Drive units for electric vehicles are provided. One example provides a drive unit for an electric vehicle including a first housing section forming a first compartment to house an electrical inverter and a second housing section forming a second compartment to house an electric motor. The drive unit housing further includes an inlet port to receive a fluid and a shared wall separating the first compartment and the second compartment. The shared wall defines fluid pathways in fluid communication with the inlet port to circulate the fluid to cool the electrical inverter. The drive unit also includes an outlet port in fluid communication with the fluid pathways to discharge the fluid.

A propulsion system includes a cylindrical shaft member coupled to a motor with a motor frame; said shaft member mechanically coupled to a disc members with radius, to rotate in a dynamically and statically balanced state with said shaft when said motor rotates; the apparatus further comprising a power source to supply power to said motor to rotate said shaft member with said disc members; each said disc members comprising an annular radial array of material segments extending radially to the radius; said material segments comprising of a material that responds to electromagnetic fields to change shape radially on said disc member; such that when power is supplied to rotate the motor, the motor rotates the disc members and when each such material segment rotates to an angular location of the shaft member relative to a fixed point on the motor frame, each said material segment is supplied with said electromagnetic field; and said material responds to said electromagnetic field to change its shape radially to a new radius different from, at said angular location, and such that the mass of said material segment is redistributed radially at the radius R2 in said material segment in said angular location; and such that the difference in centripetal forces acting on said change in radial location from R1 to R2 at said angular location creates a radial force on said shaft member in the direction of the said angular location.

A propulsion system includes a cylindrical shaft member coupled to a motor with a motor frame; said shaft member mechanically coupled to a disc members with radius, to rotate in a dynamically and statically balanced state with said shaft when said motor rotates; the apparatus further comprising a power source to supply power to said motor to rotate said shaft member with said disc members; each said disc members comprising an annular radial array of material segments extending radially to the radius; said material segments comprising of a material that responds to electromagnetic fields to change shape radially on said disc member; such that when power is supplied to rotate the motor, the motor rotates the disc members and when each such material segment rotates to an angular location of the shaft member relative to a fixed point on the motor frame, each said material segment is supplied with said electromagnetic field; and said material responds to said electromagnetic field to change its shape radially to a new radius different from, at said angular location, and such that the mass of said material segment is redistributed radially at the radius R2 in said material segment in said angular location; and such that the difference in centripetal forces acting on said change in radial location from R1 to R2 at said angular location creates a radial force on said shaft member in the direction of the said angular location.

A process for assembling a rotor of a variable-reluctance synchronous motor, characterised in that it comprises the steps of: i. preparing a plurality of discs having a through-cavity for each polar sector for housing at least a magnet; ii. positioning the discs in sequence along an axis of rotation for forming the rotor, so that the through-cavities are aligned to one another; iii. preparing magnets having an identical depth that is smaller than the depth of the rotor, and a frontal section that is identical to or smaller than the area of the cavity; iv. calculating the number of magnets to be inserted, for each polar sector, in a sequence so as to occupy only part of the total depth of the rotor as a function of the performances to be obtained; v. inserting the calculated number of magnets in a series of cavities aligned for each polar sector. The invention also relates to a rotor of a variable-reluctance synchronous motor assembled using the process set out above.

A process for assembling a rotor of a variable-reluctance synchronous motor, characterised in that it comprises the steps of: i. preparing a plurality of discs having a through-cavity for each polar sector for housing at least a magnet; ii. positioning the discs in sequence along an axis of rotation for forming the rotor, so that the through-cavities are aligned to one another; iii. preparing magnets having an identical depth that is smaller than the depth of the rotor, and a frontal section that is identical to or smaller than the area of the cavity; iv. calculating the number of magnets to be inserted, for each polar sector, in a sequence so as to occupy only part of the total depth of the rotor as a function of the performances to be obtained; v. inserting the calculated number of magnets in a series of cavities aligned for each polar sector. The invention also relates to a rotor of a variable-reluctance synchronous motor assembled using the process set out above.

Various embodiments include systems and methods pertaining to a counter-rotating alternator arrangement that may be used to generate electrical energy. In various embodiments, the counter-rotating alternator arrangement may include a plurality of shafts, an alternator assembly, and a rotatable coupling arrangement. According to some embodiments, the rotatable coupling arrangement may include coupling components that are rotatably mated with one another such that a first shaft and a second shaft are aligned along an axis and extend in opposite directions from the rotatable coupling arrangement. The alternator assembly may include multiple rotors, and the counter-rotating alternator arrangement may be configured to rotate a first rotor and a second rotor in opposite rotational directions relative to one another, in accordance with various embodiments.

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a transport device in the form of a planar motor. In one example embodiment, the transport device includes at least one transport segment that forms a transport plane, at least one first transport unit that moves at least two-dimensionally on the transport plane, and a plurality of drive coils arranged on the at least one segment. The transport device further includes at least one first and at least one second magnet group arranged on the at least one first transport unit. Each magnet group has a plurality of drive magnets with a different direction of magnetization arranged one behind the other in a specific arrangement direction with a specific pole pitch. The transport device further includes a first coil group having a first plurality of drive coils, and a second coil group having a second plurality of drive coils.

A stator includes: a stator core including a plurality of stator teeth in a circumferential direction with respect to a center of rotation of a rotary electric machine; a stator coil disposed on a bottom portion side of each of a plurality of stator slots formed between the stator teeth; and a stator magnet disposed on an opening side of each of the plurality of stator slots and having the same polarity in a radial direction. In each of the stator slots, a cooling portion is provided between the stator coil and the stator magnet.

A stator includes: a stator core including a plurality of stator teeth in a circumferential direction with respect to a center of rotation of a rotary electric machine; a stator coil disposed on a bottom portion side of each of a plurality of stator slots formed between the stator teeth; and a stator magnet disposed on an opening side of each of the plurality of stator slots and having the same polarity in a radial direction. In each of the stator slots, a cooling portion is provided between the stator coil and the stator magnet.

An axial flux electric can include a motor assembly including a motor shaft, a stator assembly, and a rotor assembly. The stator assembly can include a plurality of stator cores about which a wire coil is wound, wherein one or more of the stator cores includes a stator body with an internal fluid passageway for receiving a cooling fluid.