Alignment of Segmented Stators for Electric Machines

• US 20100109470A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Lyle, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/215
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/522 for generally annular cores with salient poles

Abstract

A stator segment for a segmented stator of an electric machine includes insulative material configured for overlapping with insulative material of an adjacent stator segment to provide continuous insulation along a joint between the adjacent stator segments. Additionally, or alternatively, the stator segment can include one or more alignment tabs configured to engage a surface of an adjacent stator segment to inhibit relative axial movement between adjacent stator segments.

Claims

1. A stator segment for a segmented stator, the stator segment comprising a yoke portion, a tooth portion, and at least a first tab extending from the yoke portion and configured to engage an insulative surface of an adjacent stator segment when assembled together in the segmented stator to thereby inhibit relative axial movement between the adjacent stator segments.

2. The stator segment of claim 1 wherein the first tab comprises an insulative material molded over the yoke portion.

3. The stator segment of claim 1 further comprising a second tab extending from the yoke portion and configured to engage a surface of an adjacent stator segment when assembled together in the segmented stator.

4. The stator segment of claim 3 wherein the first and second tabs are positioned on opposite side edges of the yoke portion.

5. The stator segment of claim 4 wherein the first and second tabs are positioned on opposite ends of the yoke portion and configured to releasably secure the stator segment to adjacent stator segments.

6. The stator segment of claim 3 wherein the first and second tabs are positioned on opposite ends of the yoke portion, the first tab is configured to engage a top insulative surface of an adjacent stator segment, and the second tab is configured to engage a bottom surface of an adjacent stator segment.

7. The stator segment of claim 1 wherein the first tab is configured to extend over a joint between the adjacent stator segments when assembled together in the segmented stator.

10. The stator segment of claim 1 wherein the first tab comprises an insulative end cap positioned on the yoke portion.

11. The stator segment of claim 1 wherein the first tab is the only tab extending from the yoke portion.

12. The stator segment of claim 3 wherein the second tab is configured to engage a core surface of an adjacent stator segment when assembled together in the segmented stator.

8-9. -9. (canceled)

13. A segmented stator for an electric machine, the stator comprising a plurality of annularly arranged stator segments, each stator segment including a yoke portion, a tooth portion, and at least a first tab extending from the yoke portion, the first tab of each stator segment engaging an insulative surface of an adjacent stator segment to inhibit relative axial movement between the plurality of stator segments.

14. The segmented stator of claim 13 wherein the first tab of each stator segment comprises an insulative material molded over the yoke portion.

15. The segmented stator of claim 13 wherein each stator segment further includes a second tab extending from the yoke portion and engaging a surface of an adjacent stator segment.

16. The segmented stator of claim 15 wherein the first and second tabs of each stator segment are positioned on opposite side edges of the yoke portion.

17. The segmented stator of claim 16 wherein the first and second tabs of each stator segment are positioned on opposite ends of the yoke portion and configured to releasably secure the stator segment to adjacent stator segments.

18. The segmented stator of claim 15 wherein the first and second tabs of each stator segment are positioned on opposite ends of the yoke portion, the first tab engages a top surface of an adjacent stator segment, and the second tab engages a bottom surface of an adjacent stator segment.

19. The segmented stator of claim 13 wherein the first tab of each stator segment extends over a joint between adjacent stator segments.

20. The segmented stator of claim 13 wherein the first tab is the only tab on each stator segment that engages a surface of an adjacent stator segment.

21. The segmented stator of claim 15 wherein the second tab engages a core surface of an adjacent stator segment.

22. A stator segment for a segmented stator, the stator segment comprising a yoke portion, a tooth portion, a first tab extending from the yoke portion and configured to engage a first surface of an adjacent stator segment when assembled together in the segmented stator and a second tab extending from the yoke portion and configured to engage a second surface of an adjacent stator segment when assembled together in the segmented stator to thereby inhibit relative axial movement between the adjacent stator segments.