Patent ID: 7239058

Claim:
A rotor-stator structure for electrodynamic machines comprising: a shaft defining an axis of rotation and having a first end portion, a central portion and a second end portion; a first magnet having a surface contoured as at least a portion of a cone to form a first conical surface, said first magnet being disposed axially on said shaft at said first end portion; a second magnet having a surface contoured as at least a portion of a cone to form a second conical surface, said second magnet being disposed axially on said shaft at said second end portion, said second conical surface facing said first conical surface; a number of field pole members arranged substantially coaxial to said shaft, each of said field pole members comprising a number of laminations arranged substantially in parallel with other laminations and substantially in parallel with said axis of rotation, each of said field pole members having a first pole shoe at a first field pole member end and a second pole shoe at a second field pole member end, said first pole shoe being positioned adjacent to a portion of said first conical surface to form a first flux interaction region and said second pole shoe being positioned adjacent to a portion of said second conical surface to form a second flux interaction region; and at least one coil wound about at least one of said number of field ode members to form an active field pole member.