Patent ID: 8072106

Claim:
A rotor-stator structure for electrodynamic machines having an axis of rotation, the rotor-stator structure comprising: a rotor in which is mounted magnets arranged axially on the axis and being spaced apart from each other, the magnets having regions of magnetic polarization and each having confronting magnetic surfaces of principal dimension substantially at an acute angle to the axis of rotation, a first subset of confronting magnetic surfaces oriented to face a second subset of confronting magnetic surfaces along the axis of rotation; and field pole members arranged coaxial to the axis and having pole faces formed at the ends of the field pole members adjacent said the first and the second subsets of confronting magnetic surfaces, the pole faces being coextensive with the principal dimension thereof, defining functioning air gaps therewith, each of the field pole members is magnetically permeable and has a cross-sectional area in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein the pole faces are configured to magnetically couple the field pole members to the magnets, each of the pole faces having a surface area greater than the cross-sectional area, the surface area oriented at the acute angle to the axis of rotation, wherein the magnets include a plurality of north poles and south poles.