초록 ▼

An outer rotor motor having a tubular shaft for maximum motor cooling effect. Coolant may flow through coolant channels of the shaft and the motor in various configurations to carry away the heat. A thermally conductive component may be inserted into the hollow shaft under the stator section to opti

An outer rotor motor having a tubular shaft for maximum motor cooling effect. Coolant may flow through coolant channels of the shaft and the motor in various configurations to carry away the heat. A thermally conductive component may be inserted into the hollow shaft under the stator section to optimize the airflow and cooling. Physical construction of the motor and control algorithms may further enhance motor performance with appropriate sensors. A compact, smooth, and cool operating motor may thus be achieved for applications such as treadmills or other belt drive systems.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. An exercise treadmill, comprising: a) a frame structure including a first side frame and a second side frame; b) a first pulley and a second pulley positioned substantially parallel to each other, each of the first and second pulleys rotatably secured at a first pulley end to the first

I claim: 1. An exercise treadmill, comprising: a) a frame structure including a first side frame and a second side frame; b) a first pulley and a second pulley positioned substantially parallel to each other, each of the first and second pulleys rotatably secured at a first pulley end to the first side frame and at a second pulley end opposite the first end to the second side frame; c) a belt secured over said pulleys so as to move in a longitudinal direction when said first pulley is rotated; d) a control system; e) a control panel secured to said frame structure and operatively connected to said control system wherein said control panel includes at least one display and a set of user controls effective to permit a user to control the speed of said belt; and f) a motor, integral with and for rotating said first pulley wherein said motor includes: i) a rotor having a housing that forms a generally cylindrical outer surface for said first pulley and includes a plurality of permanent magnets forming a set of poles secured to and spaced about the inner circumference of said housing, ii) a stator shaft extending through said rotor and fixed to said frame structure, said shaft having a first shaft end disposed within the first side frame and a second shaft end opposite the first shaft end and disposed within the second side frame, iii) a coolant channel within said shaft and extending from the first shaft end to the second shaft end and adapted to permit air to flow from within the first side frame to within the second side frame along said coolant channel effective to provide convective cooling of said motor, iv) a stator configured with a plurality of slots fixed to said stator shaft and forming an air gap with said poles, v) a plurality of stator windings wound through said slots, and vi) at least one bearing secured between said stator shaft and said rotor for permitting said rotor to rotate with respect to said stator shaft; and g) a motor controller operatively connected to said control system for controlling the speed of said motor. 2. The treadmill of claim 1 wherein said coolant channel is concentric with said stator shaft and has a generally circular cross section. 3. The treadmill of claim 1 wherein said stator shaft additionally includes a plurality of apertures extending from said coolant channel to the outer surface of said stator shaft effective to permit at least portion of said coolant to flow from said coolant channel through said air gap. 4. The treadmill of claim 1 additionally comprising a thermally conductive member located within said coolant channel. 5. The treadmill of claim 4 wherein said thermally conductive member is configured so as to permit at least a portion of said air to flow through said thermally conductive member. 6. The treadmill of claim 5 wherein said thermally conductive member includes surface areas in contact with said air that are greater than the corresponding surface area of said coolant channel where said conductive member is located. 7. The treadmill of claim 4 wherein said thermally conductive member includes a plurality of fins extending longitudinally along said coolant channel that from said surface areas. 8. The treadmill of claim 1 wherein said motor includes at least one end cap which is configured with at least one aperture to permit said air to flow out of said rotor. 9. The treadmill of claim 1 wherein said motor includes at least one end cap which is sealed against air flow through said end cap. 10. The treadmill of claim 1 wherein said stator is configured with a plurality of stator coolant channels so as to permit at least a portion of said coolant to flow through said stator. 11. The treadmill of claim 1 wherein said coolant channel is configured in the outer surface of said stator shaft. 12. The treadmill of claim 1 additionally including a coolant transfer mechanism connected to one of the fast and second ends of said stator shaft for transferring said air through said coolant channel. 13. The treadmill of claim 12 wherein said transfer mechanism includes a fan or a blower disposed within one of the first and second side frames. 14. The treadmill of claim 13, wherein the fan or blower operates independently of the rotor. 15. The treadmill of claim 1, additionally comprising a clamping mechanism at each of the first pulley end and the second pulley end, the clamping mechanism including a resilient material adjacent the shaft and effective to insulate said frame structure from vibrations and heat generated by said motor. 16. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein each of said first and said second frame structure comprises at least one air ventilation aperture. 17. The treadmill of claim 1 additionally comprising a fan or a blower disposed within one of the first and second side frames; and a thermally conductive member located within said coolant channel, wherein said thermally conductive member includes a plurality of fins extending longitudinally along said coolant channel. 18. The treadmill of claim 17, wherein each of said first and said second frame structure comprises at least one air ventilation aperture, and said stator shaft additionally includes a plurality of apertures extending from said coolant channel to the outer surface of said stator shaft effective to permit at least portion of said coolant to flow from said coolant channel through said air gap. 19. The treadmill of claim 1, additionally comprising a high resolution sensing mechanism operatively connected to said rotor for generating a rotor position information signal, wherein the motor controller is operatively connected to said control system and said sensing mechanism responsive to said speed command signal in combination with said rotor speed, and position signals to apply power to said stator windings for controlling the speed of said motor to achieve said desired belt speed. 20. The treadmill of claim 19, wherein said sensing mechanism includes an optical encoder. 21. The treadmill of claim 19, wherein said sensing mechanism includes a resolver including a resolver rotor secured for rotation with said rotor and a resolver stator secured to said stator shaft. 22. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein said motor is configured to minimize cogging torque wherein said configuration is selected from the group consisting of said stator windings having a fractional pitch, said stator slots orientated in a skewed relationship with said the edges of said permanent magnets, and said magnets are shaped so as to result in a substantially sinusoidally distributed magnetic flux in said air gap. 23. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein said stator windings have a fractional pitch and said plurality of slots are orientated in a skewed relationship with said edges of said permanent magnets. 24. The treadmill of claim 1, wherein there are 21 of said stator slots and 8 or 16 of said poles. 25. An exercise treadmill, comprising: a) a frame structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and the frame structure including a first side frame and a second side frame; b) a first and a second pulley, said pulleys rotatably secured to said frame structure and positioned substantially parallel to each other, said first pulley is rotatably secured to the second end of said frame structure; c) a belt secured over said pulleys so as to move in a longitudinal direction when said first pulley is rotated; d) a control system; e) a control panel secured to the first end of said frame structure and operatively connected to said control system wherein said control panel includes at least one display and a set of user controls effective to permit a user to control the speed of said belt; and f) a motor, integral with and for rotating said first pulley wherein said motor includes: i) a rotor having a housing that forms a generally cylindrical outer surface for said first pulley and includes a plurality of permanent magnets forming a set of poles secured to and spaced about the inner circumference of said housing, ii) a stator shaft extending through said rotor, said shaft including a coolant channel having a first end disposed within the first side frame and a second end opposite the first end and disposed within the second side frame, wherein the coolant channel is adapted to permit said coolant to flow from within the first side frame to within the second side frame, iii) a stator configured with a plurality of slots fixed to said stator shaft and forming an air gap with said poles, iv) a plurality of stator windings wound through said slots, and v) at least one bearing secured between said stator shaft and said rotor for permitting said rotor to rotate with respect to said stator shaft; and g) a motor controller operatively connected to said control system for controlling the speed of said motor. 26. The treadmill of claim 25 additionally including a fan or a blower disposed within one of the first and second side frames and connected to one of the first and second ends of said stator shaft for transferring said coolant through said coolant channel. 27. The treadmill of claim 25 additionally comprising a thermally conductive member located within said coolant channel, wherein said thermally conductive member includes a plurality of fins extending longitudinally along said coolant channel. 28. The treadmill of claim 25 additionally comprising a thermally conductive member located within said coolant channel. 29. The treadmill of claim 28 wherein said thermally conductive member is configured so as to permit at least a portion of said coolant to flow through said thermally conductive member. 30. The treadmill of claim 28 wherein said thermally conductive member includes a plurality of fins extending longitudinally along said coolant channel. 31. An exercise treadmill, comprising: a) a first and a second frame structure, wherein said first and said second frame structure each is configured with at least one aperture; b) a first and a second pulley, said pulleys rotatably secured to said frame structures and positioned substantially parallel to each other; c) a belt secured over said pulleys so as to move in a longitudinal direction when said first pulley is rotated; d) a control system; e) a control panel secured to said frame structure and operatively connected to said control system wherein said control panel includes at least one display and a set of user controls effective to permit a user to control the speed of said belt; and f) a motor, integral with and for rotating said first pulley wherein said motor includes: i) a rotor having a housing that forms a generally cylindrical outer surface for said first pulley and includes a plurality of permanent magnets forming a set of poles secured to and spaced about the inner circumference of said housing, ii) a heat transfer coolant, iii) a stator shaft extending through said rotor and fixed at each end to and within said first and said second frame structures respectively, wherein at least a portion of said shaft is configured with a coolant channel adapted to permit said coolant to flow along said coolant channel and through said apertures in said frame structures effective to provide convective cooling of said motor, iv) a stator configured with a plurality of slots fixed to said stator shaft and forming an air gap with said poles, v) a plurality of stator windings wound through said slots, and vi) at least one bearing secured between said stator shaft and said rotor for permitting said rotor to rotate with respect to said stator shaft; g) a motor controller operatively connected to said control system for controlling the speed of said motor; and h) a fan or a blower disposed within one of the first and second frame structures and connected to one of the ends of said stator shaft for transferring said coolant through said coolant channel. 32. The treadmill of claim 31 wherein said motor controller is secured within said first frame structure. 33. The treadmill of claim 31 wherein said stator shalt additionally includes a plurality of apertures extending from said coolant channel to the outer surface of said stator shaft effective to permit at least portion of said coolant to flow from said coolant channel through said air gap. 34. The treadmill of claim 31 additionally comprising a thermally conductive member located within said coolant channel. 35. The treadmill of claim 34 wherein said thermally conductive member is configured so as to permit at least a portion of said coolant to flow through said thermally conductive member. 36. The treadmill of claim 34 wherein said thermally conductive member includes a plurality of fins extending longitudinally along said coolant channel.