Patent ID: 7969058

Claim:
A permanent magnet motor, comprising: a stator having a hollow core and defining a plurality of slots, wherein each of the plurality of slots is defined by respective first and second side walls, and a respective slot opening, each of the plurality of slots further having a respective slot central axis, wherein each of the respective slot openings is defined by respective first and second slot opening side walls and has a respective slot opening central axis, wherein the plurality of slots is grouped into a plurality of groups of slots, and wherein each group of slots corresponds to a rotor pole of the permanent magnet motor, wherein each group of slots includes a first slot in which the respective slot opening central axis is circumferentially spaced from the respective first side wall at a first distance, a second slot in which the respective slot opening central axis is circumferentially spaced from the respective first side wall at a second distance, and a third slot in which the respective slot opening central axis is circumferentially spaced from the respective first side wall at a third distance, and wherein the first, second and third distances are different from one another; a winding disposed in each of the slots; a rotor rotatably disposed inside the hollow core of the stator; and a plurality of permanent magnets supported by the rotor, wherein the second slot is arranged circumferentially between the first slot and the third slot wherein each group of slots includes a fourth slot arranged such that the third slot is circumferentially between the fourth slot and the first slot, and wherein the respective slot opening central axis of the fourth slot is circumferentially spaced from the respective first side wall of the fourth slot at a fourth distance, the fourth distance being different than the first distance, wherein each group of slots includes a fifth slot arranged such that the fourth slot is circumferentially between the fifth slot and the first slot, and wherein the respective slot opening central axis of the fifth slot is circumferentially spaced from the respective first side wall of the fifth slot at a fifth distance, wherein each group of slots includes a sixth slot arranged such that the fifth slot is circumferentially between the sixth slot and the first slot, and wherein the respective slot opening central axis of the sixth slot is circumferentially spaced from the respective first side wall of the sixth slot at a sixth distance, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth slots are arranged in a symmetrical pattern, and wherein the first distance is less than each of the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth distances.