N-PHASE ELECTRIC MACHINE WITH CONFIGURABLE WINDINGS
A system for connecting individual coils of an electric machine. A plurality of coils each having a first connection node and a second connection node is provided in each of a plurality of stator slots and the plurality of coils are electrically connected as coil packs. For an N-phase electric machine there are 2N coil packs. The first connection node and the second connection node for each coil are accessible to implement a plurality of electric machine configurations.
1 . An N-phase electric machine comprising:
a stator having a plurality of stator slots;
a rotor mounted to rotate with respect to the stator; and
a plurality of coils each having a first connection node and a second connection node, wherein there is a respective coil for each of the plurality of stator slots;
wherein the plurality of coils are electrically connected as coil packs;
wherein for the N-phase electric machine there are 2N coil packs; and
wherein the first connection node and the second connection node for each coil are accessible to implement a plurality of electric machine configurations.
2 . The N-phase electric machine of claim 1 , wherein the 2N coil packs for every N phases are electrically isolated from each other.
3 . The N-phase electric machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electric machine configurations comprises at least one of a delta configuration and a wye configuration.
4 . The N-phase electric machine of claim 1 , wherein each coil pack comprises at least one of electrically coupled series coils and parallel coils.
5 . The N-phase electric machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector block comprising a connection node for each first connection node and each second connection node of each coil.
6 . The N-phase electric machine of claim 5 , wherein the connector block is accessible from an outside of the N-phase electric machine.
7 . The N-phase electric machine of claim 1 , wherein a maximum number of parallel paths is equal to one half a number of slots divided by a number of phases N.
8 . A system comprising:
an N-phase electric machine comprising:
a stator having a plurality of stator slots;
a rotor mounted to rotate with respect to the stator; and
a plurality of coils each having a first connection node and a second connection node, wherein there is a respective coil for each of the plurality of stator slots, wherein the first connection node and the second connection node for each coil are accessible to implement a plurality of electric machine configurations;
wherein the plurality of coils are electrically connected as coil packs;
wherein for the N-phase electric machine there are 2N coil packs; and
a connection block comprising a connection node for each first connection node and each second connection node of each coil; and
a coil driver that provides a driving current to each coil via the connection block and connects the respective coils in each coil pack to implement each of the plurality of electric machine configurations.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of electric machine configurations comprises at least one of a delta configuration and a wye configuration.
10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein each coil pack configuration comprises at least one of electrically coupled series coils and parallel coils.
11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the connection block is accessible from an outside of the N-phase electric machine.