US5861690A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fail safe controllable output improved version of the Electromechanical battery
Assignee: University of California
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Filing: 1997-03-03
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Granted: 1999-01-19
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Expires: 2017-03-03
Abstract
Abstract Mechanical means are provided to control the voltages induced in the windings of a generator/motor. In one embodiment, a lever is used to withdraw or insert the entire stator windings from the cavity where the rotating field exists. In another embodiment, voltage control and/or switching off of the output is achievable with a variable-coupling generator/motor. A stator is made up of two concentric layers of windings, with a larger number of turns on the inner layer of windings than the outer layer of windings. The windings are to be connected in series electrically, that is, their voltages add vectorially. The mechanical arrangement is such that one or both of the windings can be rotated with respect to the other winding about their common central axis. Another improved design for the stator assembly of electromechanical batteries provides knife switch contacts that are in electrical contact with the stator windings. The operation of this embodiment depends on the fact that an abnormally large torque will be exerted on the stator structure during any short-circuit condition.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard F. Post
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:43
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K7/00; H02K7/02; H02K7/025; H02K11/00; H02K11/20; H02K21/00; H02K21/02; H02K21/021; H02K21/022; H02K21/023; H02K21/024; H02K3/00; H02K3/04; H02K2213/00; H02K2213/06; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
An electric machine, comprising: a cylindrical rotor comprising an array of permanent magnets that provide a uniform dipole field with no necessity for the use of laminated iron, wherein said array of permanent magnets comprise bars of identical permanent magnets assembled in a circle, wherein said bars are dipole elements, each bar of said bars having a vector direction of magnetization that rotates at twice the rate as that of a vector rotating about said circle pointing from the center of said uniform dipole field to the center of said elements; a stator inserted on the axis of said dipole field, said stator comprising windings, wherein said rotor is on the outside of said stator; means for commutating said windings; and means for disengaging said windings from said uniform dipole field.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
An electric machine, comprising: a cylindrical rotor comprising an array of permanent magnets that provide a uniform dipole field with no necessity for the use of laminated iron, wherein said array of permanent magnets comprise bars of identical permanent magnets assembled in a circle, wherein said bars are dipole elements, each bar of said bars having a vector direction of magnetization that rotates at twice the rate as that of a vector rotating about said circle pointing from the center of said uniform dipole field to the center of said elements; a stator inserted on the axis of said dipole field, said stator comprising windings, wherein said rotor is on the outside of said stator; means for commutating said windings; and means for disengaging said windings from said uniform dipole field.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electric machine of claim 1, wherein said means for disengaging said windings comprise a retractable stator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The electric machine of claim 2, wherein said retractable stator comprises a lever attached to a pivot point and to said windings, wherein said retractable stator may be inserted into and removed from said uniform dipole field by rotating said lever about said pivot point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The electric machine of claim 3, wherein said retractable stator is gravity-activated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The electric machine of claim 4, further comprising an electrical solenoid for raising said stator into said uniform dipole field.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
The electric machine of claim 4, further comprising an electrical solenoid for positioning said stator within said uniform dipole field so as to compensate for the effect of the rotor slowing down, wherein at full speed, said stator would be partially withdrawn, wherein as the rotor slowed down (by extraction of energy) said stator would be raised more nearly into full penetration of said uniform dipole field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electric machine of claim 4, wherein residual eddy current-induced losses in said stator winding are eliminated (reduced to zero) when said windings are withdrawn from said uniform dipole field.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electric machine of claim 1, wherein said means for disengaging said windings comprise a variable-coupling stator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
132 words
The electric machine of claim 8, wherein said variable-coupling stator comprises two concentric layers of windings comprising an inner layer of windings and an outer layer of windings, wherein said inner layer of windings comprises a larger number of turns than on said outer layer of windings, wherein said inner layer of windings and said outer layer of windings are connected together in series electrically such that their voltages add vectorially, wherein one or both of said inner layer of windings and said outer layer of windings can be rotated with respect to each other about their common central axis, wherein, the angular position, one set of windings of said two concentric layers of windings can be varied relatively to the other set of windings of said two concentric layers of windings.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electric machine of claim 9, wherein said variable-coupling stator comprises a multi-phase system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
The electric machine of claim 9, further comprising a spring return, wherein said two concentric layers of windings will automatically return to a position wherein one set of windings is 180 degrees out of phase with respect to the other set of windings such that the output voltage of said windings falls to near-zero.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electric machine of claim 1, wherein said means for disengaging said windings comprise a stator that is electrically coupled to a load through knife-switch contacts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
105 words
The electric machine of claim 12, wherein said stator further comprises electrical contacts, wherein said knife-switch contacts achieve electrical continuity to said stator through said electrical contacts, wherein in a short-circuit condition there will be exerted on the stator structure a torque which will (i) induce a rotation of the stator assembly that disconnects it electrically from an external circuit, either by rupture of its wire leads, or by disengaging said knife-switch contacts from said electrical contacts and (ii) allow the stator assembly to rotate within a vacuum barrier, thus diminishing the voltage induced in its windings, resulting in a limitation of the short-circuit currents.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-18 | 2002-07-20 | 2003-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-18 | 2006-07-20 | 2007-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-18 | 2010-07-20 | 2011-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |