Permanent magnet motor rotor having magnetic permeable material for enhanced flux distribution

1. A rotor for a rotary electric motor comprising:

a plurality of permanent magnets circumferentially distributed about an axis of rotation, adjacent magnets successively alternating in magnetic polarity; and

a magnetically permeable material having a surface in contact with surfaces of the plurality of permanent magnets to enhance flux distribution among the magnets, the magnetically permeable material having apertures at areas of low flux density, wherein:

the plurality of permanent magnets are arrayed in an annular ring having radially inner and outer circumferential surfaces;

the magnetically permeable material is in contact with only one of said inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the annular ring; and

the magnetically permeable material comprises segments detached from each other along the circumferential direction, said apertures comprising axially aligned spaces between segments, the apertures coinciding with central portions of the magnets.

2. A rotor as recited in claim 1 , wherein the magnetically permeable material is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the annular ring.

3. A rotor for a rotary electric motor comprising:

a plurality of permanent magnets circumferentially distributed about an axis of rotation, adjacent magnets successively alternating in magnetic polarity; and

a magnetically permeable material having a surface in contact with surfaces of the plurality of permanent magnets to enhance flux distribution among the magnets, the magnetically permeable material having apertures at areas of low flux density, wherein:

the plurality of permanent magnets are arrayed in an annular ring having radially inner and outer circumferential surfaces, the array comprising a plurality of axially separated sections; and

each magnet exhibits one magnetic polarity at the inner surface and an opposite magnetic polarity at the outer surface to form a polar orientation in the radial direction.

4. A rotor as recited in claim 3 , wherein the magnets in each section are substantially equally spaced from each other in the circumferential direction and in substantially axial alignment with the magnets of the other sections, thereby forming in the magnet array at least one column space perpendicular to the axis and a plurality of row spaces aligned in the axial direction.

5. A rotor as recited in claim 4 , wherein said apertures comprise openings coincident with central portions of the magnets and the magnetically permeable material is in contact with perimeter regions of the magnets.

6. A rotor as recited in claim 5 , wherein the magnetically permeable material comprises additional apertures at column space and row space intersections.

7. A rotor as recited in claim 5 , further comprising auxiliary magnets positioned between adjacent sections of said axially separated sections of permanent magnets, the auxiliary magnets having polar orientations in the axial direction; and

wherein the magnetically permeable material contains spaces overlapping the auxiliary magnets.

8. A rotor as recited in claim 5 , wherein the magnetically permeable material is generally annular and has an opposite surface disposed at a substantially uniform radial distance from the axis.

9. A rotor as recited in claim 4 , wherein the magnetically permeable material is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the annular ring.

10. A rotor as recited in claim 5 , wherein said magnetically permeable material is embedded in a non-magnetic back plate.

11. A rotor as recited in claim 1 , wherein said apertures provide cooling channels for the rotor.

12. A rotary electric motor comprising:

a rotor comprising a plurality of permanent magnet elements disposed in an annular ring configuration about an axis of rotation, the magnet elements successively alternating in magnetic polarity along an annular surface, and a magnetically permeable material having a surface in contact with surfaces of the plurality of permanent magnets to enhance flux distribution among the magnets, the magnetically permeable material having apertures at areas of low flux density; and

a stator spaced from the rotor by a radial air gap, the stator including a plurality of ferromagnetic core segments having respective coils wound thereon to form stator windings, the core segments separated from direct contact with each other and disposed along the radial air gap, each stator segment comprising a plurality of poles aligned with each other in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, the stator thereby comprising a first set of stator poles in radial alignment and an axially displaced second set of stator poles in radial alignment;

wherein said apertures comprise openings coincident with central portions of the magnets, the magnetically permeable material surrounding the apertures with a surface contacting the perimeters of the magnets; and

wherein the magnetically permeable material comprises additional apertures at intersections of spaces between the magnets.

13. A rotary electric motor comprising:

a rotor comprising a plurality of permanent magnet elements disposed in an annular ring configuration about an axis of rotation, the magnet elements successively alternating in magnetic polarity along an annular surface, and a magnetically permeable material having a surface in contact with surfaces of the plurality of permanent magnets to enhance flux distribution among the magnets, the magnetically permeable material having apertures at areas of low flux density; and

a stator spaced from the rotor by a radial air gap, the stator including a plurality of ferromagnetic core segments having respective coils wound thereon to form stator windings, the core segments separated from direct contact with each other and disposed along the radial air gap, each stator segment comprising a plurality of poles aligned with each other in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, the stator thereby comprising a first set of stator poles in radial alignment and an axially displaced second set of stator poles in radial alignment;

wherein said apertures comprise openings coincident with central portions of the magnets, the magnetically permeable material surrounding the apertures with a surface contacting the perimeters of the magnets; and

further comprising auxiliary magnets positioned between adjacent sections, the auxiliary magnets having polar orientations in the axial direction; and

wherein the magnetically permeable material contains spaces overlapping the auxiliary magnets.

14. A rotor as recited in claim 12 , wherein said apertures provide cooling channels for the motor.

15. A rotor for a rotary electric motor comprising:

a plurality of permanent magnets circumferentially distributed about an axis of rotation, adjacent magnets successively alternating in magnetic polarity; and

a generally annular magnetically permeable material having a surface in contact with surfaces of the plurality of permanent magnets to enhance flux distribution among the magnets, the magnetically permeable material comprising portions of different radial thickness;

wherein the magnetically permeable material is of a thinner radial thickness at areas of relatively lower flux density than at areas of relatively higher flux density; and

wherein the plurality of permanent magnets are arrayed in an annular ring having radially inner and outer circumferential surfaces, the array comprising a plurality of axially separated sections, the magnets in each section are substantially equally spaced from each other in the circumferential direction and in substantially axial alignment with the magnets of the other sections, thereby forming in the magnet array at least one column space perpendicular to the axis and a plurality of row spaces aligned in the axial direction; and

the areas of thinner radial thickness of the magnetically permeable material are coincident with central portions of the magnets.

16. A rotor as recited in claim 15 , wherein the magnetically permeable material comprises additional areas of thinner radial thickness at column space and row space intersections.

17. A rotor as recited in claim 15 , wherein the radial thickness of the magnetically permeable material is tapered in accordance with the flux density distribution pattern in the rotor.

18. A rotor as recited in claim 15 , wherein the areas of thinner radial thickness of the magnetically permeable material are of relatively uniform thickness.

19. A rotor as recited in claim 15 , wherein the areas of thinner radial thickness of the magnetically permeable material are of variable thickness.