60/137,727 filed June 7,1999 by the applicant herein.

Technical Field The present invention relates to an electrodynamic machines utilizing magnetic superpole technology including electrodynamic machines that generate electric power in response to a mechanical input and to electrodynamic machines that generate a mechanical output in response to an appropriate electrical input.

Background Art Various classes of electrodynamic machines utilize permanent magnets to provide magnetic fields within the machine. In some machines, a conductive wire coil is moved through the magnetic field to generate electrical energy and, in still other types of machines, the permanent magnet (s) also function to provide a physical separation or suspension between parts. For example, various linear motors as used in magnetically levitated vehicles, such a rail-type trains, utilize permanent magnets to levitate the vehicle relative to a trackway.

Of the various types of permanent magnets, one type of structure, known as a superpole magnet developed by the inventor herein, has provided enhanced magnetic field characteristics. A superpole structure is defined, for example, by magnet pieces, each with a N and a S pole, that are brought together with a magnetically permeable pole shoe (i. e., pole piece) with like poles of the magnets (i. e., N-N or S-S) engaging the pole shoe to provide the superpole effect.

Examples of applications of the superpole technology in electrodynamic machinery include U. S. Patents

5,615,618; 5,586,505; 5,584,367; 5,452,663; and 5,431,109 by Elberto Berdut. In these patents, the superpole, in its various forms, is used in the context of levitation and propulsion for magnetically levitated trains.

Disclosure of Invention The present invention provides an electrodynamic machine utilizing superpoles for generating electrical power in response to rotary or linear mechanical inputs.

In its most generic form, coil units each having a wound inductive coil and a lamination stack are interposed between superpoles. Each superpole includes magnets having their respective same-poles in a pole shoe. As the coil units and the interposed superposed and moved relative to one another, an electromotive force (EMF) is developed in each coil.

In a preferred form of the present invention, an electrodynamic machine that can produce electrical energy in response to a mechanical input or a mechanical output in response to a electrical input includes a coil assembly having a plurality of coil units radially aligned relative to an operating axis. A magnet array surrounds the coil units and carries an equal plurality of radially aligned magnet poles that are positioned in an interdigitated relationship with the coil units of the coil assembly.

The magnet array is driven in an oscillatory manner about the operating axis to cause each magnet pole to move toward and closely approach its adjacent coil unit before reversing direction and then moving toward and closely approach the coil unit on the other lateral side of the magnet pole. An electrical current is generated in each coil unit in response to the relative movement of the magnet poles and the coil units.

The electrodynamic machine is optionally provided with a shock absorbing or damping feature by which any

undesired shock associated with the oscillatory nature of the preferred embodiment is dampened.

In a variant of the present invention, the coil units and magnet poles can be arranged in a linear manner with the magnet poles and coil units moved relative to one another to develop the desired electrical current.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention is described below, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a detail view of a superpole arrangement for use in an electrodynamic machine of the present invention; FIG. 2A and 2B illustrates the configuration of FIG.

1 in which the superpoles are moved relative to a coil unit to generate electrical power; FIG. 3A and 3B illustrates the configuration of FIG.

1 in which the coil unit is moved relative to adjacent superpoles to generate electrical power; FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view of an electrodynamic machine in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 4A is a side elevational view of the electrodynamic machine of FIG. 4; FIG. 5A is a detail view of a representative coil unit of the electrodynamic machine of FIG. 4; FIG. 5B is a detail view of a representative superpole unit of the electrodynamic machine of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 illustrates the parallel connected coil units of the electrodynamic machine of FIG. 4; FIG. 7 is a detail view of a commutator-type slip- ring; and FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an electrodynamic machine utilizing the principles of the present invention in a linear arrangement.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention An electrodynamic machine in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention utilizes a basic superpole/coil configuration shown in its fundamental form in FIG. 1. As shown, two superpoles 10 are positioned on opposite sides a coil/core assembly 12.

Each superpole 10 is defined by a first and a second bar magnet 14, each having a north pole and a south pole indicated at N and S, respectively. The bar magnets 14 have their respective north poles N received in a pole shoe 16 that is fabricated from a high-permeability magnetic material to concentrate the magnetic field lines.

The bar magnets 14 can take the form, for example, of ferrous permanent magnets marketed under the MAGNEQUENCH tradename by Delco-Remy Division of the General Motors Corporation. In the alternative, the bar magnets 14 can be fabricated from a ceramic material, as is known. The pole shoe 16 can be machined from bulk material or formed as a sintered piece from suitable starting material.

The coil/core assembly 12 includes a coil 18 wound from copper wire and a laminated core 20. The core 20 is defined by a plurality of laminations arranged in a stacked configuration. The laminations function to concentrate the magnetic lines of force within the winding as is known in the art. Preferred lamination materials include high-permeability silicon-iron or steel and/or high-permeability oriented-silicon iron or steel. While the superpole 10 of FIG. 1 has been shown in a north pole N to north pole N configuration, the opposite alignment is equally suitable, i. e., south pole S to south pole S.

The basic superpole/coil configuration of FIG. 1, generates an electrical output from the coil 18 by relative movement between the coil/core assembly 12 and the superpoles 10 by either moving the superpoles 10

relative to the coil/core assembly 12, or, conversely, moving the coil/core assembly 12 relative to the superpoles 10.

As shown in FIG. 2A and 2B, the two superpoles 10 can be both moved to the right in FIG. 2A (as indicated by the right-pointing arrows) and then to the left in FIG. 2B (as indicated by the left-pointing arrows) to cause the magnetic lines of force from the superpoles 10 to cut through the stationary winding 18 of the coil/core assembly 12 to develop an electromotive force (EMF).

Conversely and as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the superpoles 10 can remain stationary and the coil/core assembly 12 caused to move. Thus, in FIG. 3A, the coil/core assembly 12 is moved to the left and, in FIG.

3B, the coil/core assembly 12 is moved to the right. As in the case of FIGS. 2A and 2B, relative movement between the coil/core assembly 12 and the laterally adjacent superpoles 10 will cause the generation of an EMF in the coil winding 18.

A practical and preferred embodiment of an electrodynamic machine in accordance with the present invention in shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A and designated therein by the reference character 22. As shown, the electrodynamic machine 22 includes a relatively stationary coil assembly 24 carried on a support shaft 26 in a common plane with a magnet array 28 that is designed to oscillate about a shaft axis Ax through an angle C to cause relative motion between the interdigitated coil/core assemblies 12 and superpoles 10.

The coil assembly 24 is defined by a mounting disc 32 having a concentrically located collar 34 through which the square support shaft 26 passes; in the embodiment shown, the support shaft 26 and the components carried thereon are stationary and not rotatable. As shown in the

detail of FIG. 5A, each coil/core assembly 12 is carried on a support spoke 36. The laminated core 20 and its coil 18 are mounted near the distal end of its respective spoke 36. The opposite sides of the laminated core 20 converge toward the axis A. of the support shaft 26 to give each laminated core 20 a trapezoidal form when viewed from the perspective FIG. 4; the angle of convergence ß is dependent upon the total number of coil/core assemblies 12 and alternating superpoles 10 used in the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, each spoke 36 and its coil/core assembly 12 are secured to the periphery of the mounting disc 32 by suitable fasteners, as indicated by the rivets 38. Each spoke 36 is provided with a cut-out 40 on its opposite sides adjacent the mounting disc 32 to avoid interference with the distal ends of the adjacent superpoles 10 during operation of the electrodynamic machine 22. The collar 34 is provided at the center of the mounting disc 32 and includes a square opening (unnumbered) through the support shaft 26 is passed.

The magnet array 28 is defined by a cylindrical support shell or case 42 from which the superpoles 10 are mounted in a radially aligned manner. As shown in the detail of FIG. 5B, each superpole 10 is defined by first and second bar magnets 14 with their respective N poles received in a pole shoe 16 to provide a N superpole. As in the case of the laminated cores 20, the opposite sides of each pole shoe 16 converge at an angle ß toward the axis Ax of the machine to give each pole shoe 16 a trapezoidal form when viewed from the perspective FIG. 4.

In the preferred embodiment, eight coil/core assemblies 12 are provided on the mounting disc 32 with an equi-angular spacing of 45 degrees, and, in a similar manner, eight superpoles 10 are mounted in the magnet array 28 with an equi-angular spacing of 45 degrees.

The magnet array 28 is supported for limited oscillatory motion about the machine axis Ax with the angular range CX sufficient to allow each superpole 10 to closely approach the laminated core 20 of the adjacent coil/core assembly 12 before reversing motion. The magnet array 28 can be supported in a variety of ways to insure smooth oscillatory motion, including various types of bearing supports (not shown).

The relationship between the magnet array 28 and the coil assembly 24 is such that these two components can be viewed as being in a common plane so that the various superpoles 10 are interdigitated with their respective coil/core assemblies 12.

In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the magnet array 28 is provided with a shock absorbing feature. As shown in FIG. 4, torque arms 44 extend from each side of the magnet array 28 and engage respective shock damping devices 46. Each of the shock damping devices 46 includes a housing 48, a piston 50, an operating rod 52, and a damping member 54. In the case of the preferred embodiment, the damping member 54 is an air- sealed elastomer sphere. As the torque arm 44 forces the operating rod 52 into the elastomer damping member 54, the air sealed within the elastomer damping member 54 is compressed to provide a shock damping function. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various other types of shock absorbing devices, including viscous damping devices and magnetic damping devices are suitable.

A representative magnetic damping arrangement is found in applicant's U. S. Patent No. 5,584,367 issued Dec. 17, 1996, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in FIG. 4, the magnet assembly 28 is caused to oscillate about the shaft axis Ax by a drive unit 56

that is driven by a conventional motor 58 (dotted-line illustration). The drive unit 56 includes a motor-driven eccentric-mount crank arm 60 that is pivotally connected to a radially upstanding arm 62 on the magnet assembly 28.

As the right-end of the crank 60 orbits its center of rotation (unnumbered), the left end of the crank arm 60 causes the magnet assembly 28 to oscillate about its axis Ax. The drive unit 56 shown in FIG. 4 is of a schematic nature and other devices capable of providing the desired oscillatory motion are equally suitable.

As the magnet assembly 28 is in a first direction, for example, clockwise, each superpole 10 will move toward and closely approach its adjacent coil/core assembly 12, reverse its motion to the counterclockwise direction, and then move toward and closely approach the coil/core assembly 12 on its opposite side. As a consequence of this oscillatory motion, an alternating electric current will simultaneously flow in all the coil/core assemblies 12.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the electrodynamic machine 2 can be defined by plural sets of coil assemblies 24 and superpoles 10 axially spaced from one another on the support shaft 26.

As shown in FIG. 6, the coil/core assemblies 12 can be connected in parallel to provide a common output; however and as is known in the art, sub-groups of the coil/core assemblies 12 can be connected in series with one another and with the sub-groups then connected in parallel to provide an appropriately desired output.

Where a DC output is desired, the alternating current output of the various coil/core assemblies 12 can be rectified, for example, in a full-wave bridge rectifier (not shown) as desired.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 shows an electrodynamic machine 22 in which a reciprocating mechanical input is

converted to an alternating current output. As is the characteristic of many electrodynamic machines, the machine 22 can be driven by an appropriately alternating current to provide an oscillating mechanical output.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the coil assembly 24 has been shown as a stationary device while the magnet array 28 is caused to oscillate. As can be appreciated, the opposite is also possible, i. e., the support shaft 26 can be driven in an oscillatory manner while the magnet array 28 is held stationary. In this situation, some type of commutation between the now-oscillating coil assembly 24 is preferred. While different types of slip ring assemblies are possible, a suitable arrangement is shown in FIG. 7, in which one side of each coil is connect to the conductive components of the coil array 24 (i. e., the equivalent of a common chassis ground) and the other side is connected to an axial-face slip ring 64 that is mounted on an appropriate insulator disc 66. A conventional carbon-block brush (not shown) can then be used to effect connection with the slip ring 64.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is configured in the same manner as a rotary electrodynamic machine. As can be appreciated and as shown in the schematic view of FIG. 8, the same principles employed in the rotary embodiment of FIG. 4 can be used in a linear machine. As shown in FIG.

8, the magnet assembly 28'is aligned as a linear array, and, in a similar manner, the coil assembly 24'is also aligned as a linear array with the individual superpoles 10 and coil/core assemblies 12 interdigitated with one another. The superpoles and coil/core assemblies 12 are linearly spaced at a selected pitch distance P. In FIG.

8, the magnet array 28'is subject to reciprocating motion in a manner analogous to the oscillatory motion of FIG. 4 to cause each superpole 10 to closely approach its

laterally adjacent coil/core assembly 12 before reversing its motion. Since the various superpoles 10 and coil/core assemblies 12 are arranged in a parallel alignment, the trapezoidal configurations of FIGS. 5A and 5B are not utilized in the embodiment of FIG. 8. As also can be appreciated, the linear arrangement can be easily extended in the linear direction. While not explicitly shown in FIG. 8, a mechanical or magnetic shock absorbing function, analogous to that shown in FIG. 4, can be incorporated into the FIG. 8 embodiment.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 8, every magnetic pole is fabricated as a superpole; if desired, every other magnet can be a conventional magnet that alternate with the superpoles.

Industrial Applicability The present invention is well suited for those applications in which electric energy is desired in response to a oscillatory or reciprocating input.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various changes and modifications may be made to the illustrated electrodynamic machine utilizing superpoles of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as determined in the appended claims and their legal equivalent.