Patent ID: 6967417

Claim:
A permanent magnet alternator comprising: a rotatable portion including: a shaft; and a plurality of permanent magnets each attached to said shaft and having a direction of magnetization and poles; said poles of said permanent magnets facing outward in a radial direction and alternating with each successive of said permanent magnets; a stationary portion including: a housing for rotatably supporting said shaft and having an inner surface; and at least one electromagnet having poles, and including at least one winding; said winding of said at least one of said electromagnets having a number of output turns sufficient for substantially continuous variable output; sensing means for sensing power output, rotor RPM, or both; and electrical switching means for varying the number of turns of at least one of said electromagnet windings thereby modifying power generation of said permanent magnet alternator; wherein said electrical switching means for varying the number of turns of said electromagnet is a relay activated motorized sliding brush contact.