Power distribution unit for rotary electric machine with linear conductor connecting ring having terminal section with axially extending hole for connecting stator coil, and method for assembling rotary electric machine

• US 7,952,245 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Toba, Akira, Onose, Shin, Ueda, Toshiaki, Hoshino, Katsuhiro, Obata, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung; Quyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Andrews; Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/108,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20080265701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 310/71, 310/66, 310/68.R
• US Class Current: 310/71
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/522 for generally annular cores with salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 Dynamoelectric machine

Abstract

The power distribution unit for a rotary electric machine includes a connecting ring unit that connects stator coils of the same phase. The connecting ring unit includes at least one linear conductor integrally formed in a ring-like shape, and the connecting ring unit includes a terminal section integrally formed in the linear conductor. The terminal section is constituted by a hole through which a wiring end of the stator coil is inserted and a protrusion formed in a direction of the hole to which the wiring end of the stator coil is connected. Also disclosed are a rotary electric machine includes the power distribution unit and a method for assembling a rotary electric machine.

Claims

1. A power distribution unit for a rotary electric machine, comprising:

at least one connecting ring that connects stator coils of the same phase, wherein the at least one connecting ring includes at least one linear conductor integrally formed in a ring-like shape, and

wherein the at least one connecting ring includes a terminal section integrally formed in the linear conductor, the terminal section being provided with

(a) a first hole extending in an axial direction through which a wiring end of one of the stator coils is to be inserted and

(b) a protrusion formed in a penetrating direction of the first hole to which the wiring end of one of the stator coils is to be connected, the protrusion being provided with a second hole that forms a hole with the first hole and extends in the axial direction through which the wiring end of the stator coil having passed through the first hole is to be inserted, and

wherein the first hole has a diameter larger on a side where the wiring end of the stator coil is inserted than a diameter of the second hole where the wiring end of the stator coil is connected; and

wherein the protrusion has a volume smaller than a volume of the at least one connecting ring excluding the protrusion.

2. A power distribution unit for a rotary electric machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

an insulating member of a torus shape, wherein

the at least one connecting ring includes connecting rings for U-, V-, and W-phases, respectively, and a connecting ring for neutral points,

the connecting rings are arranged on the insulating member substantially in the same plane and concentrically, and

at each terminal section, the writing ends of the stator coils are connected to the at least one connecting ring corresponding thereto.

3. A power distribution unit for a rotary electric machine according to claim 2, wherein

the connecting rings each include a coated linear conductor with a coating of an insulation material,

the terminal section of each coated linear conductor, which is provided with the hole through which the wiring end is to be inserted and the protrusion in the penetrating direction of the hole, is free of the coating of the insulation material, and

the terminal sections of the linear conductors for U, V, and W phases and the linear conductor for the neutral points are arranged at mutually different positions in the circumferential direction such that the terminal sections are not adjacent to each other.

4. A rotary electric machine comprising a power distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein

the power distribution unit is arranged on an end face of a wiring section of the stator coil in a direction of an axis of a stator.

5. A rotary electric machine comprising a power distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein

the wiring end of the stator coil is inserted in the hole, caulked for fixation by the protrusion formed in the terminal section, and connected to the protrusion of the terminal section by soldering, welding or brazing.

6. A power distribution unit for a rotary electric machine according to claim 1, wherein the hole of the terminal section formed by the first and second holes has an axial length greater than a maximum cross-section dimension of the linear conductor outside of the terminal section.