Displaced Magnet Pole Arrangement for Cogging Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Permanent-magnet based AC rotating electrical machines experience significant cogging torque due to the interaction between rotor and stator geometry, leading to efficiency, reliability, vibration, and noise issues, with existing solutions either being costly, complex, or compromising other design considerations.

Innovation Solution

The displacement of magnet poles from their conventional positions, with specific angular displacement patterns determined by the formula D = 2p - 1N, where D is the angular displacement, p is the magnet pole number, and N is the number of magnet poles, to reduce cogging torque while maintaining mechanical balance and flexibility in design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If magnet poles are uniformly spaced around the rotor circumference, then the machine structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but cogging torque is significant causing vibration and noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemagnet pole arrangementVSAvoidcogging torque
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by displacing magnet poles from their conventional uniform positions. The displacement follows a specific pattern where the angular position of each magnet pole is shifted by an amount proportional to its pole number, creating an asymmetric distribution that eliminates the symmetry causing cogging while maintaining manufacturability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the angular position parameter of magnet poles from uniform spacing to a displaced pattern. The displacement amount is calculated based on the formula involving the number of magnet poles and their individual pole numbers, transforming the geometric parameter to reduce cogging torque

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of information

If the number of winding slots is an integral multiple of the number of magnet poles, then the magneto-motive force contains minimized harmonics, but cogging is pronounced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharmonic contentVSAvoidcogging
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent breaks the symmetry between winding slots and magnet poles by displacing the magnet poles. This asymmetric arrangement disrupts the direct alignment that causes cogging when the slot number is an integral multiple of pole number, while preserving the harmonic benefits of the integral multiple relationship

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Object-generated harmful factors

If magnet poles are displaced to reduce cogging, then cogging torque is minimized, but mechanical balance may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecogging torqueVSAvoidmechanical balance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent carefully controls the displacement parameter to achieve cogging reduction while maintaining mechanical balance. The displacement follows a specific mathematical pattern that ensures the center of gravity remains at the rotor axis, preventing mechanical imbalance despite the asymmetric magnet pole positions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively reduces cogging torque by altering the potential energy positions of the rotor relative to the stator, minimizing unwanted vibrations and noise, and allows for simpler construction and analysis, while maintaining mechanical balance and reducing harmonic content.

Implementation Method 1

permanent-magnet based, alternating current (AC), rotating electrical machines

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

the attraction between the rotor and the stator is at a maximum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic attraction: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentEP1848096B1Electrical machines with reduced cogging
Publication Date: 2011.07.06 CONVERTEAM UK LTD
  • EP1848096B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1848096B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP1848096B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present invention provides an electrical machine (1) with reduced cogging. The magnet poles (3) of the electrical machine are comprised of at least two separate groups of at least two circumferentially adjacent magnet poles. One of the circumferentially outer magnet poles (3a, 3h) in one of the groups of magnet poles is defined as being in its reference position. The reference position of each other magnet pole (3b to 3g) is defined as the position each other magnet pole would occupy if all the magnet poles were equally circumferentially spaced around the first or second body and the one circumferentially outer pole was in its reference position. At least one of the circumferentially outer magnet poles (3a, 3h) in each group is sited in its reference position. At least one magnet pole (3a to 3g) in each group is a displaced magnet pole and is sited in a position that is displaced from its reference position by an amount that is not equal to an integral multiple of the reference angular pitch of the winding slots. The displacement of the magnet poles (3) provides a pronounced reduction in cogging.