Motor for electric power steering and method for manufacturing the same

• US 8,018,104 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yagai, Masamichi, Mirumachi, Mitsuaki, Ueda, Toshiaki, Onose, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Dang D
• Application Number:
  US12/725,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20100187924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 310/71, 310/260, 310/270
• US Class Current: 310/71
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2203/09 Machines characterised by wiring elements other than wires, e.g. bus rings, for connecting the winding terminations
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/18 Windings for salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/522 for generally annular cores with salient poles

Abstract

A small-sized motor for electric power steering, in which coil connection can be easily performed with space saving, and a method for manufacturing the motor. Multi-phase stator coils assembled in a stator coil are connected per phase by connecting rings at coil ends of the stator coils. A bus bar supplied with electric power from the exterior is stacked onto the connecting rings in the axial direction of the motor and is electrically connected to the connecting rings.

Claims

1. An electric power steering motor having a stator, and a rotor rotatably supported and disposed opposite to said stator with a gap left therebetween;

wherein said stator comprises;

a stator core;

multi-phase stator coils assembled in said stator core; and

a wiring component electrically connected to said stator coils and supplied with electric power from an exterior, said wiring component comprising a first wiring member for connecting said stator coils per phase, and a second wiring member supplied with electric power from the exterior;

wherein

said first wiring member comprises a plurality of flat plate conductors;

said second wiring member comprises a plurality of flat plate conductors;

said first wiring member and said second wiring member are stacked in an axial direction of the motor, and are electrically connected to each other, thereby forming a wiring connecting portion in an axially stacked multi-layered structure;

said first wiring member comprises,

an annular base formed of an insulating member; and

a plurality of flat plate conductors connecting said stator coils per phase and fitted into said annular base; and

said plurality of flat plate conductors have the same shape and comprise,

a first circular-arc conductor disposed in an inner peripheral portion of said annular base;

a second circular-arc conductor disposed in an outer peripheral portion of said annular base; and

a connecting conductor connecting one end of said second circular-arc conductor and one end of said first circular-arc conductor to each other, said first circular-arc conductor and said second circular-arc conductor for different phases being disposed in said annular base in radially opposed relation.

2. The electric power steering motor according to claim 1, wherein:

said connecting conductor is provided with a connection portion for connection to said second wiring member; and

said connection portion is formed of a projecting conductor which projects from said connecting conductor toward said second wiring member axially stacked onto said first wiring member.

3. The electric power steering motor according to claim 2, wherein said connecting conductor comprises:

a first portion that extends radially inwardly from the one end of said second circular-arc conductor; and

a second portion circumferentially that is bent from said first portion and extends to the one end of said first circular-arc conductor;

wherein said projecting conductor projects from said second portion toward said second wiring member axially stacked onto said first wiring member.

4. The electric power steering motor according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said first and second circular-arc conductors has a plurality of U-shaped conductor connecting portions that extends in a direction in which said first wiring member and said second wiring member are axially stacked, while penetrating through said annular base, for connection to the winding conductors of said stator coils; and

said U-shaped conductor connecting portions of said first and second circular-arc conductors disposed opposite to said first circular-arc conductor are arranged in positions that do not overlap in the circumferential direction.

5. The electric power steering motor according to claim 1, wherein the number of said U-shaped conductor connecting portions formed on said first circular-arc conductor and the number of said U-shaped conductor connecting portions formed on said second circular-arc conductor are the same.

6. The electric power steering motor according to claim 1, wherein each of said U-shaped conductor connecting portions formed on said first and second circular-arc conductors has:

a fixed end fixed to a corresponding circular-arc conductor; and

a free end;

wherein said free end projects in the same direction in which said first circular-arc conductor and of said second circular-arc conductor are opposed to each other.

7. An electric power steering motor having a stator, and a rotor rotatably supported and disposed opposite to said stator with a gap left therebetween;

wherein said stator comprises;

a stator core;

multi-phase stator coils assembled in said stator core; and

a wiring component electrically connected to said stator coils and supplied with electric power from an exterior, said wiring component comprising a first wiring member for connecting said stator coils per phase, and a second wiring member supplied with electric power from the exterior;

wherein

said first wiring member comprises a plurality of flat plate conductors;

said second wiring member comprises a plurality of flat plate conductors;

said first wiring member and said second wiring member are stacked in an axial direction of the motor, and are electrically connected to each other, thereby forming a wiring connecting portion in an axially stacked multi-layered structure;

each of said flat plate conductors of said first wiring member includes an axially extending projection;

each of said flat plate conductors of said second wiring member includes an axially extending projection; and

in an assembled state of said motor, each of said projections of said first wiring member is in electrical contact with a corresponding one of said projections of said second wiring member, whereby said first wiring member and said second wiring member are electrically connected to each other.

8. The electric power steering motor according to claim 7, wherein a radial position of said projections of said first wiring member and said second wiring member are such that said projections of said first wiring member are radially adjacent said projections of said second wiring member, and are nested in contact with each other.