IP Library Granted Patent US 12,658,746
Granted Patent B2
US 12,658,746 · App. 18/545,770 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Alternator with rotor lamination stack

Inventor: David William Pollock (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: Generac Power Systems, Inc.
H02K1/24H02K1/165H02K7/1807H02K3/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,658,746
App. No.
18/545,770
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rotor core lamination is provided. The rotor core lamination includes a plurality of salient poles. Each of the salient poles includes: a pole body having a central axis in a radial direction of the rotor core lamination; and a pole shoe extending radially outward from the pole body, wherein the pole shoe has a pole shoe arc, and a central point of the pole shoe arc is offset from the central axis.

Claims (42)

1 . A rotor core lamination comprising:

a plurality of salient poles, each of the salient poles comprising:

a pole body having a central axis in a radial direction of the rotor core lamination; and

a pole shoe extending radially outward from the pole body, wherein the pole shoe has a pole shoe arc, and a central point of the pole shoe arc is offset from the central axis; and

wherein the rotor core lamination is arranged and configured to operate with a stator, the stator comprising a plurality of stator slots arranged to accommodate stator windings, wherein the plurality of salient poles includes a first salient pole and a second salient pole, the first salient pole being next to the second salient pole, and wherein the central point of the pole shoe arc of the first salient pole is offset with respect to the central axis of the first salient pole toward the second salient pole, and the central point of the pole shoe arc of the second salient pole is offset with respect to the central axis of the second salient pole toward the first salient pole; and

wherein the rotor core lamination is configured to be arranged in a rotor core lamination stack on which a plurality of main field windings is accommodated.

2 . The rotor core lamination of claim 1 , wherein the pole shoe comprises a plurality of damper holes.

3 . The rotor core lamination of claim 2 , further comprising damper cage conductors accommodated in the damper holes.

4 . The rotor core lamination of claim 3 , wherein the damper cage conductors are bars of electrically conducting, non-magnetic materials.

5 . The rotor core lamination of claim 2 , wherein the damper holes are symmetrical about the central axis of the pole body.

6 . The rotor core lamination of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of salient poles are two salient poles.

7 . The rotor core lamination of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of salient poles are four salient poles.

8 . The rotor core lamination of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of salient poles are more than four salient poles.

9 . A rotor comprising:

a lamination stack comprising a plurality of rotor core laminations, wherein the plurality of rotor core laminations are unskewed; and

main field windings accommodated on the lamination stack;

wherein each of the plurality of rotor core laminations comprises:

a plurality of salient poles, each of the salient poles comprising:

a pole body having a central axis in a radial direction of the rotor core lamination; and

a pole shoe extending radially outward from the pole body, wherein the pole shoe has a pole shoe arc, and a central point of the pole shoe arc is offset from the central axis;

wherein the plurality of salient poles include a first salient pole and a second salient pole, the first salient pole being next to the second salient pole, the central point of the pole shoe arc of the first salient pole being offset with respect to the central point of the pole shoe arc of the second salient pole, wherein the offset of the central point of the pole shoe arc of the first salient pole with respect to the central point of the pole shoe arc of the second salient pole results in an angular displacement between the central point of the pole shoe arc of the first salient pole and the central point of the pole shoe arc of the second salient pole.

10 . The rotor of claim 9 , wherein the pole shoe comprises a plurality of damper holes.

11 . The rotor of claim 10 , further comprising damper cage conductors accommodated in the damper holes.

12 . The rotor of claim 11 , wherein the damper cage conductors are bars of electrically conducting, non-magnetic materials.

13 . The rotor of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of salient poles are two salient poles.

14 . The rotor of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of salient poles include four salient poles.

15 . The rotor of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of salient poles include more than four salient poles.

16 . The rotor of claim 9 , wherein the main field windings are coils wound into slots on the rotor.

17 . A synchronous electrical machine comprising:

a stator comprising a plurality of stator slots arranged to accommodate stator windings;

a rotor inside the stator, wherein the rotor comprises:

a lamination stack comprising a plurality of rotor core laminations, wherein the plurality of rotor core laminations are unskewed; and

main field windings accommodated on the lamination stack; and

wherein each of the plurality of rotor core laminations comprises:

a plurality of salient poles, each of the salient poles comprising:

a pole body having a central axis in a radial direction of the rotor core lamination; and

a pole shoe extending radially outward from the pole body,

wherein the pole shoe has a pole shoe arc, and a central point of the pole shoe arc is offset from the central axis; and

wherein the plurality of salient poles include a first salient pole and a second salient pole, the first salient pole being next to the second salient pole, and the central point of the pole shoe arc of the first salient pole being offset with respect to the central point of the pole shoe arc of the second salient pole, wherein the offset of the central point of the pole shoe arc of the first salient pole with respect to the central point of the pole shoe arc of the second salient pole results in an angular displacement between the central point of the pole shoe arc of the first salient pole and the central point of the pole shoe arc of the second salient pole.

18 . The synchronous electrical machine of claim 17 , wherein the amount of stator slots per pole pair is an even integer.

19 . The synchronous electrical machine of claim 17 , wherein the pole shoe comprises a plurality of damper holes.

20 . The synchronous electrical machine of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of rotor core laminations comprises a first half stack and a second half stack, and wherein the central point of the pole shoe arc in the first half stack and the central point of the pole shoe arc in the second half stack are offset in opposite directions.

Assignments (2)
AFTER-ACQUIRED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL FILING) Recorded Jul 11, 2024
From: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068283/0215 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: POLLOCK, DAVID WILLIAM
To: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 066639/0867 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17084298 · Oct 29, 2020
Related Publication 20240195239A1 · Jun 13, 2024
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