Patent ID: 7436096
Filing Date: 2008-10-14
Classification: H02K

Abstract:
1. An electric machine, including: a stator; and a rotor disposed adjacent the stator, the rotor being rotatable around a rotor rotation axis, wherein the rotor includes: a rotor core; a plurality of permanent magnets, including a permanent-magnet cluster disposed at least partially within the rotor core, wherein: the permanent-magnet cluster is configured to create a magnetic pole of the rotor; the permanent-magnet cluster includes multiple radial permanent-magnet layers; and one or more open axially-extending channels located in a portion of the rotor core disposed between adjacent radial permanent-magnet layers of the permanent-magnet cluster, wherein at least one of the one or more open axially-extending channels is disposed in a position other than adjacent a portion of the rotor core between ends of two permanent magnets of the permanent-magnet cluster.