Varnish applicator for electric motor
A varnish application system includes an electric motor, a clamp, and a varnish injector. The clamp includes a beam, a first end plate fixed to the beam and engageable to a first end of the electric motor, and a second end plate releasably connected the beam and engageable to a second end of the electric motor. The varnish injector is arranged to apply varnish to the electric motor when the clamp engages the electric motor.
1. A method for applying varnish to an electric motor, the method comprising:
inserting a beam through a cavity of the electric motor;
applying an end plate fixed to the beam to a first end of a stator of the electric motor;
applying a second end plate spaced from the beam to a second end of the stator;
securing the second end plate to the beam with a removable fastener; and
applying varnish to a slot extending from the first end of the stator to the second end of the stator.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising compressing the stator with the end plate and the second end plate.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the removable fastener is a screw, and the method further comprises rotating the screw through the second end plate and into the beam to move the second end plate toward the end plate.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the stator includes a plurality of laminates having respective distal ends, each pair of adjacent distal ends defining a space therebetween, the method further comprising reducing the respective spaces between the distal ends of the laminates upon compressing the stator.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the end plate includes a rigid portion fixed to the beam and a flexible portion engaging the stator.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the flexible portion is annular having an inner edge connected to the rigid portion and an outer edge engaging the stator.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising applying varnish until the varnish reaches the second end of the stator.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the slot is disposed radially outward from a location at which the end plate engages the stator.
9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising applying the varnish to a wire disposed in the slot.
10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising applying the varnish into a gap between the stator and an insulating layer disposed in the slot and into a second gap between the insulating layer and a wire disposed in the slot.
11. A varnish application system comprising:
an electric motor;
a clamp including a beam, a first end plate fixed to the beam and engageable to a first end of the electric motor, and a second end plate releasably connected the beam and engageable to a second end of the electric motor; and
a varnish injector arranged to apply varnish to the electric motor when the clamp engages the electric motor.
12. The varnish application system according to claim 11 , wherein the electric motor includes a stator, the stator including a plurality of laminates fixed along a rotational axis of the electric motor, the first end plate is engageable to a first laminate, and the second end plate is engageable to a last laminate.
13. The varnish application system according to claim 12 , wherein each laminate includes a plurality of fingers extending toward the rotational axis, the first end plate is engageable to respective distal ends of the fingers of the first laminate, and the second end plate is engageable to respective distal ends of the fingers of the last laminate.
14. The varnish application system according to claim 13 , wherein each pair of adjacent distal ends defines a space therebetween, the first and second end plates are arranged to compress the laminates to reduce the spaces, and the varnish injector is arranged to inject varnish along the distal ends of the compressed laminates.
15. The varnish application system according to claim 12 , wherein a screw is arranged to move the second end plate toward the first end plate and to compress the laminates of the stator.
16. The varnish application system according to claim 11 , wherein the first end plate includes a rigid inner portion and a flexible annular portion, the flexible annular portion extending from the rigid inner portion.
17. The varnish application system according to claim 16 , wherein the flexible annular portion has an outer edge engageable with the electric motor.
18. The varnish application system according to claim 11 , wherein the electric motor includes a stator defining a slot, a wire disposed in the slot, and an insulating layer disposed between the wire and the stator,
wherein the varnish injector is arranged to inject the varnish into a gap between the stator and an insulating layer disposed in the slot and into a second gap between the insulating layer and the wire.
19. The varnish application system according to claim 18 , wherein the electric motor includes a plurality of wires disposed in the slot, and the varnish injector is arranged to inject varnish onto the plurality of wires.
20. The varnish application system according to claim 11 , wherein the electric motor includes a plurality of spaces disposed along a central direction, and the clamp is arranged to close the plurality of spaces upon engagement with the electric motor.