Apparatus having an electrical machine

• US 20030189338A1
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
• Original Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
• Inventors: Rose, Robert E. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,864,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1R
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/22 Microcars, e.g. golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/12 of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1807 Rotary generators H02K7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1815 structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 Motor or generator

Abstract

A small-engine vehicle including a plurality of wheels, an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft interconnected to drive at least one of the wheels, and a generator. The generator includes a stator having a core disposed next to the engine and a winding disposed on the core. The generator further includes a flywheel-rotor apparatus surrounding at least a portion of the stator and having an aperture that receives the drive shaft. The flywheel-rotor apparatus is operable to magnetically interact with the stator to produce a first high-voltage, alternating-current signal in the winding, and to provide an inertia to the internal combustion engine. The generator further includes power circuitry electrically connected to the winding. The power circuitry receives the high-voltage, alternating-current signal and controllably generates a second high-voltage, alternating-current signal.

Claims

1. A generator comprising:

an engine including a shaft;

a stator including a longitudinal axis and a core, the core including

a first inner surface at least partially surrounding the longitudinal axis,

a second inner surface at least partially surrounding the longitudinal axis,

wherein the second inner surface is adjacent to the first inner surface in an axial direction, and wherein the second inner surface at least partially defines a recess; and

a rotor mounted to the shaft, at least a portion of the rotor surrounding at least a portion of the core.

2. A generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein a portion of the first inner surface is disposed a first radial distance from the longitudinal axis, wherein a portion of the second inner surface is disposed a second radial distance from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the second radial distance is greater than the first radial distance.

3. A generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the core includes a first plurality of laminations that partially define the first inner surface, and a second plurality of laminations that partially define the second inner surface.

4. A generator as set forth in claim 3 wherein the first plurality of laminations define at least one aperture, and wherein the second inner surface surrounds at least a portion of the aperture in the longitudinal direction.

5. A generator as set forth in claim 4 wherein the engine includes a housing, and wherein the at least one aperture receives a fastener that interconnects the stator with the housing.

6. A generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the engine includes a housing and wherein the recess extends in a circumferential direction with respect to the housing.

7. A generator as set forth in claim 6 wherein the housing includes a structure, and wherein the structure extends into the recess.

8. A generator as set forth in claim 7 wherein the housing includes a second structure, and wherein the second structure extends into the recess.

9. A generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second inner surface at least partially defines a second recess.

10. A generator as set forth in claim 9 wherein the core includes a first plurality of laminations that partially define the first inner surface, and a second plurality of laminations that partially define the second inner surface.

11. A generator as set forth in claim 9 wherein the engine includes a housing, wherein the housing includes first and second structures, wherein the first structure extends into the first recess, and wherein the second structure extends into the second recess.

12. A generator comprising:

an engine having a shaft;

a rotor interconnected with the shaft;

a stator including

a core having a plurality of teeth that receive wire, the teeth being numbered consecutively from (1) to (x),

a first wire disposed on the core to form a first group of coils, the first group of coils forming at least two poles numbered consecutively from (1) to (x−

n) with each pole being formed on a respective tooth, the first wire including first and second ends that exit the core between two adjacent teeth receiving the first group of coils, and

a second wire disposed on the core to form a second group of coils, the second group of coils forming at least two poles numbered consecutively from (x−

n+1) to (x) with each pole being formed on a respective tooth, the second wire having third and fourth ends that exit the core between two adjacent teeth receiving the second group of coils.

13. A generator as set forth in claim 12 wherein the coils forming the odd numbered poles of the first group are wound in a first direction, and wherein the coils forming the even numbered poles of the first group are wound in a second direction different than the first direction.

14. A generator as set forth in claim 13 wherein the coils forming the odd numbered poles of the second group are wound in the first direction and the coils forming the even numbered poles of the second group are wound in the second direction.

15. A generator as set forth in claim 13 wherein the coils forming the odd numbered poles of the second group are wound in the second direction and the coils forming the even numbered poles of the second group are wound in the first direction.

16. A generator as set forth in claim 12 wherein (x) is 18 and (n) is 2.

17. A generator as set forth in claim 12 wherein (x) is 16 and (n) is 2.

18. A generator as set forth in claim 12 wherein the first and second ends exit the core between the first and second teeth.

19. A generator as set forth in claim 18 wherein the third and fourth ends exit the core between the (x−

1) and (x) teeth.

20. A generator as set forth in claim 12 wherein the rotor magnetically interacts with the stator to generate a first voltage in the first wire and to generate a second voltage in the second wire, and wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage.

21. A generator as set forth in claim 20 wherein the first voltage is greater than approximately two hundred volts peak-to-peak, and wherein the second voltage is less than approximately fifty volts peak-to-peak.

22. A method of winding a stator for a generator, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a core including a plurality of teeth formed in the core for receiving wire, the teeth being numbered consecutively from (1) to (x);

disposing a first wire having first and second ends on the core to form a first group of coils, the disposing of the first wire includes

forming at least two poles numbered consecutively from (1) to (x−

n) on respective teeth, the forming of at least two poles includes winding the odd numbered poles of the first group in a first direction and winding the even numbered poles of the first group in a second direction different than the first direction, and

exiting the first and second ends between two adjacent teeth receiving the first group of coils;

disposing a second wire having third and fourth ends on the core to form a second group of coils, the disposing of the second wire includes

forming at least two poles numbered consecutively from (x−

n+1) to (x) on respective teeth, the forming of at least two poles includes winding the odd numbered poles of the second group in the first direction and winding the even numbered poles of the second group in the second direction, and

exiting the first and second ends between two adjacent teeth receiving the second group of coils.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein (x) is 18 and (n) is 2.

24. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein (x) is 16 and (y) is 2.

25. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the forming of at least two poles numbered consecutively from (1) to (x−

n) on respective teeth includes;

disposing the first end of the wire between the first and second teeth;

winding the first wire in the first direction around the first tooth to form a first coil representing the first pole;

after forming a first coil representing the first pole, winding the first wire in the second direction around the second tooth to form a second coil representing the second pole;

repeating the winding steps for the remaining first group of coils representing the first though (x−

n)^th poles;

after the repeating step, winding the wire from the (x−

n)^th pole to the second pole; and

disposing the second end of the wire between the first and second teeth.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25 wherein, after the repeating step and before the winding of the wire from the (x−

n)^th pole to the second pole, the forming of at least two poles numbered consecutively from (1) to (x−

n) further includes;

cutting the wire resulting in the second end; and

disposing an insulator around the second end such that, when the wire is wound from the (x−

n)^th pole to the second pole, the wire is insulated from the coils forming the second through (x−

n)^th poles.

27. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the forming of at least two poles numbered consecutively from (x−

n+1) to (x) on respective teeth includes;

disposing the third end of the wire between the (x−

n+1)^th and (x−

n+2)^th poles;

winding the second wire in the first direction around the (x−

n+1)^th tooth to form a coil representing the (x−

n+1)^th pole;

after forming a coil representing the (x−

n+1)^th pole, winding the second wire in a second direction around the (x−

n+2)^th tooth to form a coil representing the (x−

n+2)^th pole;

repeating the winding steps for the remaining second group of coils representing the (x−

n+1)^th through (x)^th poles;

after the repeating step, winding the wire from the (x)^th pole to the (x+2)^th pole; and

disposing the second end of the wire between the (x−

n+1)^th and (x−

n+2)^th teeth.

28. A small-engine vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

an internal combustion engine having a drive shaft interconnected to drive at least one of the wheels;

a stator having a core disposed next to the engine and a winding disposed on the core;

a flywheel-rotor apparatus surrounding at least a portion of the stator and having an aperture that receives the drive shaft, the flywheel-rotor apparatus being operable to magnetically interact with the stator to produce a first high-voltage, alternating-current signal in the winding, and to provide an inertia to the internal combustion engine; and

power circuitry electrically connected to the winding, the power circuitry receiving the high-voltage, alternating-current signal and controllably generating a second high-voltage, alternating-current signal, the power circuitry including

a regulator that regulates the first high-voltage, alternating-current signal to a high-voltage, direct-current signal,

a storage device that stores the high-voltage, direct-current signal, and

an inverter that converts the high-voltage, direct-current signal to the second high-voltage, alternating-current signal.

29. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 28 wherein the first high-voltage, alternating-current signal is greater than approximately two hundred volts peak-to-peak.

30. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 28 wherein the second high-voltage, alternating-current signal is greater than approximately ninety volts root-mean-square (RMS).

31. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 30 wherein the second high-voltage, alternating-current signal is between approximately one hundred and one-hundred-thirty volts RMS.

32. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 28 wherein the second high-voltage, alternating-current signal is approximately sixty Hertz.

33. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 28 wherein the high-voltage, direct-current signal is between approximately one-hundred-twenty and one-hundred-sixty volts direct current.

34. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 28 wherein the first high-voltage, alternating-current signal is greater than approximately three-hundred volts peak-to-peak, wherein the high-voltage, direct-current signal is approximately one-hundred-fifty volts peak-to-peak, and wherein the second high-voltage, alternating-current signal is approximately one-hundred-twenty volts root-mean-square and is approximately sixty Hertz.

35. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 28 wherein the flywheel-rotor apparatus includes a plurality of magnets that magnetically interact with the at least one winding.

36. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 35 wherein the magnets include neodymium-iron-boron magnets.

37. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 28 wherein the core includes a plurality of laminations.

38. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 28 wherein the winding is a high-voltage winding, wherein the stator further includes a second winding, and wherein the flywheel-rotor apparatus magnetically interacts with the stator to produce a low-voltage, alternating-current signal in the second winding.

39. A small-engine vehicle as set forth in claim 38 wherein the low-voltage, alternating-current signal is less than fifty volts peak-to-peak.