Insulated stator with wire routing element

• US 7,342,334 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Hilton, Daniel E, Horst, Gary E, Sheeran, Kent A
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLINS, BURTON S
• Application Number:
  US10/977,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20060091739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 310/45, 310/71, 310/44, 310/194, 310/254
• US Class Current: 310/71
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/04 characterised by the material used for insulating the magnetic circuit or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2203/06 Machines characterised by the wiring leads, i.e. conducting wires for connecting the winding terminations
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/32 Windings characterised by the shape, form or construction of the insulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/522 for generally annular cores with salient poles

Abstract

A stator for an electric machine includes stator teeth with powder coat insulation covering a portion of each tooth. An end cap with a routing element is positioned on one side of the stator. Wire extends around and contacts the powder coat insulation on the stator teeth and is routed via the routing element.

Claims

1. A stator for an electric machine, the stator comprising a plurality of stator teeth, each tooth including a top side and a bottom side, powder coat insulation covering the top and bottom sides of each tooth, an end cap positioned on one side of the stator, the end cap including a channel guide and at least one routing element spaced radially outward from the channel guide, and wire extending around and contacting the powder coat insulation on the top and bottom sides of at least one stator tooth and routed via the channel guide and the at least one routing element, wherein the at least one routing element includes a prong.

2. The stator of claim 1 wherein each stator tooth includes opposing tooth walls extending between the top and bottom sides, the tooth walls of adjacent teeth defining slots and wherein the powder coat insulation covers the tooth walls.

3. The stator of claim 1 wherein the powder coat insulation covers a first side and a second side of a body of the stator from which the stator teeth radially extend.

4. The stator of claim 1 wherein the end cap is a first end cap, the stator further comprising a second end cap coupled to a second side of the stator.

5. The stator of claim 4 wherein the second end cap is substantially identical to the first end cap.

6. The stator of claim 1 wherein the stator is an interior stator.

7. The stator of claim 1 wherein the end cap includes a wire coupling terminal electrically coupled to the wire and adapted to connect to a wire connector of the electric machine.

8. The stator of claim 7 wherein the wire coupling terminal is positioned between opposite ends of the channel guide.

9. The stator of claim 1 wherein the end cap includes a plurality of routing elements spaced radially outward from the channel guide.

10. The stator of claim 9 wherein the plurality of routing elements include a plurality of prongs.

11. The stator of claim 10 wherein the end cap further includes at least one wire coupling terminal.

12. The stator of claim 1 wherein the end cap includes an outer perimeter and the channel guide extends along at least a portion of said outer perimeter.

13. An electric machine comprising an outer rotor and an inner stator, the stator including a plurality of teeth, each tooth having a top side, a bottom side and opposing walls extending between the top and bottom sides, powder coat insulation covering the top side, the bottom side and the walls, an annular end cap coupled to one side of the stator, the end cap including a channel guide and at least one wire routing element spaced radially outward from the channel guide, and wire extending around and contacting the powder coat insulation on the top side, bottom side and walls of the teeth and routed by the channel guide and the at least one wire routing element, wherein the at least one wire routing element includes a prong.

14. The machine of claim 13 wherein the electric machine is an appliance motor.

15. The machine of claim 13 wherein the routing element includes a plurality of prongs spaced along an outer periphery of the annular end cap.

16. The machine of claim 13 wherein the end cap is a first end cap, the stator further comprising a second end cap substantially identical to the first end cap coupled to a second side of the stator.

17. The machine of claim 13 wherein the end cap includes a plurality of routing elements spaced radially outward from the channel guide.

18. The machine of claim 17 wherein the plurality of routing elements include a plurality of prongs.

19. The machine of claim 18 wherein the end cap further includes at least one wire coupling terminal.

20. The machine of claim 19 wherein the wire coupling terminal is positioned between opposite ends of the channel guide.

21. The machine of claim 13 wherein the end cap includes an outer perimeter and the channel guide extends along at least a portion of said outer perimeter.

22. A method of manufacturing a stator having a plurality of stator teeth, the method comprising coating a top side and a bottom side of each stator tooth with an electrically insulating material, coupling an electrically non-conductive annular end cap having a continuous substantially smooth peripheral edge and a plurality of routing elements spaced around the peripheral edge to one side of the stator, the plurality of routing elements including a channel guide and at least one prong spaced radially outward from the channel guide, winding magnet wire around each tooth, the magnet wire contacting the electrically insulating coating on the top and bottom sides of each tooth, and routing the magnet wire between selected teeth utilizing the routing elements.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising electrically terminating the magnet wire at a wire coupling terminal of the end cap, the wire coupling terminal connectable to a wire connector of an electric machine in which the stator is to be utilized.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the end cap Is a first end cap, the method further comprising coupling a second end cap, substantially identical to the first end cap, to a second side of the stator.