Patent ID: 8167063

Claim:
A power plant for driving driven parts, comprising: a prime mover including an output shaft; a first generator-motor including an immovable first stator for generating a first rotating magnetic field, a first rotor formed by magnets, said first rotor being provided in a manner opposed to said first stator, and a second rotor formed by soft magnetic material elements and disposed between said first stator and said first rotor, said first generator-motor inputting and outputting energy between said first stator, said first rotor and said second rotor, via magnetic circuits formed along with generation of the first rotating magnetic field, the first rotating magnetic field and said first and second rotors rotating in accordance with the input and output of the energy while holding such a linear speed relationship in which a difference between a rotational speed of the first rotating magnetic field and a rotational speed of said second rotor, and a difference between a rotational speed of said second rotor and a rotational speed of said first rotor become equal to each other; a first controller electrically connected to said first stator, for controlling electric power generated by said first stator and electric power supplied to said first stator; a second generator-motor including an immovable second stator for generating a second rotating magnetic field, a third rotor formed by magnets, said third rotor being provided in a manner opposed to said second stator, and a fourth rotor formed by soft magnetic material elements and disposed between said second stator and said third rotor, said second generator-motor inputting and outputting energy between said second stator, said third rotor and said fourth rotor, via magnetic circuits formed along with generation of the second rotating magnetic field, the second rotating magnetic field and said third and fourth rotors rotating in accordance with the input and output of the energy while holding such a linear speed relationship in which a difference between a rotational speed of the second rotating magnetic field and a rotational speed of said fourth rotor, and a difference between a rotational speed of said fourth rotor and a rotational speed of said third rotor become equal to each other; and a second controller electrically connected to said second stator, for controlling electric power generated by said second stator and electric power supplied to said second stator; wherein said first and fourth rotors are mechanically connected to the driven parts, said second and third rotors being mechanically connected to said output shaft of said prime mover, and said first and second stators being mechanically connected to each other via said first and second controllers.