公开(公告)号：US20240405709A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-05

申请号：US18776810

申请日：2024-07-18

Applicant: TAU MOTORS, INC.

Inventor： Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Ethan Bagget Swint ,  Matthias Preindl ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Matthew J Rubin ,  Anthony Da Costa

IPC: H02P25/20

Abstract: A reconfigurable electric motor (or machine) that may be reconfigured to improve performance given particular motor conditions. The motor is part of a motor system including a stator, a rotor, a microinverter network including a plurality of microinverters, and a motor controller including processing circuitry. The motor controller controls the plurality of microinverters to drive the motor in accordance with a first configuration of a plurality of motor configurations. The motor controller determines, based on determined motor conditions, to reconfigure the motor from the first configuration to a second configuration, where the first configuration has a first pole count that is different than a second pole count of the second configuration. The motor controller further controls the plurality of microinverters to drive the motor in accordance with the second configuration.

公开(公告)号：US20230231444A1

公开(公告)日：2023-07-20

申请号：US18179743

申请日：2023-03-07

Applicant: Tau Motors, Inc.

Inventor： Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Matthew J. Rubin ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Michael Parker Owen ,  Ethan Bagget Swint ,  Matthias Preindl

IPC: H02K11/042 ,  H02K1/14 ,  H02K1/24

CPC classification number: H02K11/042 ,  H02K1/14 ,  H02K1/24

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator defining multiple stator poles with associated stator windings configured to receive a stator current. The electric machine also includes a rotor defining multiple fixed rotor poles with associated rotor windings, wherein the rotor defines a field energizable by magnetic fields produced by the stator windings when receiving the stator current to produce relative motion between the rotor and the stator and wherein the rotor is maintained in synchronicity with the magnetic fields produced by the stator during operation of the electric machine. The electric machine also includes a rectification system configured control against an alternating current being induced in the rotor poles as the field is energized by magnetic fields produced by the stator windings when receiving the stator current.

公开(公告)号：US20240258944A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-01

申请号：US18560061

申请日：2022-05-13

Applicant: TAU MOTORS, INC.

Inventor： Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Ethan Bagget Swint ,  Matthias Preindl ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Matthew J Rubin ,  Anthony Da Costa

IPC: H02P25/20

CPC classification number: H02P25/20

Abstract: A reconfigurable electric motor (or machine) that may be reconfigured to improve performance given particular motor conditions. The motor is part of a motor system including a stator, a rotor, a microinverter network including a plurality of microinverters, and a motor controller including processing circuitry. The motor controller controls the plurality of microinverters to drive the motor in accordance with a first configuration of a plurality of motor configurations. The motor controller determines, based on determined motor conditions, to reconfigure the motor from the first configuration to a second configuration, where the first configuration has a first pole count that is different than a second pole count of the second configuration. The motor controller further controls the plurality of microinverters to drive the motor in accordance with the second configuration.

公开(公告)号：US20240204591A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-20

申请号：US18593229

申请日：2024-03-01

Applicant: Tau Motors, Inc.

Inventor： Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Matthew J. Rubin ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Michael Parker Owen

IPC: H02K1/22 ,  H02K1/02 ,  H02K21/16 ,  H02P7/29

CPC classification number: H02K1/223 ,  H02K1/02 ,  H02K21/16 ,  H02P7/29 ,  H02P2207/05

Abstract: A stator defines multiple stator poles with associated electrical windings. A rotor includes multiple rotor poles. The rotor is movable with respect to the stator and defines, together with the stator, a nominal gap between the stator poles and the rotor poles. The rotor poles includes a magnetically permeable pole material. The rotor also includes a series of frequency programmable flux channels (FPFCs). Each FPFC includes a conductive loop surrounding an associated rotor pole. The stator and the rotor are arranged such that the electrical windings in the stator induce an excitement current within at least one of the FPFCs during start-up.

公开(公告)号：US20240014721A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US18332038

申请日：2023-06-09

Applicant: Tau Motors, Inc.

Inventor： Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Matthew J. Rubin ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Michael Parker Owen ,  Ethan Bagget Swint ,  Matthias Preindl

IPC: H02K11/33 ,  H02K3/28 ,  H02K1/17

CPC classification number: H02K11/33 ,  H02K3/28 ,  H02K1/17 ,  H02K2201/03

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator and a rotor energizable by magnetic fields produced by the stator when receiving a stator current to produce relative motion between the rotor and the stator. A controller is configured to send the stator current through the stator at a current angle measured from the closest one of a pole of the rotor, determine a desired operational output of the electric machine, and determine a desired rotor motion corresponding to the desired operational output of the electric machine. The controller is further configured to calculate a vector control modulation applied to the stator that elicits the desired rotor motion, and adjust the current angle of the stator current based on the vector control modulation to cause the rotor to perform the desired rotor motion and achieve the desired operational output of the electric machine.

公开(公告)号：US11621612B2

公开(公告)日：2023-04-04

申请号：US17240277

申请日：2021-04-26

Applicant: Tau Motors, Inc.

Inventor： Matthew J. Rubin ,  Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Adam Daniel Ambrecht ,  Euzeli Cipriano dos Santos, Jr.

IPC: H02K11/028 ,  H02K1/02 ,  H02K1/16 ,  H02K1/24 ,  H02P23/14 ,  H02K3/28 ,  H02P27/14 ,  H02K11/30 ,  H02K3/50

Abstract: An electric motor has a stator defining multiple stator poles with associated electrical windings, and a rotor having multiple rotor poles. The rotor has flux barriers between adjacent rotor poles, the flux barriers each having a material with an electrical conductivity higher than the rotor pole material. The flux barriers are electrically isolated from one another external to the ferromagnetic material. Eddy currents are induced in the flux barrier to cause destructive interference of an impending magnetic field, such that the flux barrier effectively acts to inhibit magnetic flux during motor operation, which in some cases will result in a repulsive force that will act to increase an induced motive force on the rotor poles.

公开(公告)号：US20210249937A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-12

申请号：US17240277

申请日：2021-04-26

Applicant: Tau Motors, Inc.

Inventor： Matthew J. Rubin ,  Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Adam Daniel Ambrecht ,  Euzeli Cipriano dos Santos, JR.

IPC: H02K11/028 ,  H02K1/02 ,  H02K1/16 ,  H02K1/24 ,  H02P23/14

Abstract: An electric motor has a stator defining multiple stator poles with associated electrical windings, and a rotor having multiple rotor poles. The rotor has flux barriers between adjacent rotor poles, the flux barriers each having a material with an electrical conductivity higher than the rotor pole material. The flux barriers are electrically isolated from one another external to the ferromagnetic material. Eddy currents are induced in the flux barrier to cause destructive interference of an impending magnetic field, such that the flux barrier effectively acts to inhibit magnetic flux during motor operation, which in some cases will result in a repulsive force that will act to increase an induced motive force on the rotor poles.

公开(公告)号：US20240213864A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-27

申请号：US18606620

申请日：2024-03-15

Applicant: Tau Motors, Inc.

Inventor： Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Matthew J. Rubin ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Michael Parker Owen ,  Ethan Bagget Swint ,  Matthias Preindl

IPC: H02K21/04 ,  H02K1/22 ,  H02P21/22 ,  H02P25/098

CPC classification number: H02K21/042 ,  H02K1/223 ,  H02P21/22 ,  H02P25/098

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator and a rotor energizable by magnetic fields produced by the stator when receiving a stator current to produce relative motion between the rotor and the stator. A controller is configured to send the stator current through the stator at a current angle measured from the closest one of a pole of the rotor, determine a desired operational output of the electric machine, and determine a desired rotor motion corresponding to the desired operational output of the electric machine. The controller is further configured to calculate a vector control modulation applied to the stator that elicits the desired rotor motion, and adjust the current angle of the stator current based on the vector control modulation to cause the rotor to perform the desired rotor motion and achieve the desired operational output of the electric machine.

公开(公告)号：US20230148310A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-11

申请号：US17634715

申请日：2021-08-02

Applicant: Tau Motors, Inc.

Inventor： Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Matthew J. Rubin ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Michael Parker Owen ,  Ethan Bagget Swint ,  Mathias Preindl

IPC: H02K11/042 ,  H02K1/14 ,  H02K1/24

CPC classification number: H02K11/042 ,  H02K1/14 ,  H02K1/24

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator defining multiple stator poles with associated stator windings configured to receive a stator current. The electric machine also includes a rotor defining multiple fixed rotor poles with associated rotor windings, wherein the rotor defines a field energizable by magnetic fields produced by the stator windings when receiving the stator current to produce relative motion between the rotor and the stator and wherein the rotor is maintained in synchronicity with the magnetic fields produced by the stator during operation of the electric machine. The electric machine also includes a rectification system configured control against an alternating current being induced in the rotor poles as the field is energized by magnetic fields produced by the stator windings when receiving the stator current.

公开(公告)号：US11637481B1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-25

申请号：US17634715

申请日：2021-08-02

Applicant: Tau Motors, Inc.

Inventor： Walter Wesley Pennington, III ,  Matthew J. Rubin ,  Gregory Gordon Stevenson ,  Michael Parker Owen ,  Ethan Bagget Swint ,  Matthias Preindl

IPC: H02K11/042 ,  H02K1/24 ,  H02K1/14 ,  H02P25/00

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator defining multiple stator poles with associated stator windings configured to receive a stator current. The electric machine also includes a rotor defining multiple fixed rotor poles with associated rotor windings, wherein the rotor defines a field energizable by magnetic fields produced by the stator windings when receiving the stator current to produce relative motion between the rotor and the stator and wherein the rotor is maintained in synchronicity with the magnetic fields produced by the stator during operation of the electric machine. The electric machine also includes a rectification system configured control against an alternating current being induced in the rotor poles as the field is energized by magnetic fields produced by the stator windings when receiving the stator current.