ROTATING ELECTRIC MACHINE HAVING SWITCHED OR VARIABLE RELUCTANCE WITH FLUX TRANSVERSE TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION

An electric machine, such as a switched reluctance motor (SRM), having one or more transverse flux axes is described. The rotor and stator of the electric machine have more than one phase, not necessarily of even number. Flux guidance regions within the stator are angularly and spatially located such that they may be transverse, or not coinciding with, the plane perpendicular to the axis of shaft rotation. The flux guidance regions are composed so as to contain a magnetic field whose flux is guided in either a loop or coupled configuration. In the loop configuration, multiple flux guidance paths that are able to operate simultaneously exist within each chuck arrangement. In the coupled configuration, a single primary flux guidance path exists within the chuck arrangement. Transverse flux guidance allows for the removal and replacement of stator windings without significant disassembly or removal of the motor.