Variable air gap along axial direction for reducing cogging torque in permanent magnet motors

摘要

A permanent magnet motor (and associated rotor and stator) are described. The motor includes: a rotor having: an outer surface disposed radially from a central axis; and a plurality of permanent magnets located on the outer surface of or within pockets located between the outer surface and the central axis of the rotor; a stator having an inner surface in a spaced apart relationship to the outer surface or the plurality of permanent magnets with a gap there between that varies as a function of axial position along the central axis, and a first gap width at a first axial position is different from a second gap width at a second axial position, and the first and second gap widths are sized and configured to reduce the coping torque of the IPM motor as compared to an IPM motor having a constant gap width of the first or second width.