An axial flux motor includes a housing; a drive shaft disposed within the housing; at least one rotor; and at least one stator. The at least one rotor includes a diametrically-magnetized single pole pair magnetic ring having a rotor aperture defined through the center of the magnetic ring, where the drive shaft extends through the rotor aperture and where the at least one rotor is fixed to the drive shaft. The at least one stator includes a number of conductive windings and a stator aperture, where the drive shaft extends through the stator aperture and where the drive shaft is rotatable within the aperture. The at least one stator is configured to generate an axial magnetic field that causes the at least one rotor to rotate, thereby rotating the drive shaft.

An electric machine has a stator having an array of electromagnetic elements. A rotor is mounted on bearings and has an array of rotor posts. The rotor posts each have a length defining opposed ends and the array of rotor posts extends along the rotor in a direction perpendicular to the length of each of the rotor posts. The rotor has electromagnetic elements defining magnetic poles placed between the plurality of rotor posts. An airgap is formed between the rotor and the stator when they are in an operational position. A plurality of rotor flux restrictors are formed on the rotor, and each lies adjacent to one of the opposed ends of the rotor posts.

A rolling-element bearing cage or segment configured to guide at least one rolling element includes a first circumferential ring connected to a second circumferential ring by a plurality of axially extending bridges. A first one of the bridges includes a first axial portion that has a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction and a cross sectional area and a peripheral length. The peripheral length of the cross section of the first axial portion is greater than a peripheral length of a smallest rectangle bounding the cross section.

An axial flux motor includes a housing; a drive shaft disposed within the housing; at least one rotor; and at least one stator. The at least one rotor includes a diametrically-magnetized single pole pair magnetic ring having a rotor aperture defined through the center of the magnetic ring, where the drive shaft extends through the rotor aperture and where the at least one rotor is fixed to the drive shaft. The at least one stator includes a number of conductive windings and a stator aperture, where the drive shaft extends through the stator aperture and where the drive shaft is rotatable within the aperture. The at least one stator is configured to generate an axial magnetic field that causes the at least one rotor to rotate, thereby rotating the drive shaft.

A bearing section for a mandrel at least partially disposed within an inner bore of a housing. A radial bearing and a thrust bearing are each disposed around the mandrel and within the inner bore of the housing. The radial bearing includes an outer cylindrical member, an inner cylindrical member, and a series of spherical members disposed within a space between an inner surface of the outer cylindrical member and an outer surface of the inner cylindrical member. One of the inner surface of the outer cylindrical member or the outer surface of the inner cylindrical member includes a flat profile and the other includes a series of circumferential grooves. The flat profile allows relative axial movement between the inner and outer cylindrical members without the radial bearing absorbing any thrust load.

A bearing section for a mandrel at least partially disposed within an inner bore of a housing. A radial bearing and a thrust bearing are each disposed around the mandrel and within the inner bore of the housing. The radial bearing includes an outer cylindrical member, an inner cylindrical member, and a series of spherical members disposed within a space between an inner surface of the outer cylindrical member and an outer surface of the inner cylindrical member. One of the inner surface of the outer cylindrical member or the outer surface of the inner cylindrical member includes a flat profile and the other includes a series of circumferential grooves. The flat profile allows relative axial movement between the inner and outer cylindrical members without the radial bearing absorbing any thrust load.

The invention relates to a rolling bearing arrangement (1, 26, 31, 34, 36, 37), preferably a large rolling bearing with a diameter of 0.5 or more, for mounting parts of an energy system, in particular as blade bearings for a wind turbine, comprising at least two relatively rotatable annular elements (2, 3) arranged concentrically with one another and at least regionally inside one another, for connection to relatively rotatable parts of the energy system, wherein two relatively rotatable connecting elements (2, 3) are separated from each other by a gap (4) and at least partially overlap each other in the radial direction, wherein, further, provided in the region of the gap (4) in radially overlapping regions of the annular connecting elements (2, 3) are at least two rows of rolling elements (17, 18), each of which rolls along a respective two raceways (19, 20) that overlap each other at least regionally in the radial direction, wherein one or more raceways (19, 20) for rolling elements (17, 18) are disposed in radially overlapping sections (5, 6) in such fashion that the contact angle which the connecting line between the centers of the points of contact of a rolling element (17, 18) with its two raceways makes with the ring plane is equal to or greater than 45, such that such an axial rolling bearing serves to transmit predominantly axially acting force components, and wherein at least one additional bearing is provided for transmitting predominantly radially acting force components and has a contact angle of less than 45, preferably 25 or less, particularly 10 or less, wherein any raceways for radial rolling bearings that are incorporated directly into the annular connecting elements (2, 3) are, at most, ones having a maximum distance between them, perpendicular to the raceway surface, that is equal to or less than 25% of the largest distance perpendicular to the raceway surface between two raceways of an axial rolling-bearing row.

A rolling-element bearing cage or segment configured to guide at least one rolling element includes a first circumferential ring connected to a second circumferential ring by a plurality of axially extending bridges. A first one of the bridges includes a first axial portion that has a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction and a cross sectional area and a peripheral length. The peripheral length of the cross section of the first axial portion is greater than a peripheral length of a smallest rectangle bounding the cross section.

The bearing includes a first ring, a second ring, at least one row of radial and axial rolling elements arranged between axial and radial raceways provided on the rings. The second ring has a protruding nose engaged into an annular groove of the first ring and provided with the axial raceway and with the radial raceway of the second ring. The bearing further provides at least one cage for maintaining the row of axial rolling elements, at least one flange for guiding and maintaining the cage in radial direction, and a plurality of fixing screws to secure the flange to the first ring. The flange axially abuts against a flat surface of the first ring. The fixing screws extend axially through the flat surface of the first ring.