A multi-phase motor including a rotor and a stator including at least one core. The stator includes a plurality of phase sections. Each phase section is configured to provide a phase of the multi-phase motor. Each phase section includes at least one of the core(s), at least two ring magnets having polarity facing in a substantially same direction, and a winding between the at least two ring magnets. The winding is configured to be energized to direct flux through the at least one core at a first portion associated with a first one of the ring magnets, and to be differently energized to direct flux through the at least one core at a second portion associated with a second one of the ring magnets.
1. A multi-phase motor comprising:
a rotor; and
a stator comprising at least one core, where the stator comprises a plurality of phase sections, where each phase section is configured to provide a phase of the multi-phase motor, where each phase section comprises at least one of the core(s), at least two ring magnets having polarity facing in a substantially same direction, and a winding between the at least two ring magnets, where the ring magnets comprise permanent radially magnetized ring magnets, where the winding is configured to be energized to direct flux through the at least one core at a first portion associated with a first one of the ring magnets and to be differently energized to direct flux through the at least one core at a second portion associated with a second one of the ring magnets.
2. A multi-phase motor as in claim 1 where the at least one core comprises a soft magnetic composite (SMC) material.
3. A multi-phase motor as in claim 1 where the stator comprises first and second stator members, where the each stator member comprises an inner toothed member and two outer toothed members.
4. A multi-phase motor as in claim 3 where teeth of the outer toothed members of the first stator member are phased zero (0) degrees and 180 degrees relative to teeth on the rotor.
5. A multi-phase motor as in claim 4 where teeth of the outer toothed members of the second stator member are phased 90 degrees and 270 degrees relative to teeth on the rotor.
6. A multi-phase motor as in claim 4 where the inner toothed member of the first stator member comprises two sets of teeth, where each set of teeth are phased to correspond to one of the phases of the teeth of the outer toothed members of the first stator member.
7. A multi-phase motor as in claim 1 where a first phase section comprises inner and outer stator members, where the each stator member comprises a top toothed section and a bottom toothed section.
8. A multi-phase motor as in claim 1 where a first phase section comprises top and bottom stator members, where the each stator member comprises an inner toothed section and an outer toothed section.
9. A substrate transport apparatus comprising:
a substrate transport arm; and
a drive connected to the substrate transport arm, where the drive comprises the multi-phase motor of claim 1 .
10. A multi-phase motor comprising:
a rotor; and
a stator comprising at least one core, where the stator comprises a plurality of phase sections, where each phase section is configured to provide a phase of the multi-phase motor, where each phase section comprises at least one of the core(s), at least two ring magnets having polarity facing in a substantially same direction, and a winding between the at least two ring magnets, where the winding is configured to be energized to direct flux through the at least one core at a first portion associated with a first one of the ring magnets and to be differently energized to direct flux through the at least one core at a second portion associated with a second one of the ring magnets,
where a first phase section comprises a first stator member and a second stator member, where a second phase section comprises the second stator member and a third stator member, and where the each stator member comprises a top toothed section and a bottom toothed section.
11. A multi-phase motor as in claim 10 where the at least one core comprises a soft magnetic composite (SMC) material.
12. A multi-phase motor as in claim 10 where the stator comprises first and second stator members, where the each stator member comprises an inner toothed member and two outer toothed members.
13. A multi-phase motor as in claim 10 where teeth of the outer toothed members of the first stator member are phased zero (0) degrees and 180 degrees relative to teeth on the rotor.
14. A multi-phase motor as in claim 13 where teeth of the outer toothed members of the second stator member are phased 90 degrees and 270 degrees relative to teeth on the rotor.
15. A multi-phase motor as in claim 13 where the inner toothed member of the first stator member comprises two sets of teeth, where each set of teeth are phased to correspond to one of the phases of the teeth of the outer toothed members of the first stator member.
16. A multi-phase motor as in claim 10 where the ring magnets are permanent radially magnetized ring magnets.
17. A substrate transport apparatus comprising:
a substrate transport arm; and
a drive connected to the substrate transport arm, where the drive comprises the multi-phase motor of claim 10 .
18. A multi-phase motor comprising:
a rotor; and
a stator comprising at least one core, where the stator comprises a plurality of phase sections, where each phase section is configured to provide a phase of the multi-phase motor, where each phase section comprises at least one of the core(s), at least two ring magnets having polarity facing in a substantially same direction, and a winding between the at least two ring magnets, where the winding is configured to be energized to direct flux through the at least one core at a first portion associated with a first one of the ring magnets and to be differently energized to direct flux through the at least one core at a second portion associated with a second one of the ring magnets, where a first phase section comprises spaced top and bottom stator members having the at least two ring magnets and the winding therebetween, where the each stator member comprises an inner toothed section and an outer toothed section facing an opposite direction.
19. A multi-phase motor as in claim 18 where the at least one core comprises a soft magnetic composite (SMC) material.
20. A substrate transport apparatus comprising:
a substrate transport arm; and
a drive connected to the substrate transport arm, where the drive comprises the multi-phase motor of claim 18 .