Gaming machine including brushless motor system
A brushless motor system for use with a mechanical reel gaming machine is provided. The brushless motor system includes a reel hub and a reel frame rotationally attached to a center shaft of the reel hub. The brushless motor system also includes a permanent magnet (PM) rotor attached to the reel frame and including a plurality of permanent magnets attached to the PM rotor. The brushless motor system further includes a stator including stator coils attached to the reel hub, the plurality of stator coils are mounted parallel to a surface of the PM rotor at a separation distance. The stator causes the PM rotor to rotate during activation of the stator without direct contact between the stator and the rotor, thereby causing the display of one or more symbols of the plurality of symbols during the wagering game based on the rotation.
1. A brushless motor system for use with a mechanical reel gaming machine, the motor system comprising:
a shaft;
a reel rotationally mounted to the shaft, the reel configured to display a plurality of symbols associated with a wagering game provided by the mechanical reel gaming machine;
a permanent magnet (PM) rotor mounted on the reel, the PM rotor comprising a rotor surface and a plurality of permanent magnets coupled to the rotor surface, the plurality of permanent magnets positioned on the rotor surface circumferentially about the shaft;
a first partial stator coupled to a mounting frame and spaced from the PM rotor by a separation distance, the first partial stator comprising a first plurality of stator coils, each stator coil of the first plurality of stator coils positioned a radial distance from the shaft and circumferentially spaced about the shaft along a first arc; and
a second partial stator coupled to the mounting frame and spaced from the PM rotor by the separation distance, the second partial stator comprising a second plurality of stator coils, each stator coil of the second plurality of stator coils positioned the radial distance from the shaft and circumferentially spaced about the shaft along a second arc,
wherein a first circumferential gap is defined between the first partial stator and the second partial stator, the first circumferential gap spaced the radial distance from the shaft and extending continuously between the first arc and the second arc, wherein no stator coils are positioned along the first circumferential gap.
2. The motor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first circumferential gap subtends through at least a 45 degree angle about the shaft.
3. The motor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first circumferential gap subtends through at least a 90 degree angle about the shaft.
4. The motor system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein a second circumferential gap is defined between the first partial stator and the second partial stator, the second circumferential gap being circumferentially opposed to the first circumferential gap, wherein no stator coils are positioned along the second circumferential gap.
5. The motor system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a third partial stator coupled to the mounting frame and spaced from the PM rotor by the separation distance, the third partial stator comprising a third plurality of stator coils each positioned the radial distance from the shaft and circumferentially spaced about the shaft along a third arc.
6. The motor system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein a second circumferential gap is defined between the second partial stator and the third partial stator, the second circumferential gap spaced the radial distance from the shaft and extending continuously between the second arc and the third arc, wherein no stator coils are positioned along the second circumferential gap.
7. The motor system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a stator surface facing the rotor surface, wherein the first partial stator and the second partial stator are each attached to the stator surface.
8. The motor system in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the first partial stator and the second partial stator are symmetrically positioned on the stator surface.
9. The motor system in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the first plurality of stator coils and the second plurality of stator coils each extend axially from the stator surface towards the rotor surface.
10. The motor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plurality of permanent magnets are mounted circumferentially about the rotor surface at the radial distance from the shaft.
11. The motor system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the separation distance is between one millimeter and five millimeters.
12. A mechanical reel gaming machine comprising:
a memory;
a controller;
a mounting frame; and
a brushless motor system comprising:
a shaft;
a reel rotationally mounted to the shaft, the reel configured to display a plurality of symbols associated with a wagering game provided by the mechanical reel gaming machine;
a permanent magnet (PM) rotor mounted on the reel, the PM rotor comprising a rotor surface and a plurality of permanent magnets coupled to the rotor surface, the plurality of permanent magnets positioned on the rotor surface circumferentially about the shaft;
a first partial stator coupled to the mounting frame and spaced from the PM rotor by a separation distance, the first partial stator comprising a first plurality of stator coils, each stator coil of the first plurality of stator coils positioned a radial distance from the shaft and circumferentially spaced about the shaft along a first arc; and
a second partial stator coupled to the mounting frame and spaced from the PM rotor by the separation distance, the second partial stator comprising a second plurality of stator coils, each stator coil of the second plurality of stator coils positioned the radial distance from the shaft and circumferentially spaced about the shaft along a second arc,
wherein a first circumferential gap is defined between the first partial stator and the second partial stator, the first circumferential gap spaced the radial distance from the shaft and extending continuously between the first arc and the second arc, wherein no stator coils are positioned along the first circumferential gap.
13. The mechanical reel gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the first circumferential gap subtends through at least a 45 degree angle about the shaft.
14. The mechanical reel gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the first circumferential gap subtends through at least a 90 degree angle about the shaft.
15. The mechanical reel gaming machine in accordance with claim 14 , wherein a second circumferential gap is defined between the first partial stator and the second partial stator, the second circumferential gap being circumferentially opposed to the first circumferential gap, wherein no stator coils are positioned along the second circumferential gap.
16. The mechanical reel gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 further comprising a third partial stator coupled to the mounting frame and spaced from the PM rotor by the separation distance, the third partial stator comprising a third plurality of stator coils each positioned the radial distance from the shaft and circumferentially spaced about the shaft along a third arc.
17. The mechanical reel gaming machine in accordance with claim 16 , wherein a second circumferential gap is defined between the second partial stator and the third partial stator, the second circumferential gap spaced the radial distance from the shaft and extending continuously between the second arc and the third arc, wherein no stator coils are positioned along the second circumferential gap.
18. The mechanical reel gaming machine in accordance with claim 12 further comprising a stator surface facing the rotor surface, wherein the first partial stator and the second partial stator are each attached to the stator surface.
19. The mechanical reel gaming machine in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the first partial stator and the second partial stator are symmetrically positioned on the stator surface.
20. A method for improving operations of a mechanical reel gaming machine, the method comprising:
mounting a reel rotationally onto a center shaft, the reel configured to display a plurality of symbols associated with a wagering game provided by the mechanical reel gaming machine;
mounting a permanent magnet (PM) rotor on the reel, the PM rotor including a rotor surface and a plurality of permanent magnets coupled to the rotor surface, and positioned on the rotor surface circumferentially about the center shaft;
coupling a first partial stator to a mounting frame, the first partial stator spaced from the PM rotor by a separation distance and including a first plurality of stator coils, each stator coil of the first plurality of stator coils positioned a radial distance from the center shaft and circumferentially spaced about the center shaft along a first arc; and
coupling a second partial stator to the mounting frame, the second partial stator spaced from the PM rotor by the separation distance and including a second plurality of stator coils, each stator coil of the second plurality of stator coils positioned the radial distance from the center shaft and circumferentially spaced about the center shaft along a second arc, wherein a first circumferential gap is defined between the first partial stator and the second partial stator, the first circumferential gap spaced the radial distance from the center shaft and extending continuously between the first arc and the second arc, wherein no stator coils are positioned along the first circumferential gap.