Magnetic Gear Mechanism Reducing Eddy Current Losses

A magnetic flux shielding member made of soft magnetic material is introduced as an intermediary component between divided permanent magnets. This shielding member bridges the magnetic flux paths at division interfaces, preventing flux leakage that would otherwise occur due to the gaps between divided magnet pieces. The shielding member thus mediates between the need for magnet division (to reduce eddy currents) and the need for continuous magnetic flux (for torque transmission), resolving the contradiction by eliminating flux leakage without requiring the magnets to be undivided.

The magnetic flux shielding member acts as an intermediary layer between the surface-mounted permanent magnets and the pole shoes. This shielding member intercepts and redirects the magnetic flux, preventing it from forming eddy current loops in the pole shoe surfaces. The shielding member thus enables the use of simple surface magnet structures while eliminating the harmful eddy current effects that would otherwise result from direct exposure of magnet surfaces to pole shoes.

The solution segments the permanent magnets into multiple pieces arranged in the axial direction, with magnetic flux shielding members positioned between them. This segmentation approach reduces eddy current losses by breaking up large magnet surfaces while maintaining manageable individual components. The segmented structure achieves the benefits of embedded magnet configurations without requiring complex internal embedding, as the magnets can be surface-mounted in a modular, segmented arrangement that simplifies manufacturing while reducing eddy currents.