Rotating electric machine rotor pole crossover

• US 20060261691A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Minke, David R., Stout, David E., Waddell, Simon L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/71
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/18 Windings for salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/527 applicable to rotors only

Abstract

A rotor for use in a high speed electrical machine includes a shaft, a plurality of poles, a plurality of coils, and a rotor crossover that is relatively flexible, and that does not crack under the centrifugal forces and the mechanical and thermal cycles encountered during machine operation, startup, and shutdown. The poles extend radially outwardly from the shaft and are spaced apart from each other to form an interpole region, and the coils are wrapped around the poles. The rotor crossover is coupled between selected ones of the coils, and includes a stranded wire conductor and an insulator.

Claims

1. A rotor for use in a high speed electrical machine, comprising:

a shaft;

first and second rotor poles, each rotor pole extending radially outwardly from the shaft and spaced apart from each other to form an interpole region therebetween;

first and second coils wrapped around the first and second rotor poles, respectively; and

a rotor crossover coupled to the first and second coils, the rotor crossover including;

a stranded wire conductor having a first end section and a second end section, the first end section coupled to the first coil, the second end section coupled to the second coil, and

an insulator surrounding the stranded wire conductor between the first end and the second end sections.

2. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the rotor crossover is brazed to the first and second coils.

3. The rotor of claim 1, wherein:

the rotor crossover is substantially U-shaped between the first and second end sections; and

at least a portion of the rotor crossover between the first and second end sections is disposed within the interpole region.

4. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the rotor crossover further includes

a first crimp terminal coupled to the first end and to the first coil;

and

a second crimp terminal coupled to the second end and the second coil.

5. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the first and second crimp terminals each include:

a substantially tubular crimp barrel surrounding the stranded wire conductor and crimped thereto; and

a terminal tab extending from the tubular section and coupled to one of the coils.

6. The rotor of claim 5, wherein each of the terminal tabs is brazed to one of the coils.

7. The rotor of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the rotor crossover is disposed within the interpole region.

8. The rotor of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second coils each comprise a plurality of turns of wire, the plurality of turns of wire including an innermost turn, an outermost turn, and a plurality of intermediate turns disposed between the innermost and outermost turns, the innermost turn disposed radially inward of the outermost turn; and

the rotor crossover is coupled to the outermost turn of the first and second coils.

9. The rotor of claim 8, wherein:

each turn of wire includes an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface disposed radially inward of the outer surface; and

the rotor crossover is coupled to the inner surface of the outermost turn.

10. The rotor of claim 9, wherein the plurality of turns each include two end turn sections and two side sections, and wherein the rotor further comprises:

a pair of end turn retainers, each end turn retainer surrounding at least a portion of each of the end turns and at least a portion of the rotor crossover.

11. The rotor of claim 1, further comprising:

a coil interpole wedge positioned in the interpole region between the first and second coils; and

a coil interpole wedge retainer positioned over the coil interpole wedge, and interference fit between the first coil and a surface of the first pole and the second coil and a surface of the second pole.

12. A rotor for use in a high speed electrical machine, comprising:

a shaft;

first and second rotor poles, each rotor pole extending radially outwardly from the shaft and spaced apart from each other to form an interpole region therebetween;

first and second coils wrapped around the first and second rotor poles, respectively, the first and second coils each including a plurality of turns of wire, the plurality of turns of wire including an innermost turn, an outermost turn disposed radially outward of the innermost turn, and a plurality of intermediate turns disposed between the innermost and outermost turns, each turn of wire including an inner surface and an outer surface that is disposed radially outward of the inner surface; and

a rotor crossover coupled to the inner surfaces of the first and second coil outermost turns, the rotor crossover including;

a stranded wire conductor having a first end section and a second end section, the first end coupled to the first coil outermost turn, the second end coupled to the second coil outermost turn, and

an insulator surrounding the stranded wire conductor between the first end and the second end sections.

13. The rotor of claim 12, wherein the rotor crossover is brazed to the first and second coil outermost turns.

14. The rotor of claim 12, wherein the rotor crossover further includes

a first crimp terminal coupled to the first end and to the first coil outermost turn;

and

a second crimp terminal coupled to the second end and the second coil outermost turn.

15. The rotor of claim 14, wherein the first and second crimp terminals each include:

a substantially tubular crimp barrel surrounding the stranded wire conductor and crimped thereto; and

a terminal tab extending from the tubular section and coupled to one of the coils.

16. The rotor of claim 15, wherein each of the terminal tabs is brazed to one of the coil outermost turns.

17. In a rotor including a shaft, first and second rotor poles extending radially outwardly from the shaft and spaced apart from each other to form an interpole region therebetween, and first and second coils wrapped around the first and second rotor poles, respectively, a method of electrically coupling the first and second rotor coils together, the method comprising:

obtaining a length of stranded wire conductor having a first end and a second end and surrounded by an electrical insulation;

removing a portion of the electrical insulation proximate the stranded wire conductor first and second end sections;

coupling the first end of the stranded wire conductor to the first coil; and

coupling the second end of the stranded wire conductor to the second coil.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second coils each comprise a plurality of turns of wire, the plurality of turns of wire including an innermost turn, an outermost turn, and a plurality of intermediate turns disposed between the innermost and outermost turns, the innermost turn disposed radially inward of the outermost turn, and wherein the method further comprises:

forming a loop in the outermost turn of the first coil;

forming a loop in the outermost turn of the second coil; and

inserting the first end of the stranded wire conductor into the loop formed in the outermost turn of the first coil; and

inserting the second end of the stranded wire conductor into the loop formed in the outermost turn of the second coil.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

coupling the first end of the stranded wire conductor to a first crimp terminal;

coupling the second end of the stranded wire conductor to a second crimp terminal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the steps of coupling the first and second end sections of the stranded wire conductor to the first and second coils comprise, respectively:

coupling the first crimp terminal to the first coil; and

coupling the second crimp terminal to the second coil.