Patent ID: 7071657

Claim:
An apparatus for generating power frequency alternating current and voltage output from the rotation of a shaft, wherein power generation is generally independent of the speed of the shaft, the apparatus comprising a single-pole type generator stage coupled to a resonant circuit and couplable to the shaft, wherein the single-pole generator stage generates an output upon rotation of the shaft, the output, including a sinusoidal output voltage and an alternating output current, is excited by electrical currents in said resonant circuit, and wherein the resonant circuit itself is excited at the power frequency by use of resonant circuit techniques under supervision of a controller to generate the sinusoidal output voltage and alternating output current without rectification, commutation, or electronic processing of the output, wherein said single-pole type generator stage includes: (a) a low loss magnetic pathway at least part of which is an air-gap section and the balance of which includes a low loss magnetic core; (b) a field coil means for exciting a magnetic field and magnetic flux within said magnetic pathway; (c) a plurality of generating conductor segments on a support and arranged by interconnecting means as a single-phase output, wherein at least part of said generating conductor segments are located within said air-gap portion of said magnetic pathway, and wherein said generating conductor segments are arranged to minimize eddy current losses; (d) means to connect said single-phase output winding to an external load; and (e) a shaft rotatably connected to said support and arranged to rotate in response to the input of mechanical power and arranged with means to provide relative motion between said generating conductors of said single-phase output and said magnetic field in said air gap of said magnetic pathway, said magnetic field induced by electrical currents in said field coil means, thereby generating voltage and current output in said single-phase output, and wherein the intensity, polarity and direction of said magnetic field, as seen by generating conductors in said air gap, is not changed by said relative motion, and wherein said interconnecting means are arranged so that they are not exposed to said relative motion between said magnetic field and said generating conductors.