Norman P Rittenhouse

US Patent:

7343991, Mar 18, 2008

Filed:

Jun 15, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/454198

Inventors:

Norman Rittenhouse - Fairbury IL, US

International Classification:

B62D 55/00
B62D 55/12

US Classification:

180 95, 180 936, 180 934, 180 946, 180 962, 180 65, 180 91, 301114, 301112, 301 67 R, 301 49 R, 301 71, 301179, 301180

Abstract:

An electrically driven wheel for a tracked vehicle which includes a driving track wheel with built in cogs and a brushless DC motor having a mounting shaft to connect the wheels to the tracked vehicle. The brushless DC motor is coupled within the driving track wheel to develop rotational torque for rotating the driving track wheel and includes a drum, a bank of pole assemblies connected between the drum and the stationary mounting shaft, and electrical wiring for energizing the bank of pole assemblies. In an embodiment, the brushless DC motor includes permanent magnet high multiple pole motors. The electrically driven wheels are part of a drive system for the tracked vehicle. The drive system includes a track module frame, at least two flexible tracks coupled with the electrically driven track wheels, and a controller for controlling the electrically driven track wheels in response to a driver command.

US Patent:

7455131, Nov 25, 2008

Filed:

Jun 20, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/471345

Inventors:

Norman Rittenhouse - Fairbury IL, US

International Classification:

B62D 55/00
B62D 55/104

US Classification:

180 95, 180193, 180 242, 2801241

Abstract:

A suspension system for a tracked vehicle that includes at least four suspension cylinders for suspending at least two track module frames to a chassis of the tracked vehicle to allow torsional flexing to accommodate terrain unevenness with significantly less terrain damage to provide a smoother, safer ride, with bump absorption and improved stability. The suspension cylinders can be hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders for air bags, powered jackscrews or manual jackscrews. The suspension system also includes lateral links for attaching the at least two track frame module to the chassis to allow the track module frame to move vertically, to tilt and to angle for resiliently tracking uneven surfaces. Longitudinal links for attaching each of the at least two track frame module to the chassis to keep the at least two track module frames centered within the chassis of the tracked vehicle.

US Patent:

7492074, Feb 17, 2009

Filed:

Mar 30, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/731427

Inventors:

Norman Rittenhouse - Fairbury IL, US

International Classification:

H02K 1/00

US Classification:

310265, 310216, 310218

Abstract:

A motor including a mounting shaft having a hollow channel and a bearing attached to each end, a cylindrical hub having a hollow core for the mounting shaft, and plural rows of plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels with a hollow core and a channel forming a U-shaped recess and mounted the surface of the hub, each row corresponding to a motor phase. Each magnetic flux channel forms two pole pieces divided by the channel. The motor also includes plural phase windings, one passing through each row of plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels, a rotating drum having plural rows of permanent magnets on an inner surface, each row pair corresponding to and aligned with one of the plural rows of Molded Magnetic Flux Channels. The rotating drum connected with the bearing, and drive electronics for driving the plural phase windings, wherein the plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels increases torque and motor efficiency.

US Patent:

7579742, Aug 25, 2009

Filed:

Jan 17, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/015718

Inventors:

Norman Rittenhouse - Fairbury IL, US

International Classification:

H02K 1/12
H02K 21/12

US Classification:

310257, 310 43, 310 44

Abstract:

A motor/dynamo including a mounting shaft having a hollow channel and a bearing attached to each end, a non-rotating cylindrical hub having a hollow core for the mounting shaft, single or plural rows of plural parallel pole molded magnetic flux channels each having two halves and forming a hollow channel through which wire is transversely wound through fixedly attached on a surface of the cylindrical hub forming a high efficiency, high torque, direct drive motor/dynamo, utilizing Parallel Pole Molded Magnetic Flux Channels, low resistance and impedance transverse coil windings, and physically separate stators for electrical phases. The high torque, high efficiency motor capable of driving wheels, tracks, propellers, and other loads without a gearbox or other torque multiplying device. The high efficiency dynamo capable of being directly driven by wind turbines without a speed increasing gearbox or other speed multiplying device.

US Patent:

7640648, Jan 5, 2010

Filed:

Jun 6, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/134251

Inventors:

Norman Rittenhouse - Fairbury IL, US

International Classification:

H02K 15/00

US Classification:

29596, 29598, 29604, 29605, 29606, 29607, 310 43, 310194, 310216112, 310257

Abstract:

Methods of fabricating a magnetic flux channel for a transverse wound electric motor by forming a ring of plural adjacent molded magnetic flux channel pole pieces and a second ring of opposite pole pieces. The two rings are mated such that each pole piece mates with an opposite pole piece to form magnetic flux channels and a c-shaped recess forms a winding channel for a transverse phase winding. After mating, the rings are bonded together to form a stator assembly of the transversely wound electric motor. The two rings may be approximately identical, or the two rings may be different as long as they mate to form the plural molded magnetic flux channels and the transverse phase winding channel. The molds may be designed to form the outer surface of a stator assembly. Molds of adjacent phases may be combined back-to-back to reduce part count and increase mechanical strength.

US Patent:

7723891, May 25, 2010

Filed:

Feb 16, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/371823

Inventors:

Norman Rittenhouse - Fairbury IL, US

International Classification:

H02K 1/00

US Classification:

310216023, 310216029, 310216067, 310216079, 310265

Abstract:

A motor including a mounting shaft having a hollow channel and a bearing attached to each end, a cylindrical hub having a hollow core for the mounting shaft, and plural rows of plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels with a hollow core and a channel forming a U-shaped recess and mounted the surface of the hub, each row corresponding to a motor phase. Each magnetic flux channel forms two pole pieces divided by the channel. The motor also includes plural phase windings, one passing through each row of plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels, a rotating drum having plural rows of permanent magnets on an inner surface, each row pair corresponding to and aligned with one of the plural rows of Molded Magnetic Flux Channels. The rotating drum connected with the bearing, and drive electronics for driving the plural phase windings, wherein the plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels increases torque and motor efficiency.

US Patent:

7772741, Aug 10, 2010

Filed:

Nov 26, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/313928

Inventors:

Norman P. Rittenhouse - Fairbury IL, US

International Classification:

H02K 1/12
H02K 21/12

US Classification:

310257, 310 43, 310 44, 310216023, 310216025, 310216029

Abstract:

A wind turbine generator produces alternating current. The generator contains an inner cylindrical stator and an outer cylindrical rotating housing. The stator has a transverse row of molded magnetic flux members mounted on its exterior wall and a metal conductor running through a continuous transverse channel defined by the flux members. The rotating housing has a transverse row of permanent magnets mounted on the interior wall of the outer cylinder. Rotation of the housing causes the permanent magnets to induce magnetic fields in the flux members that induce an alternating current in the metal conductor.

US Patent:

7798261, Sep 21, 2010

Filed:

Jan 22, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/009739

Inventors:

Norman Rittenhouse - Fairbury IL, US

International Classification:

B62D 55/00
B62D 55/12

US Classification:

180 95, 180 936, 180 934, 180 946, 180 962, 180 65, 180 91, 301114, 301112, 301 71

Abstract:

An electrically driven wheel for a tracked vehicle which includes a driving track wheel with built in cogs and a brushless DC motor having a mounting shaft to connect the wheels to the tracked vehicle. The brushless DC motor is coupled within the driving track wheel to develop rotational torque for rotating the driving track wheel and includes a drum, a bank of pole assemblies connected between the drum and the stationary mounting shaft, and electrical wiring for energizing the bank of pole assemblies. In an embodiment, the brushless DC motor includes permanent magnet high multiple pole motors. The electrically driven wheels are part of a drive system for the tracked vehicle. The drive system includes a track module frame, at least two flexible tracks coupled with the electrically driven track wheels, and a controller for controlling the electrically driven track wheels in response to a driver command.