Stator Slot Spacer With Locking Bulges for Resin Filling and Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stator designs for electric motors in vehicles suffer from high temperatures during operation, which can lead to reduced efficiency and lifespan.

Innovation Solution

A spacer is introduced that can be inserted into the stator slots, spacing the stator winding away from the inner side of the stator. This spacer features bulges for guiding and locking it in place, allowing for improved filling with resin material and reducing thermal buildup.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the stator winding is positioned close to the inner side of the stator, then the electrical efficiency is improved, but the temperature of the stator increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical efficiencyVSAvoidstator temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer acts as an intermediary element positioned between the stator winding and the inner side of the stator. This mediator component creates a controlled gap that improves thermal management while maintaining electrical efficiency, resolving the contradiction between close positioning for efficiency and distance for cooling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the slot is filled with resin material to fixate the stator winding, then the mechanical stability is improved, but the resin material may leak out before curing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical stabilityVSAvoidfilling process

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer is inserted into the slot before the resin material is applied. This preliminary action creates a physical barrier and defines the filling volume, preventing resin leakage during the subsequent curing process while ensuring proper fixation of the stator winding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The spacer serves as an intermediary element that controls the resin filling process. It acts as a barrier that prevents resin from leaking out of the slot before curing, while still allowing the resin to properly fixate the stator winding in position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Temperature

If the spacer is inserted into the slot to space away the stator winding, then the thermal management is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestator temperatureVSAvoidstator structure

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer introduces local quality changes to the stator structure by adding a specific component only where thermal management is needed in the slot. This localized modification improves cooling without requiring a complete redesign of the entire stator, thus limiting the increase in overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4496194A1Spacer for a stator for an electric motor of a vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.01.22 VOLVO CAR CORP

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AI summary

The disclosure relates to a spacer (10) for a stator (20) for an electric motor of a vehicle, the spacer (20) being configured to be inserted into a slot (21) of the stator (20) and adjacent to a stator winding (22) at least partially inserted into the slot (21), the spacer (10) being configured to space away the stator winding (22) from an inner side (24) of the stator (20), the spacer (10) comprising at least one bulge (14, 18) for guiding or locking the spacer (10) inside the slot (21).