path due to interaction with an electric field travelling along the path
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/006 of the gap-closing type H02N1/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/08 with conductive charge carrier, i.e. capacitor machines

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for use as a motor or generator, comprising: a capacitor assembly (20) comprising: a first conductor part (36) defining a first conductor region (38) and a second conductor part (37) defining a second conductor region (39), the first and second conductor parts (36, 37) being spaced apart to define opposed sides of a passageway (40) extending between the first and second conductor regions (38, 39); and an inner part (50) moveable relative to at least one of the conductor parts along the passageway (40) extending between the first and second conductor regions (38, 39).

Claims

1. Apparatus for use as a motor or generator, comprising:

a capacitor assembly comprising;

a first conductor part defining a first conductor region and a second conductor part defining a second conductor region, the first and second conductor parts being spaced apart to define opposed sides of a passageway extending between the first and second conductor regions; and

an inner part moveable relative to at least one of the conductor parts along the passageway extending between the first and second conductor regions.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner part is a polarisable or a polarised part.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner part is configured to follow a path through the passageway and the inner part comprises first and second regions spaced along the path, the first and second regions being configured to provide different levels of attraction to an electric field generated between the first and second conductor parts.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first region of the inner part is electrically conductive and the second region is electrically insulating.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first region of the inner part has an electric polarisation potential or electric polarisation level greater than that of the second region and in use the first region is polarised in a first orientation relative to the apparatus and the second region is polarised in a second orientation relative to the apparatus.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first region comprises a permanently polarised material polarised in a first orientation relative to the apparatus and the second region comprises a permanently polarised material polarised in a second orientation relative to the apparatus.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second conductor regions comprises a plurality of discrete conductor sub-regions spaced along the passageway and the apparatus is configured to selectively apply an activation voltage to each of the plurality of discrete conductor sub-regions.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of discrete conductor sub-regions is divided into two or more interspersed groups and the apparatus is configured to apply an activation voltage to each group of the plurality of discrete conductor sub-regions.

19. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the other conductor region comprises a plurality of discrete conductor sub-regions spaced along the path, each substantially registered with a respective one of the plurality of discrete conductor sub-regions of the first or second conductor region.

20. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the other conductor region comprises a continuous conductor region extending between each of the plurality of discrete conductor sub-regions in the first or second conductor region.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the continuous conductor region forms a ground plane of the capacitor assembly.

22. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a further capacitor assembly including:

a third conductor part defining a third conductor region and a fourth conductor part defining a fourth conductor region, the third and fourth conductor parts being spaced apart to define opposed sides of a further passageway extending between the third and fourth conductor regions; and

a further inner part moveable relative to at least one of the third and fourth conductor parts along the further passageway extending between the third and fourth conductor regions.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the apparatus is configured to selectively apply an activation voltage to at least one of the third and fourth conductor regions.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the apparatus is configured to sequentially apply an activation voltage to at least one of the first and second conductor regions of the first-defined capacitor assembly and at the same time as applying an activation voltage to the third and fourth conductor regions of the further capacitor assembly.

27. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to convert between electrical energy and rotary motion, and wherein the conductor parts of the capacitor assemblies are each aligned with an axis of rotation of the insulator parts whereby in use forces acting on conductor parts located between the first and fourth conductor parts are minimized.

29. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein at least one conductor part comprises a connector for linking together a plurality of sub-regions in a group of a conductor part.

30. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductor parts are spaced along an axis and the apparatus further comprises an axially extending connector for linking different conductor parts.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the axially extending connector comprise an elongate connector pin configured to extend though a plurality of conductor parts.

32. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the connector pin is configured to transfer forces or torque generated by the apparatus.

34. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the or each inner part is separated from at least one adjacent conductor part by a fluid.

35. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate a region of electrical conductivity in the fluid between the first and second conductor regions.

36. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the region of electrical conductivity in the fluid by applying an electric field to the fluid.

37. Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the electric field generated between the first and second conductor regions is configured to ionise the fluid.

38. Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the apparatus is further configured to sustain ionisation of the fluid.

40. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning system for maintaining a predetermined minimum spacing between the inner part and the conductor parts of the or each capacitor assembly.

41. Apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the positioning system comprises a pressurised fluid system configured to apply a balancing fluid pressure between opposed faces of the inner part and the conductor parts for correcting or preventing any offset displacement of the inner part relative to the conductor parts.

42. Apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the fluid pressure system is configured to provide a force for counteracting electrical forces between the inner part and the conductor parts.

43. Apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the fluid pressure system is configured to provide a load-supporting force for maintaining the inner part in a predetermined position relative to the at least one conductor part.

44. Apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the pressurised fluid balancing system is configured to vary the fluid pressure in dependence upon a force/torque demand placed on the apparatus.

45. Apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the pressurised fluid system is configured to provide fluid at a pressure above atmospheric pressure.

46. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the previously defined conductor parts and/or inner parts comprises a coating.

47. Apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the coating has a relative permittivity higher than 5.

48. Apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the coating comprises a ceramic coating or coating of diamond-like carbon.

49. Apparatus according to claim 46, wherein there is substantially zero clearance between the conductor parts and inner parts in the or each capacitor assembly.

50. Apparatus according to claim 49, wherein at least one of the conductor parts and/or inner part comprises a coating having at least one electrically conductive region.

51. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner and conductor parts is segmented.

52. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second conductor parts comprise an electrically insulating body for supporting the first and second conductor regions respectively.

53. Apparatus according to claim 52, wherein the or each electrically insulating body comprises at least one electrically polarisable region.

54. Apparatus according to claim 53, wherein the electrically insulating body further comprises at least one relatively non-polarisable region.

55. Apparatus according to claim 54, wherein the or each polarisation region of the electrically insulating body comprises a body of polarisable material housed in a chamber or recess defined by the non-polarisable region of the insulating body.

56. Apparatus according to claim 54, wherein the polarisable region of the electrically insulating body is formed by polarisable particles distributed throughout the non-polarisable region of the electrically insulating body.

57. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is moveable between a first configuration in which clearance between the inner part and at least one conductor part is substantially zero and a second configuration in which clearance between the inner part and the conductor part is non-zero.

58. A motor for mounting in a wheel comprising apparatus as defined in claim 1.

59. A wheel for a vehicle comprising the motor of claim 58.

60. A sensor/detector transducer comprising apparatus as defined in claim 1.

61. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured for use as at least one of a motor, a generator, and a sensor/detector transducer.

3. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11-15. -15. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

62. (canceled)

63. (canceled)

64. A method of connecting elements in apparatus for use as a motor or generator, the apparatus comprising:

a first part comprising a plurality of first elements spaced along a first path; and

a second part spaced from the first part along an axis of the apparatus and comprising a plurality of second elements spaced along the second path;

the method comprising the steps of;

connecting a first phase group of spaced first elements using a first connector;

connecting a second phase group of spaced first elements using a second connector;

connecting a first phase group of spaced second elements using a third connector;

connecting a second phase group of spaced second elements using a fourth connector;

connecting the first phase group of spaced first elements to the first phase group of spaced second elements using a first axially extending connector; and

connecting the second phase group of spaced first elements to the second phase group of spaced second elements using a second axially extending connector.

65. A method according to claim 64, wherein at least one of the first and second axially extending connectors comprises one or more elongate connector pins configured to extend though the first and second parts.

66. A method according to claim 65, wherein the or each connector pin comprises an electrically conductive body for transmitting an activation voltage.

67. A method according to claim 65, wherein the or each connector pin is additionally configured to transfer a force or torque generated by the apparatus.

68. (canceled)