Rotatable stator sensor device

Abstract

A rotatable stator sensor apparatus includes a stator support plate configured to support a steel stator having a plurality of teeth, a turntable electrically isolated from the stator support plate, and at least two sensors located on the turntable. And at least two sensors located within an inner circumference of the steel stator, each of the at least two sensors including two sensor legs, and a distance between the two sensor legs corresponding to a distance between two of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator. The apparatus includes a sensor rotation control module configured to rotate the at least two sensors between a first position aligned with the first plurality of teeth of the steel stator and a second position aligned with the second plurality of teeth of the steel stator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a rotatable stator sensor arrangement including sensors for measuring stator core losses and magnetic properties of oriented steel. Background Art

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally introducing the background of the present disclosure. To the extent described in this section, the work of the presently named inventors and aspects of the description that may not constitute prior art at the time of filing are neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

[0003] Electric vehicles are driven by one or more electric motors, which may include a steel stator. The properties of soft magnetic materials such as steel stators can be determined by global magnetic measurements. For example, the classical two-winding technique, the Epstein frame and the toroidal transformer are standard measurement devices for measuring the magnetic properties of soft magnetic materials, especially for testing electrical steels.

[0004] However, the magnetic properties of oriented steel are different in different directions. In order to accurately design the motor, it is necessary to understand the magnetic properties in all directions around the stator core. The above method is used for non-oriented steel materials and cannot identify the properties of oriented steel materials or defects within the stator core. Summary of the invention

[0005] A rotatable stator sensor device includes a stator support plate configured to support a steel stator having a plurality of teeth, a turntable electrically isolated from the stator support plate, at least two sensors located on the turntable, the at least two sensors being located at an inner circumference of the steel stator, each of the at least two sensors including two sensor legs, wherein a distance between the two sensor legs corresponds to a distance between two of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator, and a sensor rotation control module configured to rotate the at least two sensors between a first position aligned with a first set of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator and a second position aligned with a second set of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator, wherein the first set of the plurality of teeth is different from the second set of the plurality of teeth.

[0006] In other features, the rotatable stator sensor apparatus includes an adjustable sensor holder on the stator support plate, wherein the adjustable sensor holder is configured to move at least two sensors to a target position concentric with an inner circumference of the steel stator.

[0007] In other features, the stator support plate includes a groove corresponding to the circumference of the steel stator, and the groove is concentric with the rotation axis of the turntable.

[0008] In other features, the rotatable stator sensor apparatus includes a shim positioned along an inner circumference of the steel stator between at least two sensors and a plurality of teeth of the steel stator.

[0009] In other features, the width of the spacer is greater than or equal to the length of the steel stator. In other features, the two sensor legs of a first sensor of the at least two sensors extend in a direction 180 degrees opposite to the direction of the two sensor legs of a second sensor of the at least two sensors.

[0010] In other features, each sensor includes a stack of steel laminations. In other features, the rotatable stator sensor device includes at least one drive coil wound around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors, and at least one pickup coil wound around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors.

[0011] In other features, the sensor rotation control module is configured to obtain a first measurement of iron loss in a first portion of the steel stator when at least two sensors are in a first position, obtain a second measurement of iron loss in a second portion of the steel stator when at least two sensors are in a second position, and compare the first measurement and the second measurement to determine at least one magnetic property of the steel stator, the at least one magnetic property indicating a defect in a lamination of the stator or a quality of the stator.

[0012] In other features, the sensor rotation control module is configured to rotate at least two sensors to a third position aligned with a third plurality of teeth of the steel stator, the third plurality of teeth being different than the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth, obtain a third measurement of iron loss in a third portion of the steel stator when the at least two sensors are in the third position, and determine whether a stator defect is present based on the first measurement, the second measurement, and the third measurement.

[0013] In other features, the sensor rotation control module is configured to obtain a first measurement of iron loss in a first portion of the steel stator when the at least two sensors are in a first position, and compare the first measurement to a reference stator value to determine at least one magnetic property of the steel stator.

[0014] In other features, a distance between two sensor legs of a first sensor of the at least two sensors is different than a distance between two sensor legs of a second sensor of the at least two sensors.

[0015] A method for measuring magnetic properties of a steel stator includes placing a steel stator having a plurality of teeth on a stator support plate, aligning at least two sensors with a first plurality of teeth of the steel stator in a first position, each of the at least two sensors including two sensor legs, wherein a distance between the two sensor legs corresponds to a distance between two of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator, and rotating the at least two sensors to a second position aligned with a second plurality of teeth of the steel stator. The at least two sensors are located on a turntable within an inner circumference of the steel stator, the turntable being electrically isolated from the stator support plate, and the first plurality of teeth are different from the second plurality of teeth.

[0016] In other features, the method includes moving at least two sensors to a target position concentric with an inner circumference of the steel stator using an adjustable sensor holder on the stator support plate.

[0017] In other features, the stator support plate includes a groove corresponding to the circumference of the steel stator, and the groove is concentric with the rotation axis of the turntable.

[0018] In other features, the method includes inserting a shim between at least two sensors and a plurality of teeth of the steel stator along an inner circumference of the steel stator.

[0019] In other features, the width of the spacer is greater than or equal to the length of the steel stator. In other features, the two sensor legs of a first sensor of the at least two sensors extend in a direction 180 degrees opposite to the direction of the two sensor legs of a second sensor of the at least two sensors.

[0020] In other features, each sensor comprises a stack of steel laminations. In other features, the method comprises winding at least one drive coil around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors, and winding at least one pickup coil around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors.

[0021] The present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0022] 1. A rotatable stator sensor device, comprising:

[0023] a stator support plate configured to support a steel stator having a plurality of teeth;

[0024] a turntable electrically isolated from the stator support plate;

[0025] at least two sensors on the turntable, the at least two sensors being located within an inner circumference of the steel stator, each of the at least two sensors comprising two sensor legs, wherein a distance between the two sensor legs corresponds to a distance between two teeth of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator; and

[0026] A sensor rotation control module is configured to rotate at least two sensors between a first position aligned with a first plurality of teeth of the steel stator and a second position aligned with a second plurality of teeth of the steel stator, wherein the first plurality of teeth is different from the second plurality of teeth.

[0027] 2. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustable sensor holder located on the stator support plate,

[0028] Therein, the adjustable sensor holder is configured to move at least two sensors to a target position concentric with the inner circumference of the steel stator.

[0029] 3. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1, wherein:

[0030] The stator support plate includes grooves corresponding to the circumference of the steel stator; and

[0031] The groove is concentric with the rotation axis of the turntable.

[0032] 4. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1 further comprises a spacer positioned between the at least two sensors and the plurality of teeth of the steel stator along the inner circumference of the steel stator.

[0033] 5. A rotatable stator sensor device according to Option 4, wherein the width of the spacer is greater than or equal to the length of the steel stator.

[0034] 6. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the two sensor legs of a first sensor among the at least two sensors extend in a direction 180 degrees opposite to the direction of the two sensor legs of a second sensor among the at least two sensors.

[0035] 7. A rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1, wherein each sensor comprises a stack of steel laminations.

[0036] 8. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

[0037] at least one drive coil wound around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors; and

[0038] At least one pick-up coil is wound around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors.

[0039] 9. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor rotation control module is configured to:

[0040] obtaining a first measurement of iron loss in a first portion of the steel stator when the at least two sensors are in a first position;

[0041] obtaining a second measurement of iron loss in a second portion of the steel stator when the at least two sensors are in the second position; and

[0042] The first measurement and the second measurement are compared to determine at least one magnetic characteristic of the steel stator, the at least one magnetic characteristic being indicative of a defect in laminations of the stator or a quality of the stator.

[0043] 10. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 9, wherein the sensor rotation control module is configured to:

[0044] rotating at least two sensors to a third position aligned with a third plurality of teeth of the steel stator, the third plurality of teeth being different from the first plurality of teeth and the second plurality of teeth;

[0045] obtaining a third measurement of iron loss in a third portion of the steel stator when the at least two sensors are in a third position; and

[0046] Whether there is a stator defect is determined based on the first measurement value, the second measurement value, and the third measurement value.

[0047] 11. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor rotation control module is configured to:

[0048] obtaining a first measurement of iron loss in a first portion of the steel stator when the at least two sensors are in a first position; and

[0049] The first measurement value is compared to a reference stator value to determine at least one magnetic property of the steel stator.

[0050] 12. The rotatable stator sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between two sensor legs of a first sensor of the at least two sensors is different from a distance between two sensor legs of a second sensor of the at least two sensors.

[0051] 13. A method for measuring magnetic properties of a steel stator, the method comprising:

[0052] placing a steel stator having a plurality of teeth on a stator support plate;

[0053] aligning at least two sensors with a first plurality of teeth of the steel stator in a first position, each of the at least two sensors comprising two sensor legs, wherein a distance between the two sensor legs corresponds to a distance between two teeth of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator; and

[0054] The at least two sensors are rotated to a second position aligned with a second plurality of teeth of the steel stator, wherein:

[0055] At least two sensors are located on a rotating table within the inner circumference of the steel stator.

[0056] The turntable is electrically isolated from the stator support plate, and

[0057] The first plurality of teeth is different from the second plurality of teeth.

[0058] 14. The method according to embodiment 13 further includes using an adjustable sensor holder on the stator support plate to move the at least two sensors to a target position concentric with the inner circumference of the steel stator.

[0059] 15. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

[0060] The stator support plate includes grooves corresponding to the circumference of the steel stator; and

[0061] The groove is concentric with the rotation axis of the turntable.

[0062] 16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising inserting a shim between the at least two sensors and a plurality of teeth of the steel stator along an inner circumference of the steel stator.

[0063] 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the width of the spacer is greater than or equal to the length of the steel stator.

[0064] 18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the two sensor legs of a first sensor among the at least two sensors extend in a direction 180 degrees opposite to the direction of the two sensor legs of a second sensor among the at least two sensors.

[0065] 19. The method of claim 13, wherein each sensor comprises a stack of steel laminations.

[0066] 20. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

[0067] wrapping at least one drive coil around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors; and

[0068] At least one pick-up coil is wrapped around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors.

[0069] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims and drawings.The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0071] Figure 1 is a diagram of an exemplary rotatable stator sensor apparatus for measuring magnetic properties of a stator.

[0072] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Figure 2. A diagram of a rotatable stator sensor arrangement with the sensor rotated to different positions.

[0073] Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example alignment of a stator sensor with the teeth of a stator.

[0074] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 A diagram of example dimensions of sensors of a rotatable stator sensor apparatus.

[0075] Figure 5 is a flow chart depicting an example process for measuring magnetic properties of a stator using a rotatable stator sensor apparatus.

[0076] Figure 6 It is used to make Figure 1 A flow chart of an example process for a sensor of a rotatable stator sensor apparatus.

[0077] Among the drawings, reference numerals may be repeated to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0078] Electric vehicles are driven by one or more electric motors, which may include a steel stator. Some example embodiments described herein include a rotatable electromagnetic sensor device for measuring electrical losses in, for example, a stator lamination stack.

[0079] The device is configured to measure electrical losses in a stator lamination stack and magnetic properties of the lamination material of oriented steel. The rotatable stator sensor device can help distinguish between stators made of different types of materials (e.g., oriented steel vs. non-oriented steel), different designs (e.g., segmented stators), and can be used to evaluate finished stator laminations before motor assembly. In the manufacturing process of stators, such as stators for electric vehicle motors, it is often desirable to evaluate the quality of the lamination stack before the complete motor is assembled in order to better control the quality of the finished product.

[0080] In various embodiments, an example stator sensor arrangement can facilitate the measurement of stator core losses using a repeatable method for positioning two rotatable sensor legs in front of different stator tooth sets with very narrow air gaps. Lamination stack core loss inspection can identify possible variations in each stator core manufacturing process step due to mechanical stress, which can lead to deterioration of the stator magnetic properties.

[0081] In some example embodiments, the rotatable stator sensor device can determine the magnetic properties of oriented steel in different directions, because knowing the magnetic properties of the stator in multiple directions is desirable for accurately designing the machine. When evaluating the iron loss of stator oriented steel, two or three (or more) sensors with different angle openings can be used.

[0082] The device can identify lamination stack defects in a stator that occur when individual laminations are manufactured in a progressive die. The sensors can be arranged in an apparatus including a support plate for the stator core and two sensors (or more or less) supported on the axis of a turntable. The turntable is configured to index the sensors relative to the teeth in the stator core. Adjustable adapters for the sensors can control the concentricity and air gap distance to align the sensors with the teeth of the core.

[0083] In some exemplary embodiments, a stator core made of non-oriented or oriented steel material is located on a top plate of the device and clamped. The top plate may have concentric grooves to position the stator concentric with the axis of rotation. The turntable is aligned near the center of the groove in the top plate.

[0084] Both sensors, including the corresponding sensor arms, are made of high-quality non-oriented steel to minimize their iron losses. In various embodiments, the thickness (e.g., height) of each sensor can be equal to the stator core or 1 mm taller than the stator core (or a greater or lesser thickness). The sensor legs can be about 8 to 10 mm wide (or wider or narrower), and the tip of each sensor leg can have a chamfer so that its contact length with the stator teeth is equal.

[0085] The width of the sensor leg at the tip can be a function of the width of the stator tooth at the tip. The curvature of the sensor leg at the tip can be the same as the circumference of the stator inner diameter. In various embodiments, the various portions of the sensor can be shaped to interlock with the plastic adapter holder. The angled opening between the two legs of the sensor can be designed to capture a certain number of teeth in the stator to measure the iron loss on the portion of the stator between multiple teeth.

[0086] In some example embodiments, two sensors are positioned within the stator inner diameter (ID) using a central spindle isolated from the stator and the body of the device. The two sensors are positioned approximately 180 degrees apart to cancel out the electromotive force generated by the sensors sensing the magnetic properties of the stator or the magnetic field as it rotates. Testing can be performed using a two sensor arrangement to avoid flux leakage through the back iron and to cancel out the electromotive force.

[0087] In various embodiments, an adapter holds the two sensors concentric with the stator ID. The adapter provides alignment details for the sensors to control the concentricity of the sensors with the stator ID and to control the air gap between the sensor legs and the stator teeth. Plastic shims may be used in the periphery (e.g., circumference) of the stator inner diameter to control the air gap between the stator teeth and the sensor legs and to avoid any contact of the stator teeth with the sensor legs.

[0088] A turntable below the top plate can be used to align the sensor leg with the stator's teeth at several positions relative to the stator teeth. By rotating the sensor leg, the iron loss can be measured at several positions (e.g., at specified intervals) over a range of stator teeth. The sensor can be rotated at several intervals to cover the entire inner circumference of the stator (or a portion of the entire inner circumference) to evaluate the consistency of the iron loss at different locations and identify possible defects in the stator.

[0089] In some example embodiments, a special fixture may be used to set up and hold the sensors for calibration. The fixture is designed to position the two sensors in opposite directions, with the sensor arms facing each other, and to suppress the electromotive force generated by the magnetic field (e.g., magnetic flux density) during the calibration process. The calibration fixture may provide lateral adjustment to align the arms of the two sensors.

[0090] Figure 1 is a diagram of an exemplary rotatable stator sensor device 100 for measuring magnetic properties of a stator. Figure 1 As shown, the rotatable stator sensor device 100 includes a stator support plate 104. The stator support plate 104 is configured to support a steel stator 102 having a plurality of teeth 118. In various embodiments, the steel stator 102 may be a stator for an electric motor of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

[0091] The rotatable stator sensor device 100 includes a turntable 106. The turntable 106 is electrically isolated from the stator support plate 104. At least two sensors 108 are located on the turntable 106. Figure 1 Two sensors 108 are shown, but other embodiments may include more or fewer sensors, or sensors arranged in a different configuration.

[0092] The sensors 108 are located within the inner diameter of the steel stator 102. For example, each sensor 108 includes two sensor legs 110, and each sensor 108 may be positioned such that each sensor leg 110 is located adjacent to the inner circumferential surface of one of the teeth 118 of the steel stator 102.

[0093] In some example embodiments, the distance between two sensor legs 110 of the sensor 108 may correspond to the distance between two teeth 118 of the steel stator 102. For example, two sensor legs 110 may correspond to a span of two teeth 118, to a span of three teeth 118, to a span of four or more teeth 118, and so on.

[0094] The rotatable stator sensor apparatus 100 includes a sensor rotation control module 112 configured to rotate the sensor 108 between a first position aligned with a first set of teeth 118 of the steel stator 102 and a second position aligned with a second set of teeth 118 of the steel stator 102 .

[0095] For example, Figure 1 The sensor 108 is shown in a first position, with the sensor legs 110 adjacent a first set of teeth 118 of the steel stator. Figure 2 The sensor 108 is shown in a second position where it has been rotated ninety degrees relative to the steel stator 102. In various embodiments, the sensor rotation control module can control the rotation of the turntable 106 to move the sensor 108 between different positions. Each different position can align the sensor legs 110 of the sensor 108 with a different set of teeth 118 of the steel stator.

[0096] In some example embodiments, the rotatable stator sensor device 100 may include an adjustable sensor holder on the stator support plate 104. The adjustable sensor holder may be coupled to the sensor 108 to move the position of the sensor 108 relative to the steel stator 102. For example, the adjustable sensor holder may be configured to move the sensors 108 so that they are concentric with the inner circumference of the steel stator 102 (e.g., so that the axis of rotation of the sensor 108 or the turntable 106 is concentric with the inner circumference of the steel stator 102). This may allow the sensor legs 110 to move along the inner circumference of the teeth 118 of the steel stator 102 without changing the width of the air gap between the sensor legs 110 and the teeth 118 at different rotational positions of the sensor 108.

[0097] In some exemplary embodiments, the stator support plate 104 includes a groove for positioning the steel stator 102. The groove may have a size corresponding to the circumference of the steel stator 102, and the groove may be concentric with the rotation axis of the turntable 106 and the sensor 108. In various embodiments, one or more clamps may be positioned on the stator support plate 104 to clamp the steel stator 102 in place (e.g., after the steel stator is aligned in the groove of the stator support plate 104).

[0098] An optional shim 114 may be positioned between the sensor 108 and the teeth 118 of the steel stator 102 along the inner circumference of the steel stator 102. The shim 114 may include plastic or other suitable material that may reduce friction when the ends of the sensor legs 110 move along the inner circumferential surface of the teeth 118. The shim 114 may help maintain a desired air gap between the sensor legs 110 and the teeth 118. The width of the shim 114 may be greater than or equal to the length of the steel stator 102 to provide electrical isolation by inhibiting or preventing the sensor legs 110 from contacting the teeth 118.

[0099] like Figure 1 As shown, the two sensor legs 110 of one sensor 108 extend in a direction 180 degrees opposite to the direction of the two sensor legs 110 of the other sensor 108. This arrangement can balance the power when the sensors 108 are rotated to measure the steel stator 102. Each sensor 108 can include any suitable material for sensing the magnetic properties of a portion of the steel stator 102 (e.g., a stack of steel laminations).

[0100] The rotatable stator sensor device 100 includes a coil 116 wrapped around a portion of the sensor 108. The coil 116 may include a wire wrapped around the center of the sensor 108, wrapped around the sensor legs 110, wrapped around other portions of the sensor 108, and so on.

[0101] Each coil 116 may be configured to operate as a drive coil or a pickup coil to obtain measurements from the steel stator 102. For example, the coils 116 may be coupled to the sensor rotation control module 112 (or another control module), wherein the sensor rotation control module 112 is configured to provide a drive signal to the coil 116 operating as a drive coil and receive a signal from the other coil 116 operating as a pickup coil to obtain a measurement of a magnetic property of a portion of the steel stator 102 (e.g., a portion of the steel stator 102 between teeth 118 adjacent to the sensor legs 110 of the sensor 108).

[0102] In some example embodiments, the rotatable stator sensor device 100 may be configured to rotate when the sensor 108 is in the first position (eg, Figure 1 ) and when the sensor 108 is in a second position (e.g., Figure 2 The sensor rotation control module 112 may be configured to compare the first measurement and the second measurement to determine at least one magnetic property of the steel stator 102.

[0103] In various embodiments, the sensor rotation control module 112 is configured to rotate the sensor 108 to a third position aligned with the third set of teeth 118 of the steel stator 102 and obtain a third measurement of iron loss in a third portion of the steel stator 102. This process can be repeated by rotating the sensor 108 and taking measurements at as many positions as desired.

[0104] The sensor rotation control module 112 can be configured to determine whether a stator defect exists based on various measurements. For example, in various embodiments, the sensor rotation control module 112 can be configured to compare one or more measurements with reference stator values ​​to determine at least one magnetic property of the steel stator 102.

[0105] Although Figure 1 While the distance between the sensor legs 110 of the two sensors 108 is shown to be the same, in other example embodiments, the distance between the two sensor legs 110 of each sensor may be different. For example, sensors 108 having various distances between the sensor legs 110 may be calibrated and selectively placed on the turntable 106 based on the spacing of the teeth 118 of a particular steel stator 102.

[0106] Figure 3 3 is a diagram showing an example alignment of stator sensor 308 with teeth 318 of stator 302. Stator 302 may have any suitable stator design, such as a circular stator having teeth 318 extending inwardly from a back iron of stator 302.

[0107] like Figure 3 As shown, the width A of one of the sensor legs 310 may correspond to the width Ag of two teeth 318 of the stator 302. In other example embodiments, the width of the sensor leg 310 may correspond to the width of one of the teeth 318, to the width of more than two teeth 318, and so on.

[0108] The curvature of the end of the sensor leg 310 may correspond to the inner circumference of the tooth 318. This facilitates the rotation of the sensor 308 along the inner circumference of the tooth 318 while maintaining the air gap distance 1g / 2 between the end of the sensor leg 310 and the sensor tooth 318.

[0109] The sensor 308 may include any suitable construction, including a stack of steel laminations. The drive coil 317 and the pickup coil 316 may be wound around different portions of the sensor 308 in order to measure magnetic properties of various portions of the stator 302 .

[0110] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram of example dimensions of sensor 308 of rotatable stator sensor apparatus 100 . Figure 4The example dimensions of sensor 408 and sensor legs 410 in FIG. 4 are for illustration purposes only, and other example embodiments may include sensors having different dimensions.

[0111] Figure 5 is a flow chart depicting an example process for measuring magnetic properties of a stator using a rotatable stator sensor device. The process begins by positioning the stator in a positioning slot of a stator support plate at 504. At 508, an optional clamp engages the stator to secure the stator to the support plate.

[0112] If an optional insulating sheet (eg, a plastic washer or other electrically insulating material) is to be used at 512 , the process proceeds to 516 to insert the insulating sheet along the inner circumference of the stator teeth.

[0113] After inserting the insulating sheet, or after determining that the optional insulating sheet will not be used, the process proceeds to 520 to place the sensor on the turntable (if the sensor is not already on the turntable). If the sensor is not concentric with the stator at 524, the process proceeds to 528 to adjust the incremental sensor positioning.

[0114] Once the sensor is concentric with the stator at 524, the process proceeds to 532 to test the electrical (eg, magnetic) properties of the stator at a first position relative to a tooth of the stator. The sensor is then rotated to the next position relative to a different tooth of the stator at 536.

[0115] At 540, the process includes testing the stator magnetic (e.g., electrical) parameters at the next position relative to the teeth of the stator. If more positions are specified for testing at 544, the process returns to 536 to rotate the sensor to the next position to make another measurement of the stator magnetic parameters. Once all specified positions have been tested at 544, the process proceeds to 548 to compare the measurement results in order to identify the magnetic characteristics of the stator, such as iron loss, and whether the stator is defective.

[0116] In some exemplary embodiments, the process may include placing the stator on a fixture such as a locating slot in a Delrin plate. The pins may be aligned with the stator slots on the stator outer diameter, and a clamp may be engaged on the fixture to clamp the stator in place.

[0117] The plastic sheets / shims can be inserted along the inner circumference of the stator teeth. If the sensor is not already installed, insert it on the rotating shaft and align the pins. The control program can define the individual positions of the sensor for measurement.

[0118] For example, the sensor control program can facilitate the use of incremental positioning buttons to move the sensors to ensure they are concentric with the stator ID. If there is doubt about the alignment, the clamp can be loosened to make adjustments in the sensor holder to correct the radial position of the sensor. The master ring fixture can be used to properly align the sensor to the axis of rotation.

[0119] For example, if the stator teeth are misaligned with the sensor legs, the incremental and absolute positioning buttons can be used to move the sensor to the desired position. The zero position can then be set in the motor control program and you can continue testing the stator with the sensor.

[0120] Figure 6 It is used to make Figure 1 Flowchart of an example process for a sensor of a rotatable stator sensor device of the invention. At 604, the process begins by preparing steel laminations for the sensor. At 608, the core is bonded with an adhesive.

[0121] Each steel laminate is roll coated at 612. Next, the steel laminates are stacked in the form of a sensor, and then the stacked steel laminates are cured. In various embodiments, the sensor can be dried at a specified temperature to complete the fabrication of the sensor.

[0122] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or use. The broad teachings of the present disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, although the present disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the present disclosure should not be so limited, because after studying the drawings, the specification and the appended claims, other modifications will become apparent. It should be understood that one or more steps in the method can be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without changing the principles of the present disclosure. In addition, although each embodiment is described as having certain features above, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented in any other embodiment and / or combined with the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the replacement of one or more embodiments with each other is still within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0123] Various terms, including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "next to," "on," "above," "below," and "disposed," are used to describe the spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.). Unless explicitly described as "direct," when describing a relationship between a first element and a second element in the above disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship in which there are no other intermediate elements between the first element and the second element, but can also be an indirect relationship in which there are one or more intermediate elements (spatially or functionally) between the first element and the second element. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A or B or C) using a non-exclusive logical "OR," and should not be construed to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0124] In the drawings, the direction of the arrows (as indicated by the arrows) generally indicates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) of interest to the diagram. For example, when component A and component B exchange various information, but the information sent from component A to component B is relevant to the diagram, the arrow may point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not mean that no other information is sent from component B to component A. In addition, for information sent from component A to component B, component B may send a request for the information or a confirmation of receipt of the information to component A.

[0125] In this application including the following definitions, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or analog / digital hybrid discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or analog / digital hybrid integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) for storing code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0126] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuit may include a wired or wireless interface connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functions of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed in multiple modules connected via interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In another example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform certain functions on behalf of a client module.

[0127] The term "code" as used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" includes a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" includes a processor circuit that, in combination with other processor circuits, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits include multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" includes a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuit" includes a memory circuit that, in combination with other memories, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0128] The term "memory circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium". As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" does not include transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term "computer-readable medium" may be considered to be tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0129] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be partially or completely implemented by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions implemented in a computer program. The functional blocks, flow chart components and other elements described above are used as software specifications, which can be converted into computer programs through the routine work of technicians or programmers.

[0130] The computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. The computer program may also include or rely on stored data. The computer program may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0131] These computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language) or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated by a compiler from source code, (iv) source code executed by an interpreter, (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, the source code may be written using the syntax of a language including: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language Version 5), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Visual Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and

Claims

1. A rotatable stator sensor device, comprising: a stator support plate configured to support a steel stator having a plurality of teeth; a turntable electrically isolated from the stator support plate; at least two sensors on the turntable, the at least two sensors being located within an inner circumference of the steel stator, each of the at least two sensors comprising two sensor legs, wherein a distance between the two sensor legs corresponds to a distance between two teeth of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator; and A sensor rotation control module is configured to rotate at least two sensors between a first position aligned with a first plurality of teeth of the steel stator and a second position aligned with a second plurality of teeth of the steel stator, wherein the first plurality of teeth is different from the second plurality of teeth.

2. The rotatable stator sensor device of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable sensor holder located on the stator support plate, in, The adjustable sensor holder is configured to move the at least two sensors to a target position concentric with the inner circumference of the steel stator.

3. The rotatable stator sensor device of claim 1 , wherein: The stator support plate includes grooves corresponding to the circumference of the steel stator; and The groove is concentric with the rotation axis of the turntable.

4. The rotatable stator sensor apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a shim positioned between the at least two sensors and the plurality of teeth of the steel stator along an inner circumference of the steel stator.

5. The rotatable stator sensor device of claim 4, wherein the width of the spacer is greater than or equal to the length of the steel stator.

6. The rotatable stator sensor device of claim 1, wherein the two sensor legs of a first sensor of the at least two sensors extend in a direction 180 degrees opposite to the direction of the two sensor legs of a second sensor of the at least two sensors.

7. The rotatable stator sensor apparatus of claim 1 wherein each sensor comprises a stack of steel laminations.

8. The rotatable stator sensor device of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one drive coil wound around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors; and At least one pick-up coil is wound around a portion of one or more of the at least two sensors.

9. The rotatable stator sensor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor rotation control module is configured to: obtaining a first measurement of iron loss in a first portion of the steel stator when the at least two sensors are in a first position; obtaining a second measurement of iron loss in a second portion of the steel stator when the at least two sensors are in a second position; and The first measurement and the second measurement are compared to determine at least one magnetic characteristic of the steel stator, the at least one magnetic characteristic being indicative of a defect in laminations of the stator or a quality of the stator.

10. A method for measuring magnetic properties of a steel stator, the method comprising: placing a steel stator having a plurality of teeth on a stator support plate; aligning at least two sensors with a first plurality of teeth of the steel stator in a first position, each of the at least two sensors comprising two sensor legs, wherein a distance between the two sensor legs corresponds to a distance between two teeth of the plurality of teeth of the steel stator; and The at least two sensors are rotated to a second position aligned with a second plurality of teeth of the steel stator, wherein: At least two sensors are located on a rotating table within the inner circumference of the steel stator. The turntable is electrically isolated from the stator support plate, and The first plurality of teeth is different from the second plurality of teeth.

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