Polyphase rotary machine

Abstract

A rotary machine is provided that includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor includes a permanent magnet. The stator includes a spherical shell that at least partially surrounds the permanent magnet. The stator also includes first, second, and third electromagnetic coils that surround the spherical shell and are configured to magnetically interact with the permanent magnet.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 575,997, filed April 8, 2024, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to electrically rotating machines such as motors and generators, and more specifically to three-phase rotating machines having electromagnetic coils arranged around a stator housing. Background Technology

[0004] Motors are widely used in a variety of applications to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. These motors typically consist of a stationary component called the stator and a rotating component called the rotor. Rotational motion is produced by the interaction between the magnetic fields generated by the stator and the rotor.

[0005] Three-phase motors are commonly used in industrial and commercial environments due to their efficiency and smooth operation. These motors utilize three alternating currents that are out of phase with each other to generate a rotating magnetic field in the stator. This rotating magnetic field interacts with the rotor to produce torque.

[0006] Conventional three-phase motors typically have a cylindrical design, with the stator surrounding the rotor. The stator contains windings arranged to generate a rotating magnetic field when powered by a three-phase power supply. The rotor typically contains permanent magnets or electromagnetic windings that interact with the magnetic field of the stator.

[0007] While effective, traditional cylindrical motor designs can be limiting in terms of size, weight, and power density for certain applications. Additionally, the fixed orientation of the stator windings can restrict the motor's torque characteristics and efficiency under varying operating conditions. Optimizing the spatial arrangement of electromagnetic components while maintaining manufacturability remains an ongoing challenge in motor design. Innovative motor topologies that are easy to manufacture while providing enhanced electromagnetic characteristics are significant for advancing motor technology across various industries. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of a spherical motor according to one embodiment, the spherical motor including a stator having three coils associated with a spherical housing; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An assembly view of the spherical motor; Figure 3 It is a description Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the three coils connected in a star configuration and electrically connected to a three-phase power supply; Figure 4 It is a description Figure 1A schematic diagram showing the three coils connected in a triangle configuration and electrically connected to a three-phase power supply; Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The left-side view of the spherical motor depicts three coils oriented in different planes, and the circumferential outline of the spherical housing is shown in dashed lines for reference. Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Left side view of the spherical motor; Figure 7 yes Figure 1 Right side view of the spherical motor; Figure 8 This is an enlarged view of the intersection position of two intersecting coils according to one embodiment; Figure 9 This is an enlarged view of the intersection position of two intersecting coils according to another embodiment; Figure 10 This is an enlarged view of the intersection position of two intersecting coils according to yet another embodiment; Figure 11 This is an exploded view of a spherical motor according to another embodiment, which includes a stator having six coils associated with a spherical housing; Figure 12 yes Figure 11 An assembly view of the spherical motor; Figure 13 It is a description Figure 11 A schematic diagram showing the six coils connected in a star configuration and electrically connected to a three-phase power supply; Figure 14 It is a description Figure 11 A schematic diagram showing the six coils connected in a delta configuration and electrically connected to a three-phase power supply; Figure 15 yes Figure 11 The left-side view of the spherical motor depicts six coils oriented in different planes, and the circumferential outline of the spherical housing is shown in dashed lines for reference. Figure 16 yes Figure 11 Left side view of the spherical motor; Figure 17 yes Figure 11 A right-side view of the spherical motor; and Figure 18 This is a perspective view depicting an alternative embodiment of the spherical housing used for the stator. Detailed Implementation

[0009] Various non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure will now be described to provide a general understanding of the structure, function, and principles of use of the apparatuses, systems, methods, and processes disclosed herein. One or more examples of these non-limiting embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the systems and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting embodiments. Features shown or described in conjunction with one non-limiting embodiment may be combined with features of other non-limiting embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0010] Throughout this specification, references to "various embodiments," "some embodiments," "one embodiment," "some exemplary embodiments," "one exemplary embodiment," or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with any embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in various embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in one embodiment," "some exemplary embodiments," "one exemplary embodiment," or "in one embodiment" appearing throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, specific features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0011] The examples discussed herein are merely illustrative and are provided to aid in explaining the apparatuses, devices, systems, and methods described herein. Unless expressly specified as necessary, features or components shown in the accompanying drawings or discussed below should not be considered essential to any particular implementation of any of these apparatuses, devices, systems, or methods. For ease of reading and clarity, certain components, modules, or methods may be described only in conjunction with specific accompanying drawings. Combinations or sub-combinations of components not specifically described should not be construed as indicating that any combination or sub-combination is impossible. Furthermore, with respect to any method described, whether or not it is described in conjunction with a flowchart, it should be understood that, unless otherwise specified or required by the context, any explicit or implicit order of steps performed when carrying out the method does not mean that these steps must be performed in the given order, but may be performed in a different order or in parallel.

[0012] This document describes one or more example embodiments of a spherical three-phase motor comprising a rotor and a spherical stator. The rotor includes a permanent magnet coupled to a drive shaft extending through the stator and supported relative to the stator by at least one bearing, enabling the rotor to rotate about a fixed axis of rotation defined by the drive shaft. The stator may include a spherical housing, within which the permanent magnet may be housed, such that the housing substantially surrounds the permanent magnet. Three distinct electromagnetic coils (i.e., one coil per phase) may be wound around the circumference of the housing and may extend along different paths around the housing, such that the path of each coil is angled relative to the path of each adjacent coil along the circumference of the housing. The three electromagnetic coils may cooperate to define three distinct phases of the motor and may be electrically connected to a three-phase power supply that facilitates the generation of corresponding magnetic fields at the electromagnetic coils, which interact with the permanent magnet to rotate the rotor about the axis of rotation. The spherical housing of the stator may alternatively have any of a variety of non-spherical shapes (e.g., including corners or other edges, such as the housing being formed as a cube, and / or including supports for easy engagement and fixation with adjacent structures). A spherical motor may include any number of electromagnetic coils, and when a three-phase configuration is implemented, the number of electromagnetic coils may be any multiple of three (e.g., 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21). When six or more electromagnetic coils are implemented, the electromagnetic coils may correspond to one phase of the three phases, wherein each electromagnetic coil of a given phase is electrically connected together. Other exemplary embodiments of spherical three-phase generators are also described herein, which incorporate the principles and techniques disclosed herein for three-phase motors.

[0013] The following text combines Figure 1-10 The embodiments are described in detail with views and examples, wherein in each view, the same number represents the same or corresponding element. Figure 1 and Figure 2 A three-phase spherical motor 20 (hereinafter referred to as "spherical motor") is shown, which may include a rotor 22 ( Figure 1 The rotor 22 may include a drive shaft 26 and a permanent magnet 28 coupled to the drive shaft 26. The permanent magnet 28 may be fixed to the drive shaft 26 by welding, adhesive, fasteners or any other suitable fixing arrangement, such that the drive shaft 26 and the permanent magnet 28 can rotate together about the axis of rotation A1. The permanent magnet 28 is shown as generally cylindrical, with the north and south poles arranged radially relative to the axis of rotation A1. Alternatively, the permanent magnet 28 may be spherical, which enhances the performance of the motor 20 compared to the cylindrical magnet design described herein. It should be understood that the permanent magnet 28 may have any of a variety of different shapes, such as cubic, and / or any of a variety of different sizes.

[0014] The stator 24 may include a spherical housing 30 comprising a pair of generally hollow hemispherical portions 32 that cooperate to rotatably support the drive shaft 26 around the permanent magnet 28. The hemispherical portions 32 may be joined together along the equator 34 by any of an adhesive, interference fit, locking mechanism (not shown), or various suitable alternative joining techniques. Each hemispherical portion 32 may include a drive shaft support 36 defining an opening 38 for receiving the opposite end of the drive shaft 26. The opposite end of the drive shaft 26 may be supported by a bearing 40 surrounding the drive shaft 26. Figure 1 The rotor 22 is supported relative to the drive shaft support 36. Therefore, the axis of rotation A1 of the rotor 22 can be fixed relative to the spherical housing 30 (e.g., one degree of freedom). The permanent magnet 28 is practically suspended within the spherical housing 30 via the drive shaft 26. The dimensions of the permanent magnet 28 and the spherical housing 30 can be set such that the permanent magnet 28 is completely spaced apart from the spherical housing 30. It should be understood that although the spherical housing 30 is shown as a two-piece design joined at the equator, the spherical housing 30 can be adopted in any of a variety of multi-piece designs.

[0015] The stator 24 may further include a first electromagnetic coil 42, a second electromagnetic coil 44, and a third electromagnetic coil 46 (collectively referred to as "the coils"), which are wound circumferentially around the spherical housing 30 and each corresponds to a different phase in the three-phase configuration of the spherical motor 20. Specifically, the first coil 42 may correspond to the first phase of the spherical motor 20, the second coil 44 may correspond to the second phase of the spherical motor 20, and the third coil 46 may correspond to the third phase of the spherical motor 20.

[0016] Coils 42, 44, and 46 may be distributed around the spherical housing 30 such that each coil 42, 44, and 46 surrounds the rotor 22, and the axis of rotation A1 extends through each coil 42, 44, and 46. Each coil 42, 44, and 46 may extend along different paths on the spherical housing 30, which enables the coils 42, 44, and 46 to generate a varying magnetic field around the permanent magnet 28 to promote the rotation of the rotor 22 about the axis of rotation A1, as will be described in more detail below.

[0017] Each coil 42, 44, 46 may include a winding formed by winding single conductors 48, 50, 52 around the spherical housing 30, respectively. The conductors 48, 50, 52 for each of the respective coils 42, 44, 46 may terminate at a pair of ends (e.g., 48a and 48b, 50a and 50b, and 52a and 52b, respectively) (see [reference]). Figure 1( ) , so as to facilitate electrical connection with it. Each of the wires 48, 50, 52 may include a conductor (not shown) surrounded by an insulating sheath (not shown) that prevents the conductor from making electrical contact with itself and the conductors of adjacent coils. The insulating sheath may be formed of any of a variety of insulating materials, such as varnish or elastomeric materials. The size and / or number of turns of the windings may be selected to obtain the desired performance from the motor (e.g., maximum output speed or maximum output torque). In one embodiment, the number of turns of each coil 42, 44, 46 may be the same. However, in some embodiments, the number of turns of coils 42, 44, 46 may be different to suit a particular application or coil configuration.

[0018] Now refer to Figure 3 Coils 42, 44, and 46 can be connected together in a star configuration, with wire ends 48b, 50b, and 52b electrically connected together at a common node 54, and wire ends 48a, 50a, and 52a connected to the corresponding output terminals 56, 58, and 60 of the three-phase power supply 62. The three-phase power supply 62 can supply alternating current to each of coils 42, 44, and 46 with a phase difference of 120 degrees relative to the other coils. This alternating current can generate corresponding magnetic fields at coils 42, 44, and 46, which oscillate and interact with the permanent magnet 28 to cause the rotor 22 to rotate around the rotation axis A1.

[0019] The three-phase power supply 62 can be any of a variety of suitable power sources for powering the ball motor 20, such as a three-phase motor controller. The three-phase power supply 62 can be a variable controller that alters the power supplied to the ball motor 20 to control the rotational speed of the rotor 22. The ball motor 20 can be used to transmit electromotive force in any of a variety of applications, such as in vehicles or industrial environments. In any of these applications, the component to be driven by the ball motor 20 is operatively coupled to the drive shaft 26 to obtain power therefrom.

[0020] In alternative embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, coils 42, 44, and 46 can be connected together in a delta configuration. To form this delta configuration, terminals 48a and 52b of the first coil 42 and the third coil 46 can be electrically connected together, terminals 48b and 50a of the first coil 42 and the second coil 44 can be electrically connected together, and terminals 50b and 52a of the second coil 44 and the third coil 46 can be electrically connected together. The connection points between the first coil 42, the second coil 44, and the third coil 46 can be connected to the corresponding output terminals 56, 58, and 60 of the three-phase power supply 62.

[0021] Coils 42, 44, and 46 may be positioned on the spherical housing 30 such that each coil 42, 44, and 46 extends along a different great circle path around the spherical housing 30. It should be understood that describing the path as a great circle means that each coil may be oriented in a plane that passes through the center of the spherical housing 30 and divides the spherical housing 30 into two substantially equal imaginary hemispheres.

[0022] Now refer to Figure 5 Coils 42, 44, and 46 are shown oriented in planes P1, P2, and P3, respectively. Coils 42, 44, and 46 are distributed around the spherical housing 30 (e.g., along its great circle path) such that each of planes P1, P2, and P3 passes through (i.e., intersects) the center C1 of the spherical housing 30, which can be understood as the geometric center of the spherical housing 30. The rotor 22 can be positioned such that the axis of rotation A1 extends through the center C1; in many cases, the center C1 can also be the geometric center of the rotor 22, and thus intersects with the axis of rotation A1. Since each great circle path of coils 42, 44, and 46 is different, each of planes P1, P2, and P3 can divide the spherical housing 30 into different hemispheres.

[0023] Refer again Figure 5 Coils 42, 44, and 46 may be distributed relative to rotor 22 around spherical housing 30 such that coils 42, 44, and 46 form angles Y1, Y2, and Y3 (measured from their respective planes P1, P2, and P3) with respect to the axis of rotation A1, respectively. Coils 42, 44, and 46 may also be distributed relative to each other around spherical housing 30 such that first coil 42 and second coil 44 form a dihedral angle Z1 (measured between their respective planes P1 and P2) with respect to each other, second coil 44 and third coil 46 form a dihedral angle Z2 (measured between their respective planes P2 and P3) with respect to each other, and first coil 42 and third coil 44 form a dihedral angle Z3 (measured between their respective planes P1 and P3) with respect to each other.

[0024] Coils 42, 44, and 46 are shown to be distributed substantially uniformly and consistently around the axis of rotation A1 and relative to each other, such that angles Y1, Y2, and Y3 are substantially the same, and dihedral angles Z1, Z2, and Z3 are substantially the same. In other words, coils 42, 44, and 46 can be angularly positioned relative to the axis of rotation A1 and angularly positioned relative to each other. Distributing coils 42, 44, and 46 around the spherical housing 30 in this way ensures that the varying magnetic field generated by coils 42, 44, and 46 is applied uniformly and consistently to the permanent magnet 28, thereby mitigating undesirable surges or other anomalies that occur when powering the rotation of rotor 22. It should be understood that the angularly positioned coils 42, 44, and 46 relative to the axis of rotation A1 as described herein means that regardless of how coils 42, 44, and 46 are positioned relative to each other, angles A1, A2, and A3 of coils 42, 44, and 46 are substantially the same. It should also be understood that the equiangular positioning of coils 42, 44, and 46 relative to each other as described in this article can be interpreted as meaning that regardless of how coils 42, 44, and 46 are positioned relative to the axis of rotation A1, the dihedral angles Z1, Z2, and Z3 of coils 42, 44, and 46 are basically the same.

[0025] Each of coils 42, 44, and 46 can extend across each other at two different intersecting locations on opposite sides of the spherical housing 30. For example, as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the first coil 42 may intersect with the second coil 44 at intersection positions 64 and 66 (see [references]). Figure 6 and Figure 7 The second coil 44 may intersect with the third coil 46 at intersection positions 68 and 70 (see [references]). Figure 6 and Figure 7 The first coil 42 may intersect with the third coil 46 at intersection positions 72 and 74 (see [references]). Figure 6 and Figure 7 ).

[0026] In one embodiment, coils 42, 44, and 46 may be distributed around the spherical housing 30 such that angles Y1, Y2, and Y3 are approximately 30 degrees and dihedral angles Z1, Z2, and Z3 are approximately 60 degrees. In such an embodiment, each pair of coils extending through each other at different intersection points 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, and 74 forms an angle of approximately 120 degrees relative to each other. It should be understood that coils 42, 44, and 46 may form any acute angle relative to the axis of rotation A1. It should also be understood that in some cases, coils 42, 44, and 46 may not form equal angles relative to the axis of rotation and / or to each other to suit a particular application or motor configuration, such as when the stator housing is non-spherical.

[0027] Refer again Figure 6The spherical housing 30 may define a plurality of channels 76, 78, 80 extending along the aforementioned great circle path. Channels 76, 78, 80 may receive the first coil 42, the second coil 44, and the third coil 46, respectively. During the winding of coils 42, 44, 46, channels 76, 78, 80 may act as guides to ensure that the coils are tightly wound and accurately maintained on the correct great circle path. Channels 76, 78, 80 may also prevent the windings of coils 42, 44, 46 from being unintentionally repositioned during the manufacture or handling of the spherical motor 20. It should be understood that the pattern of channels 76, 78, 80 may be configured to achieve any desired distribution of coils 42, 44, 46 around the spherical housing 30. The spherical housing 30 may be formed of a non-conductive, non-ferrous material, such as a thermoplastic, to prevent the spherical housing 30 from unintentionally introducing unwanted noise into the electromagnetic interaction between the permanent magnet 28 and the coils 42, 44, 46.

[0028] Various methods for winding coils 42, 44, and 46 around the spherical shell 30 will now be discussed. In one embodiment, a first coil 42 may be wound onto the spherical shell 30 first, followed by a second coil 44, and then a third coil 46, such that coils 42, 44, and 46 are effectively layered. In such an embodiment, the first coil 42 may pass under the second coil 44 at two intersection points 64 and 66, the second coil 44 may pass under the third coil 46 at intersection points 68 and 70, and the third coil 44 may pass over the first coil 42 at intersection points 72 and 74. Winding coils 42, 44, and 46 in this manner can save time and cost because each coil 42, 44, and 46 can be wound independently onto the spherical shell 30. However, when using this winding configuration, the second coil 44 and the third coil 46 may be slightly farther from the center C1 of the spherical shell 30 than the first coil. In large-scale applications, slight differences in the diameters of coils 42, 44, and 46 may cause undesirable surges or other anomalies when powering the rotation of rotor 22.

[0029] In another embodiment, the first coil 42 can be wound onto the spherical housing 30 first, followed by the winding of the second coil 44. Then, the third coil 46 can be wound over the second coil 44 and passed under the first coil 42. In such an embodiment, the first coil 42 may pass under the second coil 44 at two intersecting positions 64, 66; the second coil 44 may pass under the third coil 46 at intersecting positions 68, 70; and the third coil 46 may pass under the first coil 42 at intersecting positions 72, 74, such that the coils 42, 44, and 46 are wound in an alternating pattern relative to each other (i.e., the first coil 42 is wound under the second coil 44 and above the third coil 46, the second coil 44 is wound above the first coil 42 and below the third coil 46, and the third coil 46 is wound below the first coil 42 and above the second coil 44). This winding configuration can mitigate some of the disadvantages of the layered winding method described above, but it may be more expensive and time-consuming to implement. Even so, for some applications, the alternating up-and-down winding pattern may still cause undesirable abnormalities when powering the rotation of rotor 22.

[0030] In yet another embodiment, the wires for coils 42, 44, 46 may be wound relative to each other such that the wires are interlaced. In such an embodiment, at intersection positions 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, each wire or subset of wires of a given coil is sandwiched between corresponding wires or subsets of wires of other coils. Figure 8-10 Various examples are shown of how the wires 48 and 50 of the first coil 42 and the second coil 44 interweave at the intersection point 64, and these examples can be understood as representative of how the wires may also interweave at other intersection points. Figure 8 As shown, the individual strands of the conductor 48 from the first coil 42 can be interlaced with the individual strands of the conductor 50 from the second coil 44, such that each strand of one of the conductors 48 and 50 is sandwiched between adjacent strands of the other conductor. Figure 9 As shown, different pairs of wires from the first coil 42 can be interlaced with different pairs of wires from the second coil 44, such that each pair of wires 48 and 50 is sandwiched between adjacent pairs of wires from the other coil. Figure 10As shown, different three-strand groups of wire 48 from the first coil 42 can be interleaved with different three-strand groups of wire 50 from the second coil 44, such that each three-strand group of one of the wires 48 and 50 is sandwiched between adjacent three-strand groups of the other wire. It should be understood that although the above describes grouping of wires into single, double, and triple strands, any number of wires can be used to interleave coils 42, 44, and 46 at their intersections. This winding configuration can mitigate some of the disadvantages of the layered winding method and the alternating top-bottom winding method described above, but it may be more expensive and time-consuming to implement. It should be understood that the above and... Figure 1-10 The motor configuration shown can have a power factor close to 1 and can be more efficient, have greater power and be more controllable than a conventional three-phase motor.

[0031] The above and in Figure 1-10 The motor configuration shown can also be used as a generator. In such applications, mechanical energy (e.g., rotational energy) can be applied to drive shaft 26 to rotate rotor 22 about axis of rotation A1, thereby causing permanent magnet 28 to rotate relative to coils 42, 44, and 46. This relative motion between permanent magnet 28 and coils 42, 44, and 46 induces current in coils 42, 44, and 46 due to electromagnetic induction. The spherical arrangement of coils 42, 44, and 46 around permanent magnet 28 allows for the efficient conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy in multiple phases. The equiangular positioning of coils 42, 44, and 46 relative to axis of rotation A1 and relative to each other can contribute to balanced power generation across the three phases. In some cases, the generated electrical energy can be three-phase alternating current, which can be used directly or converted into other forms as needed for various applications.

[0032] Figure 11-2 1 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a spherical motor 120, which can be used with... Figure 1-10 Similar to or the same as spherical motors. For example, such as Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the spherical motor 120 may include a rotor 122 and a stator 124. The rotor 122 may include a drive shaft 126 and a permanent magnet 128. The stator 124 may include a spherical housing 130, which includes a pair of hemispherical portions 132, each hemispherical portion 132 including a drive shaft support 136 for supporting the drive shaft 126. However, the drive shaft support 136 may project outward from the remainder of the spherical housing 120 and is generally hexagonal. Additionally, the stator 124 may include six coils instead of three. The six coils may include a first coil 142, a second coil 144, a third coil 146, a fourth coil 147, a fifth coil 149, and a sixth coil 151.

[0033] The six coils can be arranged in complementary pairs, with each pair corresponding to a different phase. The first coil 142 and the fourth coil 147 can be complementary pairs corresponding to the first phase. The second coil 144 and the fifth coil 149 can be complementary pairs corresponding to the second phase. The third coil 146 and the sixth coil 151 can be complementary pairs corresponding to the third phase.

[0034] Coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 can be distributed around the spherical shell 130, such that each coil 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 surrounds the rotor 122, and the axis of rotation A2 extends through each coil 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151. Figure 12 and Figure 16 As shown, the spherical housing 130 can define multiple channels 176, 178, 180, 182, 184, and 186 respectively to accommodate coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151.

[0035] Each complementary coil pair can be formed by a single conductor terminating at a pair of terminals, each terminal located on a different coil. For example, the first coil 142 and the fourth coil 147 can terminate at corresponding terminals 148a and 148b. The second coil 144 and the fifth coil 149 can terminate at corresponding terminals 150a and 150b. The third coil 146 and the sixth coil 151 can terminate at corresponding terminals 152a and 152b. Each coil can have the same number of turns. The coils of each complementary coil pair can be wound in opposite directions relative to each other (i.e., one coil is wound clockwise around the spherical housing 130, while the other coil is wound counterclockwise around the spherical housing 130) so that the terminals can be located on the same side of the spherical housing 130, thereby facilitating electrical connection to each other and connection to a three-phase power supply. Although the complementary coil pair is described as being formed by a single conductor, it should be understood that the coils in the complementary coil pair can be formed by separate conductors that are electrically connected together via weld or butt joints after the coils are wound onto the spherical housing 130.

[0036] Now refer to Figure 13 Coil complementary pairs 142 and 147, 144 and 149, and 146 and 151 can be connected together in a star configuration, with terminals 148b, 150b, and 152b electrically connected together at a common node 154, and terminals 148a, 150a, and 152a connected to the corresponding output terminals 156, 158, and 160 of the three-phase power supply 162. In alternative arrangements, such as... Figure 14As shown, complementary coil pairs 142 and 147, 144 and 149, and 146 and 151 can be connected together in a delta configuration. To form a delta configuration, terminals 148b and 150a of the fourth coil 147 and the second coil 144 can be electrically connected together, terminals 150b and 152a of the fifth coil 149 and the third coil 146 can be electrically connected together, and terminals 152b and 148a of the sixth coil 151 and the first coil 142 can be electrically connected together. The output terminals 156, 158, and 160 of the three-phase power supply 162 can be electrically connected to the connection points between the first coil 142 and the fourth coil 147, the second coil 144 and the fifth coil 149, and the third coil 146 and the sixth coil 151, respectively.

[0037] Now refer to Figure 15 Coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 are shown oriented in planes P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, and P6, respectively, all of which pass through the center C2 of the spherical shell 130. Coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 may be distributed around the spherical shell 130 such that they form angles Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, and Y6 (measured from their respective planes P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, and P6) relative to the axis of rotation A2. Coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 may be distributed relative to each other around the spherical shell 130 such that the first coil 142 and the second coil 144 form a dihedral angle Z1 relative to each other (measured between their respective planes P1 and P2), the second coil 144 and the third coil 146 form a dihedral angle Z2 relative to each other (measured between their respective planes P2 and P3), the third coil 146 and the fourth coil 147 form a dihedral angle Z3 relative to each other (measured between their respective planes P3 and P4), the fourth coil 147 and the fifth coil 149 form a dihedral angle Z4 relative to each other (measured between their respective planes P4 and P5), the fifth coil 149 and the sixth coil 151 form a dihedral angle Z5 relative to each other (measured between their respective planes P5 and P6), and the sixth coil 151 and the first coil 142 form a dihedral angle Z6 relative to each other (measured between their respective planes P6 and P1).

[0038] like Figure 16 and Figure 17As shown, each of coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 can extend across each other at two different intersection points located on opposite pole sides of the spherical shell 130. For example, the first coil 142 can intersect with the second coil 144 at intersection points 164 and 166. The second coil 144 can intersect with the third coil 146 at intersection points 168 and 170. The first coil 142 can intersect with the third coil 146 at intersection points 172 and 174. The first coil 142 can intersect with the fifth coil 149 at intersection points 173 and 175. The first coil 142 can intersect with the sixth coil 159 at intersection points 177 and 179. The second coil 144 can intersect with the fourth coil 147 at intersection points 181 and 183. The second coil 144 can intersect with the sixth coil 151 at intersection points 185 and 187. The third coil 146 intersects with the fourth coil 147 at intersection positions 189 and 191. The third coil 146 intersects with the fifth coil 149 at intersection positions 193 and 195. The fourth coil 147 intersects with the fifth coil 149 at intersection positions 197 and 199. The fourth coil 147 intersects with the sixth coil 151 at intersection positions 201 and 203. The fifth coil 149 intersects with the sixth coil 151 at intersection positions 205 and 207. The complementary pairs of coils 142 and 147, 144 and 149, and 146 and 151 intersect each other along the equator of the spherical shell 130 at intersection positions 209, 211, 213, 215, 217, and 219, respectively.

[0039] Coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 can be positioned at equal angles relative to the rotation axis A2 and at equal angles relative to each other. In one embodiment, coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 can be distributed around the spherical shell 30 such that angles Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, and Y6 are approximately 30 degrees, and dihedral angles Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5, and Z6 are approximately 30 degrees. In such an embodiment, each pair of coils extending through each other at different intersection locations 164, 166, 168, 170, 172, 173, 174, 175, 177, 179, 181, 183, 185, 187, 189, 191, 193, 195, 197, 199, 201, 203, 205, 207 forms an angle of approximately 30 degrees relative to each other. It should be understood that coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, 151 may form any acute angle relative to the axis of rotation A2. It should also be understood that in some cases, coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, 151 may not form equal angles relative to the axis of rotation and / or to each other to suit a particular application or motor configuration, such as when the stator housing is non-spherical.

[0040] Various methods can be used to wind coils 142, 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 around the spherical shell 30, similar to the methods discussed above for coils 42, 44, and 46. In one example, the first coil 142 can be wound onto the spherical shell 130 first, followed by the second coil 144, the third coil 146, the fourth coil 147, the fifth coil 149, and the sixth coil 151, so that coils 142, 144, and 146 are effectively layered. In another example, coils 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 can be wound with an alternating pattern relative to each other. In yet another example, coils 144, 146, 147, 149, and 151 can be interlaced at intersections.

[0041] It should be understood that the six-coil arrangement described above can provide a higher magnetic flux density and therefore better efficiency than the three-coil arrangement. It should also be understood that although three-coil and six-coil arrangements have been described above, a spherical motor may include two coils (e.g., in a two-phase configuration) or more than three coils, configured in accordance with the principles and teachings herein. In a three-phase configuration, the number of electromagnetic coils can be any multiple of three (e.g., 9, 12, 15, 18, 21).

[0042] Now refer to Figure 18 An alternative embodiment of the spherical housing 330 is shown, which may be similar to or identical to the spherical housing 130 in many respects. For example, the spherical housing 330 may include a pair of drive shaft supports 336 and may define multiple channels to accommodate the aforementioned three-coil or six-coil wiring arrangement. However, the drive shaft supports 336 may include multiple openings 337 capable of receiving wire ends from the coils. Thus, the drive shaft supports 336 can be used as mounting locations for the wire ends to facilitate electrical connection thereto.

[0043] The above description of embodiments and examples has been given for illustrative and descriptive purposes. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the forms described. Many modifications can be made in accordance with the above teachings. Some of these modifications have been discussed, and others will be understood by those skilled in the art. These embodiments were chosen and described to best illustrate the principles of various embodiments suitable for the particular intended use. Of course, the scope is not limited to the examples described herein, but can be used by those skilled in the art for any number of applications and equivalent devices. Rather, the scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, with respect to any method claimed and / or described, whether or not the method is described in conjunction with a flowchart, it should be understood that, unless otherwise specified or required by the context, any explicit or implicit order of steps performed when carrying out the method does not mean that these steps must be performed in the given order, but may be performed in a different order or in parallel.

Claims

1. A spherical rotating machine, comprising: Rotor, the rotor comprising The permanent magnet is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation; Stator, the stator comprising: A spherical shell, at least partially surrounding the permanent magnet; A first electromagnetic coil surrounds the spherical housing and corresponds to the first phase of the spherical rotating machine; A second electromagnetic coil, surrounding the spherical housing and corresponding to the second phase of the spherical rotating machine; and A third electromagnetic coil surrounds the spherical shell and corresponds to the third phase of the spherical rotating machine. The first, second, and third electromagnetic coils are configured to magnetically interact with the permanent magnet, wherein each of the first, second, and third electromagnetic coils extends along a different great circle path around the spherical shell.

2. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 1, wherein, Any two of the first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil intersect each other at two different intersection points.

3. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 2, wherein, Each of the first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil is angularly positioned relative to the axis of rotation.

4. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 3, wherein, Each of the first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil is positioned at an equal angle relative to each other.

5. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 4, wherein, The first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil are positioned such that any two electromagnetic coils intersecting at the different intersection locations form an angle of approximately 120 degrees relative to each other.

6. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 3, wherein, Each of the first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil forms an acute angle with respect to the axis of rotation.

7. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 1, wherein: The rotor also includes a drive shaft; and The spherical housing rotatably supports the drive shaft on opposite sides of the spherical housing.

8. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 1, wherein: The rotating machine includes a motor; The first electromagnetic coil is configured to be electrically connected to the first phase of a three-phase power supply; The second electromagnetic coil is configured to be electrically connected to the second phase of the three-phase power supply; The third electromagnetic coil is configured for electrical connection to the third phase of the three-phase power supply; and The first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil are configured to generate corresponding magnetic fields that interact with the permanent magnet to produce rotation of the rotor about the axis of rotation.

9. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 1, wherein, The spherical housing defines multiple channels configured to receive the first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil.

10. A spherical rotating machine, comprising: Rotor, the rotor comprising The permanent magnet is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation; Stator, the stator comprising: A spherical shell, at least partially surrounding the permanent magnet; A plurality of electromagnetic coils surround the spherical shell, and the plurality of electromagnetic coils are configured to magnetically interact with the permanent magnet, wherein: Each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils extends along a different great circular path around the spherical shell; and Each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils intersects with each of the other electromagnetic coils at two intersecting locations.

11. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 10, wherein, Each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is positioned at an equal angle relative to the axis of rotation.

12. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 11, wherein, The electromagnetic coils are positioned at equal angles relative to each other.

13. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 11, wherein, Each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils forms an acute angle with respect to the axis of rotation.

14. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 11, wherein: The rotor also includes a drive shaft; and The spherical housing rotatably supports the drive shaft on opposite sides of the spherical housing.

15. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 11, wherein: The rotating machine includes a motor; and The plurality of electromagnetic coils are configured to generate a magnetic field that interacts with the permanent magnet to produce rotation of the rotor about the axis of rotation.

16. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 15, wherein: The plurality of electromagnetic coils includes a first electromagnetic coil complementary pair, a second electromagnetic coil complementary pair, and a third electromagnetic coil complementary pair; The first electromagnetic coils are electrically connected together in complementary pairs and configured for electrical connection to the first phase of a three-phase power supply; The second electromagnetic coils are electrically connected together in complementary pairs and configured for electrical connection to the second phase of the three-phase power supply; and The third electromagnetic coils are electrically connected together in complementary pairs and configured for electrical connection to the third phase of the three-phase power supply.

17. The spherical rotating machine according to claim 16, wherein, The electromagnetic coils are positioned such that any two electromagnetic coils intersecting at each of the two intersecting locations form an angle of approximately 60 degrees relative to each other.

18. A rotating machine, comprising: Rotor, the rotor comprising A permanent magnet configured to rotate about a rotation axis; Stator, the stator comprising: A housing that is rotatably at least partially surrounding the permanent magnet; A first electromagnetic coil surrounds the housing and is configured to magnetically interact with the permanent magnet; A second electromagnetic coil surrounds the housing and is configured to magnetically interact with the permanent magnet; A third electromagnetic coil, surrounding the housing and configured to magnetically interact with the permanent magnet, wherein: Each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils extends along a different path around the housing; Each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils intersects with each of the other electromagnetic coils at two intersecting locations; and Each of the first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil is angularly positioned relative to the axis of rotation.

19. The rotating machine according to claim 17, wherein, Each of the first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil is positioned at an equal angle relative to each other.

20. The rotating machine according to claim 18, wherein, The first electromagnetic coil, the second electromagnetic coil, and the third electromagnetic coil are positioned such that any two electromagnetic coils intersecting at the two intersection locations form an angle of approximately 120 degrees relative to each other.

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