US 20130313948A1

(19) United States

(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2013/0313948 A1
Zucker
(54)

(43) Pub. Date:

ELECTRIC MOTOR/GENERATOR WITH

MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLED

Publication Classi?cation
(51)

TURN-LESS STRUCTURES

(71) Applicant: Oved Zucker, Annandale, VA (U S)

(72)

Inventor:

Oved Zucker

NOV. 28, 2013

Int Cl

HO'ZK 1/00
H02K 15/00

(52) us CL

andale VA (Us)

(200601)

2006.01

USPC
CPC ..........
.........................................
.. H02K 11/0073 (2013.01);
.. 310/68 D; 29/596

(21) Appl. No.: 13/844,347

(57)

(22) Filed:

A topological change in motor philosophy based on a turn

less stator that is coupled to independent inverters With sepa
rate drives is presented herein. The turn-less stator has a

Mar. 15, 2013

ABSTRACT

multitude of parallel H bridges and an extremely loW imped

Related US. Application Data

ance. This combination of a tum-less stator and independent

inverters is unlike conventional motor and actuator technol

(60) Provisional application No. 61/651,071, ?led on May

24, 2012.

ogy that requires multi-tum Windings for impedance match

ing With conventional high impedance poWer systems.

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US 2013/0313948 A1

ELECTRIC MOTOR/GENERATOR WITH

MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLED
TURN-LESS STRUCTURES

mined by the quality of the bearing and the motors surface

velocity. Therefore it can be desirable to provide appropriate
magnetic forces that Will maintain the rotor centered. Passive

magnetic systems exist that provide magnetic levitation but

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATION

[0001] The current application claims priority under 35

U.S.C. 1 19(e) to US. Provisional patent application Ser. No.
61/651,071, ?led on May 24, 2012 and entitled Electric

Motor/Generator With Individually Driven Multiple Poles,

Which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD

the produced force is a function of the velocity. They are also

separate from the motor magnetic system proper and add
Weight and volume to the system.

[0009] Lastly, it is recogniZed that the planar nature of

MEMS processing Which alloWs the deposition of conductors
into grooves in ferromagnetic material is not practical When
multi turns Windings are used since the various conductors
have to be interconnected across the motor system.

[0010] Current systems and methods are characterized by

performance limitations in terms of poWer density in the
motor and inverter, effective cooling, response time and

[0002] The subject matter described herein relates gener

ally to motors, generators, and actuators.

manufacturing technology. The object of the methods, appa

BACKGROUND

ratus, and systems described herein is to address most or all of

these issues.

[0003]

The ?eld of motor and generator design is very

SUMMARY

broad. A major sub-category includes both synchronous and

induction motors and generators, Where a rotating or, more

[0011]

generally speaking, a traveling magnetic ?eld is generated

turnless, three-phase Winding; and a H-bridge inverter. In

such devices the turnless, three-phase Winding includes three

With the aid of inverters. The inverters use sWitches such as

IGBTs (insulated-gate bipolar transistors) or MOSFETs

(metal-oXide-semiconductor ?eld-effect transistors), and

Where controlled by a microprocessor, generate the appropri
ate currents at the appropriate frequency in appropriate Wind

In one aspect, a device is provided that includes a

single conductors connected at one end. The connected single

conductors form a Y-netWork con?guration, three-phase cir
cuit in such devices.
[0012] In a related aspect, a system is provided that

ings using pulsed Width modulation (PWM).

includes tWo or more controllable, turnless devices and a

[0004]

master microprocessor con?gured to control each control

lable, turnless device independently. Each controllable, tum

The numbers of poles used depends on the desired

rpm relative to the electrical frequency of the generated cur

rents. Such multiple pole systems have the appropriate coils

less device includes a turnless, three-phase Winding and an

connected in series, parallel, or in a combination of both, as

H-bridge inverter. The system also includes a poWer source or

required. These multiple pole systems are driven by a single

a load.

inverter.

[0013]

[0005] Motors invariably use Windings composed of mul

tiple turns. Multiple turns increase the generated back EMF

creating a turnless, three-phase Winding; creating an

(electromotive force) per Winding, and thereby the voltage.

ing and H-bridge inverter to make a controllable, turn-less

structure is provided herein.

Thus, the circuit connections to the motor are reduced to very

In another related aspect, a method that includes

H-bridge inverter; connecting the turnless, three-phase Wind

feW connections. Even so, Windings, by their very nature,

[0014]

occupy additional space external to the motors active region

optionally be included. The method can further include con

necting a DC poWer source to the turnless, three-phase Wind

by having to provide a return path betWeen turns. This portion

In some variations one or more of the folloWing can

of the Winding introduces inductance With its attendant reac

ing and H-bridge inverter. Assembling multiple controllable,

tive energy andpoWer, Which requires additional driving volt

turn-less structures into a suitable con?guration With a single,

master microprocessor can also be a part of the method in
some implementations.

age and adds to the Weight and volume of the motor.

[0006]

The poWer density (poWer per volume) for semicon

ductor sWitches can generally depend on both the voltage and

[0015]

their packaging. A larger current density can typically be

achieved from both cooling and ef?ciency considerations
When the voltage is reduced, since the semiconductor device

motor having moving armature and stator is provided, Where

In some apparatus or systems, a linear or circular

said stator has multiple side-by-side individually controllable

turn-less structures, Where each such structure is built from a

thickness is also reduced. LoW voltage can also alloW for

decreasing the distance betWeen devices With attendant com

Tumless Three-phase Winding, henceforth abbreviated TTW,

pactness.
[0007] Generally, in ferromagnetic-based motors, the

a Y-netWork con?guration three-phase circuit, and energiZed

Weight and volume of the stator and rotor structures is pro

currents produced via an in matching relationship H-bridge

portional to the pole siZe. Reducing the pole siZe reduces the
Weight and volume but also increases the dissipation. Thus,

H-bridge inverter, said H-bridge conductively connected With

smaller pole motors have a higher poWer density and a supe

rior surface to volume, Which provides more effective heat
removal.
[0008] It is also recogniZed that electric motors bene?t
from having a magnetic ?ux air gap that is as small as pos
sible. Such a magnetic ?ux air gap is realiZed by bearings, or
like structures, in linear systems for keeping the rotor cen

tered. The smallest practical magnetic ?ux air gap is deter

created by shorting at one end three single conductors to form

independently With three coupled properly phased sinusoidal

a DC source, Wherein said stator is controlled by a single
master processor to produce coherent motion of said arma
ture.

[0016] In other apparatus or systems, a generator having

moving armature and stator is provided, Where said stator has

multiple side-by-side individually controllable turn-less

structures, Where each such structure is built from a Tumless

Three-phase Winding, henceforth abbreviated TTW, created

by shorting at one end three single conductors to form a

US 2013/0313948 A1

Y-netWork con?guration three-phase circuit, and producing

independently three coupled properly phased sinusoidal cur
rents via an in matching relationship H-bridge inverter, said
H-bridge conductively connected to a DC load, such as charg
ing a battery, Wherein said stator is controlled by a single
master processor to produce coherent voltage due to motion

Nov. 28, 2013

spaced apart by a distance equal to the side of the cross

section. In such apparatus or systems, the siZe of the conduc
tors can represent the pole siZe of the motor or generator being
suf?ciently small for the turnless stator structure to accom

modate a large number of poles to attain high poWer density

While maintaining a high surface to volume ratio for enhanced

of said armature.

cooling and device ef?ciency is maintained acceptably high.

[0017] In some such apparatus or systems, the H-Bridge

can have tWo halves, each half utiliZing three trains of con
ductively interconnected semiconductor sWitches such as
MOSFETs or IGBTs, branching to the respective three con
ductors of the TTW at the approximate midpoint betWeen
halves. Alternatively, When the apparatus or system includes

[0022] Some apparatus or systems include a drum-shaped

device, that may be, in an initial design phase, constructed as
a multifaceted regular polygon With number of facets equal to
the number of poles being a Whole-number divisional by 6
and, to have a substantially smooth cylindrical bore, the rela

a linear or circular motor, the DC source can be a capacitor

of a facet being less than about 0.01%, Where from geometry

of regular polygons is evaluated the number of poles not to be

serving as a transitory DC source, advantageously conduc

tively connected to the input side of the H-bridge With plus

and minus rail conductors or the DC source can be an energy

storage battery providing loW voltage continuous charging,

advantageously conductively connected to the input side of
the H-bridge With plus and minus rail conductors.
[0018]

Some apparatus or systems can include a DC source

that is in the form of separate DC storage batteries to provide

continuous charging in series or in series plus parallel groups
of said turnless structures at higher voltage than afforded in a
strictly parallel arrangement of the same turnless structures,
Whereby similar poWer supply characteristics to that of multi
Winding systems can be attained With the added bene?t of
con?ning AC currents to only the individual turnless struc
tures and therefore having the effect of cancelling all external
interconnection inductance limitations and consequently

tive difference betWeen the comer radius and the inside radius

less than 222 With a corresponding stator thickness to radius

ratio ofless than 2.8%.
[0023] In some of the apparatus and systems described
above, the stator matrix can be planar, at least in an initial

stage of fabrication, facilitating producing the conductor slots

With Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technol
ogy and after coating the slots With a thin layer of insulation
depositing in the same slots conductive material by means of

electroplating, Whereby economic production of small pole

siZes, e.g., in the m or even sub mm range, is made feasible.

[0024] The H-bridge inverters of some of the apparatus and

systems described above can be manufactured using PCB
technology applied to a thin ?at sheet of composite material
then folded to have a U shaped cross-section With the tWo legs

ments With the attendant Weight saving.

of the U representing said halves of the H-bridge and having

outside dimension betWeen U-legs, including embedded
sWitch Wafers, not exceeding the thickness of the aforemen

[0019] Additionally, in some apparatus or systems, the

mater microprocessor provide a variety of sWitching com
mands to the distributed H-bridge inverters to produce: a) a

tioned stator matrix to attain a compact stator assembly. In

such apparatus and systems, a number of H-bridges can be
printed and assembled to form a contiguous assembly encom

coherently traveling or revolving magnetic ?eld enabling

passing as many of aforementioned TTWs, Whereby is

attained improved economy in manufacture. Additionally, in

reducing electromagnetic noise and EMI shielding require

motion of the armature; b) dynamic feedback centering forces

to control the ?ux gap based on appropriate sensor inputs; c)

isolation of failed sections by sWitching them out; d) reduc

tion in the number of Working sections at loW loads; e) axial
force to balance any applied thrust With appropriate stator
shapes such as conical, double conical or rounded structures,
Whereby these actions can be used in many desirable func
tional con?gurations such as active levitation, smaller gap

such apparatus and systems, an outside dimension betWeen

U-legs of said H-bridges can be suf?ciently small relative to
the radius of curvature of a drum-shaped device or having a

limiting ratio as stated above, i.e. Where the relative difference

betWeen the comer radius and the inside radius of a facet

being less than about 0.01%, Where from geometry of regular

polygons is evaluated the number of poles not to be less than

With less expensive bearings, higher e?iciency, graceful deg

222 With a corresponding stator thickness to radius ratio of

radation from individual turnless structure failures. Addition

less than 2.8%, to permit elastic deformation shaping into a

partial or full annular assembly, folloWed by relaxation cur
ing, to conform to the curvature of the same drum shaped
device
[0025] A stator matrix in apparatus and systems described
herein can be planar, at least in an initial stage of fabrication,

ally, the mater microprocessor can provide providing sWitch

ing commands to the variously located H-bridge inverters in
a Pulse Width Modulation manner.

[0020]

Some apparatus or systems can include a motor

according or generator Where the magnetic ?ux gap is radial

as in a drum- shaped device and Where the rotating armature is
either internal or external to the stator, or Where the magnetic
?ux gap is axial as in a disc-shaped device. In such apparatus
or systems, the axial ?eld canbe controlled to buck a dynamic

facilitating producing the conductor slots With Micro-Elec

tro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology and after coat

axial force While dynamically maintaining a constant ?ux gap

by means of aforementioned master microprocessor.
[0021] In some apparatus or systems as described above,

Whereby economic production of small pole siZes, e.g., in the

conductors of the TTWs can be substantially of square cross

section and embedded in slots via thin insulation in a stator

matrix, Whose material is advantageously ferromagnetic and

of thickness tWice the side of said square cross-section of the
conductors, and Where the conductors are advantageously
disposed ?ush With the matrix surface on the ?ux gap side and

ing the slots With a thin layer of insulation depositing in the

same slots conductive material by means of electroplating,
m or even sub mm range, is made feasible.

[0026] An H-bridge can be manufactured using PCB tech

nology applied to a thin ?at sheet of composite material then
folded to have a U shaped cross-section With the tWo legs of
the U representing said halves of the H-bridge and having

outside dimension betWeen U-legs, including embedded

sWitch Wafers, not exceeding the thickness of the aforemen
tioned stator matrix to attain a compact stator assembly in

Nov. 28, 2013

US 2013/0313948 A1

methods described herein. In such methods, a number of said

H-bridges can be printed and assembled to form a contiguous

better than 99% motor ef?ciency is attained in cruising mode

and With the motor Weighing less than around 0.15% of the

assembly encompassing as many of aforementioned TTWs,

Whereby is attained improved economy in manufacture.

aircraft total ?ight Weight.

[0031] Systems and methods consistent With this approach

[0027] In some apparatus and systems, the outside dimen

sion betWeen U-legs of said H-bridges can be suf?ciently

are described as Well as articles that comprise a tangibly

embodied machine-readable medium operable to cause one

small relative to the radius of curvature of a drum-shaped

device or having a limiting ratio in Which the relative differ
ence betWeen the comer radius and the inside radius of a facet

is less than about 0.01%, Where from geometry of regular

polygons is evaluated the number of poles not to be less than
222 With a corresponding stator thickness to radius ratio of
less than 2.8% to permit elastic deformation shaping into a

partial or full annular assembly, folloWed by relaxation cur

ing, to conform to the curvature of the same drum shaped
device.

[0028] In some apparatus and systems described herein, the

operation of the motor can have a large ratio of peak to
average poWer and Where the high poWer regime is at a tol

erably loWer ef?ciency.

[0029] A hybrid vehicular or aircraft propulsion system
having a small siZed fuel burning electric poWer generation
unit coupled to poWer storage batteries integrated With a
motor to provide continuous charging in series or in series

plus parallel groups of said turnless structures at higher volt

age than afforded in a strictly parallel arrangement of the

or more machines (e.g., computers, etc.) to result in opera

tions described herein. Similarly, computer systems are also
described that may include a processor and a memory
coupled to the processor. The memory may include one or
more programs that cause the processor to perform one or

more of the operations described herein.

[0032] Implementations of the current subject matter can
provide one or more advantages. For example, the methods,

apparatus, and systems that include controllable, turn-less

structures With a turnless three-phase Winding and an
H-bridge inverter can exhibit an increase in the over-all poWer
density of motors, generators, or actuators at any given sur

face velocity. This can be particularly important for loW

velocity, loW RPM systems.
[0033] The details of one or more variations of the subject
matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying

draWings and the description beloW. Other features and

advantages of the subject matter described herein Will be
apparent from the description and draWings, and from the
claims.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

same turnless structures, Where said motor operates at rela

tively loW poWer during substantially steady state

e?i

ciency cruising mode but giving forth a burst of poWer at

tolerably reduced ef?ciency during acceleration or scram
mode for a brief period of time, Whereby said electric poWer
generation unit can be small and light Weight and operated at
maximum ef?ciency conditions, all of Which contributes to
substantially reduced fuel consumption can be included in
some apparatus and systems, as described herein.

[0030] In some apparatus and systems can include: a rim

motor driven ducted ring-fan propulsor for an aircraft com

[0034] The accompanying drawings, Which are incorpo

rated in and constitute a part of this speci?cation, shoW certain

aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together

With the description, help explain some of the principles
associated With the disclosed implementations. In the draW
rngs:
[0035]

FIG. 1 shoWs an assembled Controlled Tumless

Structure, CTS base module;

[0036]

FIG. 2 shoWs an exploded vieW of the same CTS in

prising a drum shaped motor Where the magnetic ?ux gap is

radial as in a drum-shaped device and Where the rotating

FIG. 1;
[0037] FIG. 3 shoWs a U-shaped, 3-phase array H-bridge;
[0038] FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b shoW tWo variations of capaci

armature is either internal or external to the stator and mag

tor or battery connected to an H-bridge;

netic thrust bearing, Wherein the axial ?eld is controlled to

buck a dynamic axial force While dynamically maintaining a

[0039] FIG. 5 shoWs an elemental dipole element, or por

tion of sloW moving platform, or disk motor, or spread out
drum motor;
[0040] FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b shoW plots of the poWer density

constant ?ux gap by means of aforementioned master micro

processor, and modular high performance batteries providing

continuous charging at moderate voltage, that provide con
tinuous charging in series or in series plus parallel groups of

for respective cases With and Without battery both as a func

said turnless structures at higher voltage than afforded in a

tion of pole siZe, and parametrically With ef?ciency all With a

surface velocity of 30 m/s;

strictly parallel arrangement of the same turnless structures,

Whereby similar poWer supply characteristics to that of multi
Winding systems can be attained With the added bene?t of
con?ning AC currents to only the individual turnless struc
tures and therefore having the effect of cancelling all external
interconnection inductance limitations and consequently

tion of pole siZe, parametrically With ef?ciency all With a

surface velocity of 30 m/s;
[0042] FIG. 7a and FIG. 7b shoW respectively force density
(N/kg) and poWer density (N/kg) as a function of pole siZe for
shuttle traveling at 1 m/ s parametrically With ef?ciency;

[0041]

FIG. 6c shows a plot ofpoWer dissipation as a func

reducing electromagnetic noise and EMI shielding require

[0043]

ments With the attendant Weight saving, Where the rotor arma

ply in a series parallel con?guration;

ture is integrated With the ring of the ring-fan, and the motor

[0044] FIG. 9 illustrates theoretical multiple CTS stator

arranged in a motor drum con?guration With exaggerated
large thickness to radius ratio for clarity of presentation;
[0045] FIG. 10 illustrates a possible principle for lay-out of

operated at relatively loW poWer during substantially steady

state high ef?ciency cruising mode but giving forth a burst of
poWer at tolerably reduced ef?ciency during acceleration or
scram mode for a brief period of time, Whereby said electric
poWer generation unit can be small and light Weight and
operated at maximum ef?ciency conditions, all of Which con

tributes to substantially reduced fuel consumption, Whereby

FIG. 8 shoWs CTSs connected to external DC sup

H-bridge strings matching TTWs arranged to form drum

shaped stator having fairly high thickness to radius ratio;
[0046] FIG. 11 illustrates multiple clusters of CTSs in a
motor stator disk con?guration;