Disc-type variable reluctance rotating machine

Claim 2

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises: a. a frame structure; b. a shaft rotatably journaled in said frame structure to permit rotation of said shaft about its axis; c. a stator, said stator comprising a support structure having an opening therein through which said shaft passes, said support structure being made from a non-magnetic material and being fixed with respect to said frame structure; a helicallywound coil concentrically positioned around said shaft and within said support structure; a plurality of inner stator inserts made from magnetic material and supported by said support structure, said inner stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially inward side of said coil; and a plurality of outer stator inserts, equal in number to the number of said inner stator inserts, said outer stator inserts being made from a magnetic material and being supported by said support structure, said outer stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially outward side of said coil and in radial alignment, respectively, with said inner stator inserts; and d. a rotor assembly attached to said shaft for rotation therewith in a position axially adjacent to, and on one side of, said stator, said rotor assembly comprising a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material and a plurality of rotor inserts made from a magnetic material, said rotor inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations in said rotor disc to permit them alternately to come into and to go out of axial alignment with said inner and outer stator inserts when said shaft and rotor assembly are rotated.

Claim 3

A variable reluctance rotating machine in accordance with claim 1, which further comprises a second rotor assembly having a structure as defined in (d) of claim 1, said second rotor assembly being attached to said shaft for rotation therewith in a position axially adjacent to, and on the other side of, said stator.

Claim 4

A vAriable reluctance rotating machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support structure of said stator includes a pair of side plates axially spaced from one another, said inner and outer stator inserts extending between said side plates.

Claim 5

A variable reluctance rotating machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein said support structure of said stator includes a pair of side plates axially spaced from one another, said inner and outer stator inserts extending between said side plates.

Claim 6

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises: a. a frame structure; b. a shaft rotatably journaled in said frame structure to permit rotation of said shaft about its axis; c. a plurality of stators, each of said stators comprising a support structure having an opening therein through which said shaft passes, said support structure being made from a non-magnetic material and being fixed with respect to said frame structure; a helically-wound coil concentrically positioned around said shaft and within said support structure; a plurality of inner stator inserts made from magnetic material and supported by said support structure, said inner stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially inward side of said coil; and a plurality of outer stator inserts, equal in number to the number of said inner stator inserts, said outer stator inserts being made from a magnetic material and being supported by said support structure, said outer stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially outward side of said coil and in radial alignment, respectively, with said inner stator inserts; and d. a plurality of rotor assemblies attached to said shaft for rotation therewith, the number of said rotor assemblies exceeding by one the number of said stators, said rotor assemblies being attached to said shaft at axially spaced locations, thereby, to form a number of spaces equal to the number of said stators, said stators being positioned in said spaces, each of said rotor assemblies comprising a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material and a plurality of rotor inserts made from a magnetic material, said rotor inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations in said rotor disc to permit them alternately to come into and to go out of axial alignment with said inner and outer stator inserts when said shaft and rotor assembly are rotated.

Claim 7

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises: a. a frame structure; b. a shaft rotatably journaled in said frame structure to permit rotation of said shaft about its axis; c. a plurality of stators, each of said stators comprising a support structure having an opening therein through which said shaft passes, said support structure being made from a non-magnetic material and being fixed with respect to said frame structure; a helically-wound coil concentrically positioned around said shaft and within said support structure; a plurality of inner stator inserts made from magnetic material and supported by said support structure, said inner stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially inward side of said coil; and a plurality of outer stator inserts, equal in number to the number of said inner stator inserts, said outer stator inserts being made from a magnetic material and being supported by said support structure, said outer stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially outward side of said coil and in radial alignment, respectively, with said inner stator inserts; and d. a plurality of rotor assemblies attached to said shaft for rotation therewith, the number of said rotor assemblies exceeding by one the number of said stators, said rotor assemblies being attached to said shaft at axially spaced locations, thereby, to form a number of spaces equal to the number of said stators, said stators being positioned in said spaces, each of said rotor assemblies comprising a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material and a plurality of rotor inserts made from a magnetic material, said rotor inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations in said rotor disc to permit them alternately to come into and to go out of axial alignment with said inner and outer stator inserts when said shaft and rotor assembly are rotated.

Claim 8

A variable reluctance rotating machine in accordance with claim 5, wherein said inner and outer stator inserts of at least one of said stators are axially misaligned with said inner and outer stator inserts of another of said stators.

Claim 9

A variable reluctance rotating machine in accordance with claim 6, wherein said inner and outer stator inserts of adjacent stators are axially misaligned with one another.

Claim 10

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises: a frame structure; a shaft rotatably journaled in said frame structure to permit rotation of said shaft about its axis; a plurality of rotor assemblies attached to said shaft for rotation therewith and axially spaced from one another on said shaft, each of said rotor assemblies comprising a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material and a plurality of rotor inserts made from a magnetic material, said rotor inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations in said rotor disc; and a plurality of stators fixed with respect to said frame, one stator being positioned in each of the spaces formed between said axially spaced rotor assemblies, each of said stators including a support structure having an opening therein through which said shaft passes, said support structure being made from a non-magnetic material, a helically-wound coil concentrically positioned around said shaft and within said support structure, a plurality of inner stator inserts made from magnetic material and supported by said support structure, said inner stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially inward sIde of said coil, and a plurality of outer stator inserts, equal in number to the number of said inner stator inserts, said outer stator inserts being made from a magnetic material and being supported by said support structure, said outer stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially outward side of said coil and in radial alignment, respectively, with said inner stator inserts.

Claim 11

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises: a frame structure; a shaft rotatably journaled in said frame structure to permit rotation of said shaft about its axis; a plurality of rotor assemblies attached to said shaft for rotation therewith and axially spaced from one another on said shaft, each of said rotor assemblies comprising a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material and a plurality of rotor inserts made from a magnetic material, said rotor inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations in said rotor disc; and a plurality of stators fixed with respect to said frame, one stator being positioned in each of the spaces formed between said axially spaced rotor assemblies, each of said stators including a support structure having an opening therein through which said shaft passes, said support structure being made from a non-magnetic material, a helically-wound coil concentrically positioned around said shaft and within said support structure, a plurality of inner stator inserts made from magnetic material and supported by said support structure, said inner stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially inward sIde of said coil, and a plurality of outer stator inserts, equal in number to the number of said inner stator inserts, said outer stator inserts being made from a magnetic material and being supported by said support structure, said outer stator inserts being positioned in equally-spaced locations on the radially outward side of said coil and in radial alignment, respectively, with said inner stator inserts.

Claim 12

A variable reluctance rotating machine in accordance with claim 8, wherein said support structure of each of said stators comprises a pair of side plates, said inner and outer stator inserts extending between said side plates.

Claim 13

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises a frame structure; a shaft rotatably journaled in said frame structure to permit rotation of said shaft about its axis; a plurality of stators attached to said frame structure, each of said stators including a helically-wound coil surrounding said shaft and a plurality of inner and outer stator inserts, said inner stator inserts being separated from said outer stator inserts by said coil; and a plurality of rotor assemblies attached to said shaft, the number of said rotor assemblies exceeding by one the number of said stators, and said rotor assemblies being separated from one another in the axial direction of said shaft by said stators, each of said rotor assemblies including a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material and a plurality of rotor inserts made from a magnetic material, said rotor inserts extending in a radial direction from said inner stator inserts to said outer stator inserts.

Claim 14

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises a frame structure; a shaft rotatably journaled in said frame structure to permit rotation of said shaft about its axis; a plurality of stators attached to said frame structure, each of said stators including a helically-wound coil surrounding said shaft and a plurality of inner and outer stator inserts, said inner stator inserts being separated from said outer stator inserts by said coil; and a plurality of rotor assemblies attached to said shaft, the number of said rotor assemblies exceeding by one the number of said stators, and said rotor assemblies being separated from one another in the axial direction of said shaft by said stators, each of said rotor assemblies including a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material and a plurality of rotor inserts made from a magnetic material, said rotor inserts extending in a radial direction from said inner stator inserts to said outer stator inserts.

Claim 15

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises: a pair of end plates parallel to and spaced from one another to form a frame structure; a hollow shaft positioned between said end plates, said hollow shaft having a plurality of spaced openings therein to permit flow of air therethrough, said shaft being journaled in said end plates for rotation with respect to said end plates; a plurality of stators equally spaced from said end plates and from one another to form spaces numbering one in excess of the number of said stators, each of said stators including a support structure formed by a pair of side plates having central openings therein through which said shaft passes, said side plates being spaced from one another, a helically-wound coil concentrically positioned around said shaft and between said pair of side plates, a plurality of inner stator inserts made from magnetic material and extending between said pair of side plates on the radially inward side of said coil, a plurality of outer stator inserts made from magnetic material and extending between said side plates on the radially outward side of said coil, said outer stator inserts being equal in number to said inner stator inserts and being in radial alignment therewith, respectively; a plurality of rotor assemblies numbering one in excess of the number of said stators, said rotor assemblies being positioned, respectively, in said spaces between said stators and said end plates, each of said rotor assemblies comprising a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material, said rotor disc having a plurality of slots therein extending in a generally radial direction, the number of said slots corresponding to the number of said inner stator inserts, and a plurality of rotor inserts made from magnetic material, one of said rotor inserts being positioned in each of said rotor slots; means for attaching said rotor assemblies to said shaft, said means including a rotor adapter ring for each of said rotor assemblies, said rotor adapter ring being affixed to said rotor discs and to said shaft; tie rod means for positioning said stators relative to said end plates in fixed relation thereto; and spacers for maintaining the position of said stators and rotor assemblies relative to one another, said spacers being positioned between said stator side plates.

Claim 16

A variable reluctance rotating machine, which comprises: a pair of end plates parallel to and spaced from one another to form a frame structure; a hollow shaft positioned between said end plates, said hollow shaft having a plurality of spaced openings therein to permit flow of air therethrough, said shaft being journaled in said end plates for rotation with respect to said end plates; a plurality of stators equally spaced from said end plates and from one another to form spaces numbering one in excess of the number of said stators, each of said stators including a support structure formed by a pair of side plates having central openings therein through which said shaft passes, said side plates being spaced from one another, a helically-wound coil concentrically positioned around said shaft and between said pair of side plates, a plurality of inner stator inserts made from magnetic material and extending between said pair of side plates on the radially inward side of said coil, a plurality of outer stator inserts made from magnetic material and extending between said side plates on the radially outward side of said coil, said outer stator inserts being equal in number to said inner stator inserts and being in radial alignment therewith, respectively; a plurality of rotor assemblies numbering one in excess of the number of said stators, said rotor assemblies being positioned, respectively, in said spaces between said stators and said end plates, each of said rotor assemblies comprising a rotor disc made from a non-magnetic material, said rotor disc having a plurality of slots therein extending in a generally radial direction, the number of said slots corresponding to the number of said inner stator inserts, and a plurality of rotor inserts made from magnetic material, one of said rotor inserts being positioned in each of said rotor slots; means for attaching said rotor assemblies to said shaft, said means including a rotor adapter ring for each of said rotor assemblies, said rotor adapter ring being affixed to said rotor discs and to said shaft; tie rod means for positioning said stators relative to said end plates in fixed relation thereto; and spacers for maintaining the position of said stators and rotor assemblies relative to one another, said spacers being positioned between said stator side plates.