Abstract:
Apparatuses for coupling magnetic forces into motive force are disclosed having a spinner arm, a power bed, and a hub. The spinner arm has a helical array of magnets mounted about a shaft. The apparatus also has a rotational timing coupling such as a stationary rack and spinner shaft pinion. The power bed has two arrays of magnets defining a power track. The spinner arm shaft may be mounted in the hub, allowing rotation of the spinner arm about its axis. The hub is further constructed to allow the hub and spinner arm to move translationally within a plane parallel to a plane containing the power bed. High coercive force magnets in the spinner and power bed interact to displace the spinner arm and rotate it about its axis. Multiple spinner arms and power beds may be arranged to move a load linearly or drive a load about an axis.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/117,430 filed Nov. 24, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to devices and structures for mechanically coupling forces induced by interacting magnetic fields into motive forces which may be coupled to a generator or other load. The present invention further relates to magnetic coupling units having particular dynamic arrangements. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     It is recognized in the art that magnets interact with attractive and repulsive forces and that these forces can be used to perform useful work. Such work may include rotation of a shaft and linear movement of a mass. Magnetic motors illustrating this principle are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,274,959, 4,598,221, 4,196,365, and 4,179,633. 
     A driving apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,959 has a rotatable disk with a magnet alley and an arrangement of peripheral permanent magnets. A reciprocal device also has a magnet alley that includes reciprocating permanent magnets which interact with the peripheral permanent magnets. Each reciprocating magnet is movable between two positions to attract and repel a peripheral permanent magnet as it rotates in proximity to the reciprocating magnet. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,221 discloses a permanent magnet motion conversion device having a ring stator with stator magnets aligned along its circumference and a rotor with permanent magnets. The rotor magnets rock about an axis as the rotor turns. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,365 discloses a magnetic motor having a shaft mounted rotating disc on which are mounted three permanent magnets oriented and spaced radially. A stationary bracket has two permanent magnets mounted in proximity to the disc such that the magnetic fields of the bracket magnets and the rotor magnets can interact. The bracket is attached to a reciprocating device which changes the distance of the bracket magnets to the rotor in relation to the rotation of the rotor. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,633 discloses a permanent magnet wheel drive having a flat wheel containing peripherally mounted identical magnet segments and a concentric magnetic driving device having multiple pairs of identical magnet segments mounted on rockers. 
     Common to each of these prior art patents are elements which mechanically reciprocate or rock in an attempt to change the orientation of a magnetic field or to block or allow extension of a magnetic field so as to achieve productive magnetic field interactions and avoid unproductive magnetic field interactions. Such mechanically reciprocating and rocking elements create inefficiencies, reducing the amount of work which may be performed. Moreover, such elements increase the complexity of the devices, leading to high expense in their construction and maintenance. Such complexity also means that the devices are not effectively scalable, i.e., it is not effective to combine a multiplicity of such devices to perform greater amounts of work. Thus, it is a goal of the present invention to overcome the above stated disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for coupling magnetic forces into motive force. The apparatus has a spinner arm, a power bed, and a hub. The spinner arm has a helical array of spinner magnets having an axis of rotation coincident with its helical axis, a spinner arm shaft onto which the helical array of spinner magnets is mounted. The axis of the spinner arm shaft is coincident with the helical axis and allows the helical array to rotate about its axis. The apparatus also has a rotational timing coupling. The power bed has an inner array of magnets and an outer array of magnets in which the inner and outer arrays define a power track of respective lines and the lines define a power bed plane. The spinner arm shaft is inserted into the hub, allowing rotation of the spinner arm about its axis. The hub is further constructed to allow the hub and spinner arm to move in a translational direction within a plane parallel to the power bed plane and substantially along the power track defined by the power bed. The apparatus also includes a translational timing coupling coupled to the rotational timing coupling of the spinner arm. 
     In one configuration, the spinner arm is orientable in a first displacement away from the power bed and the helical array of magnets is orientable in a first angular orientation, such that an attractive magnetic force between the power bed and the spinner arm attracts the spinner arm towards the power bed and the respective timing couplings permit the spinner arm to rotate about the spinner arm axis in relation to a displacement of the spinner arm. 
     The spinner arm is also orientable in a second displacement proximal to the power bed and the helical array of magnets is orientable in a second angular orientation, such that a repelling magnetic force between the power bed and the spinner arm repels the spinner arm from the second displacement position and away from the power bed in the translational direction. 
     In another configuration, the spinner arm is orientable in a displacement away from the power bed, with the helical array of magnets oriented in an angular orientation, such that an repulsive magnetic force exists between the power bed and the spinner arm. The repulsive magnetic force is less than a repulsive force in the second displacement and second angular orientation. 
     Moreover, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a load may be coupled to the hub. Such a load may include a generator. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus, the apparatus further includes a stator plate to which the power bed and translational timing coupling are fastened a shaft perpendicular to the stator plate. The hub is coupled to the perpendicular shaft, the power bed plane and a plane defined by the stator plate are parallel, the power track comprises substantially concentric arcs, the translational movement of the spinner arm causes the hub to rotate the perpendicular shaft, and the load is coupled to the perpendicular shaft. In some embodiments, the load is a generator. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary arrangement of magnets in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate a relationship between a spinner arm translational position and helical array angular position in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 3A-3D  illustrate embodiments of a tapered helical array of magnets in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 4A-4E  illustrate embodiments of power bed magnet arrays in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a stator plate assembly in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a tower-type assembly of stator plate assemblies. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a linear assembly in accordance with an aspect of the present invention 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a spinner arm  100  and power bed  150  are illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Spinner arm  100  is constructed to spin about an axis A 10  defined by shaft  110  in direction DR 10 . Spinner arm  100  includes a tapered helical array  120  of spinner magnets  125 . Tapered helical array  120  may comprise substantially a single revolution around the spinner arm axis and may be mounted on a support structure such as cone  130 . Spinner arm  100  may further include bearings  140  and pinion gear  145 .  FIG. 1  further illustrates a power bed  150 . In one embodiment, this power bed  150  may include two arrays of magnets, inner array  160  and outer array  170 . In other embodiments, power bed  150  may include one magnet array or more than two magnet arrays. 
     In one embodiment, shaft  110  is cylindrically shaped and constructed of non-ferrous material, preferably aluminum, with a standard stock diameter readily available from suppliers. In a preferred embodiment, shaft  110  is black oxide plated, preventing pitting and oxidation. Bearings  140  may be made of stainless steel and in sizes readily available from suppliers. 
     Spinner arm  100  and power bed  150  are mounted relative to each other such that spinner arm  100  is able to move in translational direction DT 10  while power bed  150  is relatively fixed. The spinner magnets  125  in tapered helical array  120  and the magnets in power bed  150  interact to induce spinner arm  100  to move in translational direction DT 10 . At the same time, spinner arm  100  and power bed  150  are mounted relative to each other such that shaft  110  rotates in direction DR 10  about axis A 10  as the entire spinner arm  100  assembly moves in translational direction DT 10 . For reference, reference point RP is shown in  FIG. 1  on the apex of cone  130 , indicating a relative angular orientation of tapered helical array  120  of 0° about axis A 10 . 
       FIGS. 2A-C  illustrate, with corresponding plan and elevation views, the approximate angular orientations of tapered helical array  120  as spinner arm  100  approaches, transits, and exits power bed  150 , for one embodiment. In this embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 2A , spinner arm  100  moves translationally in direction DT 10  relative to power bed  150  and tapered helical array  120  has a relative angular orientation of approximately −22° as it becomes proximal to power bed  150 . As spinner arm  100  continues to move translationally in direction DT 10 , transiting through power bed  150 , it is rotating in direction DR 10 , advancing the angular orientation of tapered helical array  120  to approximately 180° at a mid-transit point as illustrated in  FIG. 2B . As the rotation and translation of spinner arm  100  continues and it exits power bed  150 , the angular orientation of tapered helical array  120  is approximately 22° as illustrated in  FIG. 2C . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3A , tapered helical array  120  is comprised of spinner magnets  125  mounted on cone  130 . In one exemplary embodiment, cone  130  may be in the shape of a right circular cone with a truncated apex  135 . Cone  130  may be composed of a non-magnetic, non-conductive material such as molded thermoplastic. Plastics such as PVC, polycarbonate, thermoplastic resins, and acrylics are preferred. Spinner magnets  125  are preferably rare earth magnets having similar high power flux and high coercive force to the magnets in power bed  150  (further described below). Magnets made of neodymium iron boron (NdFeB), samarium cobalt (SmCo), or ferrites are preferred. In exemplary embodiments, 45 MGOe NdFeB magnets or 28 MGOe SmCo magnets may be used. 
     Each magnet  125  may be affixed to cone  130  using a high strength industrial adhesive such as Loctite. Other methods, such as through-hole screws and brackets, may be used alone or in combination with each other and/or with the use of an adhesive.  FIG. 3B  illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which bracket  310  is mounted on cone  130  along the path of tapered helical array  120 . Cone  130  may have an optional milled or molded base structure  320 . Magnet  125 H may be inserted in to bracket  310 . Additionally, or independently, magnet  125 H may include a counter sunk through-hole  330  through which flat head screw  340  may be inserted, fastening magnet  125 H to cone  130  through cone through-hole  350 . In one embodiment, flat head screw  340  is steel. In another embodiment, a flat head steel pop rivet may be substituted for flat head screw  340 . 
     Spinner magnets  125  may be cuboid in shape, having relative height, width, and depth of approximately 1, 1, and 0.25, respectively. In another embodiment, the magnets are rectangular in shape and have a taper running along the length through the thickness of the magnet dimension, the taper having, for example, a 2-1 ratio. In one embodiment, spinner magnets  125  are polarized such that the magnetic poles are perpendicular to the large faces. In one embodiment, spinner magnets  125  are mounted on cone  130  with their south poles oriented outward and directed away from cone  130 . In another embodiment, the large faces of spinner magnets  125  are isosceles trapezoids having a narrower end  325 T and broader end  325 B and are mounted with narrower end  325 T oriented in the direction of apex  135 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3A . Spinner magnets  125  are mounted to cone  130  such that tapered helical array  120  is formed. In one exemplary embodiment, tapered helical array  120  comprises approximately 1 revolution around cone  130  and may have a pitch (i.e., spacing of successive revolutions relative to the axis) of approximately the height of one magnet as in, for example, magnet height  380 . In another embodiment the pitch is as much as eight. Tapered helical array  120  is tapered, i.e., its radial distance from its axis is a linear function of its position along the axis, such that it may follow the contour of cone  130 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 3C , the spinner magnets  125  of tapered helical array  120  are mounted in an overlapping fashion with approximately 2-5% of the magnet faces overlapped. In this embodiment, as in the arrangement shown in  FIG. 3A , the large faces of spinner magnets  125  may be trapezoidal. However, the large width of the trapezoid is oriented in the direction of apex  135 . Tapered helical array  120  may be assembled by placing a first spinner magnet  125 - 1  at the apex  135 , lapping a leading edge of second spinner magnet  125 - 2  on the trailing edge of spinner magnet  125 - 1 , lapping a leading edge of third spinner magnet  125 - 3  on the trailing edge of spinner magnet  125 - 2 , and so on, following the path of a tapered helix to the base of cone  130 . Alternatively (not shown), a first spinner magnet may placed at the base of the cone, followed by lapping a trailing edge of a second spinner magnet on the leading edge of the first spinner magnet, followed by lapping a trailing edge of a third spinner magnet on the leading edge of the second spinner magnet, an so on, following the path of a tapered helix to the apex  135 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3D , depicting cross section D-D of  FIG. 3A  through the axis of the cone  130 , a cross sectional edge of cone  130  forms angle θ C  with the axis of cone  130  and spinner magnets  125  form angle θ M  with the axis of cone  130 . In a preferred embodiment θ M  is constant along the length of tapered helical array  120 , may be up to 60°, and is most preferably approximately 45°. Angle θ C  is generally equal to or smaller than θ M . 
     In other aspects, spinner magnets  125  may be attached to spinner shaft  110  via a support structure other than cone  130 . For example, spinner magnets  125  can be mounted on a series of supports emanating radially (not shown) from spinner shaft  110 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4A , power bed  150  is comprised of two arrays of magnets: inner array  160  and outer array  170 . In one exemplary embodiment, inner array  160  consists of 6 power bed magnets  480  and outer array  170  consists of 12 power bed magnets  480 . In other embodiments inner array  160  may have 3-25 magnets and outer array  170  may have 6-50 magnets. Power bed magnets  480  may be cuboid in shape and have relative dimensions of 1, 1, and 0.25. In other embodiments (not shown), power bed magnets  480  may be triangular, trapezoidal (similar to magnets  125  illustrated in  FIG. 3A ), or arc segments having a taper running across the width. Power bed magnets  480  are preferably rare earth, including NdFeB, SmCo and hard ferrites of grades C 5 and C 8, and have high power flux and high coercivity. Their magnet poles are preferably oriented perpendicularly to their large faces. In preferred embodiments of each array, inner array  160  and outer array  170 , the poles of power bed magnets  480  are oriented in a common direction and typically substantially parallel to DT 10 ; when the leading end  410  of outer array  170  is north in polarity, the leading end  430  of inner array  160  is south in polarity. Power bed  150  optionally comprises power bed housing  490 , which encapsulates power bed magnets  480  in a non-magnetic, non-ferrous, and non-conductive material. Suitable materials include PVC, polycarbonate, thermoplastic resins, and acrylics. 
     In one embodiment, the power bed magnets  480  in outer array  170  may be oriented to have angle θ A  so as to create an array face which would be substantially parallel to tapered helical array  120 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4A . In a preferred embodiment, power bed magnets  480  in inner array  160  are oriented such that θ B  is approximately the same as θ A . In one embodiment, inner array  160  and outer array  170  are oriented substantially in parallel with the direction of travel DT 10  of spinner arm  100 . In another embodiment, outer array  170  is angled with angle θ O  such that leading end  410  is closer to inner array  160  than trailing end  420 . In a preferred embodiment, angle θ O  may be approximately 10-15°. 
     In alternative embodiments of outer array  170 , the power bed magnets  480  may be arranged as stepped magnet arrays such as stepped array  450 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4B  or angled magnet arrays such as angled array  460 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4C . These alternative embodiments allow the magnetic flux to be gradually increased in height and/or strength from one end to a peak in the center of the array and then decreased from the center to the other end. In another embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4E , shunt blocks  495  are added on each side of the array. Shunt blocks  495  may be employed to shunt flux leakage and may be steel blocks. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4D , the poles of power bed magnets  480  are oriented to provide alternating north and south polarities, creating a narrow flux path on each power bed magnet  480 , having a maximum concentration of flux lines on each magnet and narrow peaks with sharp bands. The stepped array  450  (illustrated in  FIG. 4B ) and angled array  460  (illustrated in  FIG. 4C ) create a lower flux path at the leading and trailing ends of the arrays. In these preferred embodiments, the power bed  150  creates a specific flux path that smoothes the entry of and decreases the entry resistance to spinner arm  100  on leading end  420  and repels the spinner arm on the trailing end  410  as the spinner arm  100  rotates in the clockwise rotation about its axis. 
     In other embodiments, the power bed magnets  480  may be mounted on a low carbon steel plate  475  to increase magnetic flux at the top of the array, as illustrated in  FIG. 4D . Low carbon steel plate  475  may be sized to match an array&#39;s footprint and mated to an inner and/or outer array of magnets such as, for example, stepped array  450  or angled array  460 . 
     Power bed  150  may be mounted on a substrate (not shown) with non-magnetic type fasteners (not shown) such as stainless steel or brass screws instead of non-magnetic rivets. Screws are preferred because they permit easy assembly and disassembly as well as ease of alignment of a power bed  150  on a substrate. 
     In accordance with one configuration of an embodiment of the invention, the spinner arm  100  is initially not moving relative to the power bed  150 . An initial external force, not shown, is applied to the spinner arm  100  so that it moves in the translational direction towards power bed  150 , overcoming any repelling interaction between the spinner arm and power bed  150 . Spinner arm  100  rotates about its axis as it moves in relation to power bed  150 , dynamically reconfiguring the magnetic interaction between spinner arm  100  and power bed  150 . Once proximal to power bed  150 , a repelling force pushes spinner arm  100  away from power bed  150  in the translational direction, the repelling force being greater than the initial force. 
     In accordance with scaled embodiments of the invention, pluralities of spinner arms  100  and power beds  150  may be assembled into structures which scale-up and couple the translational movement of the multiple spinner arms into linear or rotational movement of a load. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates one such scaled embodiment of the invention that includes a substrate or stator plate  500  to which multiple power beds  150  are fastened. In this exemplary embodiment, a pinion rack  530  is affixed to the stator plate  500  on which ride the pinion gears  145  of each spinner arm  100 . Spinner arm  100  is also coupled in hub  540  via bearings  140  so that the spinner arm may rotate about its axis. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , 4 power beds  150  are affixed to stator plate  500  and 4 spinner arms  100  are coupled to hub  540 . The power beds  150  define a circular power track  550  with power beds  150  spaced approximately 90° apart. The hub  540  defines four axes about which spinner arms  100  may rotate; the axes lie in a plane parallel to a plane defined by stator plate  500 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the axes may be spaced 90° apart. Hub  540  is affixed to stator shaft  510  such that the rotation of hub  540  about the axis defined by stator shaft  510  causes stator shaft  510  to rotate. 
     Hub  540  may optionally be made in the shape of a cube with bores on each side to accommodate bearings for each spinner arm  100 . Hub  540  may be constructed of non-magnetic, non-ferrous materials such as molded plastics, brass, stainless steel Austenitic types, for example, types  304  or  316 , or aluminum. In a preferred embodiment, hub  540  is constructed of aluminum having oxide plating, providing easy machining, cost effectiveness, light weight, lower labor costs and non-oxidation. 
     The operation of this exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIG. 5  is described as follows. In one configuration, spinner arms  100  are positioned an initial distance from corresponding power beds  150 . An initial external force is applied to the system such that tapered helical array  120  and spinner arms  100  are advanced towards power beds  150 , rotating hub  540  and shaft  510  clockwise in direction DR 50 . This rotation of spinner arms  100  around the axis defined by stator shaft  510  moves tapered helical arrays  120  translationally in direction DT 50 . As the hub  540  and spinner arms  100  assembly rotate about the stator shaft  510  axis, spinner arms  100  and shafts  110  are forced to rotate about their axes in direction DR 10  due to the interaction between pinions  145  and rack  530 . The rotation of spinner arm shafts  110  cause tapered helical arrays  120  to be angularly positioned relative to power beds  150  such that a magnetic repulsive force pushes the spinner arms  100  out of the power beds  150 , with each spinner arm moving towards the next power bed in power track  550  such that the similar magnetic interactions occur between the subsequent power bed and the spinner arm. The length of the power beds  150  and the changing orientations of the magnets comprising tapered helical arrays  120  cause spinner arms  100  to experience magnetic forces which, in aggregate, cause the rotation of hub  540  and stator shaft  510  about their axes. 
     Stator plate  520  is fixed so that stator shaft  510  may be coupled to a generator or other load such as a gear box, wheel, or fan. With the polar orientations of the spinner magnets  125  and array magnets  480  as discussed above, hub  540  tends to rotate in direction DR 50 , causing tapered helical arrays  120  to follow power track  550  in the direction DT 50 . In another embodiment, spinner magnets  125  could have an opposite orientation, tending to have the effect that hub  540  would rotate in a direction opposite to DR 50 . 
     In other embodiments, a circular configuration such as that shown in  FIG. 5  may be modified to accommodate fewer or more power beds in a power track, such as, for example, eight power beds spaced 45° apart or three power beds spaced 120° apart. The circular configuration may further be modified to have fewer or more spinner arms, such as, for example, two spinner arms spaced 180° apart or eight spinner arms spaced 45° apart. In embodiments with fewer power beds, the arrays  160  and  170  of magnets  480  may be comprised of greater numbers of magnets  480  and the pinions  145  and rack  530  are geared such that the spinner arms  100  have fewer rotations about their axes per rotation of hub  540 . In such embodiments, arrays  160  and  170  may approximate the curvature of the power track  550 . In embodiments having greater numbers of power beds, the arrays  160  and  170  of magnets  480  may be comprised of fewer numbers of magnets  480  and the pinions  145  and rack  530  are geared such that the spinner arms  100  have more rotations about their axes per rotation of hub  540 . 
     Moreover, in other embodiments, the circular configuration of  FIG. 5  may be modified to have two or more concentric power tracks. In an exemplary such configuration, spinner arm  100  may be modified to have two tapered helical arrays  120  affixed to a single spinner shaft (not shown) such that one of the two tapered helical arrays interacts with an inner power track and the other with an outer power track. In such a configuration, the number and arrangement of power bed magnets may differ between the inner power track and the outer power track in order to compensate for the differing ratios of spinner rotation to spinner arm translational motion due to the differing circumferences of the power tracks. In another multi-concentric-track embodiment (not shown), coaxial spinners may rotate at different rates and have independent pinion racks. The number of power tracks per each stator plate assembly, the number of power beds per power track, the strength of magnets  480  and  125 , and the number of spinners are among factors determining the torque and power of assembly  500 . 
     Stator plate  520  may be made of a non-ferrous metal, preferably aluminum. Using aluminum as stator plate  520  prevents induction of the magnetic flux from power beds  150  into stator plate  520 . 
     Pinion rack  530 , in conjunction with pinion gear  145 , provides for spinner  100  to rotate about its axis at a predetermined rate as the spinner arm  100  moves in a translational direction through a power bed  150 . Pinion gear  145  may optionally be fitted with a set screw and/or shaft key (not shown), permitting the spinner arm  100 , in a maintenance operation, to be rotated about its axis without advancing the spinner arm  100  in a translational direction relative to pinion rack  530 . This allows fine-tuning of initial configurations, including the angular position of the tapered helical array  120  about its axis in relation to its translational displacement relative to a power bed  150 . Such fine-tuning permits an optimal orientation, for example minimizing repulsive forces between the tapered helical array  120  and power bed magnets  480  to permit lower force translational movement of the spinner arm  100  towards the power bed  150  and to translationally push the spinner arm  100  out at the proper point with greater force. The pinion rack to pinion gear ratio may be selected in relation to the number and length of power beds  150  on stator plate assembly  500 . 
     Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the stator plate assemblies  500  can be stacked on top of each other and coupled to a single stator shaft  610 , further scaling up available torque. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another scaled embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, multiple power beds  150  are spaced along a track  710  defined by rails  720  on which is mounted a car  730 . Spinner arm  740  may be mounted on car  730  so that spinner arm  740  may interact with the power beds  150  spaced along the track. Track  710  also may include one or more racks  750  on which spinner arm pinion  760  may ride. Thus, spinner arm  740  may be configured to rotate and have the desired angular orientation with respect to their displacement from the power beds  150 . In an alternate embodiment, more than one spinner arm  740  may be mounted on car  730 . 
     Most of the parts are of non-ferrous material and of light weight to reduce the drag/torque and loss of magnetic flux and improve the output of the unit. The use of high power flux magnets helps to keep a unit in operation at an ambient temperature. This in turn reduces the maintenance and increases the output and longevity of the unit. 
     While various embodiments/variations of the invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.