Spin and tilt control of a multi-degree of freedom electromagnetic machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10118716-B2
Application number	US-201615207671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2016
Priority date	Jul 12, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A multi-degree-of-freedom electromagnetic machine includes a first structure, a second structure, and a control. The first structure is configured to rotate about a spin axis and about a tilt axis that is perpendicular to the spin axis, and includes a first spin conductor, a second spin conductor, and a tilt conductor, which together form a general shape of a surface. The second structure is disposed adjacent to the first structure and includes a plurality of magnets. The control is configured to controllably supply alternating current (AC) to the first and second spin conductors and direct current (DC) to the tilt conductor, wherein the first structure continuously rotates about the spin axis in response to the AC being supplied to the first and second spin conductors, and rotates about the tilt axis to a tilt position in response to the DC being supplied to the tilt conductor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-degree-of-freedom electromagnetic machine, comprising:
a first structure configured to rotate about a spin axis and about a tilt axis that is perpendicular to the spin axis, the first structure comprising a first spin conductor, a second spin conductor, and a tilt conductor, the first spin conductor following a first general trajectory, the second spin conductor following a second general trajectory that is different from the first general trajectory, the tilt conductor following a third general trajectory that is different from the first and second general trajectories, the first spin conductor, second spin conductor, and tilt conductor together forming a general shape of a surface;
a second structure disposed adjacent to the first structure and including a plurality of magnets, each magnet having at least one of its magnetic poles facing the surface; and
a control coupled to the first spin conductor, the second spin conductor, and the tilt conductor, the control configured to controllably supply alternating current (AC) to the first and second spin conductors and direct current (DC) to the tilt conductor,
wherein the first structure (i) continuously rotates about the spin axis in response to the AC being supplied to the first and second spin conductors, and (ii) rotates about the tilt axis to a tilt position in response to the DC being supplied to the tilt conductor.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
one or more of the first spin conductor, the second spin conductors, and the tilt conductor comprise a plurality of electrically conductive segments; and
each of the electrically conductive segments comprises a conductor of predetermined length.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first spin conductor, the second spin conductors, and the tilt conductor comprise a contiguous conductor.

4. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first structure further comprises a first body formed of magnetically permeable material and having an outer surface, at least a portion of the outer surface having the general shape of the surface; and
the first spin conductor, the second spin conductors, and the tilt conductor are disposed at least adjacent at least the portion of the outer surface of the first structure.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the surface is a sphere; and
the first, second, and third general trajectories are such that the first spin conductor, the second spin conductors, and the tilt conductor are oriented at predetermined angles relative to each other.

6. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic pole facing the surface is spaced apart from the first structure by a predetermined gap.

7. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the magnet is selected from the group consisting of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet.

8. A control moment gyro system, comprising:
a spherical structure configured to rotate about a spin axis and about a tilt axis that is perpendicular to the spin axis, the spherical structure having a first axis of symmetry, a second axis of symmetry, and a third axis of symmetry, the first, second, and third axes of symmetry disposed perpendicular to each other;
a first spin conductor disposed on the spherical structure about the first axis of symmetry;
a second spin conductor disposed on the spherical structure about the second axis of symmetry;
a tilt conductor disposed on the spherical structure about the third axis of symmetry;
a second structure disposed adjacent to the spherical structure and including a plurality of magnets, each magnet having at least one of its magnetic poles facing the spherical structure; and
a control coupled to the first spin conductor, the second spin conductor, and the tilt conductor, the control configured to controllably supply alternating current (AC) to the first and second spin conductors and direct current (DC) to the tilt conductor,
wherein the spherical structure (i) continuously rotates about the spin axis in response to the AC being supplied to the first and second spin conductors, and (ii) rotates about the tilt axis to a tilt position in response to the DC being supplied to the tilt conductor.

9. The control moment gyro system of claim 8 , wherein:
one or more of the first spin conductor, the second spin conductors, and the tilt conductor comprise a plurality of electrically conductive segments; and
each of the electrically conductive segments comprises a conductor of predetermined length.

10. The control moment gyro system of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the first spin conductor, the second spin conductors, and the tilt conductor comprise a contiguous conductor.

11. The control moment gyro system of claim 8 , wherein the spherical structure comprises a magnetically permeable material.

12. The control moment gyro system of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic pole of each of the magnets that is facing the spherical structure is spaced apart therefrom by a predetermined gap.

13. The control moment gyro system of claim 8 , wherein the magnets are selected from the group consisting of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet.

14. A method of controlling a multi-degree-of-freedom electromagnetic machine that includes a first structure and a second structure, wherein the first structure is configured to rotate about a spin axis and about a tilt axis that is perpendicular to the spin axis, and includes a first spin conductor, a second spin conductor, and a tilt conductor, where the first spin conductor follows a first general trajectory, the second spin conductor follows a second general trajectory that is different from the first general trajectory, the tilt conductor follows a third general trajectory that is different from the first and second general trajectories, and where the first spin conductor, the second spin conductor, and the tilt conductor together form a general shape of a surface; and wherein the second structure is disposed adjacent to the first structure and includes a plurality of magnets, each magnet having at least one of its magnetic poles facing the surface, the method comprising the steps of:
controllably supplying alternating current (AC) to the first and second spin conductors, to thereby cause the first structure to continuously rotate about the spin axis; and
controllably supplying direct current (DC) to the tilt conductor, to thereby cause the first structure to rotate about the tilt axis to a tilt position.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Bandera Pablo

Classifications

• B64G1/286 Primary

  using control momentum gyroscopes (CMGs) · CPC title

• H02K2201/18

  Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom · CPC title

• B64G2001/245

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• H02K21/44

  with armature windings wound upon the magnets · CPC title

• B64G1/428

  Power distribution and management · CPC title