Axial flux reluctance machine with two stators driving a rotor

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention concerns an axial flux reluctance machine and methods for operating such a machine to reduce torque ripple, noise, vibration, and core losses and to improve the overall characteristics of such a reluctance machine.
One aspect of the present invention relates to an axial flux reluctance machine that includes a rotor arranged to rotate about an axis, where the rotor defines a number of rotor poles that project in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and a stator positioned adjacent to the rotor, where the stator defines a number of stator poles that project substantially in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation and wherein the stator is formed from a wound tape of paramagnetic material.
An other aspect of the present invention is a similar axial flux reluctance machine where the rotor is formed from a wound tape of paramagnetic material.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method of forming a rotor or a stator for an axial flux reluctance machine where the method comprises the steps of forming a tape of paramagnetic material where the tape defines a central core and a number of outwardly projecting rotor pole portions and where the tape is wound about a central member such that a number of projecting rotor pole portions overlay one another to create a wound tape rotor.
A still further aspect of the present invention relates to an axial flux reluctance machine that includes a rotor arranged to rotate about a central axis where the rotor comprising a central yoke, a first set of rotor poles extending in a first direction that is essentially parallel to the axis of rotation and a second set of rotor poles extending in a second direction that is opposite that of the first direction, a first stator positioned adjacent to the rotor, the first stator defining a number of projecting stator poles that extend in the second direction, the first stator being positioned such that the first stator's projecting stator poles are opposite the first set of rotor poles; and a second stator positioned adjacent to the rotor, the second stator defining a number of projecting stator poles that extend in the first direction, the second stator being positioned such that the second stator's projecting stator poles are opposite the second set of rotor poles and wherein the first stator's stator poles are not completely aligned with the second stator's stator poles