阅读说明：本技术 用于使用注射聚合物的定子槽封闭的系统和方法 (System and method for stator slot closure using injected polymer ) 是由 杰弗里·J·伦宁 于 2017-12-13 设计创作，主要内容包括：本公开涉及用于使用注射聚合物的定子槽封闭的系统和方法,特别地涉及一种用于改进定子的热传导的方法,该定子具有导电绕组,该导电绕组缠绕在形成于定子的多个齿中的相邻成对的齿之间的多个间隙中。在围绕齿缠绕导电绕组期间在间隙中的每个内形成有多个空隙空间。将塞布置在间隙中的每个内,以封闭槽开口。在足够的压力下将导热填充化合物注射到每个间隙中,以至少基本上填充每个间隙内的空隙空间并且至少基本上封闭导电绕组。然后使导热填充化合物固化。(The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for stator slot closure using injected polymer, and in particular to a method for improving heat conduction of a stator having electrically conductive windings wound in a plurality of gaps formed between adjacent pairs of teeth of a plurality of teeth of the stator. A plurality of void spaces are formed within each of the gaps during winding of the conductive winding around the teeth. A plug is disposed within each of the gaps to close the slot opening. A thermally conductive filler compound is injected into each gap under sufficient pressure to at least substantially fill the void space within each gap and at least substantially enclose the electrically conductive winding. The thermally conductive filler compound is then cured.)

1. A method, comprising:

providing a stator body portion having an inner circumferential surface and defining a plurality of gaps, each said gap extending longitudinally through said stator body portion and radially to intersect said inner circumferential surface, said gaps being circumferentially spaced from one another to form a plurality of teeth, each said tooth being disposed between an adjacent pair of said gaps;

mounting a plurality of windings to the stator body portion, each of the windings being formed from wire, each of the windings being received in a predetermined set of the gaps;

mounting a plurality of plugs to the stator body portion, each plug being received between an adjacent pair of the teeth and closing a radially inner end of an associated one of the gaps;

injecting a filler into each of the gaps, the filler being more thermally conductive than air; and

curing the filler in the stator body portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each said plug is press-fit to an associated pair of said teeth.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting a plurality of plugs to the stator body portion includes inserting each of the plugs into a respective one of the gaps through an axial end of the stator body portion to dispose the plugs between adjacent pairs of teeth.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting the filler material into each of the gaps comprises inserting a nozzle into each of the gaps and dispensing the filler material from the nozzle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stator body portion includes a pair of stator portions, and wherein the stator body portion further includes an annular manifold plate disposed between the stator portions, each of the stator portions defining a portion of each of the gaps, wherein the annular manifold plate defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced channels, each of the channels forming a portion of a respective one of the gaps, and wherein injecting the filler into each of the gaps includes injecting the filler radially into each of the channels in the annular manifold plate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said annular manifold plate defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports, each of said ports extending radially outwardly from an interior surface of said annular manifold plate and intersecting an associated one of said channels.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said annular manifold plate defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports, each said port extending radially inwardly from an outer surface of said annular manifold plate and intersecting an associated one of said channels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein void spaces are formed between segments of the wire in each of the gaps, and wherein the filler at least substantially completely fills the void spaces.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the filler is a two-part resin.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire forming each of the windings is shaped as a ribbon.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire forming each of the windings has a circular cross-section.

12. An electric motor comprising:

a stator having a stator body portion with an inner circumferential surface, the stator body portion defining a plurality of gaps, each gap extending longitudinally through the stator body portion and radially to intersect the inner circumferential surface, the gaps being circumferentially spaced from one another to form a plurality of teeth, each tooth being disposed between an adjacent pair of the gaps;

a plurality of windings, each of said windings being formed from wire, each of said windings being received in a predetermined set of said gaps;

a plurality of plugs mounted to the stator body portion, each plug being received between an adjacent pair of the teeth and closing a radially inner end of an associated one of the gaps; and

a filler compound received in each of the gaps, the filler compound being more thermally conductive than air.

13. The electric motor of claim 12, wherein each of the plugs is press-fit to an associated pair of the teeth.

14. The electric motor of claim 12, each plug abutting and sealing against an associated pair of teeth.

15. The electric motor according to claim 12, wherein the stator body portion includes a pair of stator portions and an annular manifold plate disposed between the stator portions, each of the stator portions defining a portion of each of the gaps, wherein the annular manifold plate defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced channels, each of the channels forming a portion of a respective one of the gaps, and wherein the filler compound extends radially through the annular manifold plate.

16. The electric motor according to claim 14, wherein the annular manifold plate defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports, each of the ports extending radially outwardly from an inner surface of the annular manifold plate and intersecting an associated one of the channels.

17. The electric motor according to claim 14, wherein the annular manifold plate defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports, each of the ports extending radially inward from an outer surface of the annular manifold plate and intersecting an associated one of the channels.

18. The electric motor of claim 12, wherein a void space is formed between segments of the wire in each of the gaps, and wherein the filler compound at least substantially completely fills the void space.

19. The electric motor according to claim 12, wherein the filler is a two-component resin.

20. The electric motor of claim 12, wherein the wire forming each of the windings is shaped as a ribbon.

21. The electric motor of claim 12, wherein the wire forming each of the windings has a circular cross-section.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electric motors, and more particularly to a system and method for improving the cooling characteristics of the stator of an electric motor by filling the voids created by the coil windings between adjacent stator teeth with a material that completely or substantially encloses the stator windings and thus assists in conducting heat from the coil windings to the stator.

Background

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not necessarily be prior art.

For modern electric motors, the teeth of the stator are typically wound with conductive wires having insulating material thereon. The conductive wire is typically wrapped around each tooth of the stator multiple times. Wires having a circular cross-sectional configuration are sometimes used, and wires in the form of ribbons are sometimes used. In either case, however, the winding process typically leaves a plurality of voids between adjacent portions of the wire. The air gap is undesirable from the standpoint of inhibiting heat transfer from the conductive windings to the stator material. This may result in unacceptable heat build-up in the stator.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for improving heat conduction in a stator. The stator may have conductive windings wound in a plurality of gaps formed between adjacent pairs of teeth of a plurality of teeth of the stator. A plurality of void spaces are formed within each of the gaps during winding of the conductive winding around the teeth. The method may include: a plug is disposed within each of the gaps to close the openings between adjacent pairs of teeth. A thermally conductive filler compound may be injected into each of the gaps at a sufficient pressure to at least substantially fill the void space within each gap. The thermally conductive filler compound may then be cured.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for improving heat conduction in a stator. The stator may have conductive windings wound in a plurality of gaps formed between adjacent pairs of teeth of a plurality of teeth of the stator. A plurality of void spaces may be formed in each of the gaps during winding of the conductive winding around the stator teeth. The method may include: a thermally conductive plug is disposed within each of the gaps to close the openings between adjacent pairs of stator teeth. The method may further comprise: injecting a flowable, thermally conductive filler compound into each of the gaps from opposite axial ends of the stator under sufficient pressure to at least substantially fill void spaces within the gaps.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a stator including a circumferential body portion and a plurality of teeth projecting radially inward from the circumferential body portion. Adjacent pairs of teeth form a gap therebetween. The stator may further include a plurality of heat conductive plugs, each of the heat conductive plugs being disposed in an associated one of the gaps between each pair of adjacent teeth. The heat conducting plugs may be arranged in a manner that produces a substantially smooth, protrusion-free circumferential inner surface of the stator. The stator may further include a plurality of conductive windings wound around the teeth, wherein each of the gaps has a plurality of void spaces formed therein adjacent to some of the conductive windings and the walls formed by the teeth. The stator may also include a conductive filler compound that fills the void space within each of the gaps to enhance conduction of heat from the conductive windings to the stator teeth.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Drawings

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a prior art stator showing circumferentially spaced teeth of the stator;

fig. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional end view of a portion of the teeth of two adjacent teeth of the stator of fig. 1, but with a tape winding wound in the gap separating the two teeth, and showing a cap that fits partially in the gap to close the gap, and a circle indicating where a flowable slot-filling compound may be injected into the volume defining the gap to fill void spaces and voids between the windings and the inner wall surfaces defined by the teeth of the two adjacent teeth;

FIG. 3 is a simplified side view showing how flowable filler compound may be simultaneously injected into each gap from opposite axial ends of the stator using a suitable injection tool;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cross-section of a pair of stator teeth, illustrating how the void space is filled with a thermally conductive filling compound after the injection process is completed;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional end view of the stator of FIG. 1 after all gaps between adjacent pairs of teeth have been filled with a thermally conductive filler compound;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective cut-away view of another embodiment of a stator according to the present disclosure, wherein a flow path is formed in a central cylindrical body portion of the stator, and wherein the flow path extends through each of the stator teeth to enable injection of a flowable slot-fill compound through a plurality of ports opening on an outer surface of the cylindrical body portion at a midpoint of the stator;

fig. 7 is an enlarged portion of the stator of fig. 6;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective cut-away view of another embodiment of a stator according to the present disclosure in which a manifold is formed using a pair of facing manifold plates to enable a flowable slot-filling compound to be injected through a port formed in the outer surface of the cylindrical body portion and into the gap adjacent each stator tooth;

FIG. 9 is a simplified perspective view of a stator containing the manifold of FIG. 8; and

fig. 10 is a perspective view of a manifold in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the circumferential ring is integrally formed with the manifold, and the manifold uses oversized stator slots that provide additional space for a filling compound to flow around and even more optimally fill the void space.

Detailed Description

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

Referring to fig. 1, a prior art stator 10 is shown. The stator 10 includes a cylindrical body portion 12 from which a plurality of teeth 14 directed radially inward protrude. Each tooth 14 includes a radially inwardly extending wall portion 16 and a head portion 18, the head portion 18 being slightly flared from the wall portion 16 and being larger in cross-section than the thickness of the wall portion 16. Cooperatively, each two adjacent teeth 14 form an elongated gap 20 therebetween that extends along the entire axial length of the stator 10. Portions of the inner wall surface 22 of the cylindrical body portion 12, together with the surface portion 24 of each wall portion 16, help define each of the gaps 20.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, a system 100 is shown for injecting a flowable thermally conductive slot-filling compound into the gap 20 between each pair of adjacent stator teeth 14. For example, fig. 2 shows a plurality of conductive tape windings 102 positioned in the gap 20. Alternatively, a plurality of conductive windings having a circular cross-sectional configuration may be used; the present system 100 and method is not limited to use with any one type of winding. However, to minimize voids and void spaces, it is preferable to use a tape winding and position it in the gap 20 to improve heat conduction, such as shown in fig. 2. Regardless of the type of winding used, the process of winding the winding material around two adjacent teeth 14 results in the formation of voids or interstitial spaces (interstitial spaces) 26 between portions of the winding and between the winding 102 and the inner surfaces 22 and 24 forming each gap 20. The void spaces 26 inhibit heat transfer from the windings 102 to the stator teeth 14, and thus may cause difficulties in maintaining the stator at an acceptable temperature during operation of the motor in which the stator is used. Prolonged unacceptably high winding temperatures can eventually lead to degradation of the insulation on the windings 102 and ultimately to failure of the motor in which the stator 10 is used.

Referring to fig. 3, system 100 solves the above-described problem of void space 26 by injecting a flowable, thermally conductive filler compound 104 into gap 20 between each pair of adjacent stator teeth 14 to completely or substantially completely enclose windings 102. The filling compound 104 also fills the void space within each gap 20 and helps conduct heat from the windings 102 to the stator teeth 14 where the heat can be dissipated more efficiently (i.e., passively or actively through external stator cooling components).

The filling compound 104 may be a polymeric material with excellent thermal conductivity characteristics that is retained in the reservoir 106 in an easily flowable state. Commonly used materials for enclosures typically have thermal conductivities 10 times the values of common polymers, and they retain high dielectric strength properties. Most commonly, these materials are two-component resins that begin to cure after several minutes of mixing together. For example, the filling compound 104 may be maintained in a liquid or gel-like state such that it may be pumped out using an external pumping mechanism (not shown) associated with the injection gun 108. Each gun 108 may have a trigger 110 that, when squeezed, opens an internal valve to allow the filling compound 104 to be pumped from the reservoir 106 through the nozzle 112 into the gap 20. In this regard, it should be understood that the injection guns 108 in this example are positioned at opposite axial ends of the stator 10. Referring briefly to fig. 2, the nozzle 112 injects the filling compound 104 at a location 114 near the radially innermost region of the gap 20. To prevent the filler compound 104 from escaping from the gap 20 into the interior region of the stator 10, a plug 116 may be inserted to plug the open end of the gap 20. The plug 116 may be made of any suitable thermally conductive material, such as a polymer similar in character to the fill compound 104 or even identical to the fill compound 104. In either case, the particular material selected for the plug 116 should have excellent thermal conductivity characteristics.

In one embodiment, the plug 116 may be made of a polymer having a small degree of elasticity or deformability, and may have a size that enables it to be press-fitted into the gap 20 between the adjacent two heads 18 of the adjacent two teeth 14 in a friction fit manner. This enables the plug 116 to be secured in place without the need for adhesives or similar forms of attachment. Alternatively, each head 18 of each tooth 14 may include a small notch portion 18a, as shown in FIG. 2, and the plug 116 may be formed with a protruding portion that engages the notch 18a to positively secure the plug in place. In either case, once all of the plugs 116 are installed to fill all of the gaps 20, the head 118 and the plugs 116 cooperatively form a smooth, generally continuous circumferential surface that, as partially indicated in fig. 2, is free of protrusions that may affect the fit (or rotation) of the rotor within the stator 10.

Alternatively, the plug 116 may be formed of a non-elastic or non-deformable thermally conductive material. In that case, the plug 116 may be inserted from one axial end or the other axial end of the stator 10 to close the gap 20. In this regard, it may also be advantageous to provide the head 18 with the recess 18a and form the plug 116 with a cross-sectional configuration that is capable of holding it in place when it is fully slid onto a pair of adjacent teeth 14 of the stator 10.

The fill compound 104 may be injected simultaneously from the injection gun 108 to fill the gap 20. Alternatively, the fill compound 104 may be injected first at one axial end of the stator 110 and then at the opposite axial end, or the fill compound may even be injected from one of the injection guns 108 and then from the other of the injection guns 108 in an alternating manner. It is contemplated that the simultaneous injection of the fill compound 104 from the axial ends of the stator 110 would be particularly preferred.

A suitable amount of pressure is provided to enable the fill compound 104 to be driven into each void space 26 within the gap 20 by the injection gun 108 to completely or substantially completely fill all of the void spaces and completely or at least substantially completely (e.g., 90% or more) enclose the windings 102. Fig. 4 shows a portion of the stator 10 in which the gap 20 has been filled with a filling compound 104. During operation of the motor in which the stator 10 is used, the filling compound 104 significantly helps to conduct heat from the windings 102 to the stator teeth 14, and thus helps to maintain the windings 102 at an acceptable temperature.

In practicing the method according to the present disclosure, the stator 10 may be placed in any suitable fixture. The plug 116 may then be inserted into one of the gaps 20. Alternatively, a separate one of the plugs 116 may be inserted into each gap 20, thereby closing all of the gaps 20 before beginning injection of the fill compound 104. If all of the gaps 20 are closed by individual ones of the plugs 116, the injection gun may be positioned (i.e., either robotically or manually) at a location to inject a fill compound into a first one of the gaps 20. The fill compound 104 may be held in the reservoir 106 in a heated state (such as a liquid or gel-like state) that enables the fill compound to flow, such that it may be easily pumped from the reservoir 106 to the injection gun 108. Injection guns 108 may be used to inject flowable filler compound 104 into the gaps 20 one at a time, simultaneously, from opposite axial ends of the stator 10, which at least substantially fills the void space within each gap 20 or completely or at least substantially completely encloses the windings 102. When filling of one of the gaps 20 is complete, the injection gun 108 may be repositioned, or alternatively the stator 10 may be rotated a predetermined amount to position the nozzle 112 in the next adjacent gap 20, and the process repeated. In this regard, it will also be appreciated that a suitable mechanism for directing the injection gun 108 may be useful so that the nozzles 112 may be withdrawn (i.e., moved axially a small distance away from the end of the stator 10) after each injection operation is completed, and then moved axially toward each other to a location 114 on the stator 10 before a new injection cycle is initiated.

The above process for filling each gap 20 is repeated until all gaps are filled with the fill compound 104. Alternatively, a sufficient number of injection guns 108 may be provided to fill all of the gaps 20 simultaneously from both axial ends of the stator 10. While this may additionally require a significant number of injection guns 108, such a configuration would significantly reduce the time required to fill all of the gaps 20 during the manufacturing process for each gap 20 of the stator 10, in effect two injection guns.

Fig. 5 shows a stator 10' formed according to the above-described method. The fill compound 104 fills all of the void space within each gap 20.

Fig. 6 and 7 illustrate a portion of a single annular manifold plate 200 that may be used to help build a stator. The manifold plate 200 may be placed at any point between the last axially placed manifold plates at the opposite ends of the stator, but in one embodiment, the manifold plate 200 is placed at about the axial midpoint of the stator when the individual plates of the stator are assembled to form the finished stator. Thus, there will be at least one additional plate on each side of the manifold plate 200, but more generally there may be more plates on each side of the manifold plate 200 sufficient to form a stator having the desired axial length.

Referring to fig. 7, the manifold plate 200 includes a port 202, the port 202 being formed to open to an outer surface of a cylindrical body portion 204 of the manifold plate. The port 202 communicates with a flow channel 206, which flow channel 206 leads into a hollow outer portion 208 of each tooth 210 of the manifold plate 200. Each tooth 210 has notches 212 formed at one or more, preferably multiple, locations along its radial length. The port 202, flow channel 206, hollow outer portion 208, and recess 212 allow a flowable gap-filling compound (e.g., a flowable thermally conductive polymer) to be injected into the port 202 and driven through the recess 212 into and out of a gap 214 on opposite sides of each tooth 210. After all of the stator plates have been assembled in place with the stator windings, the flowable filler compound may be driven through the entire axial length of the gap 214. It should be understood that where a manifold plate 200 is used, plugs such as 116 may also be used to close all of the gaps 214.

Fig. 9 and 10 illustrate another embodiment of an annular manifold plate 300 formed from two mirror image portions 300a and 300 b. Each of the mirror image portions 300a and 300b includes a flow channel portion 302a and 302b, the flow channel portions 302a and 302b forming a flow channel 302 in a cylindrical main body portion 304 when the two portions 300a and 300b are assembled together. Each tooth 306 of the manifold plate 300 is hollowed out to form an interior hollow region that communicates with one of the flow channels 302. Each tooth 306 further includes at least one opening 308, and more preferably a plurality of radially spaced openings 308, formed on opposite sides, wherein the openings 308 communicate with the hollowed out portion of each tooth. Thus, a complete flow path is formed from the flow channel 302, outwardly through each tooth 306, and into the gap 310 separating each pair of adjacent teeth 306.

Fig. 9 shows manifold plate 300 used with stator portions 312 and 314 to form a complete stator 300'. In this example, the manifold plate 300 is placed at about the axial midpoint of the stator 300', but it may be placed at any axial location such that its axially opposite surfaces are covered by a separate stator plate or stator portion. A flowable filling compound, such as a thermally conductive polymer, may then be injected into the flow channel 302 and into the interior region of each tooth 306. The flowable filler compound will flow out through the openings 308 and be driven into the gap 310 and around the windings 102 (not shown in fig. 9) along the entire axial length of the stator 300'. The stator portions 312, 300, and 314 may be secured together via any suitable means (e.g., a suitable adhesive). Again, a plug such as plug 116 may be used to close gap 310.

Fig. 10 illustrates an annular manifold plate 400 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The manifold plate 400 may be assembled between at least a pair of stator portions, such as stator portions 312 and 314 of fig. 9. The manifold plate 400 includes an outer circumferential body portion 402, a plurality of teeth 404 extending radially inward, and an inner circumferential annulus 406 having a plurality of ports 408 extending radially. The ports 408 are circumferentially aligned with gaps 410 formed between adjacent pairs of teeth 404. The ports 408 enable the filling compound 104 to be injected from the inside diameter of the manifold plate 400 rather than from its outside diameter, which may be preferred in certain manufacturing operations. The manifold plate 400 also provides gaps 410 of slightly oversized form to help promote the flow of the thermally conductive fill compound 104 into and throughout the volume formed by each gap, which may help more completely fill the void space within the gap and more completely enclose the windings 102 (not shown in fig. 10). The circumferential body portion 402, teeth 404, and ring portion 406 may be integrally formed as a single piece component, or alternatively, in different embodiments, they may be formed as two or more separate components and secured together by any suitable fastening technique (e.g., mechanical fasteners, welding, adhesives, etc.). Manifold plate 400 may be constructed of a high temperature rated (rated) plastic or, alternatively, any other material having a low electrical conductivity and strength suitable for use as an integral part of a motor stator assembly. With respect to the manifold plate 400, it will be appreciated that a separate plug, such as plug 116, would need to be used on the opposite side of the manifold plate 400 to fill the gap in the plate used to form the remainder of the manifold plate.

A particular benefit of the manifold plate 400 is that the ports 408 at the inner diameter of the manifold plate 400 may be supplied by the fill compound 104 from a single reservoir. For example, the reservoir may form a cylindrical reservoir or "feeder" that is sealed to the inner diameter wall of the manifold plate 400, i.e., to the inner surface 412 of the annulus 406, and slightly overlaps the area surrounding the one or more ports 408. The injection of the filling compound 104 may be performed in one gap 410 at a time, with the stator (or reservoir) rotating as needed to present the next gap for filling. Alternatively, the reservoir may be configured such that the filling compound 104 may be injected into two or more gaps 410 simultaneously, so the reservoir (or alternatively, the stator) may be rotationally indexed to fill two or more different ones of the gaps. Alternatively, the reservoir may be configured such that all of the gaps 410 are filled simultaneously with the fill compound 104 in one manufacturing operation.

Accordingly, various systems and methods of the present disclosure enable void spaces within each of the gaps between adjacent pairs of stator teeth to be filled with the thermally conductive filler compound 104, which helps to significantly improve the conduction of heat outward from the windings on the stator teeth. The method disclosed herein can achieve 100% filling of the void space at the center of the stator, and greater than 90% filling at the outermost axial ends of the stator. The systems and methods of the present disclosure do not significantly increase the overall cost of constructing the stator 10, nor do they require significant changes in the manner in which the stator is fabricated.

While various embodiments have been described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications or variations may be made without departing from the disclosure. The examples illustrate various embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. Accordingly, the specification and claims should be interpreted liberally only in light of such necessary limitations of the relevant art.