The present invention relates to a rotor device comprising a rotor housing which comprises a number of successive segments which together define an internal contour within which a rotor body is suspended for rotation about a rotation shaft, which rotor body follows an external contour, wherein the segments each comprise on their side facing toward the rotor body primary magnet means with a primary polarity which is directed toward the rotor body and which is at least substantially uniform at least within a segment. Such a device can for instance be applied as (part of) a drive, an output shaft or as flywheel in order to maintain an existing rotation of a shaft. An example of a device of the type stated in the preamble is for instance an electric motor in which a rotor is rotatably suspended within magnetic segments of the rotor housing, usually referred to as stator. Repeatedly reversing the polarity of an electromagnetic coil in the rotor initiates a rotation within the magnetic field of the segments which can be transmitted from the motor to an output shaft. The number of segments and the number of polarity reversal moments can be adapted to each other here in order to optimize the operation of the motor and the number of coils applied therein.

The final efficiency of an electric motor is subject to friction losses, in addition to the heat which will develop in the coils when a current is conducted therethrough. The present invention has for its object, among others, to further limit these losses, precisely by creating an additional drive power in an optionally driven or driving rotor device.

In order to achieve the stated object, a rotor device of the type described in the preamble has the feature according to the invention that the rotor body comprises a number of displacing members arranged for axial movement along a path imposed thereon, this path extending between separate segments of the rotor housing, that the displacing members comprise on opposite free outer ends secondary magnet means with a secondary polarity directed toward the segments, wherein the secondary polarity at a one of the two free outer ends is at least substantially always at least substantially the same as the primary polarity of an adjacent segment, while the secondary polarity at an opposite of the two free outer ends is at least substantially opposite to the primary polarity of an adjacent segment, and that a transmission is provided between the displacing members and the rotor body which sets the rotor body into a rotation directed round the rotation shaft during a displacement of a displacing member in a direction from the one outer end to the other outer end.

As a result of this specific relative positioning of the displacing members and successive segments of the rotor housing, the displacing members will be magnetically repelled at the one outer end, while they are conversely attracted at the opposite outer end. This creates inside the rotor body a wholly individual and unique play of forces which displaces

continuously with the rotation of the rotor body and drives the displacing members in a direction from the one outer end to the other. This play of forces is transmitted to a rotation of the rotor body via the transmission between the displacing members and the rotor body so that this play of forces will sustain itself at least for a long period, but at least contributes toward a higher energy efficiency of the rotor device as a whole.

The above described play of forces is based on opposite poles on the attractive side and the same magnetic poles on the repelling side of the displacing members. For this purpose the displacing members can each be provided on either side with opposite secondary poles, while the primary poles of the segments are uniform, although a practical further embodiment of the rotor device has the feature according to the invention that the primary polarity is opposed in successive segments and the displacing members have the same secondary polarity at their opposite outer ends. The displacing members are thus magnetically symmetrical and the successive segments provide for the polarity reversal necessary to sustain the play of forces during a rotation of the rotor body.

The magnet means can be provided per se in both electromagnetic and permanently magnetic form. In a preferred embodiment however, the rotor device according to the invention is characterized in that the primary magnet means comprise a series of permanently magnetic magnet bodies arranged along the internal contour. Such a disposition requires no further power supply or wiring for the segments. In order to allow a smoother transition from a one segment to a subsequent segment here, and in particular to overcome a dead centre as far as possible, a further particular embodiment of the rotor device according to the invention has the feature that the outer magnet bodies in the series apply a less powerful magnetic field to the rotor body than magnet bodies lying therebetween in the series, in particular at least substantially half as powerful. In order to achieve this intended weaker action and thereby more gradual transition to a subsequent segment, smaller, weaker magnet bodies can be provided at these locations. Such a further embodiment is however characterized more particularly according to the invention in that the outer magnet bodies each comprise a magnet body such as the magnet bodies lying therebetween which is tilted through an angle relative to the magnet bodies lying

therebetween, particularly through an angle of respectively about plus and minus 90 degrees. Outer magnet bodies tilted in opposite orientation thus move from the one segment to the next. This produces a crossed transmission effect which enhances a continuity of an initiated rotation of the rotor body. An attractive force which has been exerted on the displacing member by a previous segment can thus be quickly overcome by that of a subsequent segment. A similar effect occurs mutatis mutandis in the case of the repelling segments.

In a further preferred embodiment the rotor device according to the invention is characterized in that the secondary magnet means comprise permanently magnetic magnet bodies with a mutually uniform secondary polarity. The secondary magnet means thus also do not require any power supply or wiring, so that the device can be wholly self-sufficient in this respect.

The axial movement of the displacing members is converted in the device according to the invention to a rotation of the rotor body. In order to prevent the displacing bodies coming into contact here with the primary magnet means to which they are attracted, a limiter is preferably provided. A particular embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterized for this purpose in that the displacing members comprise extending guide members which are connected thereto for axial movement and which are received fittingly with a free outer end in a stationary groove of the rotor housing, which groove and guide members co-act with each other in order to limit a path of the displacing members. In a further particular embodiment the device according to the invention is furthermore characterized in that the groove imposes on the guide members an at least substantially ellipsoidal path within the external contour of the rotor body. An action of the guide members on a wall of the groove results here in a reactive force which initiates or maintains movement of the rotor body. The displacing members can be embodied in various ways. It is important that the displacing members are axially rigid but transversely sufficiently flexible to be able to follow a non-linear path. Excellent results have been produced in this respect with a further particular embodiment of the device according to the invention, characterized in that the displacing members each comprise a chain of successive links arranged for axial movement along a curved path in a recess of the rotor body.

In a specific embodiment the rotor device according to the invention has the feature that the rotor housing comprises four successive segments and that the path of each of the displacing members extends through an angle of about 90 degrees between successive segments. One or more displacing members can be provided here per set of segments.

In order to enable further adjustment or setting of the interaction between the segments and the displacing members and to facilitate a possible disassembly of the rotor body, a further particular embodiment of the rotor device according to the invention has the feature that the segments are arranged in radially adjustable manner relative to the rotation shaft. The segments can thus be individually adjusted relative to the contour of the rotor body where the secondary magnet means are situated, and can optionally be wholly removed for the purpose of maintenance on the device. This particular preferred embodiment provides the option of adjusting the segments if desired so as to thus be able to set an output rotational moment of the device.

A further preferred embodiment of the rotor device is characterized according to the invention in that the internal contour within which the rotor body rotates has an at least substantially ellipsoidal progression and the external contour of the rotor body an at least substantially circular one. The external and internal contours herein come close to one another where the displacing members are repelled, while a greater spatial separation is on the contrary present between the two contours where the displacing members are attracted in order to maintain an at least substantially constant, minimal spacing between the primary and secondary magnet means at all times for the purpose of a maximum magnetic force effect. It has been found that optimal use is thus made of the efficiency contributed by the invention to that of the rotor device as a whole. The invention will now be further elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment and an accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

figure 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the rotor device according to the invention; and

figure 2 is a side view of the device of figure 1.

The figures are purely schematic and not drawn to scale. Some dimensions in particular may be exaggerated to greater or lesser extent for the sake of clarity. Corresponding parts are designated as far as possible in the figures with the same reference numeral. Figure 1 shows an internal part of an exemplary embodiment of a rotor device according to the invention, which is shown in a side view in figure 2. The device is built into a rotor housing which in this exemplary embodiment is formed substantially by a set of parallel plates 1, 2 with four successive segments 3A,3B,3C,3D therebetween. The segments together define an internal contour 5. A rotor body 10 is suspended within this contour for free rotation about a rotation shaft 11. The rotor body follows here an external contour 15 at a distance from the internal contour 5 of the segments. In this embodiment this outer contour 15 is substantially circular, while inner contour 5 of the segments follows at least substantially an ellipsoid. The plates and other parts of the housing are held together by a set of continuous pins or screw bolts 7, see figure 2.

Segments 3A..3D comprise on their side facing toward rotor body 10 primary magnet means in the form of a series of permanent magnet bodies 4 which protrude into recesses 6 provided for this purpose. Magnets 4 in first segment 3A and third segment 3C are directed here at least substantially with their south pole toward the rotor body, while magnet bodies 4 in the other segments 3B,3D on the other hand point at least substantially with their north pole toward rotor body 10. This is shown schematically in the figure with a corresponding hatching for the purpose of elucidation. Outer magnet bodies 4' of a series of magnets 4 of a segment are given in each case about half the size of the magnets 4 lying inward thereof in order to generate here about half as great a magnetic field.

As an alternative to such smaller, and so weaker magnets, a differing orientation can also be employed in respect of the outer magnet bodies, wherein for this purpose at least substantially the same magnet bodies are used as therebetween. Particular use is made here between successive segments of sets of adjacent outer magnet bodies which are alternately tilted plus and minus 90 degrees relative to the intermediate magnet bodies. Such crossed magnet bodies produce a particularly smooth transition in the magnetic field from the one segment to the next.

According to the present invention, rotor body 10 comprises a number of displacing members 20A,20B,20C,20A',20B',20C arranged movably therein. Rotor body 10 comprises for this purpose at different levels a corresponding number of channels 21 in which the displacing members are axially slidable. Channels 21 extend in a curved path through about 90 degrees between respective successive segments 3A, 3D and 3B, 3C, as shown in the figure. The displacing members 20A..20C are movable independently of each other herein.

At their free outer ends displacing members 20A..20C carry secondary magnet means directed with a secondary polarity toward segments 3A..3D. In this embodiment the secondary magnet means are formed by permanently magnetic magnet bodies 24 which are each directed with their south pole at least substantially toward the segments 3A..3D. Magnet bodies 24 are arranged in opposite shoe bodies 23 of the displacing members which are mutually connected by a link chain 22. The links of link chain 22 connect closely to each other in axial direction, whereby chain 22 is axially at least substantially rigid, while a freedom of movement is provided in transverse direction so that the curved path of the associated channel 21 can be followed.

Shoe bodies 23 carry externally a set of guide rollers 26 which are mounted for axial movement in the shoe means. The guide rollers protrude outside rotor body 10 transversely of the plane of drawing of figure 1 and are received in a groove 60 provided for this purpose in plate bodies 1, 2. Just as all other rotating parts of the device, guide rollers 26 also take a bearing-mounted form, whereby free displaceability through this groove is enhanced. Groove 60 has a substantially ellipsoidal progression here within outer contour 15 of the rotor body, and extends over a part of a thickness of the plate bodies. The groove 60 with the guide roller 26 confined therein thus limits dynamically, i.e. in accordance with a radial position of the shoe body, the degree to which the shoe body can extend outside the rotor body. The aim here is preferably to achieve, through a relative positioning and dimensioning of the groove, guide rollers and shoe bodies, a continuous minimal spacing between the primary and secondary magnet means for the purpose of the most powerful possible operation of the device as a whole.

Segments 3A..3D are adjustable in diagonal direction over a length of slotted openings 30 which are arranged therein for this purpose and into which a set of pins 31 protrude. Segments 3A..3D can thus be adjusted relative to rotor body 10 for the purpose of an optimal operation and possible disassembly of the device. Particularly an output moment of the device can thus be set and optionally adjusted as desired. Various materials and forms can be chosen for magnet bodies 4, 24, although a powerful, permanently magnetic material such as neodymium or samarium cobalt is advantageously applied. During rotation of rotary body 10 the same magnetic poles will repel each other while poles with an opposing polarity will conversely attract each other. This repulsion and attraction always occur at a one and another opposite outer end of displacing members 20A..20C close to respectively a first of the segments 3A..3D and another of the segments 3A..3D. This results in a kind of pendulum movement, wherein a displacing member is repeatedly driven via channel 21 from the one outer end to the other. This displacement or attraction is transmitted to the rotor body, which will thereby be set into rotation. This rotation in turn provides for a radial displacement of the displacing members beyond the segments and then from the one segment to a subsequent segment, where this process will be repeated in reverse direction. This is shown schematically in the figure in the form of successive positions of the displacing bodies. Rotor body 10 will thus continuously undergo a force directed in the rotation direction which is generated by the displacing bodies and which will initiate or maintain rotation of the rotor body, this making a significant contribution toward the efficiency of the device. This rotation can be transmitted to output shaft 11 of the device.

Although the invention has been further elucidated above on the basis of only this exemplary embodiment, it will be apparent that the invention is by no means limited thereto. On the contrary, many variations and embodiments can still be envisaged within the scope of the invention by a person with ordinary skill in the art. The shown polarities of the magnet bodies can thus be opposing and, instead of permanent magnets, electromagnets can also be applied for the primary and/or secondary magnet means. The primary magnet means can moreover be chosen so as to be uniform over all segments, while the secondary magnet means can be applied in opposite orientation at opposite outer ends of the displacing members. Dimensions and materials of the different components of the device can be selected as desired by a skilled person in accordance with the actual application, wherein for the purpose of an uninterrupted magnetic operation of the magnet means ferromagnetic materials are dispensed with as far as possible for the other parts of the device.