Patent ID: 8294321

Claim:
A brushless electric machine comprising: a cylindrical stator; a rotor having an axis of rotation, the rotor being spaced from the stator to define an annular primary air gap that receives an AC flux from the stator, the rotor having a plurality of longitudinal pole portions disposed parallel to the axis of rotation and alternating in polarity around a circumference of the rotor, wherein each longitudinal pole portion comprises portions of permanent magnet (PM) material positioned to form boundaries separating the longitudinal pole portions of alternating polarity from an interior of the rotor and from each other to define PM poles and wherein the longitudinal pole portions each have a first end and an opposing second end; a first plurality of side magnets disposed adjacent at least a portion of the first ends of the longitudinal pole portions; a second plurality of side magnets disposed adjacent a least a portion of the second ends of the longitudinal pole portions; a first ferromagnetic end plate disposed adjacent the first plurality of side magnets wherein the first plurality of side magnets are disposed between the first ferromagnetic end plate and the first ends of the longitudinal pole portions; a second ferromagnetic end plate disposed adjacent the second plurality of side magnets wherein the second plurality of side magnets are disposed between the second ferromagnetic end plate and the second ends of the longitudinal pole portions, wherein magnetic flux in the longitudinal pole portions is directed axially and oppositely in polarity in adjacent longitudinal pole portions; a first plurality of side poles disposed adjacent at least a portion of the first ends of the longitudinal pole portions, wherein the first plurality of side poles are disposed between the first ferromagnetic end plate and the first ends of the longitudinal pole portions; and a second plurality of side poles disposed adjacent a least a portion of the second ends of the longitudinal pole portions and the second plurality of side poles are disposed between the second ferromagnetic end plate and the second ends of the longitudinal pole portions.