Rotary transformer with integrated power electronics

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide an electric drive motor system comprising a stationary side, a rotating side, and a first assembly and communication structure on the rotating side. A secondary winding is physically coupled to the first assembly and communication structure. A rectifier system is physically coupled to the first assembly and communication structure.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of an earlier filing date from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 333,790, filed April 22, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART

[0002] A wound rotor synchronous machine (WRSM) is an electric motor with a rotor and a stator. The stator is the fixed part of the machine, and the rotor is the rotating part. The stator typically has a multi-phase winding, and the rotor is formed with a field winding instead of permanent magnets. The rotor rotates in a magnetic field, and the magnetic field can be generated by the windings or field coils. A field coil is an electromagnet used to create a magnetic field in an electromagnetic machine, typically a rotating electrical machine such as a motor or generator. It contains a coil of wire through which a current flows. In a machine with field coils, a current must flow in the coils to create the field; otherwise, no power is transferred to or from the rotor. The process of creating a magnetic field using an electric current is called excitation.Field coils provide the most flexible form of regulation and deregulation of magnetic flux, but at the expense of electrical current flow.

[0003] Typically, the rotor windings of a WRSM can be fed or excited via a slip-ring and brush assembly system. However, slip-ring and brush assembly systems have disadvantages, including inefficiency at high speeds, the frequent need for maintenance, and high overall losses, especially at high speeds due to the high contact resistance between the brush and slip ring.

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of slip-ring and brush-array excitation methods, wireless (or contactless) excitation systems, or wireless power transmission systems, have been developed. Wireless power transmission generally uses various technologies to transmit power using electromagnetic fields (EMFs) without a physical connection. In a wireless power transmission system, a transmitting device, powered by electrical power from a power source, generates a time-varying EMF that transfers power through space to a receiving device via mutual inductance (M). The receiving device uses M to extract power from the EMF and deliver the extracted power to an electrical load. Wireless power transmission provides power to electrical devices / loads where connecting wires are impractical, dangerous, or not possible.Wireless power technologies can be divided into two main categories: near-field and far-field. In near-field technologies, the time-varying EMF is generated using a variety of techniques, including resonant inductive coupling. Resonant inductive coupling is the wireless near-field transfer of electrical power between magnetically coupled coils that are part of a resonant circuit tuned to resonate at the same frequency as the drive frequency.

[0005] Rotary transformers (RTs) are a type of wireless power transfer system that can be used for the controlled wireless excitation of the rotor windings of a WRSM. An RT performs the same general function as a conventional transformer, as both transfer electrical power from one circuit to another at the same frequency but different voltages. A conventional transformer operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction, meaning the electromotive force is induced by the varying magnetic field in the closed circuit. An RT differs from a conventional transformer in that the RT geometry is arranged so that the primary and secondary windings can be rotated with respect to each other with negligible changes in electrical properties.In one known configuration, the RT can be constructed by winding the primary and secondary windings into separate halves of a cup core. The concentric halves face each other, with each half attached to one of the parts that rotates relative to each other. The magnetic flux provides the coupling from one half of the cup core to the other half across an air gap and provides the M that transfers power from the RT's primary windings to the secondary windings.

[0006] Known approaches for using RT systems to provide excitation for a WRSM may involve a resonant tuning network, also known as a compensation network. A resonant tuning network may incorporate circuit components (e.g., various combinations of resistors, inductors, and / or capacitors) that allow the associated transformer to store oscillating electrical power similar to a resonant circuit, thus acting as a bandpass filter, passing frequencies near its resonant frequency from the primary to the secondary winding while blocking other frequencies. The magnitude of M between the primary and secondary windings, together with the quality factor (Q factor) of the circuit, determines the shape of the frequency response.Resonant circuits are often referred to as LC or LRC circuits due to the inductive (L), resistive (R), and capacitive (C) components used to form the resonant circuit. In materials science, every material has its own natural frequency. When the external vibration is equal to the natural frequency, resonance occurs. In electrical engineering, the impedance of inductors and capacitors depends on frequency. Capacitive impedance is inversely proportional to frequency, while inductive impedance is directly proportional to frequency. At a certain frequency, the two cancel each other out. Such a circuit is called a resonant circuit, and this specific frequency is the resonant frequency.

[0007] In conventional RT systems that provide resonance tuning or compensation (i.e., an RT compensation system), the resonance tuning network (or compensation network) is present on both the stationary (or stator, or primary) side and the rotating (or rotating, or secondary) side of the WRSM. For the primary coil, a basic function of "compensation" is to minimize the input apparent power and / or to minimize the volt-amperes (VA) of the power supply. For the secondary coil, compensation cancels the secondary coil's stray inductance to maximize the transfer capability.

[0008] In general, electric motors are relatively complex structures with parts that rotate at high speeds and generate high temperatures. Furthermore, the use of various forms of electromotive force (EMF), EMF, complex communication signals, complex motor control processes, and the like can further increase complexity. Furthermore, in many applications, the size and weight of the motor must be controlled. Therefore, it is advantageous to provide motor designs that prioritize compact dimensions, lower costs, simple electrical, mechanical, and thermal construction, and reduced eddy current losses. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Embodiments of the disclosure provide an electric drive motor system including a stationary side, a rotating side, and a first mounting and communication structure on the rotating side. A secondary winding is physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure. A rectifier system is physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure.

[0010] Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method of manufacturing an electric drive motor system, including forming a stationary side, forming a rotating side, and forming a first mounting and communication structure on the rotating side. A secondary winding is physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure. A rectifier system is physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a non-limiting example of an electric drive motor system with integrated power electronics in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; Fig. Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a non-limiting example of how an electric motor drive system as shown in Fig. 1, may be implemented according to aspects of the disclosure; Fig. 3 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a three-dimensional (3D) view and a front view of a non-limiting example of how a portion of a rotating side of an electric machine may be configured to include integrated power electronics in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; Fig. 4 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a front view and a left side view of a non-limiting example of how a portion of a rotating side of an electric machine may be configured to include integrated power electronics in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; Fig. 5 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a left side view of a non-limiting example of how a portion of a rotating side of an electric machine may be configured to include integrated power electronics in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; Fig. 6 is a simplified flow diagram illustrating the front view of a structure after manufacturing operations for forming a portion of a rotating side of an electric machine configured to include integrated power electronics in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; Fig. 7 is a simplified flow diagram illustrating the front view of a structure after manufacturing operations for forming a portion of a rotating side of an electric machine configured to include integrated power electronics in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; and Fig. 8 is a simplified flow diagram illustrating the front view of a structure following manufacturing operations for forming a portion of a rotating side of an electric machine configured to include integrated power electronics in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Embodiments of the disclosure provide a novel integrated power electronics system that can be used in an electric motor drive system with a wireless power transfer (or RT) network. The electric motor drive system can include an electric motor (e.g., a WRSM) with a stationary side and a rotating side. In embodiments of the disclosure, the integrated power electronics system can be implemented as an integrated mounting and / or communication structure into which selected portions of the motor and / or the wireless power transfer system can be integrated to provide enhanced physical support, enhanced electronic communication, and enhanced cooling.On the rotating side, an example of the integrated mounting and / or communication structure may be used to integrate secondary windings; rotating side members of the RT (if any); a rectifier; and various electronic connections between the secondary windings, the rotating side members of the RT, and the rectifier. On the stationary side, an example of the integrated mounting and / or communication structure may be used to integrate an inverter; stationary side members of the RT; primary windings; and various electronic connections between the inverter, the stationary side members of the RT, and the primary windings. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the integrated mounting and / or communication structure may be implemented as a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB).The PCB can be implemented as a printed circuit board (PCB) operable to accommodate primary windings, secondary windings, transistors (e.g., for the inverter), diodes (e.g., for the rectifier), wiring, and the like within its layers. On the rotating side, where cooling is required, the PCB can accommodate an assembly area operable to house certain components (e.g., diodes for the rectifier) ​​and cooling mechanisms for the housed components.

[0012] Accordingly, the integrated mounting and / or communication structures (e.g., a PCB) described herein provide technical advantages and technical effects. The secondary windings and the rectifier subsystems are arranged in the same PCB structure, which greatly simplifies the design, prototyping, and production of the associated RT. Embodiments of the disclosure also reduce or eliminate the difficulties in the terminals and connections between the rectifier and the secondary winding assemblies. Embodiments of the disclosure further enable the assembly area (e.g., the assembly area housing the rectifier diodes) to be mounted directly on the motor shaft using an aluminum support sleeve, providing high mechanical robustness and easier thermal management.Thus, according to aspects of the disclosure, the integrated mounting and communication structure enables motor designs that emphasize compact size, reduced cost, simplicity in electrical, mechanical and thermal design, and reduced eddy current losses.

[0013] A more detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure will now be given below, wherein Fig. 1 illustrates a system 100 embodying aspects of the disclosure. The system 100 includes a power source 110 electronically coupled to an electric motor drive system 102. The electric motor drive system 102 includes an inverter / RT system 120, an AC-excited motor 140, and a controller 170 configured and arranged as shown. According to aspects of the disclosure, the inverter / RT system 120 includes an integrated mounting and communication structure 160 operable to be integrated with an inverter system 122; an RT compensation system 124; electrical connectors 128 operable to electrically couple the inverter system 122 to the RT compensation system 124; primary windings 126; and electrical connectors 130 operable to electrically couple the RT compensation systems 124 to the primary windings 126.According to aspects of the disclosure, the DC-excited motor 140 includes an integrated mounting and communication structure 162 operable to be integrated with the secondary windings 146; a rectifier system 142; and electrical connectors 150 operable to electrically couple the secondary windings 146 to the rectifier system 142. Although the inverter / RT system 120, the DC-excited motor 140, and the controller 170 are illustrated as separate components, the inverter / RT system 120, the DC-excited motor 140, and the controller 170 may be configured and arranged in any suitable combination.For example, the controller 170 may be integrated within the inverter / RT system 120; the inverter / RT system 120 may be integrated within the DC-excited motor 140; and / or the inverter / RT system 120 and the controller 170 may be integrated within the DC-excited motor 140.

[0014] The power source 110 can be implemented in a variety of forms, for example, as a battery. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the battery can be a rechargeable battery comprising a set of one or more individual battery cells connected in series or parallel and operating under the control of one or more controllers, such as a battery control module (BCM), that monitors and controls the performance of the battery. The BCM can monitor various characteristics of the battery values, such as the battery current, measured, for example, by a current sensor, the battery voltage, and the battery temperature. The battery can be charged via an external power source (not shown). The battery can include power conversion electronics operable to condition the power from the external power source to provide the battery with the correct voltage and current values.The individual battery cells within a battery pack can be composed of a variety of chemical compositions. Battery chemistries include, but are not limited to, lead acid, nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NIMH), lithium-ion, or lithium-ion polymer.

[0015] The inverter 122 may be a resonant inverter 122 electrically coupled between the power source 110 and the DC-excited motor 140 to transfer excitation power from the power source 110 to the DC-excited motor 140 via the RT compensation system 124 and the primary windings 126. In particular, the resonant inverter 122 is operable to provide power from the power source 110 to the RT compensation system 124 at a desired resonant frequency to excite the DC-excited motor 140 via the primary windings 126. In embodiments of the disclosure, the resonant inverter 122 is operable to convert the DC voltage from the power source 110 to AC power at the desired resonant frequency as required by the DC-excited motor 140 and the RT compensation system 124 for motor excitation.In embodiments of the disclosure, resonant inverter 122 may be a full-bridge resonant inverter with four switches organized as two "phase legs." Each phase leg may include two series-connected switches located between a positive and a negative DC rail. A phase node may be positioned between the two switches of each phase leg to provide the phases of an AC waveform output at a desired resonant frequency. In some embodiments of the disclosure, resonant inverter 122 generates RF AC power. Controller 170 is electronically coupled to the phase leg switches to control the on and off states of the switches, thereby controlling the frequency and phase of the AC waveform generated by resonant inverter 122.The controller 170 includes a computing device, including a computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, and the like, configured and operable to execute software instructions and programs, and may include associated firmware, such that the controller is configured and operable to control the switching on / off operations of the resonant inverter 122. The controller 170 is also configured to send various control commands to the DC-excited motor 140, for example, to control the torque and / or speed of the motor 140.

[0016] The DC motor 140 can be any eclectic motor design suitable for the work the motor is intended to perform. Examples of work that can be performed by motors in conventional automotive-based motor applications include operating or moving power windows, power seats, heater and radiator fans, windshield wipers, and / or the engine of a vehicle with a hybrid electric vehicle configuration. Regardless of the type of DC motor 140, it relies on electromagnetism and the reversing of magnetic fields to generate mechanical power. A conventional design of the DC motor 140 includes five basic parts: a stator, a rotor, a solid axle, coils, and a squirrel cage.The stator winding in a DC motor is a ring of paired electromagnets that are energized one after the other, creating the rotating magnetic field. The rotor of a DC motor has no direct connection to a power source and has no brushes. Instead, the previously described squirrel cage rotor is often used. The squirrel cage rotor in a DC motor is formed from a set of rotor bars connected to two rings, one at each end. The squirrel cage rotor is located inside the stator. When excitation power is sent through the stator, it generates an EMF. The bars of the squirrel cage rotor are conductors and therefore respond to the reversing of the stator poles, causing the rotor to rotate and generate its own magnetic field.The key point of an induction motor, where the rotor field is induced by the stator field, is that the rotor is constantly trying to catch up. It's always searching for stasis, so it rotates to find that steady state. However, the EMF generated by the stator will always be slightly faster than the rotor field. The rotation of the rotor creates the torque needed to generate mechanical power to turn a car's wheels or a fan's blades. Some DC motors use a wound rotor (such as a WRSM) wrapped with wire instead of a squirrel-cage rotor. In any case, there is only one moving part in a DC motor, meaning fewer things to replace or maintain.

[0017] As previously mentioned, in some embodiments of the disclosure, the DC-excited motor 140 may be a WRSM. A WRSM is a rotating electric motor with a rotor and a stator. The stator is the fixed part of the machine, and the rotor is the rotating part of the machine. The stator typically has a multi-phase winding, and the rotor is formed with a field winding instead of permanent magnets. The rotor rotates in a magnetic field, and the magnetic field can be generated by the windings or field coils. In a machine with field coils, an excitation current must flow in the coils to generate the field; otherwise, no power is transferred to or from the rotor. Field coils provide the most flexible form of regulation and deregulation of magnetic flux, but at the expense of electrical current flow. Typically, the rotor winding of a WRSM can be energized or excited via a slip ring and brush assembly system.However, slip ring and brush systems have disadvantages, including inefficiency at high speeds, the frequent need for maintenance, and overall high losses, especially at high speeds due to the high contact resistance between brush and slip ring systems.

[0018] To avoid the shortcomings of slip-ring and brush-array excitation methods, the RT compensation system 124, primary windings 126, and secondary windings 146 may be operable to provide wireless excitation or wireless power transfer from the stator side of the motor 140 to the rotor side of the motor 140. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the RT compensation system 124 may be implemented as a purpose-built, purely stationary-side RT compensation system 124. In general, the RT is a circuit and method for wirelessly transferring power to the secondary windings of a WRSM for controlled excitation. An RT is essentially the same as a conventional transformer in that it transfers electrical power from one circuit to another at the same frequency but different voltage.In general, a conventional transformer operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction, meaning the electromotive force is induced by the changing magnetic field in the closed circuit. An RT differs from a conventional transformer in that the RT geometry is arranged so that the primary and secondary windings can rotate relative to each other with negligible changes in electrical properties. In one common configuration, the RT can be constructed by winding the primary and secondary windings in separate halves of a cup core. The concentric halves face each other, with each half attached to one of the parts that rotate relative to each other.The magnetic flux provides the coupling from one half of the cup core to the other half across an air gap and provides the M that couples the power from the primary windings of the RT to the secondary windings.

[0019] In conventional RT designs that provide resonance tuning or compensation (i.e., an RT compensation system), a resonance tuning network (or compensation network) is present on both the stationary (or primary) and rotating (or secondary) sides of the WRSM. RT designs that have resonant circuit components on both the stationary and rotating sides of the WRSM are difficult to implement. For example, in practice, it is difficult to place a resonance tuning network or compensation circuit on the secondary side due to very limited space on the rotor and the rotor's high-temperature operating conditions, which exceed the temperature capability of commercially available compact capacitors.In addition, a resonant tuning capacitor on the secondary side increases the complexity of the rotating part, increases the mechanical mass, increases inertia and reduces mechanical reliability, especially at high speeds.

[0020] The purely stationary-side implementation of the RT compensation system 124 overcomes the difficulties associated with the actual implementation (i.e., building and using) of conventional RT designs incorporating double-sided compensation networks by providing the benefits of wireless power transfer without the difficulties associated with providing compensation circuits on the rotating side of a DC-excited motor 140 (e.g., a WFSM). In particular, the purely stationary-side implementation of the RT compensation system 124 may be operable to provide the rotor excitation current wirelessly from the primary windings 126 to the secondary windings 146, thereby eliminating the problems of brush and slip-ring maintenance, as well as the inefficiencies, manufacturing issues, and design disadvantages associated with brush and slip-ring systems.

[0021] In aspects of the disclosure, the purely stationary-side implementation of the RT compensation system 124 takes into account that there is no resonance tuning capacitor on the secondary side by providing an additional resonance tuning capacitor (i.e., one of the resonance tuning capacitors C1, C f1 of the in Fig. 2) on the primary side and adjusting the two primary-side resonant tuning capacitors so that the uncompensated secondary side does not introduce any inefficiencies or other disadvantages for the RT system 124. In embodiments of the disclosure, a purely stationary-side LCC design methodology is provided that includes reflecting the impedance and / or inductance of the secondary side to the primary side, and the leakage inductance of this secondary coil (e.g., L2 shown in Fig. 2) is tuned to the primary side. In general, a reflected impedance (or inductance) is the portion of the impedance of a circuit (e.g., circuit A) that is due to the influence of another coupled circuit (e.g., circuit B). In embodiments of the disclosure, this can be achieved by deriving the equivalent circuit models of the system 100 as well as the total impedance model of the system 100, which allows calculating the reflection impedance from the secondary side to the primary side. A further simplification is applied to the derived equivalent circuit models so that the total impedance of the resonant inverter 122 can be calculated. To tune this total impedance to a unity power factor, a tuning capacitor (e.g., C1 shown in Fig. 2) of the LCC design. Thus, the purely stationary-side implementation of the RT system 124 eliminates the need for capacitor tuning on the secondary side and the need for a secondary-side resonant tuning capacitor(s) and their tuning by providing additional primary-side tuning components (e.g., a resonant tuning capacitor(s)) and adjusting the values ​​of the tuning components on the primary side.

[0022] Fig. 2 shows a system 100A with a vehicle battery 110A connected via an intermediate circuit capacitor (C dc ) is electronically coupled to an electric motor drive system 102A. System 100A is a non-limiting example implementation of system 100 (shown in Fig. 1); the vehicle battery 110A is a non-limiting example implementation of the power source 110 (shown in Fig. 1); and the electric motor drive system 102A is a non-limiting example implementation of the electric motor drive system 102 (shown in Fig. 1). The electric motor drive system 102A may be implemented as a resonant inverter 122A electronically coupled to the controller 170 and a simplified representation of an electric machine 140A. The resonant inverter 122A is a non-limiting example implementation of the inverter 122 (shown in Fig. 1). The electric machine 140A is an example implementation of the DC-excited motor 140 (shown in Fig. 1). The electric machine 140A includes a novel purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A, stationary-side primary excitation windings L1, rotating-side secondary excitation windings L2, a rectifier 142A and a rotor element which is driven by a rotor inductance L Rotor and a rotor resistance R RotorThe novel purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A is a non-limiting example implementation of the RT system 124 (shown in Fig. 1). The system 100A includes a stationary side (e.g., the stator side) 220 and a rotating side (e.g., the rotor side) 230. In general, the stationary side 220 includes the primary windings L1 and the circuit elements to the left thereof, and the rotating side 230 includes the secondary windings L2 and the circuit elements to the right thereof. According to aspects of the disclosure, the stationary side 220 includes the previously described integrated mounting and communication structure 160 implemented as a printed circuit board (PCB) 160A operable to be integrated with an inverter 122A; a purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A; the various electrical connectors that electrically couple the inverter 122A to the purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A; primary windings L1; and the various electrical connectors that electrically couple the purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A to the primary windings L2.According to aspects of the disclosure, the rotating side 230 includes the integrated mounting and communication structure 162, implemented as a circuit board 162A and operable to be integrated with the secondary windings L2; ​​a rectifier 142A; and the various electrical connectors that electrically couple the secondary windings L2 to the rectifier system 142A.

[0023] Although the resonant inverter 122A, the electric machine 140A, and the controller 170 are illustrated as separate components, it should be understood that the resonant inverter 122A, the electric machine 140A, and the controller 170 may be configured and arranged in any suitable combination of components. For example, the controller 170 may be incorporated within the resonant inverter 122A; the resonant inverter 122A may be incorporated within the electric machine 140A; and / or the resonant inverter 122A and the controller 170 may be incorporated within the electric machine 140A.

[0024] With further reference to Fig. 2, the stationary side 220 is configured to transmit power by means of inductive power transfer, and the rotating side 230 is configured to receive power by means of inductive power transfer from the stationary side 220. The stationary side 220 includes a DC vehicle battery 110A, a DC link capacitor C dc, a resonant inverter 122A, the single purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A, and the primary or stator-side coil L1. The resonant inverter 122A receives a DC input signal from the vehicle battery 110A and converts the DC input signal to an AC output signal having a desired resonant frequency. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the resonant inverter 120A is a full-bridge inverter circuit operable to include four power electronic switching devices T1, T2, T3, T4 configured and arranged as shown. The switching devices T1, T2, T3, T4 may be implemented in any suitable format, including, but not limited to, metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), BJTs, FETs, IGBTs, IGFETs, and the like.The inverter controller 170 is electrically coupled to each of the switching devices T1, T2, T3, T4 to control the switching operation of the resonant inverter 120A. The inverter controller 170 switches the switching devices T1, T2, T3, T4 on and off to generate the AC output signal V. inv_0at the desired resonant frequency. The inverter controller 170 includes a computing device (with memory) that includes a computer, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, and the like, operable to execute software instructions and programs, and may include associated firmware, such that the controller 170 is configured and operable to control the on / off operations of the resonant inverter 122A. The controller 170 is also configured to send various control commands via the circuit boards 160A, 162A to the DC-excited motor 140A, for example, to control the torque and / or speed of the motor 140A.

[0025] The purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A connects the resonant inverter 122A to the primary or stator-side coil L1. In the non-limiting embodiment of the disclosure shown in Fig. 2, the purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A includes the primary or stator-side inductance L f1 , a stator-side series capacitor C1 and a stator-side parallel capacitor C f1 . The primary or stator-side inductance L f1 and the stator-side series capacitor C1 are coupled in series and coupled to a positive terminal of the primary or stator-side coil L1, and the stator-side parallel capacitor C f1 is connected in parallel to the primary or stator side coil L1.

[0026] The rotating side 230 includes a secondary or rotor-side coil L2 that is electrically coupled to a rectifier 142A. The secondary or rotor-side coil L2 is sufficiently close to the primary or stator-side coil L1 to be within an EMF generated by the primary or stator-side coil L1, such that M is between the primary or stator-side coil L1 and the secondary or rotor-side coil L2. The secondary or rotor-side coil L2 uses M to generate an AC charging signal, and the rectifier 142A converts the AC charging signal to a DC charging signal (I rotor ). In some embodiments of the disclosure, the rectifier 142A is a bridge rectifier circuit with four diodes D1, D2, D3, D4. The DC charging signal is provided to a rotor of the electric machine 140A. The rotor is in Fig. 2 as inductance L rotor parallel to the resistor R rotorshown.

[0027] Power is transferred through the M between the primary or stator-side coil L1 and the secondary or rotor-side coil L2, but the leakage inductance L1 / L2 does not directly contribute to active real power transfer. Leakage inductance can also be undesirable because it causes the voltage to change with load. In conventional approaches to reducing leakage inductance and increasing M, a rotor-side compensation circuit (e.g., a rotor-side compensation circuit / element) is provided on the rotating side 230. However, for applications such as system 100, 100A, where the rotor side rotates with respect to the stator side, it is difficult to fabricate a rotor with a rotor-side compensation circuit.Embodiments of the disclosure avoid the need for the rotor-side compensation circuit / element by configuring and arranging the purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A such that the compensation that would be provided by a rotor-side compensation circuit / element on the rotating side 230 in conventional RT designs is instead provided by the design and component value settings of the purely stationary-side resonant LCC 124A.

[0028] Fig. Figure 3 illustrates additional details such as the integrated mounting and communication structure 162, the secondary windings 146, the electrical connectors 150, and the rectifier system 142 (all shown in Fig. 1) can be implemented as integrated windings / rectifiers 300 according to aspects of the disclosure. Fig. Figure 3 illustrates a 3D view and a front view of the windings / rectifier 300, which includes a PCB mounting / communication element 310, a PCB-based secondary coil 312, a configuration of diodes 322 arranged as a rectifier circuit, a rectifier assembly 320, and a rotor shaft 324 configured and arranged as shown. In general, the rotor shaft is a central component of an electric motor. The rotor shaft is the support shaft for the rotor's laminations and thus transmits the electrically induced torque via a corresponding command from the controller 170 (shown in Fig. 2). The PCB mounting / communication element 310 is an example implementation of the integrated mounting and communication structure 162; the PCB-based secondary coil 312 is an example implementation of the secondary windings L2; ​​and the diodes 322 are configured to form a rectifier circuit, which is an example implementation of the rectifier 142A. The PCB mounting / communication element 310 is a multi-layer PCB structure operable to integrate, in one or more of its layers, the PCB-based secondary coil 312 (with or without a magnetic core) along with some or all of the electrical connectors 150. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the rectifier diodes 322 may be integrated within one or more layers of the PCB mounting / communication element 310.In some embodiments of the disclosure, the rectifier diodes 322 are spaced apart from each other and mounted within a rectifier assembly 320 that is mounted (e.g., by soldering or another suitable bonding mechanism) to an exposed surface of the PCB mounting / communication element 310. According to aspects of the disclosure, the PCB mounting / communication element 310 and the rectifier assembly 320 are physically bonded together to function as a unitary structure that houses the PCB-based secondary coil 312, the rectifier diodes 322, and some or all of the electrical connectors 150. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the rectifier assembly may be configured to include suitable thermal management elements operable to dissipate heat generated on the rotating side 230 during operation of the electric motor 140, 140A.In some embodiments of the disclosure, the rectifier assembly 320 has an elongated cylindrical shape with a height dimension extending away from the PCB mounting / communication element 310. The elongated cylindrical shape and height dimension provide sufficient volume within the rectifier assembly 320 to accommodate the previously described suitable thermal management elements along with some or all of the electrical connectors 150.

[0029] In the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 shows alternative configurations of the winding / rectifier structure 400, 500. In particular, Fig. 4 depicts a front view and a left side view of the windings / rectifier 400 with a PCB mounting / communication element 410, a PCB-based secondary coil 412, a configuration of diodes 422 arranged as a rectifier circuit, a rectifier assembly 420, and a rotor shaft 424 configured and arranged as shown. The winding / rectifier structure 400 has substantially the same features and functionality as the winding / rectifier structure 300 (shown in Fig. 3), except that the PCB mounting / communication element 410 is physically mounted (e.g., by soldering or other suitable bonding mechanism) to an exposed outer surface of the rectifier assembly 420; and the rectifier assembly 420 is physically mounted (e.g., by soldering or other suitable bonding mechanism) to an exposed outer surface of the rotor shaft 424.

[0030] Fig. Figure 5 illustrates a left side view of the winding / rectifier 500 including a PCB mounting / communication element 510, a PCB-based secondary coil 512, a configuration of diodes 522 arranged as a rectifier circuit, a rectifier assembly 520, and a rotor shaft 524 configured and arranged as shown. The winding / rectifier structure 500 has substantially the same features and functionality as the winding / rectifier structure 300 (shown in Fig. 3), except that the PCB mounting / communication element 510 is physically mounted (e.g., by soldering or other suitable bonding mechanism) to an exposed outer surface of the rotor shaft 524; and the rectifier assembly 420 is also physically mounted (e.g., by soldering or other suitable bonding mechanism) to an exposed outer surface of the rotor shaft 524. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the rectifier assembly 520 is also physically mounted (e.g., by soldering or other suitable bonding mechanism) to an exposed surface of the PCB mounting / communication element 510.

[0031] The Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8 and Fig. 4 illustrate examples of how the windings / rectifier 400 may be manufactured according to aspects of the disclosure. Although the manufacturing processes focus on the windings / rectifier 400, substantially the same manufacturing processes may be used to manufacture the windings / rectifier 300 (shown in Fig. 3) and / or the windings / rectifiers 500 (shown in Fig. 5). For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques relating to making and using aspects of the disclosure may, but need not, be described in detail herein. In particular, various aspects of fabricating circuit boards, electrical components, electronic interconnections, bonding techniques, and the like that may be used to implement the various technical features described herein are well known. Accordingly, for the sake of brevity, many conventional implementation details are only briefly mentioned or omitted entirely herein without providing the well-known system and / or process details.

[0032] As in Fig. 6, known PCB manufacturing techniques were used to form the initial structures and layers of the PCB mounting / communication element 410, which has an opening 602 for forming and securing the rotor shaft 424. As shown in Fig. 7, known manufacturing techniques were used to form the PCB-based secondary coils 412 in one or more layers of the PCB mounting / communication element 410. In addition, known manufacturing techniques were also used to form the electrical connectors 150 (shown in Fig. 1) in one or more layers of the PCB mounting / communication element 410.

[0033] In embodiments of the disclosure, the PCB-based secondary coil 412 may be formed as a multi-turn conductive structure or trace on or in the PCB mounting / communication element 410 and extend around the opening 602 that receives the rotor shaft 424 (shown in Fig. 4). The PCB-based secondary coil 412 may be formed in one or more of the multiple layers of the PCB mounting / communication element 410. Some or all of the electrical connectors 150 (shown in Fig. 1) may be formed in or on the PCB mounting / communication element 410 to electronically couple the PCB-based secondary coil 412 to the diodes 422. Any suitable form of connection mechanism (e.g., copper wire layers and the like) may be used as the electrical connector 150.

[0034] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 8, known manufacturing techniques were used to fabricate the rectifier assembly 420 with the diodes 422 and the previously described features associated with portions of the electrical connectors 150 and heat dissipation elements. Known manufacturing techniques were further used to physically mount the PCB mounting / communication element 410 (e.g., by soldering or another suitable bonding mechanism) to an exposed outer surface of the rectifier assembly 420. As shown in Fig. 4, known manufacturing techniques were used to physically mount the rectifier assembly 420 (e.g., by soldering or other suitable bonding mechanism) to an exposed outer surface of the rotor shaft 424.

[0035] Although the Fig. 3-8 to an example implementation of the Fig. 1, the secondary windings 146, the electrical connectors 150 and the rectifier system 142, essentially the same structural and manufacturing options apply to the Fig. 1, the inverter system 122, the electrical connectors 128, the RT system 124, the electrical connectors 130, and the primary windings 126.

[0036] Accordingly, it is apparent from the aforementioned detailed description that the integrated mounting and / or communication structures (e.g., a printed circuit board) described herein provide technical advantages and technical effects. The secondary windings and the rectifier subsystems are arranged in the same PCB structure, which greatly simplifies the design, prototyping, and production of the associated RT. Embodiments of the disclosure also reduce or eliminate the difficulties in the terminals and connections between the rectifier and the secondary winding assemblies. Embodiments of the disclosure further enable the assembly area (e.g., the assembly area housing the rectifier diodes) to be mounted directly on the motor shaft using an aluminum support sleeve, providing high mechanical robustness and easier thermal management.Thus, according to aspects of the disclosure, the integrated mounting and communication structure enables motor designs that emphasize compact size, reduced cost, simplicity in electrical, mechanical and thermal design, and reduced eddy current losses.

[0037] The various components / modules of the systems shown herein are shown separately for convenience and explanation. In embodiments of the disclosure, the functions performed by the various components / modules / models may be distributed differently than shown without affecting the scope of the various embodiments of the disclosure described herein, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0038] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the," are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly precludes them. It is further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of certain features, integers, steps, acts, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, acts, element components, and / or groups thereof.

[0039] The diagrams presented herein are illustrative. Many variations of the diagram or the steps (or operations) described therein may exist without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. For example, the actions may be performed in a different order, or actions may be added, deleted, or modified. Furthermore, the term "coupled" describes the presence of a signal path between two elements and does not imply a direct connection between the elements without intervening elements / connections. All such variations are considered part of the present disclosure.

[0040] The following definitions and abbreviations are to be used in interpreting the claims and the description. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "include", "containing", "has", "comprising", "has", "containing", "contains" or "containing" or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a composition, mixture, process, method, article, or device that includes a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or pertaining to that composition, mixture, process, method, article, or device.

[0041] Furthermore, the term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or construction described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or constructions. The terms "at least one" and "one or more" include any integer greater than or equal to one, i.e., one, two, three, four, etc. The term "a plurality" includes any integer greater than or equal to two, i.e., two, three, four, five, etc. The term "connection" can include both an indirect "connection" and a direct "connection."

[0042] The terms "about," "substantially," "approximately," and variations thereof are intended to encompass the degree of error associated with the measurement of the particular quantity using the equipment available at the time of filing. For example, "about" may imply a range of ± 8%, 5%, or 2% of a particular value.

[0043] Each flowchart and block diagram in the figures illustrates the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowcharts or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or section of instructions that includes one or more executable instructions to implement the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions listed in the blocks may occur in a different order than shown in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may actually execute substantially concurrently, or the blocks may execute partially in reverse order depending on the respective functionality.It is also to be understood that each block of the block diagram and / or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagram and / or flowchart illustrations, may be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or that implement combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0044] Although the disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, many changes may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from its essential scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but the invention is intended to include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 63 / 333,790

[0001]

Claims

[1] Electric drive motor system comprising: a stationary side; a rotating page; a first assembly and communication structure on the rotating side; a secondary winding physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure; and a rectifier system physically coupled to the first assembly and communication structure. [2] The electric drive motor system of claim 1, further comprising a first set of electrical connectors physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure. [3] The electric drive motor system of claim 2, wherein the first set of electrical connectors electrically couples the secondary winding to the rectifier system. [4] The electric drive motor system of claim 3, wherein the rectifier system further comprises a rectifier circuit in a rectifier assembly housing. [5] The electric drive motor system of claim 4, wherein the rectifier system physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure comprises the rectifier assembly housing physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure. [6] The electric drive motor system of claim 5, wherein a portion of the first set of electrical connectors extends through the rectifier assembly housing to the rectifier circuit. [7] The electric drive motor system of claim 1, wherein the first mounting and communication structure comprises a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB). [8] The electric drive motor system of claim 7, wherein the secondary winding is formed in one or more of the plurality of layers of the circuit board. [9] An electric drive motor system according to claim 1, further comprising: a second assembly and communication structure on the stationary side; a primary winding physically coupled to the second mounting and communication structure; a rotary transformer compensation system coupled to the second mounting and communication structure; and an inverter system physically coupled to the second mounting and communication structure. [10] The electric drive motor system of claim 9, further comprising a second set of electrical connectors physically coupled to the second mounting and communication structure, the second set of electrical connectors electrically coupling the primary winding, the rotary transformer compensation system, and the inverter system. [11] A method of manufacturing an electric drive motor system, the method comprising: Forming a stationary side; Forming a rotating side; Formation of a first assembly and communication structure on the rotating side; Forming a secondary winding physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure; and Forming a rectifier system physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure. [12] The method of claim 11, further comprising forming a first set of electrical connectors physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure. [13] The method of claim 12, wherein the first set of electrical connectors electrically couples the secondary winding to the rectifier system. [14] The method of claim 13, wherein the rectifier system further comprises a rectifier circuit in a rectifier assembly housing. [15] The method of claim 14, wherein the rectifier system physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure comprises the rectifier assembly housing physically coupled to the first mounting and communication structure. [16] The method of claim 15, wherein a portion of the first set of electrical connectors extends through the rectifier assembly housing to the rectifier circuit. [17] The method of claim 11, wherein the first mounting and communication structure comprises a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB). [18] The method of claim 17, wherein the secondary winding is formed in one or more of the plurality of layers of the circuit board. [19] The method of claim 11, further comprising: a second assembly and communication structure on the stationary side; a primary winding physically coupled to the second mounting and communication structure; a rotary transformer system coupled to the second mounting and communication structure; and an inverter system physically coupled to the second mounting and communication structure. [20] The method of claim 19, further comprising a second set of electrical connectors physically coupled to the second mounting and communication structure, the second set of electrical connectors electrically coupling the primary winding, the rotary transformer compensation system, and the inverter system.

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