Preformed Toroidal Motor Windings for Lower Resistance Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric motors face challenges in achieving high power density due to high electrical resistance and heat generation in the winding, which is compounded by manufacturing difficulties in integrating windings with the stator or rotor, leading to inefficiencies and weight penalties.

Innovation Solution

The use of preformed conductors with male and female features, such as L-shaped, U-shaped, or S-shaped configurations, allows for optimized geometric shapes that minimize parasitic resistive loss and enable efficient cooling, simplifying construction and reducing electrical resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If conventional wire windings are used in electric motors, then the manufacturing process is relatively simple, but the electrical resistance is high and power density is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The winding is divided into multiple preformed conductor segments (axial conductors and end conductors) that are assembled together. Each segment is pre-formed to specific geometric shapes (L-shaped, U-shaped, or S-shaped) with optimized paths that minimize resistive loss while allowing modular assembly into the stator or rotor structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The conductors are pre-formed into their final geometric configurations before assembly. This preliminary shaping allows for optimized winding geometries that reduce electrical resistance and improve power density, while the pre-formed nature simplifies the actual assembly process by eliminating complex on-site forming operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If continuously wound motors are used, then the winding can be formed in place, but bend radius limitations cause longer, more resistive windings and less efficient field coupling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewinding integrationVSAvoidparasitic resistive loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous winding is segmented into discrete preformed conductor pieces that can be assembled without bending. Each segment is pre-formed to the exact shape needed, eliminating the bend radius constraints that plague continuous winding methods and reducing the overall conductor length required for effective field coupling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Power

If solutions are implemented to reduce electrical resistance and improve cooling, then power density increases, but additional weight is added

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower densityVSAvoidmotor weight

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The conductor geometry is changed from conventional circular cross-section to pre-formed shapes (L-shaped, U-shaped, S-shaped) that optimize both electrical and thermal parameters. These shape changes reduce electrical resistance by optimizing current path geometry and improve cooling efficiency by creating better thermal contact surfaces, achieving higher power density without proportional weight increases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250279687A1Electric motor and components

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

AI summary

An electric machine comprising a rotor and a stator, wherein at least one of the rotor and/or stator comprises a toroidal winding comprising a plurality of preformed conductors.