Patent ID: 6025668
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: H02K

Abstract:
A variable reluctance electric motor comprising:a hollow stator formed from a magnetically permeable material and including an inner surface having a plurality of radially inwardly extending poles formed thereon, each of said stator poles being bifurcated to have two radially inwardly extending teeth by a slot defining a slot width, said stator poles defining a stator pole gap width, wherein a ratio of said stator pole gap width to said slot width is in the range of from about 1.8 to about 2.3;a rotor formed from a magnetically permeable material and including an outer surface having a plurality of radially outwardly extending poles formed thereon, wherein the number of said rotor poles is equal to twice the number of said stator poles plus two, each of said rotor poles defining a rotor pole width, said rotor poles defining a rotor pole pitch, wherein a ratio of said rotor pole width to said rotor pole pitch is in the range of from about 0.40 to about 0.47;means for supporting said rotor for rotation within said stator; anda winding of wire disposed about each of said plurality of stator poles, said windings adapted to be connected to a control circuit for selectively passing electrical current therethrough so as to generate respective electromagnetic fields as a plurality of sequentially energized phases, the electromagnetic field generated by each of said windings causing a rotor pole to move toward a position of minimum reluctance relative to a stator pole associated with that winding, thereby causing said rotor to rotate relative to said stator.