TRANSVERSE FLUX MACHINE

Abstract

A stator pole for a stator of a transverse flux machine is provided. The stator includes a stator winding arranged in a winding space, and the winding space being formed circumferentially in a circumferential direction in relation to an axis of rotation of a rotor. The stator pole has a body element made of a ferromagnetic material, which has at least one pole head which, in the installation position, may be arranged opposite the one rotor, and a magnetic return path region, which may be arranged facing away from the one rotor, wherein a number of the pole heads of the stator pole correspond to a number of the rotors. The stator pole is configured to occupy only a portion of a circumference of the winding space in the circumferential direction, and the magnetic return path region has a curved shape which adjoins the at least one pole head, as a result of which the magnetic return path region is designed to define the winding space in part transversely to the circumferential direction.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A transverse flux machine comprising: a stator having a stator winding arranged in a winding space and a plurality of stator poles, each stator pole of the plurality of stator poles comprising a body element having a ferromagnetic material, wherein the body element has at least one pole head and a magnetic return path region; a first rotor; and a second rotor, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor are arranged so as to be rotatable relative to the stator, wherein the stator is arranged between the first rotor and the second rotor, wherein the winding space is formed in a direction in relation to an axis of rotation of the first rotor and the second rotor, wherein each stator pole of the plurality of stator poles is arranged in such a way that pole heads of the respective stator pole are opposite one of the first rotor or the second rotor in an installation position, wherein each stator pole of the plurality of stator poles is configured to occupy only a portion of a circumference of the stator when in the installation position, and wherein magnetic return path regions of the plurality of stator poles have curved shapes which adjoin the pole heads, as a result of which the magnetic return path regions define the winding space.

18. The transverse flux machine of claim 17, wherein the body element of a respective stator pole has at least one pole head which, in the installation position, is configured to be arranged opposite the first rotor or the second rotor, and wherein the magnetic return path region of the respective stator pole is configured to be arranged facing away from the first rotor or the second rotor in the installation position.

19. The transverse flux machine of claim 18, wherein the body element of the respective stator pole comprises a plurality of ferromagnetic sheets electrically insulated from one another, and wherein the ferromagnetic sheets are arranged so as to directly adjoin one another in a plane spanned by a curve of the curved shape.

20. The transverse flux machine of claim 17, wherein adjacent stator poles of the plurality of stator poles are arranged in such a way that pole heads of a first stator pole of the adjacent stator poles are positioned in an opposite direction from pole heads of a second stator pole of the adjacent stator poles.

21. The transverse flux machine of claim 17, wherein the plurality of stator poles is arranged in such a way that the magnetic return path regions thereof alternately define a respective opposing region of the winding space transversely to a direction of the winding space.

22. The transverse flux machine of claim 17, wherein the winding space comprises a first subspace and a second subspace, wherein the stator winding comprises a first partial winding arranged in the first subspace and a second partial winding arranged in the second subspace, and wherein the first partial winding and the second partial winding are configured to be electrically coupled to one another such that a same electric current is supplied thereto.

23. The transverse flux machine of claim 22, wherein the first partial winding and the second partial winding are electrically coupled to one another such that the same electric current is supplied to the partial windings in opposite directions.

24. The transverse flux machine of claim 22, wherein the winding space comprises at least two segment spaces arranged adjacently to one another, and wherein the stator winding comprises respective segment windings arranged in the segment spaces.

25. The transverse flux machine of claim 24, wherein the segment windings of respective partial windings of respective subspaces arranged at a distance from one another axially are connected in series in an opposing region.

26. The transverse flux machine of claim 17, wherein the stator winding comprises a plurality of electrical conductor elements arranged at a distance from one another.

27. The transverse flux machine of claim 17, wherein the body element comprises a soft magnetic composite as a material at least in part.

28. The transverse flux machine of claim 17, wherein the arrangement of adjacent stator poles is configured to completely encompass the winding space as viewed in the direction of the winding space.

29. The transverse flux machine of claim 17, wherein a first air gap is positioned between the first rotor and the stator, and wherein a second air gap is positioned between the second rotor and the stator.

30. The transverse flux machine of claim 29, wherein normal vectors of areas of the first air gap and the second air gap are axial.

31. The transverse flux machine of claim 30, wherein coil sides of the stator winding are radially offset.

32. A linear machine comprising: a stator having a stator winding arranged in a winding space and a plurality of stator poles, each stator pole of the plurality of stator poles comprising a body element having a ferromagnetic material, wherein the body element has at least one pole head and a magnetic return path region; a first rotor; and a second rotor, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor are arranged so as to be rotatable relative to the stator, wherein the stator is arranged between the first rotor and the second rotor, wherein the winding space is formed in a direction in relation to an axis of rotation of the first rotor and the second rotor, wherein each stator pole of the plurality of stator poles is arranged in such a way that pole heads of the respective stator pole are opposite one of the first rotor or the second rotor in an installation position, wherein each stator pole of the plurality of stator poles is configured to occupy only a portion of a circumference of the stator when in the installation position, and wherein magnetic return path regions of the stator poles have curved shapes which adjoin the pole heads, as a result of which the magnetic return path regions define the winding space.

33. The linear machine of claim 32, wherein adjacent stator poles of the plurality of stator poles are arranged in such a way that pole heads of a first stator pole of the adjacent stator poles are positioned in an opposite direction from pole heads of a second stator pole of the adjacent stator poles.

34. The linear machine of claim 32, wherein the arrangement of adjacent stator poles is configured to completely encompass the winding space as viewed in the direction of the winding space.

35. The linear machine of claim 32, wherein a first air gap is positioned between the first rotor and the stator, and wherein a second air gap is positioned between the second rotor and the stator.

36. The linear machine of claim 35, wherein normal vectors of areas of the first and second air gaps are axial.

37. The linear machine of claim 36, wherein coil sides of the stator winding are radially offset.

38. The linear machine of claim 32, wherein the winding space comprises at least two segment spaces arranged adjacently to one another, wherein the stator winding comprises respective segment windings arranged in the segment spaces, and wherein the segment windings of respective partial windings of respective subspaces arranged at a distance from one another axially are connected in series in an opposing region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] Further features, advantages, and effects may be found in the following exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference signs denote like features and functions, in which:

[0066] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a cut-out of a transverse flux machine, including an inner rotor, an outer rotor, and two stator poles arranged adjacently to one another.

[0067] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an example of a transverse flux machine, including a stator, an inner rotor, and an outer rotor.

[0068] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an example of a stator pole of a stator of the transverse flux machine according to FIG. 2.

[0069] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view as in FIG. 1 but for the stator pole according to FIG. 3.

[0070] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the drawing according to FIG. 4 which shows magnetic fluxes.

[0071] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the transverse flux machine according to FIG. 2.

[0072] FIG. 7 is another schematic perspective view of a cut-out of the transverse flux machine according to FIG. 6.

[0073] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of an example of another transverse flux machine as in FIG. 6, but with two stators and rotor pairs arranged at a distance from one another axially.

[0074] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view as in FIG. 7 of a winding head of the transverse flux machine according to FIG. 8.

[0075] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the transverse flux machine according to FIG. 9, in which a segmentation of the stator windings in the circumferential direction may be seen.

[0076] FIG. 11 shows a cut-out of the stator winding according to FIG. 10 in a perspective schematic view.

[0077] FIG. 12 shows a cut-out from FIG. 10 in a schematic perspective view, in which a cooling air flow is shown.

[0078] FIG. 13 is a schematic view of an example of a temperature allocation of conductor elements of the stator winding.

[0079] FIG. 14 is a schematic perspective view of the stator winding of the transverse flux machine according to FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing in a plan view of an axial end face of a transverse flux machine 14, including a stator 12 which has a stator winding 18 arranged in a winding space 16 (FIG. 1). The transverse flux machine 14 further includes two rotors arranged so as to be able to rotate relative to the stator 12, namely an inner rotor 24 and an outer rotor 26, which in the present configuration are mechanically coupled to one another for conjoint rotation. In alternative configurations, these rotors may also be rotatable independently of one another. The winding space 16 is formed circumferentially in a circumferential direction 20 in relation to an axis of rotation 22 of the rotors 24, 26.

[0081] In a known manner, the rotors 24, 26 include, on the surfaces thereof facing the stator 12, magnet assemblies which, in the present configuration, are designed according to a Halbach array, as disclosed in EP 2 605 367 A1. In alternative configurations, the arrangement of the magnets may also be selected differently. In the present case, the magnets are formed by permanent magnets. Alternatively or additionally, in this case, separately excited magnets may also be provided. The magnets are arranged substantially adjacently to one another in the circumferential direction 20 and identified by the reference sign 78.

[0082] In the configuration of the transverse flux machine 14 shown in FIG. 2, the stator winding 18 has a segmented design. For this purpose, the winding space 16 is divided up into three segment spaces 48, 50, 52, which are arranged adjacently to one another in the circumferential direction. In each of the segment spaces 48, 50, 52, a respective segment winding 54, 56, 58 is arranged, as will be described in greater detail below. In the present configuration, it is provided that the transverse flux machine 14 is designed for operation with a three-phase AC voltage. For this purpose, a respective phase of the AC voltage is supplied to each of the segment windings 54, 56, 58. The AC voltage is thus a three-phase AC voltage.

[0083] From FIG. 2, it may further be seen that, in addition to the stator winding 18 arranged in the winding space 16, the stator 12 includes a plurality of stator poles 10 arranged adjacently to one another in the circumferential direction 20. Two of the stator poles 10 arranged adjacently to one another are shown in a schematic perspective view in FIG. 1.

[0084] From FIG. 1, it may be seen that the stator poles 10 each include a body element 30 which is made of a ferromagnetic material. In the installation position, the body element 30 includes two pole heads 32, 34 arranged opposite the respective rotors 24, 26, and a magnetic return path region 28 which, in the installation position, is arranged facing away from the rotors 24, 26. A number of the pole heads 32, 34 of the stator pole 10 corresponds to a number of the rotors 24, 26. In each case, precisely one pole head 32, 34 is thus assigned to a respective rotor 24, 26 or arranged opposite the rotor.

[0085] The stator pole 10 is designed, in the installation position, to occupy only a portion of a circumference of the winding space 16 in the circumferential direction 20. The portion may be relatively small in comparison with the circumference. The portion may be designed as required according to the application. The magnetic return path region 28 has a curved shape which adjoins the two pole heads 32, 34, as a result of which the magnetic return path region 28 is designed to define the winding space 16 in part transversely to the circumferential direction 20. In the present configuration, it may be seen that two adjacent stator poles 10 together completely encompass the winding space 16. The adjacently arranged stator poles 16 are arranged at a distance from one another in the present configuration so that, in the circumferential direction, an air gap is formed between adjacently arranged stator poles 10. The air gap may correspond approximately to the extent of a respective stator pole 10 in the circumferential direction.

[0086] FIG. 1 further shows that a magnetic main flux 66 is formed in normal operation. This leads to a power 74 as shown in FIG. 1 when an electric current 76 flows in the stator winding 18. For this reason, the functional principle of the transverse flux machine 14 is known to a person skilled in the art, and therefore further detailed explanations in this regard will be dispensed with.

[0087] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of one of the stator poles 10 as used in the transverse flux machine 14 according to FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows that the body element 30 includes a plurality of ferromagnetic sheets 36 electrically insulated from one another, which are arranged so as to directly adjoin one another in a plane 38 spanned by a curve of the curved shape. As a result of this type of curve of the iron sheets 36, the eddy currents may be suppressed advantageously because the curve allows good adaptation to the actual course of the magnetic flux. As a result, it is possible to achieve low eddy current losses with iron sheets as well. FIG. 3 further shows the two pole heads 32, 34.

[0088] FIG. 6 is another schematic perspective view of the transverse flux machine 14 according to FIG. 2.

[0089] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective cut-out view from FIG. 6 of the arrangement of the stator poles 10 without the stator winding 18. The stator poles 10 are arranged adjacently to one another form the winding space 16 in which, in the installation position, the stator winding 18 is arranged. In the present configuration, the winding space 16 has a substantially rectangular design. If necessary, however, the cross-sectional area may also have a different contour, (e.g., round, triangular, polygonal, combinations thereof, or the like).

[0090] FIG. 4 shows a cut-out from FIG. 7 in which the stator winding 18 is arranged. In the present case, the stator winding 18 includes a plurality of conductor elements 60 arranged at a distance from one another to which, in the normal operation of the transverse flux machine 14, an electric current is supplied in a predeterminable manner. Gaps are formed between adjacent conductor elements 60, through which cooling air 72 flows. As a result, very good cooling of the transverse flux machine 14, in particular of the stator 12, may be achieved overall.

[0091] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the drawing according to FIG. 4 as to how magnetic fluxes are formed in normal operation. The reference sign 66 identifies a magnetic main flux. The reference sign 70 relates to the drawing of a magnetic leakage flux in the stator 12. The reference sign 68 relates to a magnetic leakage flux in the rotors 24, 26. As a result of the construction of the stator poles 10 and the arrangement thereof in the stator 12, the magnetic leakage flux may be reduced in comparison with the prior art. Moreover, inter alia, by the Halbach array of the magnets of the rotors 24, 26, the magnetic leakage flux in the rotors 24, 26 may be correspondingly reduced. These magnetic fluxes are also shown in part in FIG. 4. As a result, by the specific arrangement and construction of the stator poles 10 in the stator 12, leakage fluxes may be reduced, and the effect of the main flux 66 may be improved.

[0092] The stator poles 10 are arranged in the circumferential direction in such a way that the magnetic return path regions 28 thereof alternately define a respective opposing region of the winding space 16 transversely to the circumferential direction 20. This may be seen in particular in FIGS. 1, 4, 5, and 7.

[0093] FIG. 8 shows another configuration of the transverse flux machine 14 in which the winding space 16 includes a first circumferential subspace 40 and a second circumferential subspace 42 arranged at an distance therefrom axially. The stator winding 18 includes a first partial winding 44 arranged in the first subspace 40 and a second partial winding 46 arranged in the second subspace 42. The first partial winding 44 and the second partial winding 46 are electrically coupled to one another in such a way that the same electric current is supplied thereto. In the present configuration, it is provided that the same electric current 76 is supplied to the partial windings 44, 46 in opposite directions in the circumferential direction 20.

[0094] Accordingly, the transverse flux machine 14 according to the schematic drawing according to FIG. 8 includes both two inner rotors 24 and two outer rotors 26. FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a cut-out of the stator 12 in a perspective detailed view in the region of a winding head 62. In the region of the winding head 62, the first and second partial windings 44, 46 are connected in series by additional conductor elements 60 so that the desired current direction into the respective partial windings 44, 46 may be achieved in a simple manner. The reference sign 64 indicates a winding termination of the stator winding 18.

[0095] From FIG. 8, it may further be seen that the transverse flux machine 14, as shown in FIG. 2, is segmented. FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a cut-out of the stator winding 18 of the transverse flux machine 14 according to FIG. 10 in the region of the winding head 62. For clarity, the rotors 24, 26 are not shown in this drawing. Each of the partial windings 44, 46 is thus also correspondingly segmented. Additionally, reference is thus made to the configurations above, in particular in relation to FIG. 2.

[0096] FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of a cut-out of the stator 12 of the transverse flux machine 14 according to FIG. 8, wherein in the respective subspaces 40, 42, conductor elements 60 are arranged at a distance from the segmented partial windings, through which cooling air 72 flows. As a result of the arrangement of the conductor elements 60, the cooling air 72 may flow through the spaces provided by the distances between adjacent conductor elements 60. Good cooling may thus be achieved. The cross-sectional areas shown in FIG. 12 are shown shaded according to temperature. The respective shades are correspondingly allocated to temperature values in the legend according to FIG. 13. From this drawing, it may be seen that the middle conductor ends of the partial winding 42 reach the highest temperature in normal operation, in the present case approximately 171° C.

[0097] FIG. 14 shows the stator winding 18 of the transverse flux machine 14 according to FIGS. 8 and 10 without additional elements. The segmentation of the stator winding 18 into the segment spaces 48, 50, 52 including the segment windings 54, 56, 58 should be noted, wherein at the same time, subspaces 40, 42 are formed which include respective portions of the segment windings 54, 56, 58. In this case, a combination of partial windings and segment windings is thus provided. In the present configuration, three segment windings 54, 56, 58 are provided which may be connected to respective phases of a three-phase AC voltage by the winding terminations 64 thereof. For a respective segment winding of the segment windings 54, 56, 58, the associated partial windings are each connected in series so that, in normal operation, in each of the segment windings 54, 56, 58, the current direction of the electric current 76 is in the circumferential direction 20 in one case and opposed to the circumferential direction 20 in one case. Inside one of the partial windings 44, 46, the respective direction of the electric current 76 is the same, but temporally offset according to the respective phase position of the respective phases of the AC voltage.

[0098] Overall, a transverse flux machine may thus be achieved which has improved efficiency, e.g., a higher torque density and advantageous efficiency as well as an improved power factor. In this case, the formation of the stator poles and the arrangement thereof in the stator are of particular importance, as these allow improved guidance of the magnetic flux.

[0099] The exemplary embodiments are used solely to explain the disclosure and are not intended to restrict the latter. In particular, the disclosure is of course not limited to including only two partial windings in the axial direction at a distance from one another, but rather more than two partial windings may also be provided. Moreover, the same also applies to the segment windings, the number of which is not set as three. Of course, it is also possible for only two segment windings or more than three segment windings to be provided in the circumferential direction, depending on what is advantageous for a specific application. It is clear to a person skilled in the art how to make the corresponding adaptations in a simple manner.

[0100] Although the disclosure has been illustrated and described in greater detail by the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is not restricted by these exemplary embodiments. Other variations may be derived herefrom by the person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection of the disclosure. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.

[0101] It is to be understood that the elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent, and that such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.