ROTOR FOR AN AXIAL FLUX MACHINE, METHOD FOR PRODUCING A ROTOR FOR AN AXIAL FLUX MACHINE AND AXIAL FLUX MACHINE

Abstract

A rotor (1) for an electrical axial flux machine (2) that can be operated as a motor and/or generator. The rotor includes a support (3), a plurality of magnet elements (4) arranged against, on, or in the support (3) and running radially from the interior outwards, the magnet elements (4) being magnetized in a circumferential direction and being arranged individually or in groups in series around the circumference with alternating opposing magnetization directions, and a plurality of flux conduction elements (5) which conduct the magnetic flux and are arranged against, on, or in the support (3) and around the circumference, between the magnet elements (4). A flux distributing element (6) which distributes the magnetic flux is arranged between at least one of the magnet elements (4) and a flux conduction element (5) that is arranged adjacently thereto in the circumferential direction.

Claims

1. A rotor for an electrical axial flux machine that is operable as at least one of a motor or generator, said rotor comprising: a support; a plurality of magnet elements arranged against, on, or in the support and running substantially radially from an interior of the support outwards, the magnet elements being magnetized in a circumferential direction and being arranged individually or in groups in series around a circumference of the support with alternating opposing magnetization directions; a plurality of flux conduction elements which conduct magnetic flux and are arranged against, on, or in the support and around the circumference, between the magnet elements; and a flux distributing element which distributes the magnetic flux with soft magnetic composite material is arranged between at least one of the magnet elements and one said flux conduction element that is arranged adjacently thereto in the circumferential direction.

2. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the flux distributing element has a triangular cross-section as seen in a sectional plane perpendicular to a rotor rotation axis, the triangular cross-section rests with a base side thereof against an adjacent one of the magnet element, and is in contact with adjacently arranged ones of the flux conduction elements with two remaining leg sides of the triangular cross-section.

3. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the flux distributing element has a triangular cross-section as seen in a sectional plane perpendicular to a rotor rotation axis, the triangular cross-section rests with a short base side thereof against a support outer ring of the support, and rests with one remaining leg side thereof against one of the magnet elements and rests with an other remaining leg side thereof against an adjacently arranged one of the flux conduction elements.

4. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the flux distributing element has a rectangular cross-section as seen in a sectional plane perpendicular to a rotor rotation axis.

5. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the flux distributing element has a same axial depth over an entire radial extent.

6. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the flux distributing element is formed of soft magnetic composite material or of ferrite material.

7. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the flux conduction elements is formed of laminated sheets.

8. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the magnet elements a comprise permanent magnets and are formed from a plurality of individual magnets electrically insulated from one another.

9. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein the support has an annular support hub, an annular support disc and a support outer ring delimiting the support radially outwardly, and an annular pot-shaped receiving region with a pot base formed by the support disc is formed between the support hub and the support outer ring for receiving the magnet elements, the flux conduction elements and the flux distributing element.

10. The rotor according to claim 9, wherein the support hub has a polygonal cross-sectional shape on a radial outer ring thereof.

11. A method for producing a rotor for an electrical axial flux machine that is operable as at least one of a motor or generator, comprising the following method steps: providing a support; providing magnet elements and introducing the magnet elements against, on, or in the support; providing flux conduction elements and introducing the flux conduction elements against, on, or in the support; and providing flux distributing elements and introducing the flux distributing elements against, on, or in the support.

12. An axial flux machine, comprising: a stator and the rotor according to claim 1 located within the stator.

13. The rotor according to claim 7, wherein the at least one of the flux conduction elements is formed of laminated sheets is formed from electrical sheet, and has a same axial depth over an entire radial extent.

14. The rotor according to claim 8, wherein the individual magnets have a same axial depth over an entire radial extent.

15. The rotor according to claim 9, wherein the support outer ring has a polygonal cross-sectional shape on a radial inner ring surface thereof.

16. A rotor for an electrical axial flux machine that is operable as at least one of a motor or generator, said rotor comprising: a support; a plurality of magnet elements arranged against, on, or in the support and running substantially radially from an interior of the support outwards, the magnet elements being magnetized in a circumferential direction and being arranged individually or in groups in series around a circumference of the support with alternating opposing magnetization directions; a plurality of flux conduction elements which conduct magnetic flux and are arranged against, on, or in the support and around the circumference, between the magnet elements; and a plurality of flux distributing element which distribute the magnetic flux with soft magnetic composite material arranged between at least one of the magnet elements and one said flux conduction element and arranged adjacently thereto in the circumferential direction.

17. The rotor according to claim 16, wherein each said flux distributing element has a triangular cross-section as seen in a sectional plane perpendicular to a rotor rotation axis, each said one of the triangular cross-sections rests with a base side thereof against an adjacent one of the magnet elements, and is in contact with adjacently arranged ones of the flux conduction elements with two remaining leg sides of the triangular cross-section.

18. The rotor according to claim 16, wherein each said flux distributing element has a triangular cross-section as seen in a sectional plane perpendicular to a rotor rotation axis, each said triangular cross-section rests with a short base side thereof against a support outer ring of the support, and rests with one remaining leg side thereof against one of the magnet elements and rests with an other remaining leg side thereof against an adjacently arranged one of the flux conduction elements.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In the following, the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to figures without limiting the general idea of the disclosure.

[0034] In the figures:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an axial flux machine according to the prior art in a schematic perspective view,

[0036] FIG. 2 shows the rotor according to the disclosure in a possible embodiment in different views—in the top left in a sectional view along the section line A-A of the perspective view shown in the top right and at the bottom a perspective view of the rotor, wherein it is only partially equipped with magnet elements, flux conduction elements and flux distributing elements,

[0037] FIG. 3 shows the rotor according to the disclosure in a second possible embodiment in different views—at the top in a perspective view and at the bottom in a perspective view, wherein the rotor is only partially equipped with magnet elements, flux conduction elements and flux distributing elements, and

[0038] FIG. 4 shows the rotor according to the disclosure in a third possible embodiment in different views—at the top in a perspective view and at the bottom in a perspective view, wherein the rotor is only partially equipped with magnet elements, flux conduction elements and flux distributing elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] FIG. 1 shows an axial flux machine 2 according to the prior art in a schematic perspective view. The axial flux machine 2 shown comprises a central stator 10 and two rotors 1 spaced apart on either side by a respective air gap.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows the rotor 1 constructed according to the disclosure in a possible embodiment in different views. In the top left, the rotor 1 is shown in a sectional view along the section line A-A of the perspective view of the fully equipped rotor 1 shown in the top right. At the bottom, the rotor 1 is shown in another perspective view, wherein it is only partially equipped with magnet elements 4, flux conduction elements 5 and flux distributing elements 6.

[0041] In all embodiments shown, the rotor 1 is designed for an electrical axial flux machine 2 that can be operated as a motor and/or generator and comprises a support 3, a plurality of magnet elements 4 arranged in a pot-like receiving region of the support 3 and running radially from the interior outwards, and a plurality of flux conduction elements 5 which conduct the magnetic flux and are arranged in the receiving region of the support 3 and around the circumference between the magnet elements 4. Furthermore, a flux distributing element 6 which distributes the magnetic flux spatially and in particular in the radial direction is arranged between each of the magnet elements 4 and a flux conduction element 5 that is arranged adjacently thereto in the circumferential direction.

[0042] The sectional view in the top left in FIG. 2 clearly shows the structure of the support 3 with its pot-like receiving region for the magnet elements 4, the flux conduction elements 5 and the flux distributing elements 6. The support 3 substantially comprises a centrally arranged support hub 7, a support outer ring 9 arranged around the circumference, and a support disc 8 formed between the support hub 7 and the support outer ring 9 and forming the pot base of the support 3. Also shown is that the flux conduction elements 5 are formed as a lamination stack, wherein the sheets of the lamination stack have the same depth (width in the axial direction) over their entire radial extent. In the lower view of FIG. 2, it is also clearly visible that each of the essentially rod-shaped magnet elements 4 (as a single rod or made up of a plurality of similar individual magnets) running radially from the interior outwards is arranged in magnetically conductive contact on both sides around the circumference with a flux distributing element 6.

[0043] Here, the flux distributing elements 6 are designed to be essentially triangular in cross-section (as seen in a sectional plane perpendicular to the rotor rotation axis or in plan view of the side of the rotor 1 facing the stator 10), wherein the corners formed at acute angles are cut off and have a predetermined thickness. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the shape of the triangle is that of an obtuse-angled and preferably isosceles triangle. As seen in the circumferential direction, the flux distributing elements 6 have their long base side g in full contact with the associated magnet element 4 over its entire radial extent. With their triangle tip formed by the two remaining leg sides b, c, the flux distributing elements 6 project into the adjacent laminated stack of the respective adjacent flux conduction element 5, pointing away from the magnet element 4 arranged centrally between them in circumferentially opposite directions. In the embodiment shown, the flux distributing elements 6 enclosing a flux conduction element 5 therebetween are designed and arranged such that the sheets of the laminated stack of a flux conduction element 5 have an equal width extending tangentially to the circumferential direction from radially inside to the tip of the triangle of the flux distributing elements 6. The sheets arranged further radially outwards from the tip of the triangle become wider and wider.

[0044] In a further development of this embodiment, which is not shown, the flux distributing elements 6 can be designed in such a way that the leg of the triangle pointing radially outwards from the tip of the triangle is designed to be stepped or is replaced by a kind of stepped section with at least one step. This allows the number of sheets with different widths to be further reduced compared to the design without steps.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows the rotor 1 according to the disclosure in a second possible embodiment in different views. In the view at the top, the rotor 1 is shown fully equipped in a perspective view. In the view at the bottom, the rotor 1 is also shown in a perspective view, wherein here the rotor 1 is only partially equipped with magnet elements, flux conduction elements and flux distributing elements.

[0046] In contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the flux distributing elements 6 arranged between the magnet elements 4 and the flux conduction elements 5 are designed as acute-angled triangles as seen in cross-section, wherein the corners formed at acute angles are cut off and have a predetermined thickness. The triangle shape can be that of an acute-angled triangle, in particular an isosceles triangle (with cutoff acute-angled triangle tips), wherein the flux distributing elements 6 rest with their short base side g from the inside against the support outer ring 9 and extend radially inwards with their acute-angled triangle tip formed by the two remaining leg sides b, c and rest against an adjacent magnet element 4 or an adjacent flux conduction element 5. According to the embodiment shown, the flux conduction elements 5 with their laminated stacks are designed to be constant both in their width in the “circumferential direction” (or in their width extending tangentially to the circumferential direction) over their entire radial extent and in their axial depth (or width in the axial direction).

[0047] FIG. 4 shows the rotor 1 according to the disclosure, analogous to the representations in FIGS. 2 and 3, in a third possible embodiment in different views. In the top view, the rotor 1 is again shown fully equipped in a perspective view, while in the view at the bottom it is only partially equipped with magnet elements 4, flux conduction elements 5 and flux distributing elements 6 in a perspective view.

[0048] In contrast to the embodiments according to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the flux distributing elements 6 arranged between the magnet elements 4 and the flux conduction elements 5 have a rectangular cross-sectional shape. According to the embodiment shown, the sheets of the laminated stacks of the flux conduction elements 5 have a width that increases in the radial direction from the inside to the outside, while their axial depth is constant or they are formed with the same width in the axial direction.

[0049] All embodiments of FIGS. 2-4 also have in common that the support hub 7 has a polygonal cross-sectional shape on its radial outer ring surface and/or the support outer ring 9 has a polygonal cross-sectional shape on its radial inner ring surface.

[0050] The disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown in the figures. The above description should therefore be regarded as explanatory rather than restrictive. The following claims are to be understood as meaning that a named feature is present in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. This does not preclude the presence of other features. If the patent claims and the above description define “first” and “second” features, this designation serves to distinguish between two features of the same type without defining an order of precedence.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0051] 1 Rotor [0052] 2 Axial flux machine [0053] 3 Support [0054] 4 Magnet element [0055] 5 Flux conduction element [0056] 6 Flux distributing element [0057] 7 Support hub [0058] 8 Support disc [0059] 9 Support outer ring [0060] g Base side of triangle (of the flux distributing element with a triangular cross-section) [0061] a, b Leg side of triangle (of the flux distributing element with a triangular cross-section) [0062] X Rotor rotation axis