Rotating electric machine having switched or variable reluctance with flux transverse to the axis of rotation

Abstract

An electric machine, such as a switched reluctance motor (SRM), having one or more transverse flux axes is described. The rotor and stator of the electric machine have more than one phase, not necessarily of even number. Flux guidance regions within the stator are angularly and spatially located such that they may be transverse, or not coinciding with, the plane perpendicular to the axis of shaft rotation. The flux guidance regions are composed so as to contain a magnetic field whose flux is guided in either a loop or coupled configuration. In the loop configuration, multiple flux guidance paths that are able to operate simultaneously exist within each chuck arrangement. In the coupled configuration, a single primary flux guidance path exists within the chuck arrangement. Transverse flux guidance allows for the removal and replacement of stator windings without significant disassembly or removal of the motor.

1 . An electric machine having a rotational axis, the machine comprising:
 a rotor assembly comprising:
 a rotor hub disposed in a rotational plane that is substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis; and 
 a plurality of rotor teeth affixed to the rotor hub, the rotor teeth disposed in a substantially circular path about the rotational axis, the rotor teeth including at least a first rotor tooth, a second rotor tooth and a third rotor tooth; and 
   one or more stator chuck arrangements disposed around and adjacent the rotor assembly, each stator chuck arrangement comprising a plurality of stator chuck sets including at least a first stator chuck set and a second stator chuck set, each stator chuck set comprising at least a first stator chuck and a second stator chuck, the first and second stator chucks each having a first chuck pole, a second chuck pole and a chuck winding, the first and second chuck poles being disposed adjacent the rotor teeth as the rotor assembly rotates about the rotational axis,   where during operation of the electric machine, a flux path passes from the first chuck pole of the first chuck of the first stator chuck set into the first rotor tooth, through the first rotor tooth and into the first chuck pole of the second stator chuck of the first stator chuck set, from the first chuck pole of the second stator chuck of the first stator chuck set to the second chuck pole of the second stator chuck of the first stator chuck set, and from the second chuck pole of the second stator chuck of the first stator chuck set into the second rotor tooth.