Patent ID: 7642683

Claim:
A self-regulating permanent magnet device comprising: a first shaft; a stator core having stator windings; and a rotor situated within the stator core, the rotor comprising: a first rotor segment connected to the first shaft and having a first set of permanent magnets; a second rotor segment located adjacent to the first rotor segment and having a second set of permanent magnets; spring means connected between the first rotor segment and the second rotor segment for generating a spring force that maintains rotational alignment between the first set of permanent magnets and the second set of permanent magnets when the first shaft is at rest; and reactionary means for generating reactionary torque based on the speed of the first shaft, wherein the reactionary torque opposes the spring force and causes the misalignment of the first set of permanent magnets with respect to the second set of permanent magnets such that the electromotive force (emf) generated in the stator windings of the stator core is regulated based on the speed of the self-regulating permanent magnet device.