Rotor structure

• US 6,369,485 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuruhara, Kenji, Asao, Yoshihito, Oohashi, Atsushi, Higashino, Kyoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullins, Burton S.
• Application Number:
  US09/477,347
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 310/263, 310/156, 310/52, 310/61, 310/269
• US Class Current: 310/263
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/325 between salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/044 Rotor of the claw pole type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/06 with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/223 Heat bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/227 Heat sinks

Abstract

A rotor structure comprising magnets for suppressing the leakage of a magnetic flux between the side faces of the adjacent claw-like magnetic poles and metal holding members each of which covers the magnets together with the claw-like magnetic pole and radiates heat transmitted to the claw-like magnetic pole at the time of power generation. Therefore, the quantity of heat radiated to the peripheral portions of the magnets is increased and the coolability of the magnets can be greatly improved.

Claims

1. A rotor structure comprising:

a rotor coil for generating a magnetic flux with a current;

a first pole core;

a second pole core;

a plurality of magnets; and

a plurality of holding members, wherein

said first pole core and said second pole core each comprise a plurality of claw-like magnetic poles to cover said rotor coil, and wherein each claw-like magnetic pole of said first pole core and each claw-like magnetic pole of said second pole core are arranged in a peripheral direction on their respective first and second pole cores,

each of said magnets is provided on respective peripheral outer side surfaces of each of said claw-like magnetic poles,

each of said holding members being arranged annularly and separately and positioned to correspond to a respective claw-like magnetic pole, the number of said holding members being the same as that of said claw-like magnetic poles,

each of said holding members comprises an inner holding part, a pair of outer peripheral holding parts, and a pair of outer radial holding parts,

each of said inner holding parts is located on an inner side with respect to a radial direction of the claw-like magnetic pole and each of said inner holding parts holds an inner surface of said claw-like magnetic pole,

each of said pairs of outer peripheral holding parts communicates with a respective inner holding part and holds respective outer peripheral surfaces of two magnets which are provided for a single claw-like magnetic pole,

each of said pairs of outer radial holding parts communicates with a respective outer peripheral holding part and holds respective outer radial surface of said two magnets being provided for a single claw-like magnetic pole, and

each of said plurality of holding members is separated from the other holding members in the peripheral direction with respect to said claw-like magnetic poles.

2. A rotor structure according to claim 1, wherein the inner radial holding member extends along inner surfaces with respect to the radial direction of said magnets and the outer peripheral holding members are formed from respective ends of the composite holding member being folded at the ends toward an outer side with respect to the radial direction and the outer radial holding members are formed by folding the respective outer peripheral holding members.

3. The rotor structure of claim 1, wherein an exposing portion for exposing part of the peripheral surface of the magnet is formed in the composite holding member.

4. The rotor structure of claim 1, wherein the surface area of the composite holding member is increased to improve its coolability.

5. The rotor structure of claim 4, wherein projecting pieces are formed on the composite holding member or the composite holding member is wavy or uneven to increase its surface area so as to improve its coolability.

6. The rotor structure of claim 1, wherein the root portion or end portion of the composite holding member is extended in the axial directions of the first and second pole core bodies and project from the claw-like magnetic poles.

7. The rotor structure of claim 6, wherein the extension of the root portion or end portion of the composite holding member projects from the end surface of the first or second pole core body.

8. The rotor structure of claim 7, wherein a cooling fan is formed on the extension of the root portion or end portion of the composite holding member which projects from the end surface of the pole core.

9. A rotor structure according to claim 1, wherein the outer radial holding parts and the outer peripheral holding parts are formed at a non-zero angle with respect to one another;

said pair of outer radial holding parts are formed by folding edge portions of said holding members, and said pair of outer peripheral holding parts are formed by folding intermediate portions of said holding members.

10. A rotor structure according to claim 9, wherein the non-zero angle is ninety degrees.

11. A rotor structure according to claim 9, wherein the outer peripheral holding parts are perpendicular to the inner holding members.

12. A rotor structure comprising:

a rotor coil operable to generate a magnetic flux with a current;

a pole core covering the rotor coil and comprising a first pole core body and a second pole core body, each having claw-like magnetic poles situated to mate with each other at positions where they cover the peripheral surface of the rotor coil;

magnets provided on both sides of each of the claw-like magnetic poles operable to suppress the leakage of a magnetic flux between the side faces of the adjacent claw-like magnetic poles; and

metal holding members each of which fixes the magnets in contact with each of the claw-like magnetic poles in such a manner that said holding members cover the magnets together with the claw-like magnetic poles and radiate heat transmitted to the claw-like magnetic poles at the time of power generation to cool the magnets,

wherein a root portion or end portion of the holding member extends in the axial directions of the first and second pole core bodies and projects from the claw-like magnetic poles.

13. The rotor structure of claim 12, wherein the extension of the root portion or end portion of the holding member projects from the end surface of the first or second pole core body.

14. The rotor structure of claim 13, wherein a cooling fan is formed on the extension of the root portion or end portion of the holding member which projects from the end surface of the pole core.