Axial flux electrical machine

摘要

An axial flux electrical machine including a housing, a stator located within the housing, a rotatable shaft carried by the housing by means of at least a main bearing, and a rotor fixed to the shaft within the housing. Magnetic attractive forces between the rotor and the stator produce an axial thrust on the main bearing and a biasing means (preferably in the form of a spring) is arranged to urge the shaft in a direction opposite to the axial thrust so as to reduce the net load on the main bearing. This reduction in net load on the main bearing increases bearing life and improves motor efficiency.

主权项

1. A single-sided axial flux electrical machine comprising:
a housing having a first end and a second end opposite from the first end; a stator located within the housing and coupled to the housing at the first end; a main bearing coupled to the housing at the first end; a secondary bearing coupled to the housing at the second end such that an outer housing of the secondary bearing is prevented from rotation with respect to the housing; a rotatable shaft carried by the housing via the main bearing and the secondary bearing, the shaft extending through the stator, the shaft rotatably coupled to the housing at the second end via the secondary bearing and protruding from the housing at the first end, the shaft defining a rotation axis; a single rotor fixed to the shaft within the housing between the secondary bearing and the stator, wherein magnetic attractive forces between the rotor and the stator produce an axial thrust on the main bearing; and at least one biasing device arranged between the secondary bearing and the housing second end, the at least one biasing device contacting the housing to urge the secondary bearing and the shaft away from the main bearing in a direction opposite to the axial thrust so as to reduce the net load on the main bearing.