Slot closing device for electromachinery, method for closing slots in electromachinery, electromachinery and automobile
The slot closing device addresses the issue of shaving chips during slot closure by using an adjustable design for secure insertion and engagement, simplifying manufacturing and enhancing reliability and efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-02
AI Technical Summary
Conventional slide covers used to close slots in electric machines risk shaving chips during insertion, which can lead to operational failures, necessitating labor-intensive inspection and prevention measures.
A slot closing device with adjustable wings and a tightening rod, allowing insertion in the radial direction, which minimizes direct contact with the rotor/stator plates and ensures secure geometric engagement, eliminating the need for conventional potting materials.
Simplifies manufacturing by reducing the risk of shaving chips, enhances operational reliability, and results in lightweight, energy-efficient electromechanical units with reduced manufacturing labor and material usage.
Smart Images
Figure 2026517560000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a slot closing device for closing a slot formed by two circumferentially adjacent teeth of a rotor or a stator of an electric machine. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for closing such a slot. The present invention also includes an electric machine in which a rotor and / or a stator is provided with a slot closing device, and an automobile equipped with such an electric machine.
Background Art
[0002] An electric machine includes a stationary stator and a rotor. In a separately excited electric machine, the rotor holds rotor poles around which windings are respectively wound. Between two circumferentially adjacent rotor poles of the rotor, a slot, that is, an inter-pole space opened outward in the radial direction, is formed. This slot, that is, this inter-pole space needs to be closed. This is because when manufacturing an electric machine, the inter-pole space is filled with a potting material to fix the windings. At this time, it must be ensured that the potting material does not come out of the inter-pole space. For this purpose, a so-called slide cover is known from the prior art, and this slide cover is inserted into a corresponding slide cover mounting seat in the axial direction of the rotor or stator of the electric machine. Such a slide cover is known, for example, from Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2. The problem when inserting a conventional slide cover is that while the slide cover is being inserted, shaving chips are shaved off from the slide cover by a metal rotor plate laminate or stator plate laminate. If this shaving chip is overlooked, there is a possibility that this shaving chip may be sucked into the cooling pump or lubricating oil pump of the electric machine, and the shaving chip may cause a failure during the operation of the electric machine. Therefore, at present, when manufacturing an electric machine, a great deal of labor is still being expended to prevent shaving chips from being shaved off from the slide cover and to inspect the electric machine to see if shaving chips have been shaved off from the slide cover.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application Publication No. 102021122001 Specification [Patent Document 2] German Patent Application Publication No. 102017002420 Specification [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0004] The objective of this invention is to simplify the manufacturing of electrical machinery. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Further possible embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims, specification and drawings. Features, advantages and possible embodiments presented in the specification for one of the subject matters of the independent claim can be considered, in any case, similar to the features, advantages and possible embodiments of each subject matter of the other independent claims, and any possible combination of the subject matters of the independent claims (including, as may be, combined with one or more dependent claims), regardless of category and embodiment.
[0006] The present invention proposes a slot closing device for an electromachine. This slot closing device is used in the manufacture of an electromachine to close a slot made of or separated by two circumferentially adjacent teeth in the rotor or stator of the electromachine, instead of a conventional slide cover. The present invention also proposes a method for closing such a slot, which is performed particularly as part of the manufacture of the electromachine. The present invention further includes an electromachine in which the rotor and / or stator are equipped with the above-described slot closing device, and an automobile equipped with this electromachine. This electromachine is particularly an electric traction machine or drive machine, meaning that this automobile is particularly electrically powered or hybridly electrically powered (all-electric vehicle or hybrid electric vehicle).
[0007] The slot closing device comprises a slot closing body having two lateral wings. The slot closing body is a linear, elongated member, and in cross-section, it is formed in a substantially T-shape. The slot closing device further comprises a linear slit, which extends along the longitudinal direction of the slot closing body. The wings are spaced apart from each other (in cross-section) across the slit or across the gap width of the slit. These wings, however, are connected to each other in the region of the slit base or bottom of the slit. The slit comprises two tightening rod seating portions: a first tightening rod seating portion located at the base of the slit, and a second tightening rod seating portion located above the first tightening rod seating portion in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The second tightening rod seating portion is smaller than the first tightening rod seating portion. Each of the tightening rod seating portions constitutes an extension of the slit in cross-section of the slot closing device or slot closing body. The slot closing device includes, in particular, a linear tightening rod, which is positioned within the slit, that is, by geometric engagement, either at a first tightening rod seat or at a second tightening rod seat. Depending on which tightening rod seat the tightening rod is positioned at, the slot closing device is set to either the assembled or tightened position. In other words, the slot closing device is adjustable between the assembled and tightened positions by moving the tightening rod within the slit from one tightening rod seat to the other. In the assembled position, that is, when the tightening rod is seated at the first, larger tightening rod seat, the wing section is relaxed, the slit is narrowed accordingly, and as a result the wingspan of the wing section is reduced. In contrast, when the tightening rod is seated on the second, smaller tightening rod seating point, that is, when the slot closing device is in the tightened position, the wing sections are pushed apart laterally by the width of the tightening rod, and the slit widens accordingly, and the wingspan of the wing sections increases accordingly.
[0008] When manufacturing electromechanical devices, the slot closure device is adjusted to its assembled position (if it is not already so) and then inserted into the slot of the rotor or stator. Next, the slot closure device is adjusted from the assembled position to the tightened position by moving the tightening rod radially outward within the slit from the first tightening rod seating position to the second tightening rod seating position. The blade width of the slot closure device in the assembled position is quite small, so it does not need to rub directly against the plate stack of the rotor / stator, and as a result, material pieces are easily prevented from being scraped off the slot closure device. Only after the slot closure device is positioned at least roughly as intended within the corresponding slot is the slot closure device adjusted to its tightened position. At this time, the blade tips of the laterally outward-positioned blades engage with the corresponding geometric engagement points on the rotor / stator, creating a geometric engagement between the rotor / stator and the slot closure device. This advantageously achieves a particularly reliable sealing effect, and the slot closure device is securely fixed in its intended assembly position.
[0009] The manufacture of the electromachine is further simplified when, as envisioned by possible developments of this method, the slot closure device, adjusted to the assembly position, is inserted into the slot along the radial direction of the electromachine. In this case, it is not necessary to insert the slot closure in the axial direction of the electromachine (parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the rotor shaft). This almost completely eliminates the possibility of shavings being inadvertently scraped off the slot closure. Inserting the slot closure only in the radial direction is possible because the wingspan of the blade components in the assembly position is smaller than the wingspan of the blade components in the tightened position.
[0010] According to one possible embodiment of the slot closing device, the tightening rod is formed to be a right elliptical prism, particularly a right circular prism. As a result, the tightening rod can be moved particularly easily from the first tightening rod seating portion to the second tightening rod seating portion. Thanks to the absence of longitudinal edges on the outer circumference of the tightening rod, the tightening rod slides particularly easily over the material of the slot closing body inside the slit. Therefore, adjusting the slot closing device to the tightened position is particularly easy. Because the tightening rod is in an elliptical prism, particularly cylindrical form, adjusting the slot closing device from the tightened position to the assembled position is also easy. In a possible alternative, the tightening rod is formed to be a right prism. In this case, it is ensured that the tightening rod seats particularly reliably to the corresponding tightening rod seating portion. This makes the slot closing device easier to handle while preventing the tightening rod from unintentionally coming loose from the corresponding tightening rod seating portion. Furthermore, the secure seating of the tightening rod on the second tightening rod seat contributes to achieving particularly high operational reliability of the electromechanical unit.
[0011] In yet another possible embodiment, the clamping rod is configured as a hollow rod. This makes the clamping rod particularly lightweight, and in cooperation with the slit, the slot closing device is formed to be lighter than, in particular, conventional slide covers. This leads to a particularly lightweight rotor / stator, and consequently, a particularly lightweight electromachine. Furthermore, because the mass of the clamping rod is extremely small, when the clamping rod is inserted into or on the rotor of the electromachine, only a small force is applied to the clamping rod during the operation of the electromachine.
[0012] The fastening rod, according to other possible embodiments, is made from a metallic material, particularly light metals such as magnesium, aluminum, and titanium. Of course, light metal alloys are also considered. Furthermore, at least one alternative configuration of the fastening rod is also conceivable, in which case the fastening rod is manufactured from plastic, particularly fiber-reinforced plastic. In this way, the fastening rod is particularly lightweight while also being particularly stable.
[0013] In yet another possible embodiment of the slot closure device, the blades of the slot closure are reversibly and elastically connected to one another, meaning that the blades can spring-deform relative to each other. For example, the blades are connected to each other by material-to-material connections, and in particular, are integrally formed with each other. Generally speaking with respect to the slot closure device, that is, regardless of the embodiment, the slot closure can be constructed as a plastic part manufactured, for example, by injection molding. Furthermore, it is also conceivable that the slot closure may be manufactured by extrusion molding. The fixing of the blades to each other by material-to-material connections further simplifies the manufacture of the electromachine, because it allows for handling with a considerably smaller number of individual parts for assembling the electromachine.
[0014] In other possible embodiments, a viscoelastic material is disposed on the slot engagement surface of the slot closure. When the slot closure is in its intended assembly position, the viscoelastic material adheres particularly tightly to the outside of the windings wound around the corresponding rotor or stator teeth. For example, the material of the viscoelastic material is viscoelastic polyurethane. In this way, the windings are fixed in place by the viscoelastic material. This is a remarkable advantage of this slot closure, because the viscoelastic material eliminates the need to fill the slots with conventional potting material to fix the windings in place. This significantly reduces the labor required to manufacture the electromachine. Not only is the potting material itself unnecessary, but the wasted energy that would otherwise be required to melt and / or harden the potting material is also eliminated. Moreover, electromachines that do not use potting material are particularly lightweight, which leads to particularly lightweight automobiles. This allows for a considerable degree of consideration for the manufacture of particularly environmentally conscious electromachines and, in particular, for automobiles that are energy-efficient and can be driven with low emissions.
[0015] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the claims, drawings, and description of the drawings. The features and combinations of features described herein, as well as the features and combinations of features shown below in the description of the drawings and / or in the drawings alone, can be used not only in the explicitly stated combinations but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0016] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view of a slot closing device in its assembled position. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a slot closing device in a tightened position. [Figure 3a] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how to close a slot using a slot closing device, specifically showing the insertion of the slot closing device into the slot. [Figure 3b] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how to close a slot using a slot closing device, showing the slot closing device in an assembled position roughly positioned within the slot. [Figure 3c] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how to close a slot using a slot closing device, and shows the slot closing device in a tightened position when closing a slot. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0017] In the diagram, identical components and components with the same function are given the same reference numeral.
[0018] Figures 1 and 2 show cross-sectional views of a slot closing device 1 that forms a part of an electric machine 10. In this example, the electric machine 10 is an electric traction machine for an automobile (not shown) that is either entirely electric or hybridly electric. The elongated slot closing device 1, as can be seen in Figure 1, has a roughly T-shaped slot closing body 2 with two lateral wings 3 and 4. Furthermore, the slot closing device 1 has a slit 5, and the wings 3 and 4 are connected to each other by material-to-material connections at the base 6 of the slit. The slit 5 has two tightening rod seating portions 7 and 8, of which the first tightening rod seating portion 7 forms part of the slit 5 in the area of the slit base 6. The second tightening rod seating portion 8 is located above the first tightening rod seating portion 7, that is, further radially outward than the first tightening rod seating portion 7 with respect to the radial direction r of the slot closing device 1 or the electric machine 10. The second tightening rod seating portion 8 also forms part of the slit 5. The first tightening rod seating portion 7 provided on the slit base 6 is larger than the second tightening rod seating portion 8 provided above it. The slot closing device 1 is adjustable between an assembled position and a tightened position, and for this purpose the slot closing device has a tightening rod 9 positioned within the slot 5. The tightening rod 9 can be formed as a right-angled prism or as a right-circular prism as shown here. Although not shown, the tightening rod 9 may be formed as a hollow rod. In this example, the tightening rod 9 is made of aluminum. However, other materials, such as other metals, especially light metals, and plastics, can also be considered.
[0019] Depending on whether the clamping rod 9 is placed on any of the clamping rod seating parts 7, 8, the slot closing device 1 is set to either the assembly position (see Fig. 1) or the clamping position (see Fig. 2). In the assembly position, that is, when the clamping rod 9 is seated on the first, larger clamping rod seating part 7, the wing parts 3, 4 are relaxed, and accordingly the slit 5 is narrow, and as a result, the wing widths of the wing parts 3, 4 become smaller. On the other hand, when the clamping rod 9 is seated on the second, smaller clamping rod seating part 8, that is, when the slot closing device 1 is in the clamping position, the wing parts 3, 4 are pushed apart laterally by the width of the clamping rod 9, and accordingly the slit 5 is wide, and the wing widths of the wing parts 3, 4 become larger accordingly, that is, larger than when the slot closing device 1 is in the assembly position. Thus, the slot closing device 1 can be adjusted from the assembly position (Fig. 1) to the clamping position (Fig. 2) by moving the clamping rod 9 from the first clamping rod seating part 7 to the second clamping rod seating part 8 within the slit 5. Conversely, the slot closing device 1 can be adjusted from its clamping position (Fig. 2) to the assembly position (Fig. 1) by moving the clamping rod 9 from the second clamping rod seating part 8 to the first clamping rod seating part 7 within the slit 5.
[0020] Based on Figs. 3a, 3b, and 3c, taking the rotor 11 of the electromechanical device 10 as an example, a method for closing the slot 12 of the electromechanical device 10 will be described. Such a slot 12 is formed or delimited by two rotor teeth 13 or rotor poles adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the rotor 11 of the electromechanical device 10. A plurality of windings 14 are wound around each rotor tooth, but not all of them are shown for the sake of clarity, and only some of them are labeled with corresponding reference numerals. In this regard, in Figs. 3a and 3b, broken lines indicating the arrangement of the outer windings 14 can be seen.
[0021] In this method, the slot closing device 1 is adjusted to the assembled position (if not already so). Thereafter, the slot closing device 1 is inserted into the slot 12 of the rotor 11. In this example, axial sliding or slipping of the slot closing body 2 within / on the rotor 11 is prevented from occurring at all. Instead, the slot closing body 2 is inserted into the slot 12 exclusively in the radial direction or exclusively along the radial direction r. This is shown in Fig. 3a. Fig. 3b shows the slot closing device 1 inserted into the slot 12, and the wing tips 3a, 4a of the wings 3, 4 and the corresponding shaped engaging portions 16a, 16b of the rotor 11 are generally aligned with each other. Next, the slot closing device 1 is adjusted from the assembled position to the tightened position by the tightening rod 9 being radially outwardly moved within the slit 5 from the first tightening rod seating portion 7 to the second tightening rod seating portion 8. Thereby, the wings 3, 4 (sometimes also called vanes) are pushed outward to form a shaped engagement and frictional connection with the plate laminate of the rotor 11. In Fig. 3c, it can be seen that a shaped engagement is formed between the rotor 11 and the slot closing device 1 by the wing tips 3a, 4a located laterally outside the wings 3, 4 engaging with the corresponding shaped engaging portion 16a or shaped engaging portion 16b of the rotor 11 respectively.
[0022] In this example, a viscoelastic material body 18 is selectively disposed on the slot engaging surface 17 of the slot closing body 2. This is shown in Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c, and as shown in Fig. 3c, it adheres particularly tightly to the winding contour 15, i.e., the outer one of the windings 14. For the material of the viscoelastic material body 18, for example, viscoelastic polyurethane is assumed. The winding 14 is positionally fixed by the material body 18 against accidental slipping. Thanks to the viscoelastic material body 18, it is not necessary to fill the slot 12 of the electromechanical device 10 with a conventional potting material.
[0023] Means for simplifying the manufacture of electromachines are demonstrated by the slot closing device 1 and the method of closing the slot 12 using the slot closing device 1. The advantages obtained here result in a particularly advantageously formed electromachine 10 and a particularly advantageous automobile. [Explanation of symbols]
[0024] 1. Slot closing device 2-slot closed body 3 Wings 3a Wing tip 4 Wings 4a Wing tip 5 slits 6 Slit base 7. First tightening rod seating section 8. Second tightening rod seating section 9. Tightening Rod 10 Electrical machinery 11 rotors 12 slots 13 Rotor Teeth (Rotor Poles) 14 windings 15. Winding contour 16a Structurally interlocking parts 16b Structural interlocking parts 17 Slot engagement surface 18 Viscoelastic material r radial direction s wingspan
Claims
1. A slot closing device (1) for an electrical machine (10), - A slot closure (2) having two lateral wing sections (3, 4), - A slit (5) that extends particularly linearly in the longitudinal direction of the slot closure body (2), wherein the wing portions (3, 4) are connected to each other at the slit base (6) of the slit, Equipped with, The slit (5) is - The first tightening rod seating portion (7) provided on the slit base portion (6), - A second tightening rod seating portion (8) is smaller than the first tightening rod seating portion (7) and is located above the first tightening rod seating portion (7) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, Equipped with, - A tightening rod (9) is positioned within the slit (5) along the longitudinal direction. Equipped with, The tightening rod (9) is moved within the slit (5) from one of the tightening rod seating portions (7, 8) to the other of the tightening rod seating portions (7, 8), - The assembly posture in which the wing portions (3, 4) are relaxed when the tightening rod (9) is seated on the first tightening rod seating portion (7) by a morphological engagement, - The tightening rod (9) is seated on the second tightening rod seating portion (8) by a morphological engagement, causing the wing portions (3, 4) to be pushed out to the sides in a tightened position, The slot closing device (1) is adjustable between the two positions, and the wingspan (s) of the wings (3, 4) in the assembled position is narrower than in the tightened position. Slot closing device (1).
2. In the slot closing device (1) according to claim 1, The slot closing device is characterized in that the tightening rod (9) is formed linearly, in particular, to form a right-angled column or a right-angled column.
3. In the slot closing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, The slot closing device is characterized in that the tightening rod (9) is configured as a hollow rod.
4. In the slot closing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The slot closing device is characterized in that the tightening rod (9) is made of a metal material, particularly a light metal.
5. In the slot closing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The slot closing device is characterized in that the blade portions (3, 4) are connected to each other at the slit base portion (6) by material-to-material connection.
6. In the slot closing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A slot closing device characterized in that a viscoelastic material body (18) is disposed on the slot engagement surface (17) of the slot closing body (2).
7. A method for closing a slot (12) formed by two teeth (13) adjacent in the circumferential direction of the rotor or stator of an electromechanical device (10), using a slot closing device (1) having the configuration described in any one of claims 1 to 6, - Insert the slot closing device (1) in the assembled position into the slot (12), A method for transitioning the slot closing device (1) from the assembled position to the tightening position by moving the tightening rod (9) radially outward within the slit (5) from the first tightening rod seating portion (7) to the second tightening rod seating portion (8) along the radial direction (r).
8. In the method according to claim 7, A method characterized by inserting the slot closing device (1), which is set in an assembly position, into the slot (12) along the radial direction (r) of the electric machine.
9. An electric machine (10), wherein its rotor (11) and / or stator are equipped with a slot closing device (1) in the form described in any one of claims 1 to 6.
10. An automobile equipped with an electromechanical device (10) having the configuration described in claim 9.