|Publication number||US5786645 A|
|Application number||US 08/548,596|
|Publication date||Jul 28, 1998|
|Filing date||Apr 29, 1993|
|Priority date||Apr 29, 1993|
|Also published as||CA2095203A1, DE69401207D1, DE69401207T2, EP0696391A1, EP0696391B1, WO1994026018A1|
|Publication number||08548596, 548596, PCT/1994/241, PCT/CA/1994/000241, PCT/CA/1994/00241, PCT/CA/94/000241, PCT/CA/94/00241, PCT/CA1994/000241, PCT/CA1994/00241, PCT/CA1994000241, PCT/CA199400241, PCT/CA94/000241, PCT/CA94/00241, PCT/CA94000241, PCT/CA9400241, US 5786645 A, US 5786645A, US-A-5786645, US5786645 A, US5786645A|
|Original Assignee||Obidniak; Louis|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (16), Referenced by (72), Classifications (10), Legal Events (3)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The present invention relates to an electric motor-generator. In particular, the invention relates to a motor-generator using permanent magnets and soft ferromagnetic cores.
It is a well-known principle that a permanent magnet will induce a magnetic field in a soft ferromagnetic element or core resulting in an attraction force between the core and the permanent magnet. It is also known to construct electric motor-generators in which permanent magnets interact with electromagnetic coils. In the case of a motor, current is supplied to the coils to propel the motor. In the case of a generator, the current induced in the coil as a result of the varying magnetic field resulting from movement of the permanent magnet with respect to the coil is withdrawn from the generator for useful purposes and is the product of work applied to the generator.
The efficiency of known motors is substantially less than perfect due to electrical losses and magnetic losses.
The magnetic circuits established between the permanent magnets and coils are not conventionally closed magnetic circuits when the magnet and coils are in proximate alignment.
Electrical current is also applied to conventional motors in a continuous alternating cycle or in a piecewise continuous fashion.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an electric motor-generator in which natural attraction between permanent magnets and soft ferromagnetic cores is used to provide motive force. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a motor-generator in which a magnetic circuit is completed when the permanent magnets and cores are in proximate alignment. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a motor-generator in which a repulsion current provided to a coil associated with the core need only be applied for a fraction of the motor's cycle.
According to the invention there is provided an electric motor-generator comprising a rotor having an axis of rotation, a stator, at least one permanent magnet having a pole axis in a plane radial to the rotation axis of the rotor, at least one soft ferromagnetic attraction core through which poles of the magnet can pass, the magnet and the attraction core forming a magnetic circuit when in proximate alignment, at least one coil associated with the attraction core for producing a magnetic field in the attraction core for assisting motive passage of the magnet through the core, means for mounting the magnet, the attraction core and the coil to the rotor and the stator, and means for energizing the coil. In this way, the rotor is caused to rotate by attraction of the magnet to the attraction core as the magnet and attraction core approach one another, an opposite attraction force between the magnet and the attraction core being neutralizeable by energizing the coil as the magnet and the attraction core move apart.
It is to be understood that in the present description, a rotor can include an endless belt type system. The energizing means can include means for storing a current induced as the magnet approaches the proximate alignment position with the core, the stored current being redelivered to the coil at the appropriate time for reducing or breaking an attraction force between the core and the magnet.
The motor-generator may comprise a number of permanent magnets and cores, provided that the magnetic fields between adjacent cores and magnets do not interfere with one another. It is not necessary to have as many cores as magnets. It is possible to use the coils associated with the cores for assisting in the generation of motor force in the case of a motor and also for extracting electrical energy in the case of a generator.
The invention will be better understood by way of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the appended drawings in which
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view about plane A--A of FIG. 1 also indicating an electrical block diagram of the associated electrical circuit;
FIG. 3 illustrates a partial plan view of the invention in three different rotor positions;
FIG. 4 is a break away end view of three positions of the invention corresponding to FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a graph of flux density as a function of angular position;
FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the permanent magnet and soft ferromagnetic core according to the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 7 shows plots of induced "emf" in the generating coil, the capacitor discharge and the coil current, all as a function of angular position;
FIGS. 8a through 8d illustrate the energizing means connected to the coil associated with the soft ferromagnetic attraction core in four different states of operation; and
FIG. 9 illustrates a variant of the invention in which a generating coil is mounted in a hub of the rotor.
In the preferred embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a rotor (1) is provided with eight rare earth permanent magnets (2) having a pole axis parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotor shaft. Mounted on a fixed base around the circumference of rotor (1) are a plurality of generating cores (3) and associated generating coils (4), as well as a plurality of attraction cores (5) and associated coils (6). In the preferred embodiment, the cores (3) and (5) and coils (4) and (6) are of a similar structure and by easily adapting the electronic circuitry, it is possible to operate the motor-generator either as a pure generator or a pure electric motor. The preferred embodiment illustrates a hybrid model in which both generator coils and attraction coils are present. On the attraction core and coil side, there is associated a switch (9), a passive storage capacitor (7), a switching unit (10), a battery (14) and a battery charger (15). On the generating core and coil side, there is provided a switch (8), a controller switching unit (11), battery (13) and output or input connection (16).
With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the operation of the attraction core and coil will be illustrated. In position (1) in the figures, the core and coil, whether it be of a generating kind or the attraction/motor kind is attracted to permanent magnet (2) in such a way that the magnet is drawn to the core as the rotor turns. A magnetic circuit in the C-shaped core is formed and the increase in the magnetic field induces an "emf" in the coils (4) which may be stored or used as power output. In FIG. 2, the core and permanent magnet are in proximate alignment and the coil (6) associated with the attraction core (5) is provided with a short-lived burst of current to repel the permanent magnet as the core and permanent magnet separate until position (3) is reached. It is important to note that the burst of current is short-lived and the efficiency of current consumption in the coils (6) has been found to increase with frequency of rotation.
FIG. 5 shows the alternating flux density in the magnetic circuits due to rotation of the magnets in relation to the fixed iron cores of the generating coil (4) and the coil (6). It is worth pointing out that it is not important to the basic working principle of the invention whether the cores are part of the stator or a part of the rotor so long as there is relative movement between the permanent magnets and the cores and that there is a magnetic circuit formed when the two are in proximate alignment. Furthermore, the pole axis of the permanent magnet need not be parallel to the axis of rotation but could be any axis in a plane radial to the axis of rotation. The rotor may also comprise an endless belt. In the preferred embodiment, there is no need for brushes of slip rings as the electronic circuitry is entirely mounted on the stator.
FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the magnetic circuit and the coil (6) used to break the magnetic circuit for repulsion purposes. As can be seen, core (5) is made from a plurality of insulated soft ferromagnetic laminates. The soft ferromagnetic sheets are preferably stamped from unstressed sheet metal in order to improve the magnetic hysteresis loop. As shown, by flowing an electric current through coil (6) the direction of magnetic flux in the core (5) is reversed to ease separation between the soft ferromagnetic core (5) and permanent magnet (2) as rotor (1) advances. The reversal of flux is also referred to as neutralizing.
With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the operation of the motor component of the electronic circuitry will be described. In FIG. 8a there is shown the circuit and core in the position corresponding to position 2 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 in which the permanent magnet (2) is in proximate alignment with core (5). At this point, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the induced "emf" or voltage in the coil (6) is zero. The magnetic flux in the core (5) is in a complete circuit in accordance with the magnetic field emanating from permanent magnet (2). At or preferably shortly before this point, a current is fed through coil (6) as illustrated in FIG. 8b by closing switch (9) with the result that the magnetic circuit is broken and a state of neutrality or even repulsion exists between core (5) and permanent magnet (2). The current required for repulsion drains capacitor (7). As illustrated in the plot of repulsion coil current in FIG. 7, when the capacitor discharge is over, further current is supplied from battery (14) through controller (10) to continue supplying current for a brief period of time until magnet (2) is sufficiently remote from core (5). At this point, the decay in the magnetic field in the core (5) produces a current in coil (6) which is connected through switching controller (10) to recharge capacitor (7). Once this has been done, switch (9) is opened and core (5) is ready for the next cycle period.
Although in the preferred embodiment, it is illustrated that a capacitor is used to store energy from the decay in the magnetic field in the core and also to provide current to the coil to initiate repulsion, the switching unit (10) can be used in a variety of different arrangements to meet the objectives of the present invention. For example, the repulsion current could come from another generating coil from the same stator or from a parallel stator. The current obtained from coil (6) as the magnetic field decays in core (5) could be transferred through unit (10) to another coil (6) requiring repulsion current. It is also possible to provide more than one capacitor (7) each connected to unit (10) for charging and discharging in series or in parallel in order to provide the most efficient energy storage and discharge system. As can be appreciated, if coil (6) is fed only enough current to neutralize the magnetic circuit so that very little repulsion takes place as magnet (2) moves away from core (5) and such that little magnetic flux remains in core (5) as magnet (2) moves farther and farther away from core (5), there is little or no magnetic flux energy left in core (5) to recapture by coil (6) in the step illustrated in FIG. 8c and therefore this step may not take place. However, in the preferred embodiment, sufficient current is fed to coil (6) to provide for good repulsion.
As illustrated in FIG. 9, there is shown a hub (23) which houses magnets (24) and is rotatably mounted onto a fixed shaft (17) by bearings (21). As rotor (2) rotates, stationary coils (19) are subjected to variable magnetic flux resulting from magnets (24) and have an alternating "emf" induced in them. Conductors (20) are used to remove power from stationary coils (19) along stationary shaft (17). The alternative embodiment of FIG. 9 can provide a compact motor-generator in which the circumferential coils can all be attraction cores and associated coils.
As can be appreciated, the motor-generator of the present invention uses natural attraction between permanent magnets and soft ferromagnetic cores for motor power. The coil energizing means provides the necessary neutralizing or repulsion current to the coils (6) associated with the attraction cores (5). Although not explicitly illustrated in the drawings, it is to be understood that the timing of the switches (9) and/or (8) as well as control units (10) and (11) are to be appropriately controlled. For this purpose, Hall effect sensors detecting position of the permanent magnets (2) as they rotate on rotor (2) can be used for providing timing signals, however, circuitry can be provided to detect position of the magnets by measuring coil voltage. Alternatively, optical encoding on the rotor or shaft or low friction mechanical switching can be used for timing control purposes.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US3560820 *||Feb 3, 1969||Feb 2, 1971||Ford Motor Co||Reluctance motor power circuit containing series capacitance|
|US3714533 *||Mar 8, 1971||Jan 30, 1973||Ford Motor Co||Sine pulse controller for variable reluctance motor|
|US3748554 *||May 3, 1971||Jul 24, 1973||Cambridge Thermionic Corp||Stepping motor drive circuit providing collapsing field energy storage|
|US4064442 *||Mar 17, 1976||Dec 20, 1977||Csg Enterprises, Inc.||Electric motor having permanent magnets and resonant circuit|
|US4459519 *||Sep 25, 1980||Jul 10, 1984||General Electric Company||Electronically commutated motor systems and control therefor|
|US4584506 *||Nov 23, 1984||Apr 22, 1986||Polestar Magnetronics Inc.||Reluctance motor with electronically controlled stator windings|
|US4808868 *||Aug 12, 1987||Feb 28, 1989||S.P.C. Holding Co., Inc.||Single and polyphase electromagnetic induction machines having regulated polar magnetic symmetry|
|US5355069 *||Nov 15, 1991||Oct 11, 1994||Kabushikigaisha Sekogiken||Reluctance type motor|
|EP0042884A1 *||Jul 2, 1980||Jan 6, 1982||Roger Martire||Electromagnetically excited magnet motor|
|EP0043885A1 *||Jul 15, 1980||Jan 20, 1982||Mario Gherardi||Electric current generating motor|
|EP0404299A1 *||Mar 30, 1990||Dec 27, 1990||Patrick E. Cavanagh||Brushless motor|
|FR2112768A5 *||Title not available|
|FR2231143A1 *||Title not available|
|GB2050525A *||Title not available|
|GB2069768A *||Title not available|
|OA2188A *||Title not available|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US6034492 *||Apr 28, 1998||Mar 7, 2000||Nec Corporation||Motor-generator|
|US6064121 *||Feb 27, 1998||May 16, 2000||Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation||Axially compact generator set and refrigeration system employing the same|
|US6255753 *||Nov 12, 1999||Jul 3, 2001||Macdonald William Barry||Electromagnetic rotating machine|
|US6323576||Oct 4, 2000||Nov 27, 2001||Power Works, Inc.||Electric power generator having rotor magnets and stator faces similarly shaped|
|US6552460 *||Mar 8, 2001||Apr 22, 2003||Motile, Inc.||Brushless electro-mechanical machine|
|US6636007 *||Mar 12, 2001||Oct 21, 2003||Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.||DC brushless vibration motor|
|US6707212 *||Nov 22, 2002||Mar 16, 2004||Gustaf Bergmark||Electrical machine|
|US6762525 *||Jun 26, 2002||Jul 13, 2004||Wavecrest Laboratories, Llc||Cascaded rotary electric motors having axial and radial air gaps|
|US6791222 *||Apr 30, 2002||Sep 14, 2004||Wavecrest Laboratories, Llc||Rotary electric motor having at least two axially air gaps separating stator and rotor segments|
|US6849984 *||Jan 30, 2001||Feb 1, 2005||Raymond Joseph Gallant||Magnetically driven wheel for use in radial/rotary propulsion system having an energy recovery feature|
|US6891294 *||Aug 18, 2003||May 10, 2005||Clarence D. Deal||Electric motor vehicle comprising same|
|US6891306 *||Apr 30, 2002||May 10, 2005||Wavecrest Laboratories, Llc.||Rotary electric motor having both radial and axial air gap flux paths between stator and rotor segments|
|US6930433||Aug 4, 2003||Aug 16, 2005||Apex Drives Laboratories, Inc.||Brushless electro-mechanical device|
|US7105972 *||Jan 31, 2005||Sep 12, 2006||Gallant Raymond J||Controller and magnetically driven wheel for use in a radial/rotary propulsion system|
|US7148596 *||Apr 28, 2004||Dec 12, 2006||Kohei Minato||Magnetic rotating motor generator|
|US7233088||Jul 1, 2005||Jun 19, 2007||Magnetic Torque International, Ltd.||Torque converter and system using the same|
|US7268454||Jul 1, 2005||Sep 11, 2007||Magnetic Torque International, Ltd.||Power generating systems|
|US7453180 *||Nov 22, 2004||Nov 18, 2008||General Atomics||Rotary disk energy storage and pulse power supply|
|US7474013 *||Nov 20, 2006||Jan 6, 2009||Wave Energy Recovery Inc.||Wave energy recovery system|
|US7602130 *||May 23, 2002||Oct 13, 2009||Sunyen Co., Ltd.||Apparatus for self-generating a driving force to rotate a shaft without external power after initial activation|
|US7615894||Nov 10, 2009||Deal Clarence D||Electric motor with a permanent magnet carrier rotating a sprocket|
|US7627941||Dec 8, 2009||Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation||Fixture for aligning motor assembly|
|US7683500||Nov 26, 2008||Mar 23, 2010||Alexander Greenspan||Wave energy recovery system|
|US7687956||Oct 17, 2007||Mar 30, 2010||Magnetic Torque International, Ltd.||Drive motor system|
|US7777381 *||Sep 30, 2008||Aug 17, 2010||Seiko Epson Corporation||Magnetic structure and motor employing said magnetic structure, and driver comprising said motor|
|US7786646 *||Apr 1, 2007||Aug 31, 2010||Union Plastic (Hangzhou) Machinery Co., Ltd.||Magnetic force rotation device|
|US7808142||Jun 13, 2006||Oct 5, 2010||E3 Solutions, Llc||Multivariable generator and method of using the same|
|US7863784 *||Aug 14, 2006||Jan 4, 2011||Apex Drive Laboratories, Inc||Axial flux permanent magnet machines|
|US8482181||Jul 30, 2012||Jul 9, 2013||Convergent Power, Inc.||Three phase synchronous reluctance motor with constant air gap and recovery of inductive field energy|
|US8643245 *||May 31, 2012||Feb 4, 2014||Industrial Technology Research Institute||Rotational kinetic energy output device|
|US8853907||Oct 1, 2012||Oct 7, 2014||Millennial Research Corporation||Electric motor|
|US8981608 *||Apr 21, 2011||Mar 17, 2015||Harold Ariel||Method of propulsion|
|US20010004174 *||Jan 30, 2001||Jun 21, 2001||Gallant Raymond Joseph||Magnetically driven wheel for use in radial/rotary propulsion system having an energy recovery feature|
|US20030201693 *||Apr 16, 2003||Oct 30, 2003||Bales John E.||Brushless electro-mechanical machine|
|US20030210003 *||May 23, 2002||Nov 13, 2003||Sunyen Co., Ltd.||Apparatus for self-generating a driving force|
|US20040075279 *||Oct 18, 2002||Apr 22, 2004||Breth Newton Roi||Wind powered electric generator|
|US20040207286 *||Aug 4, 2003||Oct 21, 2004||Bales John E.||Brushless electro-mechanical device|
|US20050127767 *||Jan 31, 2005||Jun 16, 2005||Gallant Raymond J.||Controller and magnetically driven wheel for use in a radial/rotary propulsion system|
|US20050184613 *||Apr 28, 2004||Aug 25, 2005||Kohei Minato||Magnetic rotating motor generator|
|US20050236918 *||Nov 22, 2004||Oct 27, 2005||Van Den Bergh Hugo H||Rotary disk energy storage and pulse power supply|
|US20050258692 *||Jul 1, 2005||Nov 24, 2005||Magnetic Torque International, Ltd.||Torque converter and system using the same|
|US20060111191 *||Nov 19, 2004||May 25, 2006||Magnetic Torque International||Torque transfer system and method of using the same|
|US20060226725 *||Jun 13, 2006||Oct 12, 2006||Magnetic Torque International Ltd.||Multivariable generator and method of using the same|
|US20070007835 *||Jul 1, 2005||Jan 11, 2007||Magnetic Torque International, Ltd.||Power generating systems|
|US20070090719 *||Oct 26, 2005||Apr 26, 2007||Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation||Generator synchronization system|
|US20070164568 *||Nov 20, 2006||Jul 19, 2007||Alexander Greenspan||Wave energy recovery system|
|US20070228853 *||Jul 13, 2006||Oct 4, 2007||Magnetic Torque International, Ltd.||Power generating systems|
|US20070228854 *||Jul 13, 2006||Oct 4, 2007||Magnetic Torque International, Ltd.||Power generating systems|
|US20070228856 *||Sep 28, 2005||Oct 4, 2007||John Bates||Efficiency magnetic motor|
|US20080045777 *||Aug 23, 2006||Feb 21, 2008||Jal Jassawalla||Electromagnetic drive for a ventricular assist device|
|US20080278019 *||Apr 1, 2007||Nov 13, 2008||Weiting Lu||Magnetic Force Rotation Device|
|US20090033169 *||Sep 30, 2008||Feb 5, 2009||Kesatoshi Takeuchi||Magnetic structure and motor employing said magnetic structure, and driver comprising said motor|
|US20090102200 *||Nov 26, 2008||Apr 23, 2009||Alexander Greenspan||Wave energy recovery system|
|US20090309463 *||Aug 14, 2006||Dec 17, 2009||Apex Drive Laboratories, Inc.||Brushless electromechanical machine|
|US20100301693 *||Oct 26, 2008||Dec 2, 2010||Daniel Farb||Rotational magnetic propulsion motors|
|US20110181138 *||Jul 28, 2011||Hironori Matsumoto||Totally enclosed motor|
|US20110285254 *||Nov 24, 2011||Apex Drive Laboratories, Inc.||Self-starting electromotor|
|US20110304232 *||Dec 15, 2011||Garland Rush||Electromagnetically driven motor and electric power generator|
|US20120267973 *||Oct 25, 2012||Harold Ariel||Method of propulsion|
|US20120326541 *||Dec 27, 2012||Millennial Research Corporation||Regenerative Motor and Coil|
|US20130093278 *||May 31, 2012||Apr 18, 2013||Industrial Technology Research Institute||Rotational kinetic energy output device|
|CN101278460B||Aug 14, 2006||Jun 1, 2011||艾派克斯动力实验室有限公司||Brushless electromechanical machine|
|CN101535631B||Nov 20, 2006||Jul 4, 2012||轨道工业公司||Wave energy recovery system|
|EP1569322A1 *||May 3, 2004||Aug 31, 2005||Kohei Minato||Magnetic rotating motor generator|
|EP2332243A1 *||Sep 9, 2009||Jun 15, 2011||Getriebetechnik Kassel Schäfer GmbH||Annular power converter having a motive effect|
|WO2001028075A1 *||Oct 6, 2000||Apr 19, 2001||Power Works, Inc.||Electric power generator having rotor magnet-pole and stator-pole surfaces being similarly shaped|
|WO2002063750A1 *||Feb 6, 2002||Aug 15, 2002||Naidoo, Ganesen||Apparatus for generating energy|
|WO2006086000A2 *||Jul 22, 2005||Aug 17, 2006||Gallant Raymond J||Controller and magnetically driven wheel for use in a radial/rotary propulsion system|
|WO2007022128A2 *||Aug 14, 2006||Feb 22, 2007||Apex Drive Laboratories, Inc.||Brushless electromechanical machine|
|WO2007061951A2 *||Nov 20, 2006||May 31, 2007||Orbital Industries, Inc.||Wave energy recovery system|
|WO2007061951A3 *||Nov 20, 2006||Apr 30, 2009||Orbital Ind Inc||Wave energy recovery system|
|WO2014070212A1 *||Nov 5, 2012||May 8, 2014||Convergent Power, Inc.||Controller for toroidal motor having back emf reduction|
|U.S. Classification||310/68.00R, 318/400.11, 310/268, 310/216.037|
|International Classification||H02K47/00, H02K25/00|
|Cooperative Classification||H02K25/00, H02K47/00|
|European Classification||H02K25/00, H02K47/00|
|Jan 28, 2002||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jan 25, 2006||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|Jan 27, 2010||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 12