Transverse flux machine

This invention relates generally to permanent magnet (PM) machines and more specifically to transverse flux machines.

Permanent magnet (PM) transverse flux machines (TFMs) conduct magnetic flux perpendicular (transverse) to the current in the coil and can produce higher torque density than standard PM brushless machines with longitudinal flux. TFMs are high power density machines and can be used both as motors and generators. Torque increases with the number of poles at a constant stator current. Due to the high number of poles in a TFM, the frequency of electric current in stator windings is high while shaft speed is low. This makes TFMs desirable in a variety of applications including: propulsion motors for land and sea vehicles, electric and hybrid electric vehicles, ship propulsion motors, underwater vehicles, torpedoes, propulsion motors for electric helicopters, elevator propulsion motors, wind generators, integrated starter/generators, and high frequency low speed machines.

TFMs have a three dimensional (3D) magnetic circuit which has traditionally made fabrication and assembly of stator and rotor components difficult. Prior art methods of manufacturing the magnetic circuits require the formation of individual U-shaped magnetic circuits. For example, a U-shaped magnetic circuit may be comprised of a plurality of individual U-shaped laminations stacked together. Assembly of the TFM then requires the correct placement, alignment and spacing of each U-shaped magnetic circuit. Another method known in the prior art is to construct two 3D stacks, each having one half of every magnetic circuit as a series of L-shaped protrusions. When joined together around the coil, the magnetic circuits are completed in the U-shape. This method requires the construction of a stack with a complex 3D shape and requires precise rotational alignment of the two stacks to properly form the magnetic circuits.

There is a need for TFM components that can be efficiently manufactured and assembled.

The present disclosure is a directed to a transverse flux machine (TFM) that includes a stator assembly that provides a plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits placed circumferentially around a rotor assembly. The stator assembly includes a first stator segment, a second stator segment, and a plurality of stator yokes. The first stator segment has a plurality of poles spaced around a first circumference of the stator segment and a plurality of slots spaced around a second circumference of the stator segment opposite each of the plurality of poles. The second stator segment has a plurality of poles spaced around a first circumference of the second stator segment and a plurality of slots spaced around a second circumference of the stator segment opposite each of the plurality of poles. The plurality of stator yokes each have a first end sized to fit within one of the slots associated with the first stator segment and a second end sized to fit in one of the slots associated with the second stator segment. Positioning of the first and second ends of the stator yokes within the slots of the first and second stator segments, respectively, results in the creation of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits, each magnetic circuit defined by one of the plurality of poles associated with the first stator segment, one of the yokes, and one of the plurality of poles associated with the second stator segment.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a three-phase transverse flux machine with an internal rotor and external stator as known in the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a three-phase transverse flux machine (TFM) with an internal rotor and external stator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the assembly of the stator segments, ring coil, and stator yokes according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a stator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a stator yoke employed in the stator according to embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a side view of a stator yoke looking down the shaft of the TFM according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a stator lamination looking down the shaft of the TFM according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This invention relates to a stator (sometimes referred to as an armature) core of a transverse flux machine (TFM), which can be used as a motor, generator, or other electromagnetic device. A TFM, as generally known, relies on a three dimensional (3D) magnetic circuit to act as a conduit for magnetic flux. In an outer stator configuration, the 3D magnetic circuit includes two poles extending toward a PM rotor. According to an embodiment of the present invention, each 3D magnetic circuit is divided into first and second stator segments defined by a plurality of poles and slots, and a plurality of yokes designed to fit within the aligned slots of the first and second stator segments to define a plurality of 3D magnetic circuits around the periphery of the rotor. A benefit of this arrangement is that laminations, which vary in only two-dimensions (e.g., a stator segment lamination may vary in the radial and circumferential directions but not in the axial direction and a stator yoke lamination may vary in height and width, but not depth) and are relatively simple to manufacture, can be used to define both the first and second segments, as well as the stator yokes. In addition, assembly of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits surrounding the periphery of the rotor in an outer stator configuration only requires the alignment of the slots defined in the first stator segment with the slots defined in the second stator segment. This obviates the need for each individual U-shaped magnetic circuit to be separately placed around the periphery of the rotor.

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of three-phase TFM 10 according to the prior art. TFM 10 includes outer stator assemblies 12 a , 12 b , and 12 c and inner rotor assemblies 14 a , 14 b , and 14 c . Stator assembly 12 a includes toroidal or ring coil 16 a and a plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits 18 a (only one U-shaped magnetic circuit is shown in this cross-sectional view) located around the periphery of rotor assembly 14 a . Stator assemblies 12 b and 12 c similarly include ring coils 16 b and 16 c and a plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits 18 b and 18 c located around the periphery of rotor assemblies 14 b and 14 c , respectively. Each U-shaped magnetic circuit is secured in place by an attachment to housing 20 , located around the outer periphery of stator assemblies 12 a , 12 b and 12 c.

Rotor assembly 14 a is affixed to shaft 22 , and includes cylindrical ferromagnetic core 24 a and a plurality of permanent magnets 26 a and 28 a affixed around the periphery of ferromagnetic core 24 a . Similar to rotor assembly 14 a , rotor assembly 14 b is affixed to shaft 22 and includes cylindrical ferromagnetic core 24 b and a plurality of permanent magnets 26 b and 28 b around the periphery of a ferromagnetic core 24 b . Rotor assembly 14 c is constructed in the same manner as rotor assembly 14 b where rotor assembly 14 c is affixed to shaft 22 and includes cylindrical ferromagnetic core 24 c and a plurality of permanent magnets 26 c and 28 c around the periphery of a ferromagnetic core 24 c . Non-magnetic rings 29 and 30 separate each of rotor assemblies 14 a , 14 b , and 14 c from one another.

Each phase of the three phase electric machine shown in FIG. 1 operates in the same way. Accordingly, the operation of the three-phase electric machine is described with respect to a single phase of the machine as defined by stator assembly 12 a and rotor assembly 14 a . When operating as a generator, permanent magnets 26 a and 28 a are caused to rotate by rotating shaft 22 to create a rotating magnetic field. This results in magnetic flux circulating through U-shaped magnetic circuit 18 a . In particular, magnetic flux circulates from a first pole (i.e., portion of U-shaped magnetic circuit 18 a extending towards permanent magnet 26 a ) through the top portion of U-shaped magnetic circuit 18 a and down through a second pole (i.e., portion of U-shaped magnetic circuit 18 a extending towards permanent magnet 28 a ). An alternating current (AC) voltage is generated in ring coil 16 a in response to the circulating magnetic flux. Operating as a motor, ring coil 16 a is fed with an AC voltage to create a varying magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets 26 a and 28 a . The interaction between these fields causes shaft 22 to rotate at a certain speed.

However, manufacturing and assembling U-shaped magnetic circuits (e.g., magnetic circuit 18 a ) of the stator in FIG. 1 has traditionally been problematic. Traditional assembly of each stator assembly (e.g., stator assembly 12 a shown in FIG. 1 ) requires the individual placement and attachment of each U-shaped magnetic circuit to housing 20 . The assembly process is therefore time-consuming and susceptible to errors. The present invention overcomes this obstacle by dividing the plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits included within a stator assembly into a series of simple components that are both easy to manufacture and assemble. Specifically, each stator assembly is divided into three parts, a plurality of stator yokes, and a pair of stator segments each having a plurality of poles and slots. Assembly of the pair of stator segments with the plurality of stator yokes results in assembly of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits around the periphery of the rotor. The benefits of this arrangement are described with respect to FIGS. 2-6 .

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of transverse flux machine (TFM) 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention. TFM 40 includes stator assemblies 42 a , 42 b , and 42 c , rotor assemblies 44 a , 44 b , and 44 c , shaft 46 , and housing 48 . Rotor assemblies 44 a , 44 b , and 44 c include the same elements as those shown in FIG. 1 with respect to rotor assemblies 14 a , 14 b , and 14 c . Thus, rotor assembly 44 a includes cylindrical ferromagnetic core 50 a and a plurality of permanent magnets 52 a and 54 a affixed around the periphery of ferromagnetic core 50 a . Rotor assemblies 44 b and 44 c are constructed in the same way as rotor assembly 44 a.

Stator assembly 42 a includes ring coil 56 a , first stator segment 58 a , second stator segment 60 a and plurality of yoke segments 62 a (only one is visible in this cross-sectional view) that define each of a plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits located around the periphery of rotor assembly 50 a . Stator assembly 42 b similarly includes first stator segment 58 b , second stator segment 60 b , and a plurality of yoke segments 62 b . Likewise, stator assembly 42 c includes first stator segment 58 c and second stator segment 60 c as well as a plurality of yoke segments 62 c.

As described in more detail with respect to FIG. 3 , first stator segment 58 a includes a plurality of poles defining a first portion of each U-shaped magnetic circuit located around the periphery of rotor assemblies 50 a . Second stator segment 60 a includes a plurality of poles defining a second portion of each U-shaped magnetic circuit located around the periphery of rotor assemblies 50 a . In an exemplary embodiment, for each pole defined by first stator segment 58 a and corresponding pole defined by second stator segment 60 a , a yoke segment 62 a is positioned to connect the poles together to form a U-shaped circuit. In this way, first stator segment 58 a , second stator segment 60 and a plurality of yoke segments 62 a are combined to form a plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits around the periphery of rotor assembly 50 a . Similarly, first stator segment 58 b , second stator segment 60 b and yoke segments 62 b included within stator assembly 52 b are combined to form a plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits around the periphery of rotor assembly 50 b ; and first stator segment 58 c , second stator segment 60 c and yoke segments 62 c are combined to form a plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits around the periphery of rotor assembly 50 c.

Unlike the prior art TFM 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 , in which each U-shaped magnetic circuit is individually fabricated and positioned around the rotor assemblies, the U-shaped magnetic circuits in the present invention are divided into separate components that in one embodiment consist of easy to manufacture laminations (as described in more detail with respect to FIGS. 4-6 ) that are also easy to assemble (as described with respect to FIG. 3 ). Operation of TFM 40 remains the same as that described with respect to TFM 10 of FIG. 1 , wherein magnetic flux is circulated through each U-shaped magnetic circuit. For example, with respect to stator assembly 42 a , magnetic flux would circulate from a pole defined by first stator segment 58 a to yoke 62 a , and from yoke 62 a through a pole defined by second stator segment 60 a . A benefit of the present invention is the ability to cost-efficiently fabricate and assemble the individual segments making up the stator.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing stator assembly 42 a , which includes ring coil 56 a , first stator segment 58 a , a plurality of yokes 62 a , and second stator segment 60 a . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , first stator segment 58 a is ring-shaped and includes a plurality of poles 80 defined around the inner periphery of first stator segment 58 a , and a plurality of slots 82 defined around the outer periphery of first stator segment 58 a . Likewise, second stator segment 60 a is ring-shaped and includes a plurality of poles 84 defined around the inner periphery of second stator segment 60 a , and a plurality of slots 86 defined around the outer periphery of second stator segment 60 a.

Stator assembly 42 a is assembled by aligning slots 82 defined within first stator segment 58 a with slots 86 defined within second stator segment 60 a . Ring coil 56 a is captured between first stator segment 58 a and second stator segment 60 a as first stator segment 58 a is pressed towards second stator segment 60 a . Each U-shaped magnetic circuit is completed by inserting yokes 62 a within slots 82 defined within first stator segment 58 a and slots 86 defined within second stator segment 60 a . Yokes 62 a may be held in place by their geometry, the geometry of the stator, or may be secured using a method such as welding, gluing, riveting, or encapsulation. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , stator pole portions 80 have a trapezoidal geometry. In other embodiments, stator pole portions 80 have rectangular or square geometries. Likewise, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , yokes 62 a have a square geometry that mates within square slots 82 defined within each stator segment. In other embodiment, yokes 62 a may have a rectangular or oval geometry, which would mate or correspond with similarly shaped slots on the stator segments.

The placement of the stator yokes 62 a automatically aligns first stator segment 58 a with second stator segment 60 a , resulting in each U-shaped magnetic circuit being automatically defined in the correct position around the periphery of a rotor assembly (not shown in this view). In an exemplary embodiment, the number of stator yokes 62 a is equal to the number of poles 80 and 84 defined by the first and second stator segments 58 a and 60 a , respectively. In other embodiments, the number of stator yokes 62 a is less than the number of poles 80 and 84 defined by the first and second stator segments 58 a and 60 a , respectively. In yet another embodiment, each U-shaped magnetic circuit is completed by multiple stator yokes located between each set of stator poles.

In an exemplary embodiment, stator segments 58 a and 60 a as well as yokes 62 a are fabricated by stacking a plurality of laminations (e.g., steel laminations, silicon laminations, etc.) together (as described in more detail with respect to FIGS. 4-6 ). In another exemplary embodiment, stator segments 58 a and 60 a as well as yokes 62 a are fabricated out of soft magnetic composites (SMCs).

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of stator assembly 42 a ′ according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention making use of laminations. In particular, stator assembly 42 a ′ includes first stator segment 58 a′ , second stator segment 60 a′ , yoke segment 62 a′ , and ring coil 56 a . Use of the suffix ‘′’ in labeling stator components indicates a particular embodiment of the components described generally with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 in which each component is comprised of a plurality of laminations. For example, first stator segment 58 a ′ includes a plurality of individual laminations 100 with a major surface perpendicular to the surface of the paper. Likewise, second stator segment 60 a ′ includes a plurality of individual laminations 110 with a major surface perpendicular to the surface of the paper. Yoke segment 62 a ′ includes a plurality of individual laminations with a major surface parallel to the surface of the paper (although only one lamination is shown in this view, FIG. 5B illustrates the stacking of a plurality of laminations 130 ). Magnetic flux will only travel through a lamination layer it will not travel between them. Therefore, this arrangement of laminations provides a path for the magnetic flux to travel through the assembled U-shaped magnetic circuit.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate stator yoke segment 62 a ′ with FIG. 5A being oriented in the same plane as the cross sectional views of FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIG. 5B oriented as it would be viewed looking down the shaft, such that individual laminations 130 making up stator yoke segment 62 a ′ are individually visible. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B , each yoke lamination section includes protrusion portion 120 . During assembly, protrusion portion 120 acts as a stop to provide for proper spacing between first stator segment 58 a ′ and second stator segment 60 a ′ to accommodate ring coil 56 a.

FIG. 6 is a view of lamination 100 of first stator segment 58 a ′ as it appears looking down the shaft (the same orientation as FIG. 5B ). First stator segment 58 a ′ includes a plurality of stator pole portions 80 located around the inner periphery of lamination 100 . Opposite each stator pole portion 80 are a plurality of stator slots 82 located around the outer periphery of stator lamination 100 .

In the embodiment shown, first stator segment 58 a ′ has twelve stator pole portions 80 and twelve stator slots 82 . In other embodiments, the number of poles and stator slots in a stator assembly can vary depending on the application. The number of complete magnetic circuits in each phase of a poly-phase machine should be the same to avoid electric and magnetic imbalance (i.e., the number of magnetic circuits employed in stator assembly 42 a as shown in FIG. 2 should be the same as the number of magnetic circuits employed in stator assemblies 42 b and 42 c ).

A benefit of employing laminations as described with respect to FIGS. 4-6 is each of the laminations is relatively simple to manufacture. In particular, each lamination only requires manufacturing (e.g., stamping, machining, etc.) in two of the three dimensions. That is, for stator segments the lamination changes in the circumferential and radial directions, but not in the axial direction (when considered to be oriented within the stator assembly). Assembly of the pair of stator segments (e.g., 58 a and 60 a ) with the plurality of yokes to form the plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits is simplified by the fact that alignment between the slots of the first and second stator segments for placement of the yoke results in automatic correct positioning of each of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits around the periphery of the rotor assembly.

In an exemplary embodiment, the cross section of the yokes per pole is selected in such a way as to not exceed the maximum permissible value of the magnetic flux density. This is done using standard methods applicable to any electric machine. The magnetic flux density in stator yokes and stator segments is limited by the saturation magnetic flux density of the ferromagnetic material and/or the maximum permissible stator core losses. Saturation magnetic flux density can be estimated on the basis of magnetization curves or B-H curves. For example, the saturation magnetic flux density for silicon laminations is about 2 to 2.1 Tesla and for Hiperco 50™ Cobalt alloy it is 2.38 Tesla.

In an exemplary embodiment, the stator yoke thickness is selected to minimize the stator leakage flux. The main flux is what produces torque and the stator leakage flux is that flux which is not useful. The leakage flux can be estimated using Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis and is typically minimized. Typically it is from 5% to 20% of the main flux, but sometimes it can exceed that range.

The present invention provides a simple and cost effective transverse flux machine that makes use of a stator assemblies divided into a plurality of individual components that are easier to manufacture and assemble. In particular, the present invention simplifies alignment and positioning of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic circuits employed by transverse flux machines.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, the present invention has been described with respect to an interior rotor construction in which the stator assemblies are located around the outer periphery of the rotor. In other embodiments, a reversed construction having an external rotor and an internal stator can be assembled based on the same principles. Additionally, the poles may take any functional shape such as rectangular, squared, or trapezoidal. Similarly, the yokes may take any functional shape such as rectangular, squared, or oval.