Electric Motors
Electric motors, for example wet rotor motors, include a rotor, a winding support, and plurality of electrical windings surrounding the rotor. In some implementations, the winding support is a rotor housing, e.g., the can of a wet rotor motor. The windings define the stator of the motor.
1 . A wet rotor motor comprising:
a rotor housing defining an outer surface,
a rotor disposed within the housing and mounted for rotation relative to the housing, and
a stator defined by conductive windings positioned about the outer surface.
2 . The motor of claim 1 wherein the outer surface includes features about which the windings are formed.
3 . The motor of claim 1 wherein the conductive windings overlap.
4 . (canceled)
5 . The motor of claim 1 further comprising iron rings surrounding an outer surface of the conductive windings.
6 . The motor of claim 1 wherein the motor comprises a permanent magnet motor.
7 . The motor of claim 1 wherein the motor comprises an induction motor.
8 . An electric motor comprising:
a rotor,
a stator comprising conductive windings surrounding the rotor, the rotor being mounted for rotation relative to the windings, and
a winding support configured to allow the windings to be formed surrounding the rotor.
9 . The motor of claim 8 wherein the conductive windings are positioned adjacent to the rotor.
10 . The motor of claim 8 wherein the conductive windings overlap.
11 . (canceled)
12 . The motor of claim 8 further comprising iron rings surrounding an outer surface of the conductive windings.
13 . The motor of claim 8 wherein the winding support comprises a cylinder.
14 . The motor of claim 13 wherein the winding support further comprises support members extending radially from the cylinder.
15 . The motor of claim 14 wherein each support member comprises a support wall extending generally perpendicular to the cylinder, and a retaining member extending generally parallel to the support wall.
16 . The motor of claim 8 wherein the winding support comprises a pair of winding bobbins disposed at opposite ends of the rotor.
17 . The motor of claim 8 wherein the air gap between the rotor and windings is less than 0.025 inch.
18 . The motor of claim 8 wherein the motor comprises a permanent magnet motor.
19 . The motor of claim 8 wherein the motor comprises an induction motor.
20 . An electric motor comprising:
a rotor, and
a plurality of conductive windings surrounding the rotor and directly adjacent the rotor, the rotor being mounted for rotation relative to the windings and the conductive windings defining a stator.
21 . The motor of claim 20 , further comprising a pair of winding supports, disposed at either end of the rotor, about which the windings are wound.
22 . A method of forming a stator for an electric motor, the method comprising:
providing a winding support configured to allow wire to be wound to form a plurality of windings configured to surround a rotor and allow relative rotation of the rotor relative to the windings; and
winding wire about the winding support to form the windings.
23 . The method of claim 22 further comprising placing a rotor between portions of the winding support and winding the wire directly about the rotor.
24 . The method of claim 22 wherein the winding support comprises a rotor housing.
25 . The method of claim 22 wherein the winding support comprises a plurality of features about which the wire is wound.
26 . The method of claim 22 wherein the winding support comprises a cylindrical sleeve that is configured to be placed over a rotor.
27 . The method of claim 26 wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of axially extending support members about which the wire is wound.