COIL-RETENTION WEDGE FOR A STATOR SLOT
A ferromagnetic, coil-retention wedge assembly for a stator slot that includes a non-magnetic, corrugated substrate having alternating ridges and grooves and a plurality of ferromagnetic wedges inserted into the grooves of the corrugated substrate.
1 . A ferromagnetic, coil-retention wedge assembly for a stator slot, the wedge assembly comprising:
a non-magnetic, corrugated substrate having alternating ridges and grooves; and
a plurality of ferromagnetic wedges inserted into the grooves of the corrugated substrate.
2 . The wedge assembly of claim 1 , in which the plurality of ferromagnetic wedges comprise laminations of a ferromagnetic, amorphous-alloy core material.
3 . The wedge assembly of claim 2 , in which the ferromagnetic, amorphous-alloy core material is a cobalt-based alloy.
4 . The wedge assembly of claim 1 , in which the plurality of ferromagnetic wedges comprise electrical steel.
5 . The wedge assembly of claim 1 , in which the corrugated substrate is infused with epoxy resin.
6 . The wedge assembly of claim 1 , in which each ferromagnetic wedge of the plurality of ferromagnetic wedges has a thickness, in which the corrugated substrate is embossed with recesses to accommodate the thickness of the ferromagnetic wedge.
7 . The wedge assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of non-magnetic spacers, each non-magnetic spacer of the plurality of non-magnetic spacers occupying a portion of the grooves of the corrugated substrate not occupied by a ferromagnetic wedge of the plurality of ferromagnetic wedges.
8 . A stator assembly for an electric motor or generator, the stator assembly comprising:
a stator having an array of stator slots extending radially from an inner diameter of the stator, the array of stator slots containing stator-coil windings, each slot of the array of stator slots having a stator-slot notch adjacent the inner diameter of the stator; and
a ferromagnetic, coil-retention wedge assembly within at least one stator-slot notch, the coil-retention wedge assembly comprising a non-magnetic, corrugated substrate having alternating ridges and grooves, and a plurality of ferromagnetic wedges inserted into the grooves of the corrugated substrate.
9 . The stator assembly of claim 8 , in which the plurality of ferromagnetic wedges comprise laminations of a ferromagnetic, amorphous-alloy core material.
10 . The stator assembly of claim 9 , in which the ferromagnetic, amorphous-alloy core material is a cobalt-based alloy.
11 . The stator assembly of claim 8 , in which the plurality of ferromagnetic wedges comprise electrical steel.
12 . The stator assembly of claim 8 , in which the corrugated substrate is infused with epoxy resin.
13 . The stator assembly of claim 8 , in which each ferromagnetic wedge of the plurality of ferromagnetic wedges has a thickness, in which the corrugated substrate is embossed with recesses to accommodate the thickness of the ferromagnetic wedge.
14 . The stator assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of non-magnetic spacers, each non-magnetic spacer of the plurality of non-magnetic spacers occupying a portion of the grooves of the corrugated substrate not occupied by a ferromagnetic wedge of the plurality of ferromagnetic wedges.
15 . A method of constructing a coil-retention wedge assembly for a stator slot, the method comprising inserting a ferromagnetic wedge into a groove of a non-magnetic, corrugated substrate, the corrugated substrate having alternating ridges and grooves.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising iteratively inserting another ferromagnetic wedge into another groove of the corrugated substrate until substantially all of the grooves of the corrugated substrate contain a ferromagnetic wedge.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising infusing the corrugated substrate with epoxy resin.
18 . The method of claim 15 , in which the ferromagnetic wedge has a thickness, the method further comprising embossing the corrugated substrate with a recess to accommodate the thickness of the ferromagnetic wedge before inserting the ferromagnetic wedge into the groove of the corrugated substrate.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising inserting a non-magnetic spacer into the groove after inserting the ferromagnetic wedge into the groove of the corrugated substrate.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising iteratively inserting another ferromagnetic wedge and another non-magnetic spacer into another groove of the corrugated substrate until substantially all of the grooves of the corrugated substrate contain a ferromagnetic wedge and a non-magnetic spacer.