ELECTRIC MACHINE, STATOR ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRIC MACHINE, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20070241629A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
• Inventors: Lesak, Alan E., Ionel, Dan M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,687,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/214
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/141 consisting of C-shaped cores
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/143 of the horse-shoe type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/146 consisting of a generally annular yoke with salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/185 with the axis of the rotor perpendicular to the plane of the armature
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/487 Slot-closing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/15 Mounting arrangements for bearing-shields or end plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 Dynamoelectric machine

Abstract

A stator for a motor having a rotor includes a plurality of laminations each formed in a first elongated arrangement. Each lamination includes a first leg, a second leg, and an intermediate portion that are configured to be rearranged and stacked in a stackwise direction to define a core having a second U-shaped arrangement. A coil is coupled to the first leg.

Claims

1. A stator for a motor having a rotor, the stator comprising:

a plurality of laminations each formed in a first elongated arrangement, each lamination including a first leg, a second leg, and an intermediate portion that are configured to be rearranged and stacked in a stackwise direction to define a core having a second U-shaped arrangement; and

a coil coupled to the first leg.

2. The stator of claim 1, wherein the first leg includes a first curved portion having a substantially circular inside surface defining an inside diameter and a substantially circular outside surface defining an outside diameter that is about equal to the inside diameter.

3. The stator of claim 2, wherein the second leg includes a second curved portion having a substantially circular inside surface defining an inside diameter and a substantially circular outside surface defining an outside diameter that is about equal to the inside diameter, and wherein the first curved portion and the second curved portion cooperate to surround at least 65 percent of a circumference of the rotor.

4. The stator of claim 3, further comprising a first bridge coupled to the first leg and the second leg, and a second bridge coupled to the first leg and the second leg, the first curved portion, the second curved portion, the first bridge, and the second bridge completely surrounding the circumference of the rotor.

5. The stator of claim 1, wherein the first leg includes a first substantially straight portion and the coil is coupled to the straight portion.

6. The stator of claim 1, further comprising a bridge coupled to the first leg and the second leg.

7. The stator of claim 6, wherein the bridge defines a width and wherein the bridge includes a corrugation that extends along a portion of the width.

8. The stator of claim 6, wherein the bridge defines a length and wherein the bridge includes a slot that extends along a portion of the length.

9. The stator of claim 8, wherein the bridge includes a second slot that is substantially parallel to the slot.

10. The stator of claim 1, wherein each of a portion of the plurality of laminations defines a notch, and wherein the notches cooperate to define a space, and wherein a capacitor is disposed within the space.

11. The stator of claim 1, wherein each lamination is formed as one continuous integral piece.

12. The stator of claim 11, wherein each lamination includes a first notch between the first leg and the intermediate portion and a second notch between the second leg and the intermediate portion, and when in the first arrangement, the first notch and the second notch are substantially V-shaped, and when in the second arrangement, the first notch and the second notch are substantially closed.

13. The stator of claim 1, wherein the lamination defines a lamination width and a length, and wherein the width is substantially uniform along the length.

14. The stator of claim 1, wherein each lamination is simultaneously formed as three separate pieces.

15. The stator of claim 1, wherein the first leg, the intermediate portion, and the second leg cooperate to define a substantially straight portion that extends along an axis, and wherein the first leg and the intermediate portion are separated by a first cut line and the second leg and the intermediate portion are separated by a second cut line, the first cut line and the second cut line arranged to define an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the axis and to be substantially perpendicular to one another.

16. The stator of claim 1, further comprising a first locking member configured to connect the first leg to the intermediate portion and a second locking member configured to connect the second leg to the intermediate portion.

17. The stator of claim 1, further comprising a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion coupled to the first leg and the second leg, the first bridge portion stacked on top of the second bridge portion to define a stacked bridge arrangement.

18. The stator of claim 1, wherein each lamination is formed from a metal having a grain structure oriented in a U-shaped direction when the lamination is in the U-shaped arrangement.

19. A stator for a motor having a rotor, the stator comprising:

a first leg including a first curved portion and a first substantially straight portion;

a coil coupled to the first leg;

a second leg formed as a separate piece from the first leg, the second leg including a second curved portion and a second substantially straight portion; and

an intermediate portion formed as a separate piece from the first leg and the second leg, the first leg, the second leg, and the intermediate portion connected to one another to at least partially define a U-shaped magnetic circuit.

20. The stator of claim 19, wherein the first curved portion includes a substantially circular inside surface that defines an inside diameter and a substantially circular outside surface that defines an outside diameter that is about equal to the inside diameter.

21. The stator of claim 20, wherein the second curved portion includes a substantially circular inside surface that defines an inside diameter and a substantially circular outside surface that defines an outside diameter that is about equal to the inside diameter, and wherein the first curved portion and the second curved portion cooperate to surround at least 65 percent of a circumference of the rotor.

22. The stator of claim 21, further comprising a first bridge coupled to the first leg and the second leg, and a second bridge coupled to the first leg and the second leg, the first curved portion, the second curved portion, the first bridge, and the second bridge completely surrounding the circumference of the rotor.

23. The stator of claim 19, further comprising a bridge member coupled to the first leg and the second leg.

24. The stator of claim 23, wherein the bridge defines a width and wherein the bridge includes a corrugation that extends along a portion of the width.

25. The stator of claim 23, wherein the bridge defines a length and wherein the bridge includes a slot that extends along a portion of the length.

26. The stator of claim 25, wherein the bridge includes a second slot that is substantially parallel to the slot.

27. The stator of claim 19, wherein the first leg, the second leg, and the intermediate portion are formed from a plurality of laminations.

28. The stator of claim 27, wherein each of a portion of the plurality of laminations defines a notch, and wherein the notches cooperate to define a space, and wherein a capacitor is disposed within the space.

29. The stator of claim 27, wherein each lamination defines a lamination width and a length, and wherein the width is substantially uniform along the length.

30. The stator of claim 27, wherein each lamination is simultaneously formed as three separate pieces.

31. The stator of claim 30, wherein the first leg, the intermediate portion, and the second leg cooperate to define a substantially straight portion that extends along an axis, and wherein the first leg and the intermediate portion are separated by a first cut line and the second leg and the intermediate portion are separated by a second cut line, the first cut line and the second cut line arranged to define an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the axis and to be substantially perpendicular to one another.

32. The stator of claim 19, further comprising a first locking member configured to connect the first leg to the intermediate portion and a second locking member configured to connect the second leg to the intermediate portion.

33. The stator of claim 19, further comprising a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion coupled to the first leg and the second leg, the first bridge portion stacked on top of the second bridge portion to define a stacked bridge arrangement.

34. The stator of claim 19, wherein the first leg, the intermediate portion, and the second leg cooperate to define a grain structure oriented in a U-shaped direction when the first leg, the intermediate portion, and the second leg are arranged in a U-shaped arrangement.

35. A stator for a motor, the stator comprising:

a first leg formed from a first plurality of laminations, the first leg including a first curved portion and a first substantially straight portion;

a first coil coupled to the first leg;

a second leg formed from a second plurality of laminations and separate from the first leg, the second leg including a second curved portion and a second substantially straight portion;

a second coil coupled to the second leg;

an intermediate portion formed from a third plurality of laminations and separate from the first leg and the second leg;

a first locking member configured to connect the first leg and the intermediate portion;

a second locking member configured to connect the second leg and the intermediate portion; and

a bridge member connected to the first curved portion and the second curved portion.

36. The stator of claim 35, further comprising a second bridge connected to the first curved portion and the second curved portion and spaced apart from the bridge.

37. The stator of claim 35, wherein each of the first plurality of laminations, the second plurality of laminations, and the third plurality of laminations defines a lamination width and a length, and wherein the width is substantially uniform along the length.

38. The stator of claim 35, wherein the bridge defines a width and wherein the bridge includes a corrugation that extends along a portion of the width.

39. The stator of claim 35, wherein the bridge defines a length and wherein the bridge includes a slot that extends along a portion of the length.

40. The stator of claim 39, wherein the bridge includes a second slot that is substantially parallel to the slot.

41. The stator of claim 35, further comprising a capacitor, and wherein a portion of the first plurality of laminations cooperates to define a space, the capacitor at least partially disposed within the space.

42. The stator of claim 35, wherein the first locking member and the second locking member are molded in place using a plastic material.

43. The stator of claim 35, wherein the bridge includes a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion coupled to the first curved portion and the second curved portion, the first bridge portion stacked on top of the second bridge portion to define a stacked bridge arrangement.

44. The stator of claim 35, wherein the first leg, the intermediate portion, and the second leg cooperate to define a grain structure oriented in a U-shaped direction when the first leg, the intermediate portion, and the second leg are arranged in a U-shaped arrangement.