U.S. patent application number 12/268592 was filed with the patent office on 2010-05-13 for permanent magnet machine with offset pole spacing.
This patent application is currently assigned to FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. Invention is credited to Michael W. Degner, Franco Leonardi, Feng Liang.
Application Number | 20100117475 12/268592 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41402773 |
Filed Date | 2010-05-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100117475 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leonardi; Franco ; et
al. |
May 13, 2010 |
Permanent Magnet Machine with Offset Pole Spacing
Abstract
An internal permanent magnet machine has multiple rotor
sections, each section having multiple rotor laminations. Permanent
magnets are placed asymmetrically in lamination openings to
attenuate oscillations in torque caused by harmonic components of
magnetic flux.
Inventors: |
Leonardi; Franco; (Dearborn
Heights, MI) ; Degner; Michael W.; (Novi, MI)
; Liang; Feng; (Troy, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C./FGTL
1000 TOWN CENTER, 22ND FLOOR
SOUTHFIELD
MI
48075-1238
US
|
Assignee: |
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES,
LLC
Dearborn
MI
|
Family ID: |
41402773 |
Appl. No.: |
12/268592 |
Filed: |
November 11, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
310/156.47 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60L 50/16 20190201;
Y02T 10/62 20130101; B60L 2240/12 20130101; H02K 29/03 20130101;
B60L 15/2009 20130101; B60L 2270/145 20130101; H02K 1/2766
20130101; Y02T 10/70 20130101; Y02T 10/72 20130101; B60L 50/61
20190201; Y02T 10/7072 20130101; B60L 7/14 20130101; Y02T 10/64
20130101; B60L 2210/30 20130101; B60L 2240/421 20130101; B60L
2270/142 20130101; H02K 2201/06 20130101; B60L 2210/10 20130101;
B60L 2240/423 20130101; B60L 2210/40 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
310/156.47 |
International
Class: |
H02K 21/14 20060101
H02K021/14 |
Claims
1. A permanent magnet electric machine comprising: a stator with
electromagnetic windings for stator poles; a rotor located
coaxially with the stator and having an air gap therebetween; and a
plurality of permanent magnets positioned on the rotor periphery so
that magnetic poles of adjacent magnets are asymmetrical, whereby
harmonic components of air gap magnetic flux are attenuated to
reduce undesirable oscillation of rotor torque.
2. A permanent magnet machine comprising a stator with
electromagnetic windings for stator poles and a rotor located on a
rotor axis that is common to an axis for the stator with an air gap
between the stator and the rotor; the rotor having a plurality of
permanent magnets on its periphery; and magnetic poles for the
magnets being characterized by magnetic flux flow patterns that
interact with flux flow paths for the electromagnetic stator
windings to create rotor torque; the magnetic poles being
asymmetrically positioned on the rotor periphery whereby harmonic
components of air gap flux are attenuated to reduce undesirable
oscillation of rotor torque.
3. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 2 wherein the
magnets are positioned on the rotor to effect radial skewing, the
poles of at least one pair of adjacent magnets being spaced in
closer proximity than poles of other magnet pairs on the rotor
periphery whereby asymmetry is achieved.
4. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 3 wherein pairs
of magnets define rotor poles with a rotor pole axis that are
non-uniformly spaced about the rotor periphery with respect to
rotor pole axes defined by other adjacent pairs of magnets.
5. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 3 wherein the
rotor pole axes are uniformly spaced about the rotor periphery.
6. A permanent magnet machine comprising a stator with
electromagnetic windings for stator poles and a rotor located on a
rotor axis that is common to an axis for the stator with an air gap
between the stator and the rotor; the rotor having a plurality of
pairs of permanent magnets on its periphery, the magnets of each
pair being located in a "V" shape configuration defining an angle
therebetween; the rotor comprising laminations arranged in multiple
sections in stacked axial relationship; magnetic poles for the
magnet pairs being characterized by flux flow patterns that
interact with flux flow paths for the electromagnetic stator
windings to create rotor torque; the magnets of one pair for one
section defining an angle therebetween that differs from an angle
defined by the magnets of an adjacent rotor section whereby
harmonic components of rotor torque are manipulated to obtain
smooth torque production.
7. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 6 wherein the
magnets have pre-calculated lengths and widths, the width of the
magnets in one section being different than a corresponding width
of magnets of another section whereby rotor torque fluctuations are
modified.
8. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 6 wherein the
shape of the magnets in one section are different than the shape of
the magnets in another section whereby motor torque fluctuations
are modified.
9. The permanent magnetic machine set forth in claim 6 wherein the
length of magnets in one section are different than the length of
magnets of another section whereby motor torque fluctuations are
modified.
10. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 6 wherein the
magnets of each pair define a magnetic axis; the rotor having at
least two rotor sections arranged in axially-stacked relationship,
each rotor section having a plurality of laminations in stacked
assembled relationship; the magnetic pole axis of one rotor section
being in axial alignment with the magnetic pole axis of an adjacent
rotor section having a different magnet arrangement.
11. A permanent magnet machine comprising a stator with
electromagnetic windings for stator poles and a rotor located on a
rotor axis that is common to an axis for the stator with an air gap
between the stator and the rotor; the rotor having a plurality of
pairs of permanent magnets on its periphery, the magnets of each
pair being located in a "V" shape configuration defining an angle
therebetween; the rotor comprising laminations arranged in multiple
sections in stacked axial relationship; magnetic poles for the
magnet pairs being characterized by flux flow patterns that
interact with flux flow paths for the electromagnetic stator
windings to create rotor torque; the magnets of one pair for one
section defining an angle therebetween that differs from an angle
defined by another pair of magnets of the same rotor section
whereby harmonic components of rotor torque are manipulated to
obtain smooth torque production.
12. The permanent magnet machine sets forth in claim 11 wherein the
magnets have pre-calculated lengths and widths, the width of the
magnets in one section being different than a corresponding width
of magnets of another section whereby rotor torque fluctuations are
modified.
13. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 11 wherein the
length of magnets in one section are different than the length of
magnets of another section whereby rotor torque fluctuations are
modified.
14. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 11 wherein the
magnets of each pair define a magnetic axis; the rotor having at
least two rotor sections arranged in axially-stacked relationship,
each rotor section having a plurality of laminations in stacked
assembled relationship; the magnetic axis of one rotor section
being in axial alignment with the magnetic axis of an adjacent
rotor section having a different magnet arrangement.
15. A permanent magnet machine comprising a stator with
electromagnetic windings for stator poles and a rotor located on a
rotor axis that is common to an axis for the stator with an air gap
between the stator and the rotor; the rotor comprising a plurality
of axially-stacked sections, each section comprising a plurality of
stacked laminations on a rotor shaft with a key and slot driving
connection therebetween; each section having a plurality of magnets
located on its periphery, the magnets creating a magnetic flux
pattern that interacts with a magnetic flux pattern created by the
magnetic windings of the stator poles to develop rotor torque; the
laminations in one section having asymmetrically placed first
magnet openings for receiving rotor magnets; the laminations of a
second section having asymmetrically placed second magnet openings
for receiving rotor magnets; the magnet openings for the
laminations of the first section having a common geometry with
respect to the magnet openings for the laminations of the second
section to permit manufacture with a common machine tool; the
laminations for the second section being flipped about a radial
axis relative to the laminations for the first section following
assembly of the rotor, the rotor openings for the laminations of
the second section being angularly displaced relative to the rotor
openings for the laminations of the first section, whereby rotor
torque fluctuations are attenuated.
16. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 15 wherein the
rotor comprises more than two rotor sections, the laminations for
the second section being flipped about a first radial axis relative
to the laminations of the first rotor section; and the laminations
for a third rotor section being flipped about a second radial axis
relative to the laminations of the first rotor section, whereby
rotor torque fluctuations are attenuated.
17. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 16 whereby the
first and second radial axes are displaced to an angle Delta.
18. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 15 whereby the
sections are displaced angularly, one with respect to the other,
about a geometric rotary axis of the rotor during assembly of the
rotor sections.
19. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 15 wherein the
laminations of one section have driving key and slot features at
locations spaced approximately 180.degree. apart about a geometric
rotary axis of the rotor.
20. The permanent magnet machine as set forth in claim 16 wherein
the laminations of the first section has first driving key and slot
features at locations spaced approximately 180.degree. apart about
a geometric rotary axis of the rotor; the laminations of the second
section having second driving key and slot features at locations
spaced approximately 180.degree. apart about the geometric rotary
axis of the rotor; the first driving key and slot features being
relatively displaced approximately 90.degree. from the second
driving key and slot features.
21. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 20 wherein the
permanent magnet machine has third and fourth lamination sections
with driving key and slot features relatively displaced to an angle
Delta from the second driving key and slot features of the
laminations of the first and second sections.
22. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 21 wherein the
laminations of the third and fourth sections are flipped about
radial axes extending through the first and second key and slot
features.
23. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 20 wherein the
key and slot features are configured to provide axial alignment of
the lamination sections in axially stacked relationship.
24. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 21 wherein the
key and slot features are configured to provide axial alignment of
the lamination sections in axially stacked relationship.
25. The permanent magnet machine set forth in claim 22 wherein the
key and slot features are configured to provide axial alignment of
the lamination sections in axially stacked relationship.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to an inner permanent magnet machine
having a rotor with multiple laminations in axially stacked
relationship.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] An inner permanent magnet machine typically includes a
stator with stator coil windings and a rotor with circumferentially
spaced permanent magnets on the rotor periphery that cooperate with
circumferentially spaced stator poles separated from the periphery
of the rotor with a calibrated air gap. When the machine is acting
as a motor, the coils are energized by an electrical current to
effect rotation of the rotor. The current has an alternating
waveform, typically of sinusoidal shape, which creates an
electromotive rotor torque. The interaction of an electromagnetic
flux flow path created by the stator windings with the flux flow
path created by the permanent magnets typically is accompanied by
harmonic waveform components that induce motor torque fluctuations.
This is manifested by a motor torque ripple, or torque oscillation,
accompanied by vibration and noise. Further, operating efficiency
of the motor is affected adversely.
[0005] A conventional way to reduce motor torque ripple comprises
skewing axially placed sections of the rotor, one section with
respect to the other. The rotor typically is connected drivably to
a rotor shaft using a keyway and slot driving connection. In order
to offset or skew a rotor section with respect to an adjacent
section, the sections are relatively rotated, usually about
one-half of the stator slot pitch. If it is assumed that the rotor
is divided into a given number of axial sections (k), the sections
are rotated with respect to adjacent sections by an angle equal
to:
skew angle(k)=360/(k.times.N.sub.S) in mechanical degrees,
where N.sub.S is
[0006] the number of slots.
The maximum rotation between any two axial sections of the rotor
is:
max relative skew angle(k)=(k-1).times.360/(k.times.N.sub.S)
in mechanical degrees. For example, in the case of a two section,
48 slot stator, a typical value of the skew angle is 3.75.degree..
The skewing of the rotor is intended to produce a smoother
mechanical torque than would otherwise be achieved using a straight
rotor. This will eliminate certain undesirable oscillations or
ripple of the torque caused by harmonics present in the air gap
flux and in the air gap permeance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An objective of the invention is to minimize a so-called
torque ripple with minimal reduction in average torque. This
differs from the invention of copending application Ser. No.
11/839,928, filed Aug. 16, 2007 entitled "Permanent Magnet
Machine," which is assigned to the assignee of the invention, in
which an objective is to improve motor efficiency during operation
in a motoring mode by using asymmetry in rotor design features of
the motor while allowing an acceptable decrease in regenerative
energy recovery during operation in a generating mode.
[0008] The present invention will break the symmetry of the rotor
laminations, so that at a given instant the torque contributions of
the multiple sections will be altered to reduce torque ripple.
[0009] In a first embodiment of the invention, torque ripple can be
attenuated by using radial skewing. This is done by offsetting the
magnetic axis of a rotor magnetic pole with respect to the axis of
the adjacent rotor magnetic pole.
[0010] In a second embodiment of the invention, the rotor magnets
are arranged in a "V" configuration. The shape of the torque ripple
is a function of the shape of the "V" configuration. By using at
least two different, properly designed "V" configurations in the
laminations, the total machine ripple can be reduced in
amplitude.
[0011] In a third embodiment of the invention, the laminations in a
multiple section rotor are arranged in at least three rotor
sections, which are relatively rotated in small increments, one
section with respect to the other. This can be done by using at
least two pairs of key slot positions. In this way, the axis of a
magnetic pole of one section is placed angularly with respect to
the pole axis of the adjacent section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1a is a plan view of a rotor lamination;
[0013] FIG. 1b is a side view of the rotor lamination; for the
motor shown in FIG. 1a;
[0014] FIG. 2a is a diagrammatic view of a motor with a rotor
comprised of multiple sections, each section being comprised of
multiple laminations wherein flux lines are generated solely by the
permanent magnet;
[0015] FIG. 2b is a view similar to the view of FIG. 2a wherein the
stator has energized windings with electrical current, but wherein
the magnets are not included, the flux lines being generated solely
by the stator windings;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a prior art
two-section rotor in which the sections are skewed, one with
respect to the other, according to a known skewing technique;
[0017] FIG. 4 shows a symmetric lamination for a prior art eight
pole rotor design for use in the electric motor rotor seen in FIG.
3;
[0018] FIG. 5 shows a rotor lamination with a radial skewing in
accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a plot of rotor rotation angle in mechanical
degrees versus motor torque in Newton meters showing the effect on
motor instantaneous torque using the magnet arrangement of FIG.
5;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a view of a continuous skewing arrangement that
may be used rather than the skewing arrangement of FIG. 5;
[0021] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a magnet distribution that has
a more uniform separation between the rotor poles compared to the
rotor separation of FIG. 7;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a plot of motor torque versus rotation angle in
mechanical degrees for the rotor design illustrated in FIG. 8;
[0023] FIG. 10 shows a prior art rotor configuration of a permanent
magnet motor together with some of the variables that can be used
to manipulate the harmonic content of the motor torque;
[0024] FIG. 11 is a view of a portion of a laminated rotor with two
angular positions of the magnets for adjacent rotor sections;
[0025] FIG. 12 shows a view of a laminated rotor in which adjacent
magnets are arranged with a different angle theta at alternate
rotor locations;
[0026] FIG. 13 is a schematic representation in three-dimensional
form showing the axial alignment of the magnetic poles in a four
pole structure;
[0027] FIG. 14 shows a prior art skewing of rotor laminations of a
permanent magnet rotor of the type shown in FIG. 3;
[0028] FIG. 15 shows the effect of flipping a second section of a
rotor with respect to a first section;
[0029] FIG. 16 is an illustration of a prior art final skewing
technique after adjacent sections of the rotor have been aligned
along a key slot for the sections shown in FIGS. 14 and 15;
[0030] FIG. 17 is an illustration of an embodiment of the invention
wherein two key slots are placed relative to each other at
approximately 90.degree. to allow construction of a four-section
rotor;
[0031] FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 17, but which illustrates
the first two sections of a four section rotor;
[0032] FIG. 19 is a combined view of the rotor sections of FIGS. 17
and 18;
[0033] FIG. 20 is an illustration of the final assembly of the four
sections of FIGS. 17-19;
[0034] FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of the final assembly of the
four sections seen in FIG. 20;
[0035] FIG. 22 is a view similar to the views of FIGS. 18-21 with
key slots to improve balancing;
[0036] FIG. 23 is a final assembly view of the rotor laminations
shown in FIG. 22;
[0037] FIG. 24 is a view of a rotor design seen in FIG. 23, but
which is provided with built-in keys instead of key slots;
[0038] FIG. 25 is a plot showing a reduction in torque ripple for a
conventional skewed design for the present invention and for a
rotor that is unskewed; and
[0039] FIGS. 26, 27 and 28 show examples of hybrid electric vehicle
powertrain architectures capable of using the motor of the present
invention.
PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0040] For the purpose of describing typical operating environments
for the permanent magnet machine of the invention, reference first
will be made to FIGS. 26, 27 and 28, which respectively illustrate
a power-split hybrid electric vehicle powertrain, a detailed
power-split hybrid electric vehicle powertrain corresponding to the
powertrain of FIG. 26 and a series hybrid electric vehicle
powertrain. In the case of the powertrain schematically illustrated
in FIG. 28, an engine 10 is mechanically connected to a generator
12, which in turn is electrically coupled to an electric motor 14.
Typically, the electrical coupling includes a DC link comprising an
AC/DC inverter 16 and a DC/AC inverter 16'. A high-voltage traction
battery 18 is coupled to the DC link through a DC/DC converter 20.
The motor is mechanically coupled to a geared transmission
mechanism 22, which may have multiple-ratio gearing or single-ratio
gearing.
[0041] Traction wheels 24 are driven by torque output elements of
the transmission mechanism. All of the mechanical energy of the
engine, except for power losses, is transferred to the generator,
which converts mechanical energy to electrical energy for driving
the motor 14. Any electrical energy not required to drive the motor
is used to charge the battery 18. When the vehicle is braking, all
or part of the vehicle mechanical kinetic energy transferred from
the transmission to the motor 14, except for losses, is used to
charge the battery as the motor 14 acts as a generator.
[0042] In contrast to the series arrangement of FIG. 28, the
series-parallel arrangement of FIG. 26 includes a direct mechanical
connection between the engine and the transmission, as shown at 26.
The series-parallel gearing of the hybrid powertrain of FIG. 26 is
shown in more detail in FIG. 27. Components that are counterparts
for components in the series arrangement of FIG. 28 have been
indicated by common reference numerals, although prime notations
are added to the numerals in FIGS. 26 and 27.
[0043] The mechanical connection between the transmission 22' and
the engine 10' includes a planetary gear system 26. The planetary
gear system, seen in FIG. 27, includes a ring gear 28, which acts
as a power output member for driving a power input element of the
transmission mechanism 22'. A sun gear 30 is mechanically connected
to generator 12'. The carrier for the planetary gear unit 26, shown
at 32, is connected to the power output shaft or crankshaft of the
engine 10'. As the engine delivers torque through the planetary
gear unit 26, to the transmission. The sun gear acts as a reaction
element since it is mechanically connected to the generator. The
load on the generator thus will determine the speed of the engine.
During forward drive, torque of motor 14' complements engine torque
and provides a second power input to the transmission. During
reverse drive, the torque direction of the motor 14' is changed so
that it will operate in a reverse direction. The engine is inactive
at this time.
[0044] When the vehicle is in a braking mode, regenerative energy
is delivered from the wheels through the transmission to the motor.
The motor at this time acts as a generator to charge the battery. A
portion of the regenerative energy is distributed through the
transmission to the engine in a mechanical torque flow path, shown
in part at 26' in FIG. 26. In this respect, the regenerative energy
flow path of the powertrain of FIG. 26 differs from the energy flow
path for the powertrain of FIG. 28, where no mechanical energy
during regenerative braking is distributed to the engine.
[0045] The rotor and the stator for the disclosed embodiments of
the invention may be comprised of ferrous alloy laminations. A
rotor and stator construction of this type is shown in the partial
radial cross-sectional view of FIG. 1b. A stator lamination is
shown at 36 in FIGS. 2a and 2b, and a rotor lamination is shown at
38. A small air gap 40, seen in FIGS. 1c and 2, is located between
the inner periphery of the stator laminations 36 and the outer
periphery of the rotor laminations 38. Radially extending openings
37 are formed in the stator laminations and symmetrically
positioned magnet openings 42 are formed near the outer periphery
of each rotor lamination 38. Each magnet opening receives a magnet
44. Any number of laminations in a given design may be used,
depending on design choice. The laminations are arranged in a
stack. Multiple stacks (e.g., one, two or three) may be used.
[0046] FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b illustrate a rotor section construction
with multiple laminations arranged in stacked relationship. The
magnet openings are shown in FIG. 1a, but this figure omits an
illustration of the magnets.
[0047] The center of the rotor laminations has a circular central
opening 60 for accommodating a driveshaft with a keyway that may
receive a drive key 62.
[0048] The openings 42 are symmetrically disposed with respect to
adjacent pairs of magnet openings 42, one of the axes of symmetry
being shown in FIG. 1a.
[0049] FIG. 2a is a partial view of a rotor lamination 38. The
stator 36 has stator windings in the openings 37, but they are not
illustrated in FIG. 2a because it is assumed that in the case of
FIG. 2a, the stator windings do not carry electrical current. The
stator windings with current, however, are shown in FIG. 2b.
[0050] A magnetic rotor flux flow path is shown at 65 in FIG. 2a. A
magnetic stator flux flow path is shown at 65 and 66 in FIG. 2b.
The rotor flux and the stator flux interact, as shown in part at
68, to develop rotor torque in known fashion.
[0051] A known way to reduce motor torque ripple is to skew the
sections of the rotor, one with respect to the other, by offsetting
one half of the rotor lamination stack with respect to the other
half. This is seen in FIG. 3, where the X-axis 90 for rotor section
92 is skewed relative to the Y-axis shown at 94 for an adjacent
rotor section 96. The amount of rotation of one section relative to
the other is usually one half of the stator key or slot pitch. This
is expressed as follows:
skew angle=180.degree./N.sub.S in mechanical degrees, where N.sub.S
is the number of slots.
[0052] Magnet openings in rotor section 92 are shown at 98. The
magnet openings are evenly spaced in the case of the rotor of FIG.
3. Magnet openings similar to openings 98 are located in rotor
section 96. The rotor spacing about the Z-axis 102 in FIG. 3 is
uniform. Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 7,170,209 for an
illustration of a motor rotor with skewed rotor sections.
[0053] Magnet openings in the rotors of the embodiments of the
invention that are disclosed need not be shaped as shown in the
figures of the drawings. The shape of the magnet openings is a
design choice.
[0054] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a typical lamination for the
sections illustrated in FIG. 5. As in the case of FIG. 2, rotor
sections having laminations of the type shown in FIG. 4 may include
a key-and-slot connection with a rotor driveshaft, although the
key-and-slot connection is not shown in FIG. 4.
[0055] The rotor design having sections, as illustrated in FIG. 4,
is divided into a generic number of axial sections K, each section
being rotated with respect to an adjacent section by an angle equal
to:
skew angle(k)=360/(k*N.sub.S) in mechanical degrees, where N.sub.S
is the number of slots,
The maximum rotation between any two axial sections of the rotor
is:
max relative skew angle(k)=(k-1)*360/(k*N.sub.S) in mechanical
degrees.
[0056] The magnet poles are located as shown in FIG. 4. The angle
between the magnetic axes of adjacent poles is 45.degree. for an
eight pole design. The angle between the magnetic axes and the
interpolar axes is one half of the angle between the magnetic axes
of adjacent poles for an eight pole design.
[0057] The disclosed embodiments of the invention have eight
magnetic poles, but the scope of the invention is not limited to
the use of eight magnetic poles. The number of poles used is a
matter of design choice.
[0058] A first embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5,
where a rotor lamination has poles that are radially skewed. The
skewing is realized within each lamination itself by offsetting the
magnetic axis of a motor pole with respect to an adjacent pole.
[0059] Manufacture of the rotor is simplified by the absence of
several steps usually needed to create multiple, axially-stacked
rotor sections. This manufacturing method is especially valuable in
the case of an integrated starter-generator type motor, where the
stacked length of the sections is normally short and the known
skewing method described with reference to FIG. 3 is not feasible.
The embodiment of the invention, however, is not limited to short
stack motors and generators, but it can be applied to any permanent
magnet machine. It can exceed the performance of an electric
machine with known skewing and it may be made using simpler
manufacturing processes. The performance improvement is due to a
further reduction of the torque ripple previously described.
Further, the embodiment of the invention of FIG. 5 is not limited
by the number of axial segments in the rotor design. It has as many
pole-spacing possibilities as the number of rotor poles.
[0060] In the design of FIG. 5, the spacing between the axis of
symmetry of two adjacent magnets is not constant. It can be either
one of two values:
i.e., Alpha.sub.1=360/poles+skew angle;
or
Alpha.sub.2=360/poles-skew angle.
[0061] For an eight pole, 48-slot motor and a skew angle of
3.75.degree., Alpha1 and Alpha2 are 48.75 and 41.25 mechanical
degrees, respectively. Other values of skew angle can be chosen
according to design choice. The effect of this magnet arrangement
on the motor torque for a typical inner permanent magnet machine is
shown in FIG. 6. A typical rotor torque ripple plot for a
non-skewed rotor is shown at 110 in FIG. 6 and a corresponding
rotor torque ripple plot for a skewed rotor, according to the
invention, is shown at 112. The amplitude of the ripple of plot 112
is significantly lower than the amplitude of plot 110.
[0062] This rotor design is also suitable for other arrangements
for the rotor poles, such as the one shown in FIG. 7, where poles
1-8 are separated by an angle alpha=45+skew angle/7, and poles 8
and 1 are separated by angle beta=45-skew angle. In contrast, for
the design shown in FIG. 5, the skew angle is arbitrarily set to be
equal to 3.5.degree., alpha=45.5.degree. and beta=41.5.degree..
[0063] An effect on torque ripple, similar to the effect on torque
ripple for the design of FIG. 5, can be obtained by the
distribution pattern for the magnets seen in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, for
any given pole, the offset with respect to the original magnetic
axis remains the same as the one shown in FIG. 7 (i.e., pole number
2 has a magnetic axis that is displaced 22.00.degree. from one
interpolar axis and 23.degree. from the adjacent interpolar axis),
but pole number 3 has taken the place of pole number 8, and pole
number 4 has been moved to the location of pole number 3, etc. This
distribution has a more uniform spacing between the poles than in
the case of the design of FIG. 7.
[0064] A plot of the motor torque versus rotation angle for the
design of FIG. 8 is seen in FIG. 9. The torque ripple seen in FIG.
9 is identified by numeral 106. For purposes of comparison, the
torque ripple for a rotor having sections using the known design
with no skew is shown at 108.
[0065] A plot of motor torque versus rotation angle for the design
of FIG. 5, as previously mentioned, is seen in FIG. 6 where a
conventional design with no skew is plotted at 110 and the plot
corresponding to the design of FIG. 5 is shown at 112. The
amplitude of the ripple seen at 106 in FIG. 9 has a lower amplitude
than the amplitude seen at 112 in FIG. 6 for the design of FIG.
5.
[0066] The embodiment of FIGS. 7-10 is not limited to flat magnets.
It may have "V" shape magnets or other shapes.
[0067] FIG. 10 shows a magnet configuration in which the rotor
magnets, seen at 114 and 116, are arranged in a "V" shape. In the
case of the design of FIG. 10, the shape and the amplitude of the
torque ripple is a function of the shape and amplitude of the angle
theta between the magnets 114 and 116. Parameters that affect this
shape and the magnitude of each are identified in FIG. 10, where
the width of each magnet may be 19.25 mm and the distance between a
point of engagement of the magnets 114 and 116 and the air gap may
be 10.75 mm. The specific parameters, of course, can be different
than those illustrated in FIG. 10.
[0068] FIG. 11 shows how the angle theta is adjusted to obtain
smoother torque production. Although the average values for the
torque will not be greatly affected, the harmonic components of the
torque can be manipulated by properly designing the different "V"
shapes. For purposes of illustration, magnets 118 and 120 for
laminations of one section are shown overlapped with respect to
magnets for laminations of an adjacent section. Magnets 118 and 120
for one section are separated by an angle theta.sub.1, whereas the
angle for an adjacent section is theta.sub.2.
[0069] In addition to the implementation of the invention seen in
FIG. 11, the multiple magnetic poles on the rotor can be designed
with at least two different arrangements. For example, the eight
pole rotor of FIG. 12 may have poles 1, 3, 5, and 7 of laminations
of one section arranged according to the design of FIG. 11, in
which the angle is theta.sub.1, and the other four poles may have a
design in which the angle is theta.sub.2. Further, to avoid low
frequency torque oscillations, the rotor can be divided into two
axial segments for the design shown in FIG. 11, which are rotated
with respect to each other, so that poles 1, 3, 5 and 7 of one
section of the rotor are aligned with poles 2, 4, 6 and 8 of an
adjacent section. This arrangement is shown in FIG. 13, where the
magnetic axis of a set of poles A for one section is aligned with
the axis of a set of magnetic poles B for an adjacent section.
[0070] The concept illustrated in FIG. 13 can be extended to
include rotor configurations that are different from the "V" shaped
configuration seen in FIGS. 11 and 12. For example, pole type A in
FIG. 13 could include "V" shaped magnets and pole type B could be
flat or surface mounted magnets, as in the case of FIGS. 5, 7 and
8. The torque harmonics can be manipulated in this fashion to
create an attenuated total torque ripple. Further, more than two
types of magnet configurations can be used, and variations can be
made in the proximity of the magnets to the air gap to manipulate
torque harmonics.
[0071] A third embodiment of the invention makes it possible to
form the laminations of multiple axial sections in a manufacturing
process using a single rotor lamination stamping die in order to
avoid multiple lamination types in the same rotor.
[0072] FIG. 14 shows a known skewing arrangement for a permanent
magnet motor using a single lamination type where the first section
of the rotor is assembled by stacking half of the rotor laminations
and inserting the magnets in their magnet openings. The laminations
have a key slot 124, where key slot axis 130 is rotated with
respect to the nearest pole axis 126 by a certain angle. To create
the second section of the rotor, the rest of the laminations are
flipped around axis 130, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Because of
the flip, the pole axis shown at 126 in FIG. 14 becomes pole axis
128 in FIG. 15 and is rotated by Gamma with respect to axis 130 in
the counter-clockwise direction. The optimum angle would be
determined based on the harmonic content of the air gap flux and
the air gap permeance. When the two rotor sections are aligned
using the key slot as the common aligning device, the pole axes of
the two rotor sections are displaced by 2.times. Gamma with respect
to each other.
[0073] Performance of the rotor shown in FIG. 16 can be improved to
approximate a continuous skewing effect by increasing the number of
rotor sections and rotating them in smaller incremental steps. The
present invention is aimed at accomplishing this task using a
single lamination die. This is illustrated in FIG. 17, which shows
laminations with a first key slot at 132 and a second key slot at
134. The key axis for slot 132 is shown at 136, and the key axis
for slot 134 is shown at 138.
[0074] The first section of the rotor is obtained by axial stacking
one quarter of the rotor laminations and then aligning them along
the first key slot. The second section is similarly made by
flipping the laminations and stacking them, as in the design of
FIGS. 14-16. This will result in the partial assembly shown in FIG.
18, which illustrates the first two stages of a four section rotor.
The angle formed by 136 (Gamma1) and the nearest pole axis 142 is
different from the angle 138 (Gamma2) and the nearest pole axis
144. The magnetic axes shown at 140 and 142 in FIG. 18 in one
example of the invention are separated by 2.times. Gamma1. The key
slot axis is shown at 136 for the slot 132.
[0075] The included angle created by the intersection of axes 136
and 138 for key slots 132 and 134, respectively, may be referred to
as angle Delta, expressed as:
Delta=N*360/P+2Gamma1, where P is the number of poles, and N is any
number in the number set of 1, 2, 3, . . . P-1.
[0076] In FIG. 19, the third section of the rotor assembly for the
third embodiment of the invention is created from the non-flipped
laminations, as in the case of the first section, but it is rotated
to the angle Delta clockwise so that it is aligned with the first
two sections using the second key slot 134. In FIG. 19, numeral 154
designates the key slot axis. The third section in the design of
FIG. 19 is offset by theta2-theta1 from the first section. FIG. 20
shows the final assembly of all four sections.
[0077] FIG. 21 is an enlargement of a portion of the four sections
illustrated in FIG. 20. It shows the axis of the magnetic poles of
the different sections relative to the key slot axes.
[0078] The fourth section of FIGS. 20 and 21 is created from
flipped laminations, which are rotated counter-clockwise by the
angle Delta and aligned on the second key slot. The resulting
structure shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 has four sections, which have
the following rotations with respect to the shaft key: The first is
shown at 158, which is rotated theta1 in a counter-clockwise
direction; the second section shown at 160 is rotated theta1 in a
clockwise direction; the third section shown at 162 is rotated
theta2 in a counter-clockwise direction; and the fourth section
shown at 164 is rotated theta2 in a clockwise direction. The key
slot axis is shown at 166.
[0079] It is possible with this embodiment of the invention to
arrange the laminations so that the second key slot is aligned with
the magnet axis. In this case, the third and fourth rotor sections
will have zero rotation and a balanced symmetrical three section
rotor thus becomes possible.
[0080] Rotor balancing can be improved in the design of the third
embodiment with the adoption of a second set of key slots placed at
180.degree. from the other two, as illustrated in FIG. 22, where
key slots 168 and 170 are spaced 180.degree., respectively, from
key slots 172 and 174. Following the procedure described previously
with respect to FIG. 21, the resulting design is illustrated in
FIG. 23 where two keys are used to secure the rotor to the rotor
shaft to achieve improved rotor balance. This is seen at 176 and
178 in FIG. 23.
[0081] It is possible in the case of the configuration according to
the third embodiment of the invention to use a pole number count
other than a pole count of eight. A four pole rotor can be treated
in the same way as a rotor with a pole count of eight poles. Also,
the assembly technique can be applied to rotors that do not use a
key slot, but rather use a tab or other alignment device, such as a
cleat. Further, built-in keys can be used as illustrated in FIG.
24. In the case of the design of FIG. 24, the rotor shaft will have
two key slots 180 and 182 that are as wide as the keys, and two
larger key slots 184 and 186 that accommodate a misalignment of the
keys, shown at 188 and 190, respectively.
[0082] FIG. 25 is a plot of torque ripple obtained by the
embodiments of the invention using a finite element simulation
technique. A conventional method of skewing will result in a ripple
plot as shown at 192. A plot using three lamination sections
according to the present invention is shown at 194. For purposes of
comparison, an unskewed rotor plot is shown at 196.
[0083] Although embodiments of the invention have been disclosed,
it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that
modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *