Patent ID: 8164294

Claim:
A torquer apparatus comprising: a) a rotor with magnetic poles such that, when radially projected on a concentric octahedron, the same symmetrical pattern is obtained on all faces of said octahedron, the polarity of the poles projected on two adjacent faces of said octahedron being opposite; b) a stator with at least twenty poles magnetized with coils and such that, when radially projected on a concentric icosahedron, the same symmetrical pattern is obtained on all faces of said icosahedron, said stator being in nominal position concentric with said rotor; c) means for obtaining real-time measurements, or equivalent information, of the position of the rotor with respect to the stator; d) means for obtaining real-time measurements, or equivalent information, of exported torque from the stator, or of the orientation of the rotor with respect to the stator; e) a controller for controlling the current in said coils based on said measurements, or said equivalent information, such that the rotor is magnetically held in said nominal position, and that the desired torque is exported.