motor

Abstract

To provide a motor capable of improving output torque per unit mass or per unit volume in a three dimensional magnetic pole structure.SOLUTION: In a motor with a three-dimensional magnetic pole structure, an iron core 211A of a mover includes: an opposing surface ASA with an armature; an opposite surface OSA on an opposite side to the armature in a facing direction R facing the armature; and a moving direction surface MSA in a moving direction θ of the mover. The opposing surface ASA coincides with a first surface FS in a virtual square columnar body VSP circumscribed with the iron core 211A. An area of the moving direction surface MSA represents a three-dimensional shape smaller than an area of a second surface SS in the moving direction θ in the virtual square columnar body VSP.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric motor having a three-dimensional magnetic pole structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric motors that convert electrical energy into mechanical energy are used in a variety of devices. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an electric motor with a three-dimensional magnetic pole structure that increases the amount of magnetic flux generated in the gap between the armature and the mover to improve output. The electric motor disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an armature having an armature coil, an iron core arranged facing the armature, and a mover having a plurality of magnetic pole blocks each having a plurality of permanent magnets surrounding the iron core with their surfaces facing the armature open. In the magnetic pole blocks, the permanent magnets are arranged with the same magnetic poles facing the iron core. Each of the magnetic pole blocks is arranged so that its magnetic pole is reversed, one by one, in both the moving direction of the mover and a direction intersecting the moving direction. Magnetic flux emerging from the open surface of one of the magnetic pole blocks branches in the moving direction and the intersecting direction and enters another of the magnetic pole blocks adjacent to the one of the magnetic pole blocks in the moving direction and the intersecting direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6835692 (Patent Publication No. 2019-75848) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, electric motors are desired to have improved output torque per unit mass or unit volume. The pole blocks in the electric motor disclosed in Patent Document 1 utilize a three-dimensional magnetic pole structure in which multiple permanent magnets surround an iron core with their surfaces facing the armature open, and the multiple permanent magnets are arranged with the same magnetic poles facing the iron core. In this three-dimensional magnetic pole structure, the magnetic flux density on the opposing surfaces of the iron core can be maximized when the shapes (area, thickness) of the multiple permanent magnets are appropriately sized. Increasing the area of ​​the opposing surfaces and reducing the thickness of the iron core to improve the output torque increases the area of ​​the A-th permanent magnet, which is arranged on the A-th surface of the iron core facing the opposing surfaces, while reducing the areas of the B-th and C-th permanent magnets, which are arranged on the B-th and C-th surfaces of the iron core, respectively. This makes it difficult to appropriately size the shapes of the A-th, B-th, and C-th permanent magnets. Alternatively, if the distance (pole pitch) between the alternating north and south poles in the direction of movement is shortened to make the change in the magnetic field more abrupt in order to improve the output torque, the distance between the B permanent magnets, for example, will become shorter, which will reduce the area of ​​the A and C permanent magnets, making it difficult to achieve an appropriate ratio for the shapes of the A, B and C permanent magnets.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric motor that can improve the output torque per unit mass or per unit volume in a three-dimensional magnetic pole structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] After extensive investigation, the inventors have found that the above object can be achieved by the following invention. That is, an electric motor according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an armature having an armature coil, an iron core arranged facing the armature, and a mover including a plurality of pole blocks each having a plurality of permanent magnets surrounding the iron core so that a surface facing the armature is open as a mover pole, the permanent magnets in the pole blocks are arranged with the same magnetic pole facing the iron core, and each of the plurality of pole blocks is arranged so that the magnetic poles of the facing surfaces of adjacent pole blocks are different from each other, the iron core has the facing surface, an opposite surface opposite the armature in a facing direction that faces the armature, and a movement direction surface in the movement direction of the mover, the facing surface coincides with a first surface of an imaginary rectangular prism circumscribing the iron core, and presents a three-dimensional shape in which the area of ​​the movement direction surface is smaller than the area of ​​a second surface of the imaginary rectangular prism in the movement direction.

[0007] This electric motor has a three-dimensional magnetic pole structure, and when the opposing surface coincides with the first surface of a virtual rectangular prism, the area of ​​the movement direction surface is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface of the virtual rectangular prism in the movement direction. Therefore, compared to when the iron core is shaped like the virtual rectangular prism, it is possible to achieve a more optimal ratio between the shapes of the first permanent magnet (the B permanent magnet) arranged on the movement direction surface (the B surface), the second permanent magnet (the A permanent magnet) arranged on the opposite surface (the A surface), and the third permanent magnet (the C permanent magnet) arranged on the third direction surface (the C surface) of the iron core that is perpendicular to both the opposing surface and the movement direction surface. As a result, the electric motor can improve its output torque per unit mass or unit volume.

[0008] In another aspect, in the electric motor described above, the iron core has a three-dimensional shape in which the opposite surface is perpendicular to the movement direction plane and inclined relative to the opposing surface.

[0009] In such an electric motor, the area of ​​the surface in the direction of movement can be made smaller than the area of ​​the second surface by inclining the opposite surface with respect to the facing surface.

[0010] In another aspect, in these above-mentioned electric motors, the iron core has a recess formed in the movement direction surface so as to be recessed in the movement direction, or an opening formed in the movement direction surface so as to penetrate in the movement direction, so that the area of ​​the movement direction surface is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface, and among the plurality of permanent magnets, a first permanent magnet arranged along the movement direction surface has a shape that does not block the recess or the opening.

[0011] In such an electric motor, by forming a recess or an opening, the area of ​​the surface in the direction of movement can be made smaller than the area of ​​the second surface.

[0012] In another aspect, any of the electric motors described above is an axial gap type. This makes it possible to provide an axial gap type electric motor.

[0013] In another aspect, any of the electric motors described above is a radial gap type. This makes it possible to provide a radial gap type electric motor.

[0014] In another aspect, any of the electric motors described above is a linear motor type. This makes it possible to provide a linear motor type electric motor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The electric motor according to the present invention can improve the output torque per unit mass or per unit volume in a three-dimensional magnetic pole structure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a radial gap type electric motor in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the iron core of a mover in the electric motor shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a diagram for explaining a back yoke of a mover in the electric motor shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining an iron core of a first modified embodiment and a pole block including the iron core; [Figure 5] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining iron cores of second to fourth modified embodiments and pole blocks including the same. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining iron cores and pole blocks including the same according to fifth to seventh modified embodiments. [Figure 7] 11A to 11C are diagrams for explaining iron cores and pole blocks including the same according to eighth to eleventh modified embodiments. [Figure 8] FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining a radial gap type electric motor in a twelfth modified embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an axial gap type electric motor according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a linear motor type electric motor according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining a double-gap type electric motor in a thirteenth modified embodiment. [Figure 12] 16A and 16B are diagrams for explaining an iron core in an armature used in a double-gap type electric motor and a magnetic pole block including the iron core in the armature in the fourteenth and fifteenth modified embodiments. [Figure 13] FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a triple gap type electric motor in a sixteenth modified embodiment. [Figure 14] 16A to 16C are diagrams for explaining an iron core in an armature used in a triple-gap electric motor and a magnetic pole block including the iron core in the armature in the seventeenth to nineteenth modified embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, one or more embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. In addition, components with the same reference numerals in each drawing indicate the same components, and their description will be omitted as appropriate. In this specification, when referring to a general term, a reference numeral without a subscript is used, and when referring to an individual component, a reference numeral with a subscript is used.

[0018] The electric motor in one embodiment includes an armature having an armature coil, an iron core arranged facing the armature, and a mover including a plurality of magnetic pole blocks each having a plurality of permanent magnets surrounding the iron core so that the surfaces facing the armature are open as mover poles. The permanent magnets in the magnetic pole blocks are arranged with the same magnetic poles facing the iron core. The plurality of magnetic pole blocks are arranged so that the magnetic poles of the facing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks are different from each other. The iron core includes the facing surface, an opposite surface opposite the armature in a facing direction that faces the armature, and a movement direction surface in the movement direction of the mover, the facing surface coinciding with a first surface of an imaginary rectangular prism circumscribing the iron core, and presenting a three-dimensional shape in which the area of ​​the movement direction surface is smaller than the area of ​​a second surface of the imaginary rectangular prism in the movement direction. Such electric motors will be described in more detail below, taking as examples a radial gap type electric motor as a first embodiment, an axial gap type electric motor as a second embodiment, and a linear motor type electric motor as a third embodiment.

[0019] (First embodiment: radial gap type electric motor) FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a radial gap type electric motor according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the entire electric motor, FIG. 1B is a perspective view of an armature in the electric motor, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a mover in the electric motor. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the iron core of the mover in the electric motor shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a portion of the armature, and in FIG. 2A, one of multiple pole blocks provided in the armature is removed from the mover and shown on the opposing armature side (radially outward). FIG. 2B is a plan view of the pole block as viewed from the movement direction θ. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the back yoke of the mover in the electric motor shown in FIG. 1. Figure 3 shows a back yoke used in one of two rows of magnetic pole blocks arranged in the axial direction, Figure 3A is a side view of the entire back yoke, and Figure 3B is a perspective view of a portion of the back yoke showing one magnetic pole block attached to the back yoke.

[0020] The electric motor 1000A in the first embodiment is a radial gap type having a gap in the radial direction, and for example, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, it is an inner rotor type that includes an armature 1A and a mover 2A, and in the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, the mover 2A is rotatably disposed inside the armature 1A. Note that in the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, the rotating shaft that serves as the output shaft is not shown.

[0021] In a radial gap type electric motor, the armature 1A is also called a stator and is a component that includes multiple coils and generates a magnetic field for rotating the mover 2A. More specifically, the armature 1A includes, for example, a circular (cylindrical) yoke portion, multiple columnar teeth that are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface of the yoke portion and protrude radially inward (toward the center) from the inner peripheral surface, and multiple coils wound around each of the multiple teeth. The yoke portion and the multiple teeth are each formed integrally or in combination of multiple pieces from a soft magnetic material such as soft iron or soft ferrite.

[0022] The mover 2A, also called a rotor in a radial gap motor, includes multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A and rotates due to magnetic interaction between the magnetic fields (rotating magnetic fields) generated by the armature 1A and the magnetic fields generated by the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A. The mover 2A is fixedly attached to a cylindrical rotating shaft (output shaft) (not shown). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the mover 2A includes multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A (21A-11 to 21A-1k, 21A-21 to 21A-2k), a back yoke 22A (22A-1, 22A-2), and structures 23A (23A-1, 23A-2). k is the number of magnetic pole blocks 21A aligned in a circumferential direction (movement direction) θ (described later) in one of two rows aligned in a rotation axis direction (third direction) Z (described later).

[0023] Each of the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A includes an iron core 211A disposed facing the armature 1A, and multiple permanent magnets 212A-214A surrounding the iron core 211A so that the surface ASA facing the armature 1A is open as a mover magnetic pole. The multiple permanent magnets 212A-214A in the magnetic pole block 21A are disposed with the same magnetic pole facing the iron core 211. The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A are arranged side by side so that the magnetic poles of the facing surfaces ASA of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21A are different from each other. More specifically, each of the multiple permanent magnets 212A is in the shape of a triangular prism, and each of the multiple permanent magnets 213A, 214A is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped or a cube. Such a magnetic pole block 21A is configured to increase the magnetic flux generated in the gap (air gap) between the armature 1A and the mover 2A, and is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 6835692 (JP 2019-75848 A) and Japanese Patent No. 2023-31996 A.

[0024] The iron core 211A has a facing surface ASA, an opposite surface OSA opposite to the armature 1A in the facing direction R that faces the armature 1A, and a movement direction surface MSA in the movement direction θ of the mover 2A. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the iron core 211A further has a third direction surface TSA of the iron core 211A that is perpendicular to the facing surface OSA and the movement direction surface MSA. The iron core 211A has a three-dimensional shape in which the facing surface ASA coincides with a first surface FS of a virtual square pillar-shaped body VSP (shown by a dashed line in FIG. 2B) circumscribing the iron core 211A, and the area of ​​the movement direction surface MSA is smaller than the area of ​​a second surface SS of the virtual square pillar-shaped body VSP in the movement direction θ. In the radial gap type electric motor 1000A of the first embodiment, the movement direction θ is the rotation direction, i.e., the circumferential direction θ, the facing direction R is the radial direction R, and the third direction Z is the rotation axis direction Z.

[0025] More specifically, the multiple pole blocks 21A are sequentially arranged in the movement direction (circumferential direction) θ, and are also arranged in multiple rows in the normal direction (third direction (rotational axis direction)) Z of the third direction surface TSA. That is, the multiple k pole blocks 21A sequentially arranged in the circumferential direction θ are arranged in multiple rows in the rotational axis direction Z. In the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, the multiple k pole blocks 21A sequentially arranged in the circumferential direction θ are arranged in two rows in the rotational axis direction Z. The multiple pole blocks 21A are arranged so that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces ASA of adjacent pole blocks 21A in the circumferential direction θ are different from each other, and so that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces ASA of adjacent pole blocks 21A in the rotational axis direction Z are different from each other. That is, at the same position in the circumferential direction θ, the multiple k magnetic pole blocks 21A-1 in the first row in the rotational axis direction Z are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces ASA are south pole, north pole, south pole, north pole, ... in the circumferential direction, and the multiple k magnetic pole blocks 21A-2 in the second row in the rotational axis direction Z are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces ASA are north pole, south pole, north pole, south pole, ... in the circumferential direction.

[0026] Of the plurality of permanent magnets 212A to 214A, a first permanent magnet 212A is arranged along a movement direction plane MSA of the iron core 211A. Of the plurality of permanent magnets 212A to 214A, a second permanent magnet 213A is arranged along an opposite surface OSA of the iron core 211A. Of the plurality of permanent magnets 212A to 214A, a third permanent magnet 214A is arranged along a third direction plane TSA of the iron core 211A. For each of the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A, the iron core 211A of the magnetic pole block 21A has two first and second movement direction surfaces MSA-1, MSA-2 (not shown) that face each other in the movement direction (circumferential direction) θ, and the first permanent magnet 212A of the magnetic pole block 21A is arranged on the first movement direction surface MSA-1 of one of the first and second movement direction surfaces MSA-1, MSA-2 (not shown), and the first permanent magnet 212A of the magnetic pole block 21A adjacent to the magnetic pole block 21A in the movement direction (circumferential direction) is arranged on the other second movement direction surface MSA-2 of the first and second movement direction surfaces MSA-1, MSA-2 (not shown). For example, in the pole block 21A-11, the first permanent magnet 213A-11 is arranged on a first movement direction surface MSA-1 (not shown) of the iron core 211A-11, and the first permanent magnet 212A-1k of the pole block 21A-1k adjacent to the pole block 21A-11 in the circumferential direction θ is arranged on a second movement direction surface MSA-2 (not shown) of the iron core 211A-11. Therefore, in the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, one iron core 211A is surrounded by first to third permanent magnets 212A, 212A, 213A, 214A on four surfaces: first and second movement direction surfaces MSA-1 and MSA-2 (not shown) that face each other in the movement direction (circumferential direction) θ, an opposite surface OSA, and a third direction surface TSA. The third permanent magnet 214A arranged on the third direction plane TSA is shared (shared) with the third permanent magnet 214A of the pole block 21A in the row adjacent in the third direction (rotation axis direction) Z. For example, in the pole block 21A-11 in the first row, the third permanent magnet 214A-11 is arranged on the third direction plane TSA-1 (not shown) of the iron core 211A-11, and this third permanent magnet 214A-11 is shared (shared) with the second permanent magnet 214A-21 of the pole block 21A-21 in the second row adjacent to the pole block 21A-11 in the rotation axis direction Z, at the same position in the circumferential direction.The first to third permanent magnets 212A, 213A, 214A may each be, for example, an alnico magnet, a ferrite magnet, or the like, but are preferably neodymium magnets because of their strength.

[0027] In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21A are arranged in two rows in the third direction (rotation axis direction) Z, but this is not limited to this and any number of rows may be used.

[0028] 1 to 3, iron core 211A has a three-dimensional shape in which the opposite surface OSA is orthogonal to the movement direction surface MSA and is inclined with respect to the facing surface ASA, as shown in FIG. 2B. More specifically, iron core 211A is a triangular prism-shaped body composed of five surfaces: the facing surface ASA, first and second movement direction surfaces MSA-1 and MSA-2 (not shown) that face each other in the movement direction (circumferential direction) θ, the opposite surface OSA, and a third direction surface TSA. A virtual square prism-shaped body VSP that circumscribes such triangular prism-shaped iron core 211A with its facing surface ASA and first surface FS coinciding is, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2B. The moving direction plane MSA of iron core 211A having such a three-dimensional shape is a right-angled triangle, and the second surface SS of imaginary quadrangular pillar-shaped body VSP is a rectangle (rectangle). When the facing surface ASA coincides with the first surface FS, the two right-angled sides of the right-angled triangle coincide with the two right-angled sides in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the facing surface ASA of iron core 211A coincides with the first surface FS, the area of ​​the moving direction plane MSA (the area of ​​the right-angled triangle) is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SS of imaginary quadrangular pillar-shaped body VSP (the area of ​​the rectangle). Iron core 211A is formed of a soft magnetic material, similar to the yoke portion of armature 1A.

[0029] The triangular prism of the iron core 211A may have an acute angle at the apex in the third direction (rotation axis direction) Z as shown in Fig. 4 described later, but is chamfered in the example shown in Fig. 2B. The iron core 211A in the example shown in Fig. 2B is suitable for the case where the apex of the first permanent magnet 212A is chamfered.

[0030] The back yoke 22A is a member that reduces leakage of magnetic force and supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A, and is formed of a soft magnetic material, similar to the yoke portion of the armature 1A. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A are arranged in two rows in the rotation axis direction Z, so the back yoke 22A includes a first back yoke 22A-1 in the first row in the rotation axis direction Z, which supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A-1 arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ, and a second back yoke 22A-2 in the second row in the rotation axis direction Z, which supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A-2 arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ. The first and second back yokes 22A-1 and 22A-2 have the same shape, and each has a triangular prism-shaped iron core 211A that supports the magnetic pole blocks 21A on the opposite surface OSA via the second permanent magnet 213A, so that they have a hollow truncated cone shape (annular truncated cone shape) as shown in FIG. 3. 3 illustrates the second back yoke 22A-2. The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21A-11 to 21A-1k in the first row are fixedly arranged in a row with the second permanent magnets 213A-11 to 213A-1k (not shown) abutting (closely contacting) each other on the outer circumferential side surface of the first back yoke 22A-1, and sequentially abutting (closely contacting) each other in the circumferential direction θ. The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21A-21 to 21A-2k in the second row are fixedly arranged in a row with the second permanent magnets 213A-21 to 213A-2k (not shown) abutting (closely contacting) each other on the outer circumferential side surface of the second back yoke 22A-2, and sequentially abutting (closely contacting) each other in the circumferential direction θ. The first back yoke 22A-1, on which the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21A-11 to 21A-1k are arranged, and the second back yoke 22A-2, on which the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21A-21 to 21A-2k are arranged, are fixedly connected to each other in the rotational axis direction Z so that one of the first and second back yokes 22A-1, 22A-2 faces in the opposite direction in the rotational axis direction Z and are concentric with each other on the rotational axis (output shaft) so as to share each of the third permanent magnets 214A-11 (214A-21) to 214A-1k (214A-2k). That is, the first and second back yokes 22A-1, 22A-2 are fixedly connected to each other in the rotational axis direction Z so that the small diameter sides of their hollow truncated cone shapes face each other.The first and second back yokes 22A-1 and 22A-2 may be integrally formed.

[0031] The structure 23A is a support member that supports the back yoke 22A, which is made of a non-magnetic material, from the opposite side (inside in the radial direction R) of the opposing surface in the opposing direction R. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21A are arranged in two rows in the third direction (rotation axis direction) Z, so the structure 23A includes two first and second structures 23A-1 and 23A-2. The first and second structures 23A-1 and 23A-2 have shapes corresponding to the shapes of the first and second back yokes 22A-1 and 22A-2, respectively, and in the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, they have a generally hollow truncated cone shape (annular truncated cone shape) as shown in FIG. 3. The rotation shaft (output shaft), not shown, is fixedly connected to the structure 23A via an attachment member, not shown.

[0032] In the above description, the three-dimensional shape of the iron core 211A is not limited to the triangular prism shape shown in Figure 2, but may be, for example, the following three-dimensional shapes, and accordingly, the magnetic pole block 21A may be magnetic pole blocks 21Aa to 21Ak equipped with iron cores 211Aa to 211Ak having the following three-dimensional shapes (magnetic pole blocks of the first to eleventh modified forms).

[0033] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an iron core and a magnetic pole block including the same in a first modified embodiment. FIG. 4A shows the iron core and magnetic pole block in the first modified embodiment, and FIG. 4B shows the above-mentioned iron core 211A and magnetic pole block 21A. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating iron cores and magnetic pole blocks including the same in second to fourth modified embodiments. FIG. 5A shows the iron core and magnetic pole block in the second modified embodiment, FIG. 5B shows the iron core and magnetic pole block in the third modified embodiment, and FIG. 5C shows the iron core and magnetic pole block in the fourth modified embodiment. Note that first permanent magnets 212Aa to 212Ak are not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 4A, the iron core 211Aa of the first modified embodiment has a three-dimensional shape like a triangular prism in the opposing direction (radial direction) R, with the third direction surface TSAa having a length c' longer than the length c of the third direction surface TSA of the iron core 211A shown in Fig. 2B and 4B (c'>c). The magnetic pole block 21Aa of the first modified embodiment is configured with the iron core 211Aa of such a three-dimensional shape, and first to third permanent magnets 212Aa (not shown), 213Aa, 214Aa arranged along the movement direction surface MSAa, opposite surface OSAa, and third direction surface TSAa of the iron core 211Aa, respectively. For example, although the surface area of ​​the first permanent magnet 212Aa is larger than that of the first permanent magnet 212A, if c' = 2c, the surface area of ​​the third permanent magnet 214Aa can be increased to approximately twice that of the third permanent magnet 214A while the surface areas of the first permanent magnets 212A and 212Aa remain unchanged. The surface area of ​​the second permanent magnet 213Aa can also be increased slightly (not decreased) compared to the surface area of ​​the second permanent magnet 213A. Therefore, since the surface areas of the first to third permanent magnets 212Aa to 214Aa are larger than those of the iron core 211A described above and magnetic poles can be configured, the iron core 211Aa and magnetic pole block 21Aa in the first modified embodiment have a three-dimensional structure that is advantageous for increasing the magnetic flux generated from the magnetic poles.

[0035] The above-mentioned iron core 211A has a reduced volume compared to when the imaginary rectangular pillar-shaped body VSP is the iron core, but the iron core 211Aa of the first modified form can utilize this reduced volume to increase the surface area of ​​the third direction surface (increase the surface area of ​​the third permanent magnet 214Aa).

[0036] Furthermore, in the iron core 211Aa and the pole block 21Aa of the first modified embodiment, although the magnetic flux that demagnetizes the first permanent magnet 212Aa increases, the magnetic flux passing through the main magnetic path also increases, and the reduced magnetic resistance of the third permanent magnet 214Aa also has the effect of making it easier for the demagnetizing magnetic flux to pass through the third permanent magnet 214Aa. Increasing the total surface area of ​​the first to third permanent magnets 212Aa to 214Aa while generating the demagnetizing magnetic flux evenly across the first to third permanent magnets 212Aa to 214Aa without being concentrated in one area is advantageous in terms of maximizing the magnetic flux generated per unit mass or unit volume of the magnetic pole, that is, improving the output torque per unit mass or unit volume.

[0037] The opposite surface OSA of the iron core 211A described above is a plane (flat surface), but the iron core 211Ab of the second modified embodiment has a three-dimensional shape resembling a triangular prism, with the opposite surface OSAb being a curved surface that is convex toward the second permanent magnet 213Ab in the opposite direction (radial direction) R (a curved surface that has curvatures in both the opposite direction R and the third direction Z and has a curvature of zero (infinite radius of curvature) in the moving direction θ). The magnetic pole block 21Ab of the second modified embodiment is configured with the iron core 211Ab having such a three-dimensional shape, and first to third permanent magnets 212Ab (not shown), 213Ab, and 214Ab arranged along the moving direction surface MSAb, the opposite surface OSAb, and the third direction surface TSAb of the iron core 211Ab, respectively. The second permanent magnet 213Ab has a curved shape corresponding to the curved surface of the opposite surface OSAb of the iron core 211Ab. The shape of the first permanent magnet 212Ab (not shown) as seen from the movement direction θ is the same as the shape and size of the iron core 211Ab as seen from the movement direction θ.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 5B, the iron core 211Ac of the third modified embodiment has a three-dimensional shape resembling a triangular prism, with an opposite surface OSAc that is a curved surface concave toward the second permanent magnet 213Ac in the opposing direction (radial direction) R, i.e., a curved surface convex toward the opposing surface ASAc (a curved surface that has curvatures in both the opposing direction R and the third direction Z and has zero curvature in the movement direction θ). The magnetic pole block 21Ac of the third modified embodiment is configured with the iron core 211Ac having such a three-dimensional shape, and first to third permanent magnets 212Ac (not shown), 213Ac, and 214Ac arranged along the movement direction surface MSAc, the opposite surface OSAc, and the third direction surface TSAc of the iron core 211Ac, respectively. The second permanent magnet 213Ac has a curved shape corresponding to the curved surface of the opposite surface OSAc of the iron core 211Ac. The shape of the first permanent magnet 212Ac (not shown) as seen from the movement direction θ is the same as the shape and size of the iron core 211Ac as seen from the movement direction θ.

[0039] The opposite surface OSA of the aforementioned core 211A is a plane that slopes uniformly from one end on the third-direction plane TSA side to the other end on the opposing surface ASA side. However, the core 211Ad of the fourth modified embodiment has an opposite surface OSAd that slopes from one end on the third-direction plane TSAd side to the other end on the opposing surface ASAd side, as shown in FIG. 5C . The opposite surface OSAd has a trapezoidal, rectangular prism-like three-dimensional shape in the RZ plane. More specifically, the opposite surface OSAd has a parallel portion parallel to the opposing surface ASAd and an inclined portion inclined relative to the opposing surface ASAd. The pole block 21Ad of the fourth modified embodiment is configured with the above-described three-dimensional core 211Ad, as well as first to third permanent magnets 212Ad (not shown), 213Ad, and 214Ad arranged along the movement-direction plane MSAd of the core 211Ad, the parallel portion of the opposite surface OSAd, and the third-direction plane TSAd, respectively. As described above, the second permanent magnet 213Ad is disposed only along the parallel portion of the opposite surface OSAd, and is not disposed along the inclined portion of the opposite surface OSAd. The shape of the first permanent magnet 212Ad (not shown) as viewed from the movement direction θ is the same as the shape and size of the iron core 211Ad as viewed from the movement direction θ.

[0040] In the second to fourth modified embodiments, the apex of each of the iron cores 211Ab to 211Ad in the third direction (rotation axis direction) Z may be acute-angled or may be chamfered.

[0041] The first permanent magnet 212A of the first embodiment and the first permanent magnets 212Aa-212Ad of the first to fourth modified embodiments described above do not have any notches or openings, but the first permanent magnets 212Ae-212Ak of ​​the fifth to eleventh modified embodiments have recesses or openings. In the fifth to eleventh modified embodiments, the iron cores 211Ae-211Ak have recesses formed in the movement-direction surface so as to be recessed in the movement direction, or openings formed in the movement-direction surface so as to penetrate in the movement direction, so that the area of ​​the movement-direction surface is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface, and the first permanent magnets of the plurality of permanent magnets arranged along the movement-direction surface have a shape that does not block the recesses or openings.

[0042] In the fifth to eleventh modified embodiments, circumscribing the imaginary rectangular prism means circumscribing the iron cores 211Ae to 211Ak when the recesses and openings are not formed.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the iron cores and pole blocks equipped with them of the fifth to seventh modified forms. FIG. 6A shows the iron core and pole block of the fifth modified form, FIG. 6B shows the iron core and pole block of the sixth modified form, FIG. 6C shows the iron core and pole block of the seventh modified form, and FIG. 6D is a diagram for explaining the positions of the cutouts and openings. FIG. 6E is a plan view of the first permanent magnet in the pole block of the fifth modified form, FIG. 6F is a plan view of the first permanent magnet in the pole block of the sixth modified form, and FIG. 6G is a plan view of the first permanent magnet in the pole block of the seventh modified form. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the iron cores and pole blocks equipped with them of the eighth to eleventh modified forms. Fig. 7A shows the iron core and pole blocks in the eighth variant, Fig. 7B shows the iron core and pole blocks in the ninth variant, Fig. 7C shows the iron core and pole blocks in the tenth variant, Fig. 7D shows the iron core and pole blocks in the eleventh variant, Fig. 7E is a plan view of the first permanent magnet in the pole block of the eighth variant, Fig. 7F is a plan view of the first permanent magnet in the pole block of the ninth variant, Fig. 7G is a plan view of the first permanent magnet in the pole block of the tenth variant, and Fig. 7H is a plan view of the first permanent magnet in the pole block of the eleventh variant.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 6A, the iron core 211Ae of the fifth modified embodiment has a three-dimensional rectangular prism shape with the same outer shape (outer contour) and size as the imaginary rectangular prism-shaped body VSPe, and has an opening APe1 formed in the movement direction surface MSAe so as to penetrate in the movement direction θ in order to make the area of ​​the movement direction surface MSAe smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SSe. In the example shown in Fig. 6A, this opening APe1 is a through-hole hollowed out in a cylindrical shape along the movement direction θ, and is formed at a substantially central position in the counter direction R. As shown in Fig. 6E, in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, the first permanent magnet 212Ae is formed with the same shape and size as the iron core 211Ae, and an opening APe2 with the same shape and size as the opening APe1 is formed at a position (position) corresponding to the opening APe1. The magnetic pole block 21Ae of the fifth modified embodiment is configured with such a three-dimensionally shaped iron core 211Ae, and first to third permanent magnets 212Ae, 213Ae, 214Ae arranged along the movement direction surface MSAe, the opposite surface OSAe, and the third direction surface TSAe of the iron core 211Ae, respectively.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 6B , the iron core 211Af of the sixth modified embodiment has a three-dimensional rectangular prism shape that is the same in shape and size as the imaginary rectangular prism-shaped body VSPf. To make the area of ​​the movement-direction surface MSAf smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SSf, the iron core 211Af has an opening APf1 formed in the movement-direction surface MSAf so as to penetrate in the movement direction θ. In the example shown in FIG. 6B , this opening APf1 is a through-hole carved into a rectangular prism shape along the movement direction θ, and is formed at approximately the center in the counter direction R. In this example, one side of the opening APf1 coincides with one side of the imaginary rectangular prism-shaped body VSPf. That is, the opening APf1 faces the outside and is open on the one side. Therefore, the opening APf1 serves as a notch that cuts out the iron core 211Af. 6F, the first permanent magnet 212Af is formed in the same shape and size as the iron core 211Af in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, and an opening APf2 of the same shape and size as the opening APf1 is formed in a location corresponding to the opening APf1. The pole block 21Af of the sixth modified embodiment is configured with the iron core 211Af having such a three-dimensional shape, and first to third permanent magnets 212Af, 213Af, 214Af arranged along the movement direction surface MSAf, the opposite surface OSAf, and the third direction surface TSAf of the iron core 211Af, respectively.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6C , the iron core 211Ag of the seventh modified embodiment has a three-dimensional rectangular prism shape with the same outline and size as the imaginary rectangular prism-shaped body VSPg. To make the area of ​​the movement-direction surface MSAg smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SSg, the iron core 211Ag has an opening APg1 formed in the movement-direction surface MSAg so as to penetrate in the movement direction θ. In the example shown in FIG. 6C , this opening APg1 is a through-hole carved into a rectangular prism shape along the movement direction θ. In this example, two adjacent side surfaces of the opening APg1 coincide with two adjacent side surfaces of the imaginary rectangular prism-shaped body VSPf. That is, the opening APg1 is open and faces the outside at the two side surfaces. Therefore, the opening APg1 is a notch formed by cutting out one apex of the iron core 211Ag. 6G, the first permanent magnet 212Ag is formed in the same shape and size as the iron core 211Ag in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, and an opening APg2 of the same shape and size as the opening APg1 is formed in a location corresponding to the opening APg1. The pole block 21Ag of the seventh modified embodiment is configured with the iron core 211Ag having such a three-dimensional shape, and first to third permanent magnets 212Ag, 213Ag, 214Ag arranged along the movement direction surface MSAg, the opposite surface OSAg, and the third direction surface TSAg of the iron core 211Ag, respectively.

[0047] 6D, in a rectangular pillar-shaped core without such openings APe1, APf1, and APg1, magnetic flux tends to concentrate toward the third permanent magnet arranged along the third-direction surface. Therefore, the opening APe1 in the core 211Ae of the fifth modified embodiment is preferably formed at a position away from the third-direction surface TSAe in the third direction Z, for example, closer to the third-direction facing surface TFAe than the center. Similarly, the opening APf1 in the core 211Af of the sixth modified embodiment is preferably formed at a position away from the third-direction surface TSAf in the third direction Z, for example, closer to the third-direction facing surface TFAf than the center. Similarly, it is preferable that the opening APg1 in the iron core 211Ag of the seventh modified embodiment is formed at a position in the third direction Z away from the third direction surface TSAg, for example, closer to the third direction opposing surface TFAg that faces the third direction surface TSAg than the central position.

[0048] 6, the openings APe1, APf1, and APg1 of the through holes are formed, but instead of these openings APe1, APf1, and APg1, recesses may be formed in the movement direction surfaces MSAe, MSAf, and MSAg so as to be recessed in the movement direction θ. The difference between the recesses and the openings is whether or not they have a bottom surface.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 7A, the iron core 211Ah of the eighth modified embodiment has an opening APh1 formed in the movement direction surface MSAh so as to penetrate in the movement direction θ, in order to make the area of ​​the movement direction surface MSAh smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SSh in the iron core 211Aa of the first modified embodiment, like the iron core 211Ae of the fifth modified embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 7A, this opening APh1 is a through-hole hollowed out in a cylindrical shape along the movement direction θ, and is formed at approximately the center of gravity of the triangular cross-sectional shape of the iron core 211Ah in the RZ plane. As shown in Fig. 7E, in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, the first permanent magnet 212Ah is formed with the same shape and size as the iron core 211Ah, and an opening APh2 with the same shape and size as the opening APh1 is formed at a location (position) corresponding to the opening APh1. The magnetic pole block 21Ah of the eighth modified form is configured with such a three-dimensionally shaped iron core 211Ah, and first to third permanent magnets 212Ah, 213Ah, 214Ah arranged along the movement direction surface MSAh, the opposite surface OSAh, and the third direction surface TSAh of the iron core 211Ah, respectively.

[0050] The above-described iron core 211A was a triangular prism-shaped body, but the iron cores 211Ai, 211Aj, and 211Ak of ​​the ninth to eleventh modified embodiments are quadrangular prism-shaped bodies whose cross-sectional shape in the RZ plane is trapezoidal, and further include openings APi1, APj1, and APk1.

[0051] More specifically, as shown in Fig. 7B, the iron core 211Ai of the ninth modified embodiment has a three-dimensional shape of a trapezoidal rectangular prism whose cross section in the RZ plane is trapezoidal, with the opposing surface ASAi coinciding with the first surface FSi of a virtual rectangular prism circumscribing the iron core 211Ai and the third-direction opposing surface TFAi opposing the third-direction surface TSAi. The iron core 211Ai also has an opening APi1 formed in the movement direction surface MSAi so as to penetrate in the movement direction θ, so that the area of ​​the movement direction surface MSAi is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SSi. In the example shown in Fig. 7B, this opening APi1 is a through-hole that is bored along the movement direction θ in the shape of a quadrangular prism whose cross section in the RZ plane is trapezoidal. In this example, the opening APi1 is a notch formed by cutting out one apex of the iron core 211Ai. 7F, in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, the first permanent magnet 212Ai is formed in the same shape and size as the iron core 211Ai, and an opening APi2 of the same shape and size as the opening APi1 is formed in a location corresponding to the opening APi1. The magnetic pole block 21Ai of the ninth modified embodiment is configured with the iron core 211Ai having such a three-dimensional shape, and first to third permanent magnets 212Ai, 213Ai, 214Ai arranged along the movement direction plane MSAi, opposite plane OSAi, and third direction plane TSAi of the iron core 211Ai, respectively.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 7C , the iron core 211Aj of the tenth modified embodiment has a trapezoidal rectangular prism-like three-dimensional shape in cross section in the RZ plane, with the opposing surface ASAj coinciding with the first surface FSj of a virtual rectangular prism-like body circumscribing the iron core 211Aj and the third-direction opposing surface TFAj opposing the third-direction surface TSAj. The iron core 211Aj also has an opening APj1 formed in the movement-direction surface MSAj so as to penetrate in the movement direction θ, so that the area of ​​the movement-direction surface MSAj is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SSj. In the example shown in Fig. 7C , this opening APj1 is a through-hole bored into the shape of a rectangular prism along the movement direction θ, and is non-parallel to the facing direction R in the facing direction R. More specifically, the distance between the opposing inner surface of the opening APj1 facing the third-direction surface TSAj and the third-direction surface TSAj gradually increases from the opposite surface OSAj toward the opposite surface ASAj, and the opposing inner surface and the third-direction surface TSAj are gradually separated from each other. In this example, the opening APj1 faces the outside and is open on the opposite surface OSAj. Therefore, the opening APj1 serves as a notch that cuts out the iron core 211Aj. In a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, the first permanent magnet 212Aj is formed with the same shape and size as the iron core 211Aj, as shown in FIG. 7G. At a location corresponding to the opening APj1, an opening APj2 with the same shape and size as the opening APj1 is formed. The magnetic pole block 21Aj of the tenth modified embodiment includes the three-dimensional iron core 211Aj, and first to third permanent magnets 212Aj, 213Aj, 214Aj arranged along the movement direction surface MSAj, the opposite surface OSAj, and the third direction surface TSAj of the iron core 211Aj, respectively. The second permanent magnet 212Aj is arranged along the opposite surface OSAj so as not to block the open portion of the opening APj1 facing the outside.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 7D, the iron core 211Ak of ​​the 11th modified embodiment has an opening APk1 at the tip of the opening APj1 of the iron core 211Aj of the 10th modified embodiment, when viewed from the opposite surface OSAj toward the facing surface ASAj, where the opening APk1 is formed as a rectangular prism-shaped through-hole along the movement direction θ. As shown in Fig. 7H, the first permanent magnet 212Ak is formed in the same shape and size as the iron core 211Ak in a plan view viewed from the movement direction θ, and an opening APk2 of the same shape and size as the opening APk1 is formed at a location corresponding to the opening APk1. The pole block 21Ak of ​​the 11th modified embodiment is configured with the iron core 211Ak having such a three-dimensional shape, and first to third permanent magnets 212Ak, 213Ak, 214Ak arranged along the movement direction surface MSAk, the opposite surface OSAk, and the third direction surface TSAk of ​​the iron core 211Ak, respectively. The second permanent magnet 212Ak is arranged along the opposite surface OSAk so as not to block the open portion of the opening APk1 facing the outside.

[0054] In the example shown in Figure 7, openings APh1, APi1, APj1, and APk1 of the through holes are formed, but instead of these openings APh1, APi1, APj1, and APk1, recesses may be formed in the movement direction surfaces MSAh, MSAi, MSAj, and MSAk, respectively, so as to be recessed in the movement direction θ.

[0055] The electric motor 1000A in the first embodiment can be provided with iron cores of various three-dimensional shapes, as long as the opposing surface coincides with the first surface of the imaginary rectangular prism and the area of ​​the moving direction surface is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface of the imaginary rectangular prism in the moving direction.

[0056] As described above, the electric motor 1000A in the first embodiment and each of its modified forms has a three-dimensional magnetic pole structure, and when the opposing surface ASA coincides with the first surface FS of the imaginary rectangular pillar-shaped body VSP, the area of ​​the movement direction surface MSA is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SS of the movement direction θ of the imaginary rectangular pillar-shaped body VSP.Therefore, compared to when the iron core 211A has the shape of the imaginary rectangular pillar-shaped body VSP, the shapes of the first permanent magnet (the B permanent magnet) 212A arranged on the movement direction surface (the B surface) MSA, the second permanent magnet (the A permanent magnet) 213A arranged on the opposite surface (the A surface) OSA, and the third permanent magnet (the C permanent magnet) 214A arranged on the third direction surface (the C surface) TSA of the iron core that is perpendicular to the opposing surface ASA and the movement direction surface MSA can be made to have a more appropriate ratio. Therefore, the electric motor 1000A can improve the output torque per unit mass or unit volume. The electric motor 1000A can easily secure the surface area of ​​the third permanent magnet 214A arranged on the third direction plane TSA while reducing the surface area of ​​the first permanent magnet 212A arranged on the movement direction plane MSA. Furthermore, reducing the surface area of ​​the movement direction plane MSA increases the magnetic resistance of the path passing through the first permanent magnet 212A. This reduces the magnetic flux contributing to demagnetization, and increases the magnetic flux circulating in the main magnetic flux path.

[0057] In the electric motor 1000A in the first embodiment and its first to fourth and eighth to eleventh modifications, the area of ​​the movement direction surface MSA can be made smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SS by inclining the opposite surface OSA with respect to the facing surface.

[0058] In the electric motors 1000A in the fifth to eleventh modified embodiments, the area of ​​the movement direction surface MSA can be made smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SS by forming a recess or an opening.

[0059] Although the electric motor 1000A in the first embodiment and its modified embodiments is an inner rotor type, it may be an outer rotor type.

[0060] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a radial gap type electric motor in the twelfth modified embodiment.

[0061] The electric motor 1000Al in the twelfth modified embodiment is a radial gap type having a gap in the radial direction, and includes an armature 1Al and a mover 2Al, for example, as shown in Fig. 8, and is an outer rotor type in which the mover 2Al is rotatably disposed outside the armature 1Al. Note that in the example shown in Fig. 8, the rotating shaft that serves as the output shaft is not shown.

[0062] The armature (stator) 1Al includes multiple coils that generate a magnetic field for rotating the mover 2Al. More specifically, the armature 1Al includes, for example, a cylindrical yoke, multiple columnar teeth arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer circumferential surface of the yoke and protruding radially outward from the outer circumferential surface, and multiple coils wound around each of the multiple teeth. As described below, multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Al are arranged in two rows in the third direction (rotation axis direction) Z, and the multiple teeth accordingly include a first row of multiple first teeth arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and a second row of multiple second teeth arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The yoke includes a cylindrical hole extending axially and coaxially therewith. A support shaft (not shown) is fixedly fitted into the cylindrical hole, thereby supporting the armature 1Al on the support shaft (not shown).

[0063] The mover (rotor) 2Al is a component that includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Al and rotates due to magnetic interaction between the magnetic fields (rotating magnetic fields) generated by the armature 1Al and the magnetic fields generated by the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Al. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 8, the mover 2Al includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Al (21Al-1, 21Al-2), a back yoke 22Al (22Al-1, 22Al-2), and an unillustrated structure.

[0064] The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Al include an iron core 211Al and first to third permanent magnets 212Al, 213Al, and 214Al, which are similar to the iron core 211A and the first to third permanent magnets 212A, 213A, and 214A in the above-described embodiment, respectively. Therefore, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Al are configured similarly to the magnetic pole block 21A in the above-described embodiment. Therefore, their description will be omitted. Note that the first permanent magnet 212Al is not shown in FIG. 8.

[0065] The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Al are arranged in two rows in the third direction (rotation axis direction) Z, as in the first embodiment described above, and accordingly, the back yoke 22Al includes a first back yoke 22A1-1 in a first row and a second back yoke 22A1-2 in a second row, similar to the first back yoke 22A-1 described above. In the first embodiment described above, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Al-1 arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ are fixedly disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the first back yoke 22A-1, but here, similar to the first embodiment described above, they are supported by the first back yoke 22Al-1 in the first row, except that they are fixedly disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the first back yoke 22Al-1. In the first embodiment described above, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Al-2 in the second row, which are sequentially arranged in the circumferential direction θ, were fixedly disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the second back yoke 22A-2, but here, similarly to the first embodiment described above, they are supported by the second row of second back yokes 22Al-2, except that they are fixedly disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the second back yoke 22Al-12. In the first embodiment described above, the first and second back yokes 22A-1, 22A-2 were fixedly connected by overlapping in the rotation axis direction Z with the small diameter sides of their hollow truncated cone shapes facing each other, but here, the first and second back yokes 22Al-1, 22Al-2 are fixedly connected by overlapping in the rotation axis direction Z with the large diameter sides of their hollow truncated cone shapes facing each other. Therefore, in this twelfth modified embodiment, as in the first embodiment, one iron core 211Al is surrounded by the first to third permanent magnets 212Al, 212Al, 213Al, 214Al on four sides: the first and second movement direction sides that face each other in the movement direction (circumferential direction) θ, the opposite side, and the third direction side, by utilizing the first permanent magnet 212A of the adjacent iron core 211Al. The third permanent magnet 214A1 arranged on the third direction side is shared (shared) with the third permanent magnet 214A1 of the magnetic pole block 21A1 in the adjacent row in the third direction (rotation axis direction) Z.

[0066] The structure not shown in the figure is a support member that supports the back yoke 22Al formed of a non-magnetic material from the opposite side of the opposing surface in the opposing direction R. In the above-described embodiment, the structure 23A supported the back yoke 22A from the inside of the back yoke 22A in the radial direction R, but here the structure not shown in the figure supports the back yoke 22Al from the outside of the back yoke 22Al in the radial direction R.

[0067] The electric motor 1000Al having such a configuration can use the iron cores 211Aa to 211Ak and magnetic pole blocks 21Aa to 21Ak of ​​the above-described modified embodiments, similar to the electric motor 1000A of the first embodiment.

[0068] The outer rotor type electric motor 1000Al having such a configuration also has the same effects as the inner rotor type electric motor 1000A described above.

[0069] Next, another embodiment will be described. (Second embodiment: axial gap type electric motor) The electric motor 1000A in the first embodiment is a radial gap type having a gap in the radial direction, whereas the electric motor 1000B in the second embodiment is an axial gap type having a gap in the axial direction.

[0070] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an axial gap type electric motor according to the second embodiment.

[0071] The electric motor 1000B in the second embodiment includes, for example, an armature 1B and a mover 2B, as shown in FIG. 9, and in this embodiment, the armature 1B and the mover 2B are of an axial gap type, in which the armature 1B and the mover 2B are arranged at a predetermined distance in the axial direction.

[0072] Here, in the first embodiment, since the rotor is of a radial gap type, as described above, the movement direction θ is the circumferential direction, the opposing direction R is the radial direction, and the third direction Z is the rotational axis direction, but in this second embodiment, since the rotor is of an axial gap type, the movement direction θ is the circumferential direction, the opposing direction R is the rotational axis direction, and the third direction Z is the radial direction. Note this difference between the first and second embodiments.

[0073] In an axial gap type electric motor, the armature 1B is also called a stator and includes multiple coils that generate a magnetic field for rotating the mover 2B. More specifically, the armature 1B includes, for example, a disk-shaped yoke portion 11B, multiple columnar teeth 12B arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction (movement direction) θ on one main surface of the yoke portion 11B and protruding from the one main surface in a rotation axis direction (opposing direction) R, and multiple coils 13B wound around each of the multiple teeth 12B. As described below, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B are arranged in two rows in a third direction (radial direction) Z. Accordingly, the multiple teeth 12B include a first row of multiple first teeth 12B-1 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction θ and a second row of multiple second teeth 12B-2 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction θ. Each of the plurality of teeth 12B is fan-shaped when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis R. The yoke portion 11B and each of the plurality of teeth 12B are formed integrally or in combination of a plurality of pieces from a soft magnetic material such as soft iron or soft ferrite. A circular through-hole is formed in the center of the yoke portion 11B for inserting the rotation shaft (output shaft) 3, and the rotation shaft 3 is rotatably supported via a bearing 14B, such as a bearing, disposed within the through-hole.

[0074] The mover (rotor) 2B is a component that includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21B and rotates due to magnetic interaction between the magnetic fields (rotating magnetic fields) generated by the armature 1B and the magnetic fields generated by the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21B. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, the mover 2B includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21B, a back yoke 22B, and an unillustrated structure.

[0075] The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B include an iron core 211B and first to third permanent magnets 212B, 213B, and 214B, which are respectively similar to the iron core 211A and the first to third permanent magnets 212A, 213A, and 214A in the first embodiment described above. Therefore, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B are each configured similarly to the magnetic pole block 21A in the first embodiment described above. Therefore, their description will be omitted. Note that the first permanent magnet 212B is not shown in FIG. 9.

[0076] The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21B are arranged sequentially in the movement direction (circumferential direction) θ and in multiple rows in the third direction (radial direction) Z. That is, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21B arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ are arranged in multiple rows in the third direction (radial direction) Z. In the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment described above, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21B are arranged in two rows in the third direction (radial direction) Z. The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21B are arranged side by side such that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21B in the circumferential direction θ are different from each other, and also such that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21B in the third direction (radial direction) Z are different from each other. That is, at the same position in the circumferential direction θ, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B-1 in the first row in the radial direction Z are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces are south pole, north pole, south pole, north pole, ... in the circumferential direction, and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B-2 in the second row in the radial direction Z are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces are north pole, south pole, north pole, south pole, ... in the circumferential direction.

[0077] The back yoke 22B is a member that reduces leakage of magnetic force and supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B, and is formed of a soft magnetic material, similar to the yoke portion of the armature 1B. The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B are arranged in two rows in the radial direction Z, so the back yoke 22B includes a first back yoke 22B-1 in the first row in the radial direction Z that supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B-1 that are sequentially arranged in the circumferential direction θ, and a second back yoke 22B-2 in the second row in the radial direction Z that supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B-2 that are sequentially arranged in the circumferential direction θ. These first and second back yokes 22B-1 and 22B-2 have different diameters, but each has a hollow truncated cone shape (annular truncated cone shape) as shown in FIG. 9 because the iron core 211B is triangular prism-shaped and supports the magnetic pole blocks 21B on opposite sides via the second permanent magnet 213B. However, the first and second back yokes 22B-1, 22B-2 are oriented in opposite directions in the rotation axis direction R. For example, when the first back yoke 22B-1 is positioned radially inward of the second back yoke 22B-2, the first back yoke 22B-1 is disposed with the small diameter side of its hollow truncated cone facing the armature, and the second back yoke 22B-2 is disposed with the large diameter side of its hollow truncated cone facing the armature, in the rotation axis direction R. The diameter of the large diameter side of the truncated cone shape of the first back yoke 22B-1 is smaller than the diameter of the small diameter side of the truncated cone shape of the second back yoke 22B-2 by the length of the first permanent magnet 214B in the radial direction Z.

[0078] As described above, in the first embodiment, the opposing direction R and the third direction Z are the radial direction and the rotation axis direction, while in the second embodiment, the opposing direction R and the third direction Z are the rotation axis direction and the radial direction, so that the overall shape is a flat, hollow truncated cone.

[0079] The first back yoke 22B-1, in which these multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B-1 are arranged, is placed within the second back yoke 22B-2, in which multiple magnetic pole blocks 21B-2 are arranged, so that they are concentric with each other on the rotating shaft (output shaft) 3 and share each third permanent magnet 214B-1 (214B-2), and the iron cores 211B-1, 211B-2 are fixedly connected in the radial direction Z via each shared third permanent magnet 214B-1 (214B-2).

[0080] In this second embodiment, as in the first embodiment described above, one iron core 211B is surrounded by the first to third permanent magnets 212B, 212B, 213B, 214B on four sides, namely, the first and second movement direction faces, the opposite face, and the third direction face, which face each other in the movement direction (circumferential direction) θ, by utilizing the first permanent magnet 212B of the adjacent iron core 211B.

[0081] The unillustrated structure is a support member that supports the back yoke 22B, which is made of a non-magnetic material, from the opposite surface of the opposing surface in the opposing direction R. The unillustrated structure is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft (output shaft) 3 via an attachment member 4B.

[0082] The electric motor 1000B of the second embodiment having such a configuration can use the iron cores 211Aa to 211Ak and magnetic pole blocks 21Aa to 21Ak of ​​the above-described modified embodiments, just like the electric motor 1000A of the first embodiment.

[0083] The electric motor 1000B of the second embodiment having such a configuration also achieves the same effects as the electric motor 1000A of the first embodiment.

[0084] Next, another embodiment will be described. (Third embodiment: linear motor type electric motor) The electric motor 1000A in the first embodiment is a radial gap type having a gap in the radial direction, but the electric motor 1000C in the third embodiment is a linear motor type in which the mover moves linearly.

[0085] FIG. 10 is a perspective view for explaining a linear motor type electric motor according to the third embodiment.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 10, the electric motor 1000C in the third embodiment includes an armature 1C and a mover 2C, and in this embodiment is a linear motor in which the mover 2C moves linearly on the armature 1C.

[0087] Here, in the first embodiment, since it is a radial gap type, as described above, the moving direction θ is the circumferential direction, the opposing direction R is the radial direction, and the third direction Z is the rotation axis direction, but in this third embodiment, since it is a linear motor type, the moving direction θ is the extension direction of the armature 1C (the front-to-back direction on the paper in FIG. 10), the opposing direction R is the direction in which the mover 2C is placed spaced apart on the armature 1C (the up-to-down direction on the paper in FIG. 10), and the third direction Z is a direction perpendicular to both the moving direction θ and the opposing direction R (the left-to-right direction on the paper in FIG. 10). This difference between the first and third embodiments must be noted.

[0088] The armature 1C includes a plurality of coils that generate a magnetic field for linearly moving a mover 2C on the armature 1C. More specifically, in this embodiment, the armature 1C functions as a stator. For example, as shown in FIG. 10 , the armature 1C includes a plate-shaped yoke portion 11C, a plurality of columnar teeth 12C arranged at equal intervals in the direction of movement θ on one main surface (top surface) of the yoke portion 11C and protruding upward from the one main surface, and a plurality of coils 13C wound around each of the teeth 12C. As described below, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21C are arranged in two rows in the third direction Z. Accordingly, the plurality of teeth 12C includes a first row of first teeth 12C-1 arranged at equal intervals in the direction of movement θ and a second row of second teeth 12C-2 arranged at equal intervals in the direction of movement θ. The yoke portion 11C and the teeth portion 12C are formed integrally or in combination of a plurality of pieces from a soft magnetic material such as soft iron or soft ferrite.

[0089] The mover 2C is a part that includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21C and moves due to magnetic interaction between the magnetic fields generated by the armature 1C and the magnetic fields generated by the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21C. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 10, the mover 2C is, for example, generally columnar and includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21C and a back yoke 22C.

[0090] The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C include an iron core 211C and first to third permanent magnets 212C, 213C, and 214C, which are similar to the iron core 211A and the first to third permanent magnets 212A, 213A, and 214A in the first embodiment described above, respectively, and therefore the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C are configured similarly to the magnetic pole block 21A in the first embodiment described above, and therefore their description will be omitted.

[0091] The multiple pole blocks 21C are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ and in multiple rows in the third direction Z. That is, the multiple pole blocks 21C arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ are arranged in multiple rows in the third direction Z. In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the multiple pole blocks 21C arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ are arranged in two rows in the third direction Z. The multiple pole blocks 21C are arranged side by side such that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent pole blocks 21C in the movement direction θ are different from each other, and also such that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent pole blocks 21C in the third direction Z are different from each other. That is, at the same position in the movement direction θ, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C-1 in the first row in the third direction Z are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces are south pole, north pole, south pole, north pole, ... in the circumferential direction, and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C-2 in the second row in the third direction Z are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces are north pole, south pole, north pole, south pole, ... in the circumferential direction.

[0092] The back yoke 22C is a member that reduces magnetic force leakage and supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C, and is formed of a soft magnetic material, similar to the yoke portion of the armature 1B. The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C are arranged in two rows in the third direction Z, and accordingly the back yoke 22C includes a first plate-shaped back yoke 22C-1 in the first row and a second plate-shaped back yoke 22C-2 in the second row. In the first row, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C-1 are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ and are fixedly disposed on the opposing surface side of the first back yoke 22C-1 via the respective third permanent magnets 213C-1. In the second row, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C-2 are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ and are fixedly disposed on the opposing surface side of the second back yoke 22C-2 via the respective third permanent magnets 213C-2. The first row of multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C-1 arranged on the first back yoke 22C-1 is fixedly connected to the second row of multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C-2 via each third permanent magnet 214C-1 (214C-2) so that each third permanent magnet 214C-1 is shared as each third permanent magnet 214C-2 in the second row of multiple magnetic pole blocks 21C-2 arranged on the second back yoke 22C-2 adjacent to it in the third direction Z.

[0093] In this third embodiment, as in the first embodiment described above, one iron core 211C is surrounded by the first to third permanent magnets 212C, 212C, 213C, and 214C on four sides, namely, the first and second movement direction faces that face each other in the movement direction θ, the opposite face, and the third direction face, by utilizing the first permanent magnet 212C of the adjacent iron core 211C.

[0094] The electric motor 1000C of the third embodiment having such a configuration can use the iron cores 211Aa to 211Ak and magnetic pole blocks 21Aa to 21Ak of ​​the above-described modified embodiments, similar to the electric motor 1000A of the first embodiment.

[0095] The electric motor 1000C of the third embodiment having such a configuration also achieves the same effects as the electric motor 1000A of the first embodiment.

[0096] Although the electric motors 1000A to 1000C (including the magnetic pole blocks of each modified embodiment) in the first to third embodiments described above are single-gap types in which there is one gap between the armatures 1A to 1C and the movers 2A to 2C, they may also be multi-gap types in which there are multiple gaps between the armatures 1A to 1C and the movers 2A to 2C. For example, a double-gap, axial-gap electric motor is configured with one mover (rotor) and two armatures (stators) arranged side by side in the axial direction so as to face each other with the mover interposed therebetween. Alternatively, for example, a double-gap, linear-motor electric motor is configured with one mover and two armatures arranged side by side in the opposing direction so as to face each other with the mover interposed therebetween. Here, the linear-motor type will be described in more detail.

[0097] 11A and 11B are cross-sectional views for explaining a double-gap type electric motor in a thirteenth modified embodiment, in which Fig. 11A is an overall view and Fig. 11B shows one magnetic pole block 21Da.

[0098] The electric motor 1000Da in the thirteenth variant has, for example, two armatures, first and second armatures 1Da-1 and 1Da-2, and a mover 2Da, as shown in FIG. 11, and in this variant, is a double-gap linear motor in which the mover 2Da moves linearly between the first and second armatures 1Da-1 and 1Da-2.

[0099] Here, the thirteenth embodiment is a linear motor type, and so, similarly to the third embodiment, the movement direction θ is the extension direction of the armatures 1Da (1Da-1, 1Da-2) (the front-to-back direction on the paper in FIG. 11), the opposing direction R is the direction in which the first and second armatures 1Da are spaced apart and face each other (the left-to-right direction on the paper in FIG. 11), and the third direction Z is a direction perpendicular to both the movement direction θ and the opposing direction R (the up-to-down direction on the paper in FIG. 11). This difference must be noted between the first embodiment and the thirteenth modified embodiment. The same applies to the fourteenth to nineteenth modified embodiments described below.

[0100] The first and second armatures 1Da-1 and 1Da-2 each include a plurality of coils that generate a magnetic field for linearly moving the mover 2Da between the first and second armatures 1Da-1 and 1Da-2. The first armature 1Da-1 includes a first yoke portion 11Da-1, a plurality of first teeth portions 12Da-1, and a plurality of first coils 13Da-1, and the second armature 1Da-2 includes a second yoke portion 11Da-2, a plurality of second teeth portions 12Da-2, and a plurality of second coils 13Da-2. The first armature Da-1 and the second armature Da-2 are arranged facing each other with a predetermined gap along the facing direction R and so as to be plane-symmetrical with respect to the mover 2Da, but since they have the same structure, the following mainly describes the first armature 1Da-1, and by listing the reference number of the first armature 1Da-1 corresponding to the configuration of the second armature 1Da-2 in parentheses after the reference number of the first armature 1Da-1, a description of the second armature 1Da-2 will be omitted.

[0101] More specifically, in this embodiment, the first armature 1Da-1 (1Da-2) functions as a stator. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the first yoke portion 11Da-1 (11Da-2) is a plate-like member extending along the movement direction θ. The multiple first teeth 12Da-1 (12Da-2) are columnar members arranged at equal intervals in the movement direction θ on one main surface (upper surface) of the first yoke portion 11Da-1 (11Da-2) and protruding from the one main surface toward the mover 2Da (in the opposing direction R). The multiple coils 13Da-1 (13Da-2) are insulating-coated conductor members wound around each of the multiple teeth 12Da-1 (12Da-2). As will be described later, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da are arranged in two rows in the third direction Z, and the multiple teeth portions 12Da-1 (12Da-2) accordingly include a first row of multiple eleventh teeth portions 12Da-11 (12Da-21) aligned at equal intervals in the movement direction θ, and a second row of multiple twelfth teeth portions 12Da-12 (12Da-22) aligned at equal intervals in the movement direction θ. The first yoke portion 11Da-1 (11Da-2) and the first teeth portion 12Da-1 (12Da-2) are formed integrally or in combination of multiple pieces from a soft magnetic material such as soft iron or soft ferrite.

[0102] The mover 2Da is a component that includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da and is movable by magnetic interaction between the magnetic fields generated by the first and second armatures 1Da-1 and 1Da-2 and the magnetic fields generated by the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 11, the mover 2Da is generally columnar and includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da and a back yoke 22Da.

[0103] The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da include an iron core 211Da and first to third permanent magnets 212Da (not shown in FIG. 11), 213Da, and 214Da, and these 211Da to 214Da are similar to the iron core 211A and the first to third permanent magnets 212A, 213A, and 214A in the first embodiment described above, except for the shape of the iron core 211Da and the corresponding shape of the first permanent magnet 212Da, and the size of the second permanent magnet 213Da. Therefore, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da are each configured similarly to the magnetic pole block 21A in the first embodiment described above. For this reason, their description will be omitted. Like the iron cores 211Ai to 211Ak of ​​the ninth to eleventh modified embodiments, the iron core 211Da has a three-dimensional shape like a quadrangular prism whose cross section in the RZ plane is a trapezoid, with the opposing surface ASDa coinciding with the first surface FSDa of an imaginary quadrangular prism-shaped body VSPDa circumscribing the iron core 211Da and the third-direction opposing surface TFDa opposing the third-direction surface TSDa, as shown in Fig. 11. The iron core 211Da has an opening APDa formed in the movement-direction surface MSDa so as to penetrate in the movement direction θ, so that the area of ​​the movement-direction surface MSDa is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SSDa of the imaginary quadrangular prism-shaped body VSPDa. In the example shown in FIG. 11 , the opening APDa is a through-hole that is bored along the movement direction θ in a quadrangular prism shape with a trapezoidal cross section in the RZ plane. In this example, the opening APDa is a notch formed by cutting out one apex of the iron core 211Da. More specifically, the apex formed by the opposite surface OSDa and the third-direction surface TSDa of the iron core 211Da is cut out by a C-chamfer. The opposing surface ASDa and the third-direction surface TSDa are orthogonal to each other. The first permanent magnet 212Da (not shown) is formed with the same shape and size as the iron core 211Da in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, and an opening (in this example, a notch cut out by a C-chamfer) with the same shape and size as the opening APDa is formed at a location corresponding to the opening APDa (the notch in this example). As shown in FIG. 11, the second permanent magnet 213Da is sized to cover a portion of the opposite surface OSDa of the iron core 211Da, and in the example shown in FIG. 11, it covers from the end TP of the cutout portion APDa of the iron core 211Da to a portion of the opposite surface OSDa.Therefore, the remaining portion of the opposite surface OSDa of the iron core 211Da is exposed.

[0104] The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ, in multiple rows in the third direction Z, and in multiple rows in the opposing direction R. That is, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ are arranged in multiple rows in both the third direction Z and the opposing direction R. In the example shown in FIG. 11 , the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ are arranged in two rows in the third direction Z and two rows in the opposing direction R. Therefore, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da include multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-1 arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ in the first row in the third direction Z, and multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-2 arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ in the second row in the third direction Z. Each of these multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-1, 21Da-2 also constitutes multiple magnetic pole blocks in a first row in the facing direction R, and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da further include multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-4, 21Da-3 that are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ in a second row in the facing direction R. In the example shown in FIG. 11 , the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-1 are arranged adjacent to each of the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-2 and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-4, and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-3 are arranged adjacent to each of the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-2 and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-4, and these multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-1 to 21Da-4 are arranged so that each opening APDa (APDa-1 to APDa-4 (not shown)) is located inside to form a single opening.

[0105] The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da are arranged side by side such that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Da in the movement direction θ are different from each other, and the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Da in the third direction Z are different from each other. Furthermore, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da are arranged side by side such that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Da in the movement direction θ are different from each other, and the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Da in the facing direction R are different from each other. At the same position in the moving direction θ, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da-1 in the first row in each of the third direction Z and the facing direction R are sequentially arranged in the moving direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces are S, N, S, N, . . . in the circumferential direction, and the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da-2 in the second row in the third direction Z and the first row in the facing direction are sequentially arranged in the moving direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces are N, S, N, S, . . . in the circumferential direction. Next, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-4 in the first row in the third direction Z and the second row in the opposing direction R are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces are south pole, north pole, south pole, north pole, ... in the circumferential direction, and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-3 in the second row in both the third direction Z and the opposing direction R are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces are north pole, south pole, north pole, south pole, ... in the circumferential direction.

[0106] The back yoke 22Da is a member that reduces leakage of magnetic force and supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da, and is made of a soft magnetic material, similar to the yoke portion of the armature 1B. The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da are arranged in two rows in the third direction Z, and the back yoke 22Da includes a first back yoke 22Da-1 that supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-1 in the first row in the third direction Z and that are sequentially arranged in the movement direction θ, and a second back yoke 22Da-2 that supports the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-2 in the second row in the third direction Z and that are sequentially arranged in the circumferential direction θ. Furthermore, as described above, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da are also arranged in two rows in the opposing direction R, so the back yoke 22Da is provided with a third back yoke 22Da-3 that is in the second row in the opposing direction R and the first row in the third direction Z, supporting the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-4 that are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ, and a fourth back yoke 22Da-4 that is in the second row in the third direction Z, supporting the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-3 that are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction θ.In the example shown in Figure 11, the third back yoke 22Da-3 is formed integrally with the first back yoke 22Da-1, and the fourth back yoke 22Da-4 is formed integrally with the second back yoke 22Da-2. These first and second back yokes 22Da-1, 22Da-2 have the same shape, and each iron core 211Da is a quadrangular prism with a trapezoidal cross section, and supports the pole block 21Da on the inclined opposite surface OSDa via the second permanent magnet 213Da, so that it has a solid triangular prism shape (frustum cone shape) that extends in the movement direction θ and has one apex cut out, as shown in Fig. 11. The multiple pole blocks 21Da-1 in the first row in each of the third direction Z and the opposing direction R are fixedly arranged side by side, with each second permanent magnet 213Da-1 abutting (close contacting) one outer surface of the first back yoke 22Da-1, and abutting (close contacting) sequentially in the movement direction θ. The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-4 in the first row in the third direction Z and the second row in the opposing direction R are fixedly arranged in a row, with each second permanent magnet 213Da-4 abutting (closely contacting) the other outer surface of the first back yoke 22Da-1, and sequentially abutting (closely contacting) in the movement direction θ.The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da-2 in the second row in the third direction Z and the first row in the opposing direction are fixedly arranged side by side with each second permanent magnet 213Da-2 abutting (close contact) against the other outer surface of the second back yoke 22Da-2 and sequentially abutting (close contact) in the movement direction θ. The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Da-3 in the second row in each of the third direction Z and the opposing direction R are fixedly arranged side by side with each second permanent magnet 213Da-3 abutting (close contact) against one outer surface of the second back yoke 22Da-2 and sequentially abutting (close contact) in the movement direction θ. The first back yoke 22Da-1 on which the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-1, 21Da-4 are arranged and the second back yoke 22Da-2 on which the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-2, 21Da-3 are arranged share the third permanent magnets 214Da-1, 214Da-2, and are arranged with one of the first and second back yokes 22Da-1, 22Da-2 facing the opposite direction in the third direction Z so as to share the third permanent magnets 214Da-4, 214Da-3. In other words, the first and second back yokes 22Da-1, 22Da-2 are juxtaposed in the third direction Z with the truncated apexes of their truncated cone shapes facing each other. In the example shown in Figure 11, the first and second back yokes 22Da-1 and 22Da-2 each have a bottom surface that is curved convexly toward the truncated top (a curved surface that has a curvature in each of the opposing direction R and the third direction Z and a curvature of 0 in the movement direction θ (the radius of curvature is infinite)) from the perspective of reducing weight.

[0107] In this thirteenth variant, as in the first embodiment described above, one iron core 211Da is surrounded by the first to third permanent magnets 212Da, 212Da, 213Da, 214Da on four sides, namely, the first and second movement direction faces that face each other in the movement direction θ, the opposite face, and the third direction face, by utilizing the first permanent magnet 212Da of the adjacent iron core 211Da.

[0108] The electric motor 1000D of the thirteenth modified embodiment having such a configuration also achieves the same effects as the electric motor 1000A of the first embodiment.

[0109] As described above, the electric motors 1000A to 1000C in the first to third embodiments can use the iron cores and pole blocks provided therewith in the first to eleventh modified embodiments, but the electric motor 1000Da in the thirteenth modified embodiment can also use various iron cores and pole blocks provided therewith, not limited to the iron core 211Da and pole block 21Da using the iron core described above. For example, the iron core 211Db in the fourteenth modified embodiment shown in Fig. 12A and pole block 21Db provided therewith, and the iron core 211Dc in the fifteenth modified embodiment shown in Fig. 12B and pole block 21Dc provided therewith can be used.

[0110] 12A and 12B are cross-sectional views for explaining an iron core in an armature used in a double-gap electric motor and a pole block including the iron core in the armature used in a double-gap electric motor according to the fourteenth and fifteenth modified embodiments. Fig. 12A shows the fourteenth modified embodiment, and Fig. 12B shows the fifteenth modified embodiment.

[0111] As shown in Fig. 12A, the iron core 211Db of the fourteenth modified embodiment has a three-dimensional rectangular prism shape that is the same in shape and size as the imaginary rectangular prism-shaped body VSPDb, and has an opening APDb formed in the movement direction surface MSDb so as to penetrate in the movement direction θ in order to make the area of ​​the movement direction surface MSADb smaller than the area of ​​the second surface SSDb. In the example shown in Fig. 12A, this opening APDb is a through-hole carved out in the shape of a rectangular prism along the movement direction θ, and in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, it has a rectangular shape that extends from the apex formed by the opposite surface OSDb and the third direction surface TSDb toward the opposing surface ASDb in a substantially diagonal direction. The opening APDb is open at the apex. The first permanent magnet 212Db (not shown in FIG. 12A) is formed with the same shape and size as the iron core 211Db in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, and an opening with the same shape and size as the opening APDb is formed at a location corresponding to the opening APDb. The magnetic pole block 21Db of the fourteenth modified embodiment is configured with the iron core 211Db having such a three-dimensional shape, and first to third permanent magnets 212Db (not shown), 213Db, 214Db arranged along the movement direction surface MSDb, the opposite surface OSDb, and the third direction surface TSDb of the iron core 211Db, respectively.

[0112] The mover 2Db includes a plurality of such magnetic pole blocks 21Db. The mover 2Da of the thirteenth modified form has a core 211Da having a three-dimensional quadrangular prism shape with a trapezoidal cross section in the RZ plane, and therefore includes a back yoke 22Da, whereas in this fourteenth modified form, the core 211Db has an opening APDb but generally has a three-dimensional quadrangular prism shape with a rectangular cross section in the RZ plane. Therefore, the mover 2Db including the magnetic pole blocks 21Db of this fourteenth modified form does not include a back yoke, and includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ, arranged in two rows in the third direction Z and two rows in the opposing direction R. Therefore, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db include multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-1 arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ in a first row in the third direction Z, and multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-2 arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ in a second row in the third direction Z. Each of these multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-1, 21Db-2 is also multiple magnetic pole blocks in the first row in the facing direction R, and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db further include multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-4, 21Db-3 arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ in a second row in the facing direction R. In the example shown in Figure 12, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-1 are fixedly arranged so as to be adjacent to each of the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-2 and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-4, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-3 are fixedly arranged so as to be adjacent to each of the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-2 and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-4, and these multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-1 to 21Db-4 are arranged so that each opening APDb (APDb-1 to APDb-4 (not shown)) is located inside and forms a single opening. The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db-1 and the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db-2 share the third permanent magnets 214Db-1 and 214Db-2, and the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db-4 and the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db-3 share the third permanent magnets 214Db-4 and 214Db-3.Furthermore, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db-1 and the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db-4 share the second permanent magnets 213Db-1 and 213Db-4, and the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db-2 and the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db-3 share the second permanent magnets 213Db-2 and 213Db-3.

[0113] In this 14th variant, as in the first embodiment described above, one iron core 211Db is surrounded by the first to third permanent magnets 212Db, 212Db, 213Db, and 214Db on four sides: the first and second movement direction faces that face each other in the movement direction θ, the opposite face, and the third direction face, by utilizing the first permanent magnet 212Db of the adjacent iron core 211Db.

[0114] As in the thirteenth modified embodiment, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db are arranged side by side such that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Db in the movement direction θ are different from each other, and the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Db in the third direction Z are different from each other. Furthermore, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Db are arranged side by side such that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Db in the movement direction θ are different from each other, and the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Db in the opposing direction R are different from each other.

[0115] The iron core 211Dc of the 15th modified embodiment and the pole blocks 21Dc (21Dc-1 to 21Dc-4) equipped with it are similar to the iron core 211Db of the 14th modified embodiment and the pole blocks 21Db (21Db-1 to 21Db-4) equipped with it, except for the openings APDc (APDc-1, APDc-2), as shown in Figure 12B, so their description will be omitted.

[0116] The iron core 211Dc of the fifteenth modified embodiment has two openings, first and second openings APDc-1 and APDc-2. Like the opening APf1 of the sixth modified embodiment, the first opening APDc-1 is a through-hole carved into a rectangular prism shape along the movement direction θ and is formed at a substantially central position in the counter direction R. One side of the first opening APDc-1 coincides with one side of the imaginary rectangular prism-shaped body VSPDc, i.e., the first opening APDc-1 is open and faces the outside at that side. Therefore, the first opening APDc-1 forms a notch that cuts out the iron core 211Dc. While the opening APDb of the fourteenth modified embodiment has a rectangular shape in a plan view viewed from the movement direction θ, the second opening APDc-2 is similar to the opening APDb of the fourteenth modified embodiment except that it has a circular shape in a plan view viewed from the movement direction θ, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0117] Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a triple-gap electric motor according to a sixteenth modified embodiment. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an armature core and a pole block including the armature core used in a triple-gap electric motor according to seventeenth to nineteenth modified embodiments. Fig. 14A shows the seventeenth modified embodiment, Fig. 14B shows the eighteenth modified embodiment, and Fig. 14C shows the nineteenth modified embodiment. Note that the first permanent magnet is omitted in Figs. 13 and 14.

[0118] The electric motor 1000Dd in the 16th modified embodiment has, for example, three armatures 1Dd-1 to 1Dd-3 and a mover 2Dd, as shown in Figure 13, and in this modified embodiment is a triple-gap linear motor in which the mover 2Dd moves linearly in a space formed by the first to third armatures 1Dd-1 to 1Dd-3.

[0119] The first to third armatures 1Dd-1 to 1Dd-3 each include a plurality of coils that generate a magnetic field for linearly moving the mover 2Dd in a space surrounded by the first to third armatures 1Dd-1 to 1Dd-3. The first to third armatures 1Dd-1 to 1Dd-3 are similar to the armatures 1Da-1 (1Da-2) of the thirteenth modified embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. The first armature 1Dd-1 and the third armature 1Dd-3 are disposed facing each other with a predetermined gap along the facing direction R and plane-symmetrical with respect to the mover 2Dd, and the second armature 1Db-2 is disposed between one end of the first armature 1Dd-1 in the third direction Z and one end of the third armature 1Dd-3 in the third direction Z so that the first to third armatures 1Dd-1 to 1Dd-3 form a U-shape in a plan view viewed from the movement direction θ. As a result, the first to third armatures 1Dd-1 to 1Dd-3 form a rectangular prism-shaped space extending along the movement direction θ, and the mover 2Dd moves linearly within this space along the movement direction θ.

[0120] The mover 2Dd is a component that includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Dd and moves due to magnetic interaction between the magnetic fields generated by the first through third armatures 1Dd-1 through 1Dd-3 and the magnetic fields generated by the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Dd. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 13, the mover 2Dd is generally columnar and includes a plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Dd and a back yoke 22Dd.

[0121] The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd are arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ, in multiple rows in the third direction Z, and in multiple rows in the opposing direction R. In the example shown in Fig. 13, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ are arranged in two rows in the third direction Z and two rows in the opposing direction R. Therefore, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd include multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-1 arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ in the first row in the third direction Z, and multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-2 arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ in the second row in the third direction Z. These multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-1, 21Dd-2 are also multiple magnetic pole blocks in the first row in the facing direction R, and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd further include multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-4, 21Dd-3 in the second row in the facing direction R, arranged sequentially in the movement direction θ. The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-2 and 21Dd-3 and their back yokes 22Dd are similar to the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Da-2 and 21Da-3 and their back yokes 22Da-2 in the thirteenth modified embodiment, respectively, and therefore their description will be omitted. The multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-1 and 21Dd-4 are similar to the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Db-1 and 21Db-4 in the fourteenth modified embodiment, respectively, except for the openings, and therefore their description will be omitted. The openings APDd-1 and APDd-4 of the cores 211Dd-1 and 211Dd-4 in the magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-1 and 21Dd-4 of the 16th modified embodiment are notched portions formed by cutting out the core at one apex, like the opening APDa of the core 211Da in the 13th modified embodiment. More specifically, the apex formed by the opposite surface and the third direction surface of the core is cut out by a C-chamfer.

[0122] In the example shown in Figure 13, the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-1 are arranged adjacent to the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-2 and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-4, respectively, and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-3 are arranged adjacent to the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-2 and the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-4, respectively, and these multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-1 to 21Dd-4 are arranged so that each opening APDd is located inside and forms a single opening.

[0123] The plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-1 and 21Dd-2 share the third permanent magnets, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-4 and 21Dd-3 share the third permanent magnets, and the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Dd-1 and 21Db-4 share the second permanent magnets.

[0124] In this 16th variant, as in the first embodiment described above, one iron core is surrounded by the first to third permanent magnets on four sides, namely, the first and second moving direction sides that face each other in the moving direction θ, the opposite side, and the third direction side, by utilizing the first permanent magnet of the adjacent iron core.

[0125] As in the thirteenth modified embodiment, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Dd are arranged side by side such that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Dd in the movement direction θ are different from each other, and the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Db in the third direction Z are different from each other. Furthermore, the plurality of magnetic pole blocks 21Dd are arranged side by side such that the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Dd in the movement direction θ are different from each other, and the magnetic poles on the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks 21Dd in the facing direction R are different from each other.

[0126] The electric motor 1000Dd of the sixteenth modified embodiment having such a configuration also achieves the same effects as the electric motor 1000A of the first embodiment.

[0127] The electric motor 1000Dd in this sixteenth modified embodiment is not limited to the above-described iron core and pole block 21Dd (21Dd-1 to 21Dd-4) using the same, and various iron cores and pole blocks equipped with the same can be used. For example, the iron core in the seventeenth modified embodiment shown in Fig. 14A and pole blocks 21De (21De-1 to 21De-4) equipped with the same, the iron core in the eighteenth modified embodiment shown in Fig. 14B and pole blocks 21Df (21Df-1 to 21Df-4) equipped with the same, and the iron core in the nineteenth modified embodiment shown in Fig. 14C and pole blocks 21Dg (21Dg-1 to 21Dg-4) equipped with the same can be used.

[0128] The iron cores and the pole blocks 21De (21De-1 to 21De-4) equipped with the iron cores in the seventeenth modified embodiment are similar to the iron cores and the pole blocks 21Dd (21Dd-1 to 21Dd-4) equipped with the iron cores in the sixteenth modified embodiment, except for the openings APDe, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. The openings APDe of the iron cores 211De in the plurality of pole blocks 21De (21De-1 to 21De-4) in the seventeenth modified embodiment are through-holes carved out in the shape of a rectangular prism along the movement direction θ, as shown in FIG. 14A , similar to the openings APDb in the fourteenth modified embodiment. In a plan view viewed from the movement direction θ, the openings APDe are formed in a rectangular shape extending from an apex formed by the opposite surface and the third-direction surface toward the opposing surface in a substantially diagonal direction. The openings in the fourteenth modified embodiment are open at the apex.

[0129] The iron cores and pole blocks 21Df (21Df-1 to 21Df-4) equipped with the iron cores in the eighteenth modified form are similar to the iron cores and pole blocks 21Dd (21Dd-1 to 21Dd-4) equipped with the iron cores in the sixteenth modified form, except for the openings APDf (APDf-11 to APDf-41, APDf-12 to APDf-42), respectively, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. The openings APDf of the iron cores in the plurality of pole blocks 21Df (21Df-1 to 21Df-4) in the eighteenth modified form include two openings, first and second openings APDf-11 to APDf-41, APDf-12 to APDf-42. The first openings APDf-11 to APDf-41 in the eighteenth modified form are similar to the openings in the sixteenth modified form, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. As shown in Figure 14B, the second openings APDf-12 to APDf-42 in the 18th modified form are through holes carved out in the shape of a rectangular prism along the movement direction θ, and the second openings APDf-12 and APDf-42 in the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Df-1 and 21Df-4 in the 18th modified form are formed in a rectangular shape extending from the apex formed by the opposing surface and the third direction opposing surface to the opposite surface in an approximately diagonal direction in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, and the second openings APDf-22 and APDf-32 in the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Df-2 and 21Df-3 in the 18th modified form are rectangular in shape extending from the third direction opposing surface along the third direction in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ, and are open to the outside at the third direction opposing surface.

[0130] The iron cores and pole blocks 21Dg (21Dg-1 to 21Dg-4) equipped with the iron cores in the 19th modified form are similar to the iron cores and pole blocks 21Dd (21Dd-1 to 21Dd-4) equipped with the iron cores in the 16th modified form, except for the openings APDg (APDg-11 to APDg-41, APDg-12 to APDg-42), and therefore description thereof will be omitted. The openings of the iron cores in the multiple pole blocks 21Dg (21Dg-1 to 21Dg-4) in the 19th modified form include first and second openings APDg-11 to APDg41, APDg-12 to APDg-42. The first openings APDg-11 to APDg-41 in the 19th modified form are similar to the openings in the 16th modified form, and therefore description thereof will be omitted. The second openings APDg-12 to APDg-42 in the 19th modified form are cylindrical through holes carved along the movement direction θ, as shown in Figure 14C, and the second openings APDg-12 to APDg-42 in the multiple magnetic pole blocks 21Dg (21Dg-1 to 21Df-4) in the 19th modified form are formed in a circular shape near the top formed by the opposing surface and the third direction opposing surface in a plan view seen from the movement direction θ.

[0131] In order to express the present invention, the present invention has been properly and sufficiently described above through the embodiments with reference to the drawings, but it should be recognized that those skilled in the art can easily change and / or improve the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, unless the changes or improvements made by those skilled in the art are at a level that causes departure from the scope of the claims described in the claims, such changes or improvements are interpreted as being included in the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0132] 1000A, 1000Al, 1000B, 1000C, 1000Da, 1000Dd electric motor 1A, 1Al, 1B, 1C, 1Da, 1Dd (1Dd-1 to 1Dd-4) Armature 2A, 2Al, 2B, 2C, 2Da~2Dg mover 21A, 21Aa to 21Al, 21B, 21C (21C-1, 21C-2), 21Da (21Da-1 to 21Da-4) to 21Dg (21Dg-1 to 21Dg-4) magnetic pole blocks 211A, 211Aa~211Al, 211B iron core 212A, 212Aa~212Al, 212C (212C-1, 212C-2) 1st permanent magnet 213A, 213Aa~213Al, 213B, 213C (213C-1, 213C-2), 213Da (213Da-1~213Da-4)~213Dc (213Dc-1~213Dc-4) 2nd permanent magnet 214A, 214Aa~214Al, 214B, 214C-1, 214Da(214Da-1~214Da-4)~214Dc(214Dc-1~214Dc-4) Third permanent magnet APe1~APk1, APDa~APDg opening

Claims

1. a mover including an armature having an armature coil, an iron core arranged opposite to the armature, and a plurality of magnetic pole blocks having a plurality of permanent magnets surrounding the iron core so that the surfaces facing the armature are open as mover magnetic poles; the plurality of permanent magnets in the magnetic pole block are arranged with the same magnetic poles facing the iron core, The plurality of magnetic pole blocks are arranged so that the magnetic poles of the opposing surfaces of adjacent magnetic pole blocks are different from each other, The iron core has the facing surface, an opposite surface opposite the armature in a facing direction that faces the armature, and a movement direction surface in the movement direction of the mover, the facing surface coincides with a first surface of an imaginary square pillar-shaped body that circumscribes the iron core, and the area of ​​the movement direction surface presents a three-dimensional shape that is smaller than the area of ​​a second surface of the imaginary square pillar-shaped body in the movement direction. Electric motor.

2. The iron core has a three-dimensional shape in which the opposite surface is perpendicular to the moving direction plane and inclined with respect to the opposing surface.

2. The electric motor according to claim 1.

3. the iron core has a recess formed in the movement direction surface so as to be recessed in the movement direction, or an opening formed in the movement direction surface so as to penetrate in the movement direction, so that the area of ​​the movement direction surface is smaller than the area of ​​the second surface, Among the plurality of permanent magnets, a first permanent magnet arranged along the movement direction surface has a shape that does not block the recess or the opening.

2. The electric motor according to claim 1.

4. 2. The electric motor according to claim 1, which is an axial gap type.

5. 2. The electric motor according to claim 1, which is of a radial gap type.

6. 2. The electric motor of claim 1, which is of the linear motor type.

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