Electric machine and rotor for use therein

• US 6,225,723 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Safran Power UK Ltd. (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Lucas Industries Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Bonnieman, David, Cooper, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US09/432,303
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 310/214, 310/179, 310/198, 310/215, 310/216, 310/217, 310/218, 310/208, 310/262, 310/269
• US Class Current: 310/214
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/24 Rotor cores with salient poles ; Variable reluctance rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/487 Slot-closing devices

Abstract

A rotor for use in an electric machine and a rotary electric machine utilizing such a rotor, the rotor comprising a rotor body provided with a plurality of slots, each slot housing electrical conductors of two independent rotor coils, the conductors being secured in position by an outer wedge member, an inner wedge member being located between the outer wedge member and the conductors, the rotor including pole tips defining load bearing lips located adjacent the radially outer edges of each slot, wherein a part of each coil projects beyond the respective lips in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the coil.

Claims

1. A rotor for use in an electric machine, the rotor comprising:

a rotor body provided with a plurality of slots, each slot housing electrical conductors of two independent rotor coils, the conductors being secured in position by an outer wedge member, an inner wedge member being located between the outer wedge member and the conductors, the rotor including pole tips defining load bearing lips located adjacent the radially outer edges of each slot,

wherein a part of each coil projects beyond the respective lips in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the coil,

wherein each said outer wedge member spans its respective slot in a circumferential direction of the rotor and overlies the conductors in that respective slot, each outer wedge member extending, at its circumferential ends, beneath the respective load bearing lips of the respective pole tips, to distribute load thereto in use,

wherein each said inner wedge member engaging its respective outer wedge member at two spaced locations adjacent respectively the points of engagement of the outer wedge member with the respective pole tips, and

wherein said outer wedge member having a greater radial thickness in the region thereof between said two locations than its thickness at said two locations.

2. A rotary electric machine comprising:

a rotor having a rotor body provided with a plurality of slots, each slot housing electrical conductors of two independent rotor coils, the conductors being secured in position by an outer wedge member, an inner wedge member being located between the outer wedge member and the conductors, the rotor including pole tips defining load bearing lips located adjacent the radially outer edges of each slot,

wherein a part of each coil projects beyond the respective lips in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the coil,

wherein each said outer wedge member spans its respective slot in a circumferential direction of the rotor and overlies the conductors in that respective slot, each outer wedge member extending, at its circumferential ends, beneath the respective load bearing lips of the respective pole tips, to distribute load thereto in use,

wherein each said inner wedge member engaging its respective outer wedge member at two spaced locations adjacent respectively the points of engagement of the outer wedge member with the respective pole tips, and

wherein said outer wedge member having a greater radial thickness in the region thereof between said two locations than its thickness at said two locations.