초록 ▼

Devices and methods are provided for a rotor assembly and an electric motor. One embodiment for a rotor assembly includes a first rotor including a first interface surface and a second rotor including a second interface surface corresponding to the first interface surface. Also, the first rotor is p

Devices and methods are provided for a rotor assembly and an electric motor. One embodiment for a rotor assembly includes a first rotor including a first interface surface and a second rotor including a second interface surface corresponding to the first interface surface. Also, the first rotor is positioned with the first interface surface in direct physical contact with the second interface surface of the second rotor.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed: 1. A rotor assembly, comprising: a first rotor including a first interface surface extending from edge to edge of the first rotor; and a second rotor including a second interface surface corresponding to the first interface surface and extending from edge to edge of the second roto

What is claimed: 1. A rotor assembly, comprising: a first rotor including a first interface surface extending from edge to edge of the first rotor; and a second rotor including a second interface surface corresponding to the first interface surface and extending from edge to edge of the second rotor, the first rotor positioned with the first interface surface in direct physical contact with the second interface surface where the edges of the first and second rotors are aligned; where the first and the second rotor each include: an over-molded body of a thermoset material including non-electrically conducting reinforcement materials; an annular U-shaped back iron including a first wall parallel to a second wall; a first annular magnet coupled to an interior surface of the first wall; and a second annular magnet coupled to an interior surface of the second wall, the first and second annular magnets formed of a series of magnets with successive opposite polarities, and extending from the over-molded body. 2. The rotor assembly of claim 1, where the non-electrically conducting reinforcement materials are selected from the group of materials including woven fibrous materials, non-woven fibrous materials, particulate materials, and high strength dielectric materials. 3. The rotor assembly of claim 1, where the first annular magnet and the second annular magnet are arranged so that polarities on the first annular magnet align with opposite polarities on the second annular magnet. 4. The rotor assembly of claim 1, where the first and second rotors are over-molded together. 5. The rotor assembly of claim 4, where at least a portion of the first annular magnet and the second annular magnet extend from the over-molded body. 6. The rotor assembly of claim 1, where the first interface surface and the second interface surface include alignment structures that register when the first interface surface is in direct physical contact with the second interface surface. 7. The rotor assembly of claim 1, where the non-electrically conducting reinforcement materials are selected from the group of reinforcement materials including glass fibers, glass fiber variants, synthetic fibers, natural fibers, and ceramic fibers. 8. An electric motor, comprising: a housing; an annular stator assembly interior to the housing, the annular stator assembly including a first and second stator, each stator including a number of annularly arranged stator sections having field windings and a PC board; a rotor assembly rotatably coupled within the housing, the rotor assembly including: a first rotor corresponding to the first stator and including a first interface surface extending from edge to edge of the first rotor; and a second rotor corresponding to the second stator and including a second interface surface corresponding to the first interface surface and extending from edge to edge of the second rotor, the first rotor positioned with the first interface surface directly opposite the second interface surface and with the first interface surface in direct physical contact with the second interface surface where the edges of the first and second rotors are aligned, the first and the second rotor each including an over-molded body of a thermoset material including non-electrically conducting fillers and annular magnets formed of a series of magnets with successive opposite polarities extending from the over-molded body; wherein the PC board is configured to acquire instantaneous rotational position of the corresponding rotor. 9. The electric motor of claim 8, where the first rotor and second rotor each include: an annular U-shaped back iron including a first wall parallel to a second wall; a first annular magnet coupled to an interior surface of the first wall; and a second annular magnet coupled to an interior surface of the second wall. 10. The electric motor of claim 9, where the annularly arranged stator sections are positioned between the first annular magnet and the second annular magnet and include a pole piece region that extends above the field windings some distance, the distance being at most one-half the height of the field windings. 11. The electric motor of claim 9, where the first annular magnet and the second annular magnet are arranged so that polarities on the first annular magnet align with opposite polarities on the second annular magnet. 12. The electric motor of claim 8, where the annular stator assembly is over-molded such that an over-mold material encapsulates the field windings, leaving the pole piece region exposed. 13. The electric motor of claim 8, where the housing includes: a second stator assembly configured like the first stator assembly; and a second rotor assembly configured like the first rotor assembly; wherein the second stator and rotor assemblies are oriented in a mirror image to the first stator and rotor assemblies. 14. The electric motor of claim 13, where the housing includes: a third stator assembly configured like the first stator assembly; and a third rotor assembly configured like the first rotor assembly; wherein the third stator and rotor assemblies are oriented in a mirror image to the second stator and rotor assemblies. 15. The electric motor of claim 8, where the non-electrically conducting fillers are selected from the group of fillers including organic materials, inorganic materials, clays, silicates, mica, talcs, asbestos, rubbers, fines, and paper. 16. The electric motor of claim 14, where the rotors of each rotor assembly are over-molded together. 17. A method, comprising: positioning a first stator in a mirror image relationship to a second stator; placing a first rotor in direct physical contact with a second rotor from edge to edge of the first rotor and the second rotor between the first stator and the second stator, where the edges of the first and second rotors are aligned; over-molding a portion of the first rotor to keep a surface of a first magnet and a second magnet exposed; over-molding a portion of the second rotor to keep a surface of a first magnet and a second magnet exposed; and over-molding the portions of the first rotor and the second rotor together, wherein the over-molded portions of the first and the second rotor are of a thermoset material including non-electrically conducting reinforcement materials. 18. The method of claim 17, including over-molding the portions of the first rotor and the second rotor such that the first magnets and the second magnets extend from the over-molded portions. 19. The method of claim 17, including forming alignment structures in a first interface surface of the first rotor and a second interface surface of the second rotor, where the alignment structures fit together to bring the first rotor and the second rotor in direct physical contact. 20. The method of claim 17, including providing a means for communicating instantaneous rotational rotor position to a PC board located on a corresponding stator.