IP Library Granted Patent US 12,308,720
Granted Patent B2
US 12,308,720 · App. 18/146,047 · Granted May 20, 2025

Wedge element for an electric excited rotor

Inventor: Christian Finger-Albert (Erlangen, DE)
Assignee: Valeo eAutomotive Germany GmbH
H02K3/345H02K1/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,308,720
App. No.
18/146,047
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rotor including a rotor shaft, a rotor body formed of a stack of laminations having a plurality of teeth projecting radially, a field coil wound around each tooth of the plurality of teeth, and a plurality of wedge elements each having two lateral sides configured to come against respectively a corresponding tooth. A convex portion and a projecting portion adjoining the convex portion are arranged on each one of the two lateral sides of the corresponding wedge element, the convex portion complementing a corresponding concave portion of the corresponding tooth, and the projecting portion coming against a corresponding protruding portion of the corresponding tooth. The projecting portion is configured to exert a pressing force on the protruding portion such that to press the convex portion against the concave portion.

Claims (25)

1. A rotor for a rotary electric machine, the rotor comprising:

a rotor shaft configured to rotate around an axis of rotation;

a rotor body formed of a stack of laminations having a plurality of teeth projecting radially, the rotor body being mounted coaxially on the rotor shaft;

a field coil wound around each tooth of the plurality of teeth;

a plurality of wedge elements extending axially and arranged in slots corresponding to space between two adjacent teeth of the plurality of teeth, each wedge element of the plurality of wedge elements having two lateral sides configured to come against respectively a corresponding tooth of the respective two adjacent teeth;

wherein a convex portion and a projecting portion adjoining the convex portion are arranged on each one of the two lateral sides of the corresponding wedge element, the convex portion complementing a corresponding concave portion of the corresponding tooth, the projecting portion coming against a corresponding protruding portion of the corresponding tooth, the projecting portion being configured to exert a pressing force on the protruding portion, the pressing force having a force component being opposite to a directly normal direction to a contact surface between the convex portion and the concave portion such that to press the convex portion against the concave portion.

2. The rotor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the projecting portion has a flat shape extending over a top surface of the protruding portion of the corresponding tooth.

3. The rotor as claimed in claim 2 , comprising a potting material which fills the slots.

4. The rotor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each wedge element of the plurality of wedge elements comprises a first cavity on each one of the two lateral sides of the corresponding tooth, the first cavity being arranged between the convex portion and the projecting portion.

5. The rotor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each wedge element of the plurality of wedge elements comprises a flap portion on each one of the two lateral sides of the corresponding tooth, the flap portion facing a bottom surface of the corresponding tooth, a second cavity being arranged between the flap portion and the bottom surface of the corresponding tooth.

6. The rotor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each wedge element of the plurality of wedge elements has substantially a triangle cross section with a corner portion of the corresponding wedge element being directed towards the axis of rotation.

7. The rotor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the plurality of wedge elements has an axial wedge length slightly inferior to an axial length of the rotor body.

8. The rotor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the plurality of wedge elements is made out of an insulation material.

9. The rotor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the rotor comprises two end caps coming against two axial ends of the rotor body, the two end caps being configured to cover coil ends of the field coil and to be sealed with the rotor body with respect to the potting material.

10. A rotary electric machine for an electric or a hybrid vehicle, the rotary electric machine comprising the rotor according to claim 2 .

11. The rotor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the projecting portion has a curved shape with an end of the projecting portion coming substantially normally to the top surface of the protruding portion of the corresponding tooth.

12. The rotor as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a potting material which fills the slots.

13. The rotor as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each wedge element of the plurality of wedge elements has substantially a triangle cross section with a corner portion of the corresponding wedge element being directed towards the axis of rotation.

14. The rotor as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the rotor comprises two end caps coming against two axial ends of the rotor body, the two end caps being configured to cover coil ends of the field coil and to be sealed with the rotor body with respect to the potting material.

15. The rotor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each wedge element of the plurality of wedge elements comprises a first cavity on each one of the two lateral sides of the corresponding tooth, the first cavity being arranged between the convex portion and the projecting portion.

16. The rotor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each wedge element of the plurality of wedge elements comprises a flap portion on each one of the two lateral sides of the corresponding tooth, the flap portion facing a bottom surface of the corresponding tooth, a second cavity being arranged between the flap portion and the bottom surface of the corresponding tooth.

17. The rotor as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the corner portion of the corresponding wedge element is configured to ensure a substantially constant thickness of the potting material above the field coil.

18. The rotor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wedge elements has an axial wedge length slightly inferior to an axial length of the rotor body.

19. The rotor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wedge elements is made out of an insulation material.

20. A rotary electric machine for an electric or a hybrid vehicle, the rotary electric machine comprising the rotor according to claim 1 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2026
From: VALEO EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH; VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH; SIEMENS AUTOMOTIVE EPOWERTRAIN SYSTEMS GMBH; BLITZ E16-802 GMBH
To: VALEO ELECTRIFICATION
Reel/Frame 076028/0968 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2024
From: FINGER-ALBERT, CHRISTIAN
To: VALEO EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
Reel/Frame 069620/0066 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 21217514 · Dec 23, 2021 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230208236A1 · Jun 29, 2023
References Cited (6)
US 4400639A · Kobayashi · 1983 [cited by examiner]
US 20150076935A1 · Bulatow · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20170353092A1 · Park · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20200177046A1 · Finger-Albert · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20240204600A1 · Grauvogl · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240204633A1 · Franke · 2024 [cited by examiner]