Optimal design of rim motor for electric powered wheelchair

The authors aim to provide a novel design of rim motors for electric wheelchairs, using the conventional rim as the motor on each wheel. The rotor of the rim motor is a conventional hand rim plugged inside its tube with a series of magnets of alternate N and S poles. Two sectors of arc stator are designed facing the inner side of the rim. This configuration enables a larger force-arm that multiplies the force exerted along the rim to produce a larger torque than the conventional hub-in motor of smaller radius. An optimal design procedure for a rim motor would make electric powered wheelchairs foldable, light, fuel-efficient and easy to operate. Experimental results show that the prototype rim motor satisfies the required specifications in terms of speed, torque, torque density and torque ripples. This rim motor provides a promising option for actuators and is a revolutionary product for electric powered wheelchairs.     

Modeling of a piezoelectric rotary ultrasonic motor

A piezoelectric rotary ultrasonic motor is modeled for the purpose of predicting, a priori, motor performance as a function of design parameters. The Rayleigh-Ritz assumed mode energy method is used to model the distributed piezoceramics and the traveling wave dynamics of the stator. Natural frequencies and modeshapes are obtained for a generally configured motor. Nonlinear normal and tangential interface forces between the rotor and stator are incorporated into the forcing function along with the linear piezoelectric forcing. Given the applied torque, applied axial loading, and piezo drive voltages as inputs to the model, general motor performance measures are obtained-namely speed, input power, output power, and efficiency. The approach presented here provides a general framework for modeling these motors as well as a design tool for optimizing prototypes with the added flexibility of allowing for a wide variety of geometries and materials     

A piezoelectric motor using flexural vibration of a thin piezoelectric membrane

This paper describes a new implementation of a disk-type piezoelectric motor, whose stator is a commercial available piezomembrane composed of a nickel alloy disk to which a piezoceramic disk is bonded. The two disks are concentric, and the total thickness is very small. Ultrasonic motors are based on the concept of driving a rotor by mechanical vibration excited on a stator, via the piezoelectric effect. The rotor is in contact with the stator, and the driving force is the frictional force between rotor and stator. To transform the mechanical vibration of the stator in the rotor rotation, a traveling wave must be excited on the stator surface. The proposed motor can be regarded as a disk-type, single wavelength motor in which the traveling wave is due to the natural flexural vibration of the piezomembrane at low frequency. The behavior of the stator is analyzed both theoretically, by using the theory of isotropic and homogeneous vibrating plates, and by means of a commercial finite element computer code, finding a good agreement with the experimental results. The main features of the motor are very small thickness, appreciable torque, and high speed, obtained with low input power at low voltage; the intended application is to substitute the moving-coil in analogic instrumentation.     

旋转型行波超声电机理论模型的仿真研究

建立了旋转型行波超声电机定、转子间的摩擦驱动模型，不仅考虑了接触界面上的纵向分布力，而且分析接触力沿周向和径向上的分量，在此基础上结合定子和转子的动力学模型得到了整个电机的机电耦合模型。文章分析了预压力影响电机驱动频率的本质原因，说明该频率不能直接通过分析自由定子得到，最后通过数值计算分析了接触界面力对电机工作频率的影响，取得了与实验一致的结果。     

Detections of secondary current and torque of induction motors using amorphous microcore field sensors

New secondary-current sensors for squirrel-cage induction motors are presented using a multivibrator with two group amorphous microcores. The 8-pair micro cores are set near the both endrings of a rotor for cancellation of the influence of unstable rotor motion on sensing of the secondary current. Electromagnetic torque was detected as an output voltage of a multiplier for the secondary current and the main flux. The main flux was detected using a multivibrator-type flux sensor utilizing two stator teeth as two cores. A possible new control system for variable speed induction motors with a torque feedback loop is discussed, which stably works independently of variations of motor parameters.     

Coupled tangential-axial resonant modes of piezoelectric hollow cylinders and their application in ultrasonic motors

This paper describes a tangential-axial eigen-mode of a piezoelectric hollow cylinder. A new type of piezoelectric ultrasonic motor using this oscillation mode has been developed. The motor is a traveling-wave-type motor. The stator of such a motor consists of a solid piezoelectric hollow cylinder, which, excited in the tangential-axial resonant mode by a three-phase electrical signal, will exhibit elliptical displacement and transfer rotation to the rotor. The behavior of the stator has been simulated with finite element method (FEM) software. The simulation results have been checked with single-point contact measurements on the surface of the ultrasonic motors. The paper closes with the introduction of new ultrasonic motors based on this oscillation mode.     

Analysis of magnetic field and levitation force characteristics for 3-DOF deflection type PM motors

The mechanism and characteristics of the electromagnetic radial force are important for motors with complicated structures. The three-dimensional analytical model of the air gap between the rotor and stator is established under rotor eccentricity conditions. Then, aiming at solving the unbalanced radial force problem with rotor static eccentricity, the air-gap flux density, radial electromagnetic force, and the comparisons of harmonic contents are calculated and presented based on FEA (Finite Element Analysis) and MATLAB simulation. Finally, the magnetic field model has been validated by experiments utilizing a prototype system. The results provide a theoretical guide for configuration design, optimization, and levitation control research on three degree of freedom deflection type motors.     

大力矩径向驻波型超声波电机有限元分析与实验研究

提出了一种大力矩径向驻波型超声波电机,在实现电机大力矩输出的同时保持结构紧凑的特点。首先设计并分析了电机的结构和工作原理,采用有限元法分析了电机定子的振动特性。接着制作了超声波电机样机,样机直径为32 mm。采用激光测振仪测量了定子的共振频率及径向振动的振幅,测量结果与理论分析结果相吻合。最后,搭建了电机输出特性测试平台,测量了电机在不同电压下的转矩-转速特性。实验测试结果显示,定子工作模态的共振频率为73.3 kHz,当施加的电压幅值为100 V、频率为74 kHz时,电机的空载转速为45 r/min,堵转力矩达到0.41 N·m。与其他同尺寸的超声波电机相比,所提出的径向驻波型超声波电机具有更大的堵转力矩。     

A cylindrical traveling wave ultrasonic motor using a circumferential composite transducer

This paper intends to present and verify a new idea for constructing traveling wave ultrasonic motors that may effectively avoid the drawbacks of conventional traveling wave motors using bonded PZT plates as the exciting elements. In the configuration of the motor's stator, a composite sandwich type transducer is used to excite a traveling wave in a cylinder with two cantilevers as the coupling bridges between the transducer and the cylinder. The design process of the stator is described using the FEM modal analysis method, and the establishment of traveling wave on the cylindrical stator was simulated by FEM transient analysis. To verify the theoretical analysis results, a laser Doppler scanner was employed to test the mode shapes of a prototype stator excited by the longitudinal and bending vibrations respectively. Finally, to validate the design idea, a prototype motor was fabricated and tested; the typical output features are no-load speed of 156 rpm and maximum torque of 0.75 N·m under exciting voltages of 70 V(rms) applied to excite the longitudinal vibration of the transducer and 200 V(rms) applied to excite the bending vibration.     

二自由度行波型超声波电机定子的数学模型与实验研究

二自由度行波型超声波电机是一种新型多自由度超声波电机。本文从二自由度行波型超声波电机的驱动机理和基本结构出发,就电机的结构实现、驱动球转子的最佳定子结构进行了分析,利用所建立的有限元模型进行定子振动的模态分析和共振频率计算,提出了外缘大倾角内缘线接触的行波定子。然后建立定子的接触模型,对其机械性能进行分析。测试结果表明,修正的数学模型更加符合电机的实际运行特性。所研制样机的球转子直径为45mm,定子直径为30mm,实现的堵转力矩为120mNm,空转转速12r/min。本文工作为多自由度行波型超声波电机的优化设计、性能提高奠定了基础。     

An estimation of load characteristics of an ultrasonic motor by measuring transient responses

To measure the characteristics of ultrasonic motors, such as the maximum torque, torque-speed relationship and the frictional coefficient at the contact surface, a method in which the torque is calculated from the transient responses is proposed. The rise curve that is the transitional change in the rotor speed soon after turning on the motor gives the load characteristics, while the fall curve that is the decay of the rotor speed after turning off the motor yields the frictional coefficient of the contact surface. This method requires only a short time (the transient time of the motor) to complete the measurement. The relations between the transient responses, the load characteristics and the frictional force are analyzed, and the method is applied to a hybrid transducer type rotary motor and a traveling wave type linear motor.     

Piezoelectric micromotor using a metal-ceramic composite structure

This paper presents a new piezoelectric micromotor design, in which a uniformly electroded piezoelectric ring bonded to a metal ring is used as the stator. Four inward arms at the inner circumference of the metal ring transfer radial displacements into tangential displacements. The rotor ends in a truncated cone shape and touches the tips of the arms. A rotation takes place by exciting coupled modes of the stator element, such as a radial mode and a second bending mode of the arms. The behavior of the free stator was analyzed using the ATILA finite element software. Torque vs. speed relationship was measured from the transient speed change with a motor load. A starting torque of 17 muNm was obtained at 20 Vrms. The main features of this motor are low cost and easy assembly because of a simple structure and small number of components.     

An ultrasonic piezoelectric motor utilizing axial-torsional coupling in a pretwisted non-circular cross-sectioned prismatic beam

A rotary piezoelectric motor design with simple structural components and the potential for miniaturization using a pretwisted beam stator is demonstrated in this paper. The beam acts as a vibration converter to transform axial vibration input from a piezoelectric element into combined axial-torsional vibration. The axial vibration of the stator modulates the torsional friction forces transmitted to the rotor. Prototype stators measuring 6.5 x 6.5 x 67.5 mm were constructed using aluminum (2024-T6) twisted beams with rectangular cross-section and multilayer piezoelectric actuators. The stall torque and noload speed attained for a rectangular beam with an aspect ratio of 1.44 and pretwist helix angle of 17.7 degrees C were 0.17 mNm and 840 rpm with inputs of 184.4 kHz and 149 mW, respectively. Operation in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions was obtained by choosing either 70.37 or 184.4 kHz for the operating frequency. The effects of rotor preload and power input on motor performance were investigated experimentally. The results suggest that motor efficiency is higher at low power input, and that efficiency increases with preload to a maximum beyond which it begins to drop.     

Improvement of the longitudinal vibration system for the hybrid transducer ultrasonic motor

This paper presents a symmetric hybrid transducer ultrasonic motor designed to produce large longitudinal vibration stress in the rotor/stator contact interface for high-torque operation. The nodal plane of the longitudinal vibration mode was adjusted to match the rotor/stator contact interface, and the piezoelectric ceramic disks for the longitudinal vibration were installed at the nodal plane of the longitudinal vibration mode for effective excitation. An experimental motor, 20 mm in diameter, using the first torsional vibration mode and the second longitudinal vibration mode was manufactured. A maximum torque of 0.8 N.m was achieved in the prototype, an improvement over previous versions.     

Field weakening for radial force reduction in brushless permanent-magnet DC motors

In brushless permanent-magnet dc (BLDC) machines, the attraction between the rotor permanent magnets and the stator iron causes radial stator forces that excite the stator structural response and radiate unwanted acoustic noise. In this paper, we develop an analytical model that predicts rotor torque and radial force ripple as functions of the stator currents. The model shows that field weakening of sinusoidally commutated BLDC machines can reduce radial forces but requires higher currents to maintain the desired torque. We confirmed the analytical results numerically on a BLDC motor using ANSYS finite-element analysis and found a 30% reduction in force ripple at no load.     

Travelling wave ultrasonic motor using the B08 flexural mode of a circular membrane

This paper describes the design, construction, and performance of a piezoelectric motor that uses the travelling B₀₈ mode of an 80-mm diameter circular membrane to drive a rotor by frictional contact. The motor is of a thin planar design, giving high torque of up to 0.33 Nm at low speed and has been developed as a design that can be made with lithographic techniques for miniaturization. Investigations of the free stator with a vibration pattern imager and impedance analyser gave the resonance frequency, mode, and electromechanical coupling of the stator. Motor speed as a function of frequency for a constant voltage and performance charts of speed, output power, and efficiency against torque are presented for a particular input voltage and rotor pre-load. The effects of two different lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ring dimensions have been investigated. Excitation of the B₀₉ mode has been observed, incommensurate with the piezoelectric excitation of the stator. This is discussed with relation to edge-clamping of the stator. Single standing wave motoring was observed, believed to arise from asymmetry of the stator and its perturbation of the B₀₈ resonance mode. Sources of power loss, including frame vibration and friction interface slip, are considered and discussed     

Switched Reluctance Motor Design Using Neural-Network Method With Static Finite-Element Simulation

The paper describes a neural network method for optimal design of a switched reluctance motor (SRM). The approach maximizes average torque while minimizing torque ripple, considering mainly the stator and rotor geometry parameters. Before optimization takes place, an experimental validation of the SRM model, based on the finite-element method, is performed. The validation predicts average torque and torque ripple characteristics for several motor configurations while stator and rotor pole arcs are varied. The numerical results are highly nonlinear, and a function approximation of the data is therefore difficult to implement. We therefore interpolate the data by using a neural network based on a generalized radial basis function. The computed results allow us to search for optimum motor parameters. The optimum design was confirmed by numerical field solutions.     

Analytical Modeling of Axial Air Gap Solid Rotor Induction Machines Using a Quasi-Three-Dimensional Method

This paper presents an analytical model of axial air gap induction motors with solid rotors that includes the two-dimensional current distribution in the rotor. The model is quasi-three-dimensional and considers the circumferential as well as radial and angular dimensions. Also, one can consider the various arrangements of the stator windings i.e., single layer, double layer, and gramme for this type of motor. The method is valid for both constant current and constant voltage sources. Comparison of the simulation results of the produced torque with the experimental ones shows the high accuracy of the proposed method.     

Magnetically induced vibration in a permanent-magnet brushless DC motor with symmetric pole-slot configuration

The paper reports a numerical and experimental study of magnetically induced vibration associated with rotor/stator eccentricity and imperfect magnetization for 8-pole 6-slot symmetric brushless dc (BLDC) motors. Magnetic forces and cogging torque are calculated for various slot angles by using the finite-element method (FEM). The results show that there is an optimal slot angle for minimum cogging torque, but this slot angle is not optimal for reducing magnetic forces. In the idle acoustics test, the motors with reduced magnetic forces show clear reduction at the expected frequencies while the motors with minimum cogging torque show no change at the cogging torque frequency, which implies unbalanced magnetic forces have greater effect on actual vibration of the spindle motor than cogging torque. The results show that the proper direction in motor design is to reduce unbalanced magnetic forces when both cogging torque and unbalanced magnetic forces are not achievable simultaneously.     

Rotor Design and Finite Element Analysis of Traveling Wave Rotaty Ultrasonic Motor

The dynamic transfer mechanism of the traveling wave rotary ultrasonic motor rotor-stator' s contact surface is studied in the paper and the key parts stator and cone flexible rotor of ultrasonic motor are designed.The three-dimensional contact model and finite element model considering the radial sliding between the rotor and the stator are established. The relation between the stator surface particle that amplitude frequency characteristics,resonance speed,radial displacement of ultrasonic motor and the tooth height are analyzed. Mass point radial relative displacement of contact surface between the cone flexible rotor,flexible rotor and the stator are contrasted. The cone flexible rotor is better placed on the surface of the stator tooth through its elastic deformation is interpreted. The cone flexible rotor reduces the radial slip between the stator and the output efficiency of ultrasonic motor is improved. The displacement trajectory of the stator surface is synthesized in a row wave cycle. The method of the stator mass point elliptical motion drives the rotor rotation is verified.