Patent ID: 8304949

Claim:
An axial gap motor comprising: a rotor rotatable about a rotational axis; and a pair of stator disposed to face each other so as to hold therebetween the rotor from both sides thereof with respect to the direction of the rotational axis, wherein: the rotor comprises: magnet pole portions disposed at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction; and magnetic material pole portions disposed to lie between the magnet pole portions disposed adjacent thereto in the circumferential direction; and the magnet pole portion is made up of an integral magnet that is integral with a main magnet piece that is magnetized in the direction of the rotational axis, a pair of auxiliary magnet pieces disposed at circumferential sides on one side of the main magnet piece with respect to the direction of the rotational axis, each auxiliary magnet piece being magnetized in the direction of the rotational axis and a direction that is orthogonal relative to a radial direction and wherein magnetic poles face each other, the magnetic poles facing each other being the same as a magnetic pole on the one side of the main magnet piece with respect to the direction of the rotational axis, and a pair of auxiliary magnet pieces disposed at circumferential sides on the other side of the main magnet piece with respect to the direction of the rotational axis, each auxiliary magnet piece being magnetized in the direction of the rotational axis and a direction that is orthogonal relative to a radial direction and wherein magnetic poles face each other, the magnetic poles facing each other being the same as a magnetic pole on the other side of the main magnet piece with respect to the direction of the rotational axis, with portions of the main magnet piece being exposed to the pair of stators, and wherein: the auxiliary magnet pieces each have a tapered portion where a thickness gradually decreases towards a substantially central portion of the main magnet piece; and substantially central portions of the main magnet piece are exposed to the pair of stators.