Patent ID: 7786641

Claim:
A magnetic member comprising: a periphery; a plurality of field magnet through-holes disposed annularly in a circumferential direction, each having a pair of ends in the circumferential direction; and a pair of gaps respectively provided at said pair of ends, wherein one of said pair of gaps of respective said field magnet through-holes (i) extends toward the other one of said pair of gaps passing on a side of said periphery with respect to said respective said field magnet through-holes; (ii) has a first portion spaced from said periphery at a constant first distance in the circumferential direction and a second portion spaced from said periphery at a second distance, said second distance gradually increasing while extending from said first portion toward an adjacent one of said respective said field magnet through-holes adjacent on a side of one of said pair of ends corresponding to said second portion; and (iii) further has a third portion provided between said second portion and said one of said pair of ends.