RE:RE:Patent litigation thefourth wrote: I don't have complete knowledge of patent law but I do have some understanding based on my personal experience. My money is on EXRO coming out on top and in some way be vindicated from infringement upon ePropeeled patent 103.
The recent challenge to the validity of ePropeled patent 103, due to an experts claim of prior art, I find particularly interesting. It is likely the best avenue to resolve the issue quickly. The time it takes for the patent office to review the 103 patent and the data that supports it's invalidity could be short. We could be surprised soon.
Take a moment and consider where the patent office stands in this case. They have granted patents to both companies based on each companies' representation of their technology. If the outcome favours one company over another through a court ruling it implies that someone in the patent office is responsible for an oversight that has significant financial implications. Also, the US patent office has their credibility to about and try to preserve.
it is my opinion that, if there is even a whiff of "prior (f)art" the patent office will quickly resolve this issue for us. I don't believe the examiners would like to be called as witnesses in lengthy court proceedings.
best regards
thefourth
The EXRO patent: (One of nine)
[0153] The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. To the extent that they are not inconsistent with the specific teachings and definitions herein, all of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet which are owned by Exro Technologies, Inc., including but not limited to: U.S. patent publication No. 2012-0229060; U.S. patent publication No. 2011-0241630; U.S. patent 8106563; U.S. patent publication No. 2010-0090553; and U.S. patent publication No. 2014-0252922, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary, to employ systems, circuits and concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application is directed to rotating electric machines, for example, an electric generator, electric motor, or regenerative motor.
BACKGROUND
Description of the Related Art
[0002] Electric machines such as electric motors and electric generators are typically limited to a single speed torque characteristic, which results from the electric machine having a static, hardwired, coil configuration. A hardwired machine winding is only able to provide certain functions that result from that specific winding condition. This limitation may not be a problem for single speed applications. However, for variable speed applications it may be highly desirable to have an alternate winding configuration that is not available with traditional electric machines.
[0003] Existing electric machine designs have attempted to create greater control, typically by using complicated and expensive power electronics that introduce additional losses in efficiency to the overall system. One such system is a Variable Frequency Drive, which improves efficiency but still introduces losses that rapidly increase at approximately 50% of full load. While numerous approaches to optimizing the operation of electric machine exist, most focus on pre- and post-machine electrical operations, accepting the limitations inherent in conventional electric machines.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0004] The present application generally relates to rotating electric machines, and more specifically to electric generators, electric motors, or regenerative motors that are highly efficient and have improved performance characteristic that result from a control system that changes the configuration of the stator and/or armature coils or windings in real time and under loaded conditions. The proposed technology is a unique new electromagnetic (EM) technology platform, operable as either an electric motor or electric generator, or both, for example, in applications such as regenerative braking. The electric machine operates at essentially the same efficiency and has the same performance capabilities as other electric machines at a rated design point, but has lower losses when operating away from the specific design point of the electric machine. One benefit of this technology is that it provides a more efficient electric machine with improved performance characteristics over a relative large range of operating conditions. This improvement in efficiency and performance may also have significant benefits with respect to other system elements. For example, this technology may reduce the need for or simplify mechanical systems such as gearboxes, as well as electrical components, such as boost converters.
Also a 2006 Exro patent:
Polyphasic multi-coil generator Abstract A polyphasic multi-coil generator includes a driveshaft, at least first and second rotors rigidly mounted on the driveshaft so as to simultaneously synchronously rotate with rotation of the driveshaft, and at least one stator sandwiched between the first and second rotors. The stator has an aperture through which the driveshaft is rotatably journalled. A stator array on the stator has an equally radially spaced-apart array of electrically conductive coils mounted to the stator in a first angular orientation about the driveshaft. The stator array is radially spaced apart about the driveshaft. The rotors and the stator lie in substantially parallel planes. The first and second rotors have, respectively, first and second rotor arrays. The first rotor array has a first equally radially spaced apart array of magnets radially spaced around the driveshaft at a first angular orientation relative to the driveshaft. The second rotor array having a second equally spaced apart array of magnets at a second angular orientation relative to the driveshaft. The first and second angular orientations are off-set by an angular offset so that the first and second rotor arrays are offset relative to one another.
The ePropelled 103 Patent:
Description
[0001] This invention relates to the magnetic gearing of permanent magnet brushless motors.
[0002] Permanent magnet brushless motors are known which are capable of providing variable speed outputs. The motor characteristics are linear, generating high torque at low speeds and high speed at low torque levels.
[0003] In certain applications, the range of speed and torque characteristics of a particular motor may not be sufficient to cover the desired range, even though the output power of the motor may be sufficient. In such circumstances two options are available. Firstly, a more powerful motor could be used to cover the entire range or secondly, mechanical gears could be provided for the motor. Both of these methods add cost and weight to the system.
[0004] Canadian Patent Application No. 2341095 discloses an alternative to the above-mentioned methods which uses a technique in which the speed and torque can be varied inside the motor and the only additional item required is a switching circuit. A prerequisite of this technique is that the stator coils of the motor must be segmented into at least two or more sections, which are evenly or perhaps unevenly distributed throughout the stator slots. The switching circuit can then be used to change the number of coil segments which are connected to the supply. Such an arrangement utilises the control of the induced back electromotive force (back emf) to control the speed by selectively altering the number of conductors which are connected to the supply. This in effect also alters the torque with changing speed of the motor.
[0005] In the main embodiment of Canadian Patent Application No. 2341095, each of the motor windings comprises a plurality of series-connected sections provided by tappings in the winding, which can be selectively connected across the supply. With just one of the coil segments connected across the supply, the motor will produce a high speed but a low torque. However, with a higher proportion of coils connected in series across the supply, the motor will produce a lower speed at the same torque. In this manner, the speed but not the torque of the motor can be varied by selectively connecting the windings in series.