Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Akash Changarankumarath Pradeepkumar

Michael W Degner

Guangyin Lei

Alfredo R Munoz

Singar Rathnam

Edward Chan-Jiun Jih

Joel A Hetrick

Joshua D Simon

Edward Jih

An electric machine includes windings, a terminal block, and terminal connectors. The windings have lead ends and neutral ends. The terminal block has a plurality of bus bars, a neutral bar, and an insulating material. Each bus bar is connected to one or more of the lead ends. The neutral bar is connected to one or more of the neutral ends. The insulating material encapsulates the plurality of bus bars and the neutral bar, defines a plurality of orifices, and defines a plurality of slots. Each lead end extends through one of the orifices from the outer boundary to one of the bus bars. Each neutral end extends through one of the orifices from the outer boundary to neutral bar. Each terminal connector extends through one of the slots from the outer boundary to one of the bus bars.

Electric machine

An electric machine includes a stator core having an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface, and longitudinal slots recessed into the inner circumferential surface. Each of the slots has first and second radial walls, an outboard circumferential wall extending between the radial walls, an entrance portion having opposing first and second angled walls extending divergently away from the inner circumferential surface, a first shoulder connecting the first radial wall to the first angled wall, and a second shoulder connecting the second radial wall to the second angled wall. Windings are disposed in the slots. Slot liners are also disposed in the slots such that the windings are disposed in an interior of the slot liners. At least one of the slot liners has first and second flaps angled towards each other from opposing sidewalls of the slot liner, wherein the first and second flaps cooperate to define an inner varnish dam, and the first flap, the second flap, and the corresponding one of the slots cooperate to define an outer varnish dam.

Electric machine slot liner with enhanced varnish control

A method for applying varnish to a stator of an electric motor includes depositing varnish onto an outer laminate of the stator, accumulating the deposited varnish with a ridge on the outer laminate, and directing the accumulated varnish into a slot of the outer laminate with the ridge.

Laminate with varnish accumulation feature

An electric machine includes a stator core having a plurality of stacked laminations that are arranged in sets that each define a circumferentially extending slot through a thickness of the set. The sets are circumferentially rotated relative to each other in sequence such that each slot only partially overlaps with one or more adjacent slots to form a continuous helical cooling path around the stator core. Windings are supported on the stator core.

Electric machine with helical cooling path

A vehicle power module assembly including first and second power modules is provided. The first power module may include a first lock feature extending from a lower portion of a first minor side at a first central axis. The second power module may include a second lock feature at an upper portion of a second minor side at a second central axis. The lock features may be sized for interlock with one another to secure the power modules to one another. The first lock feature may be a loop element defining a through-hole and the second lock feature may be a wedge. The through-hole may be sized for the wedge to extend therein and to interlock the first power module and the second power module to one another. The first lock feature may be a flexible hook element and the second lock feature may be a slot.

Vehicle power module assembly

A vehicle includes a battery, an electric machine, a thermistor, and a controller. The electric machine is configured to draw electrical power from the battery to propel the vehicle. The electric machine has a rotor and a stator. The stator has a core, interconnected hairpins, and a neutral bar. The core defines slots. The interconnected hairpin windings are arranged within the slots and are arranged to form a plurality of electrical phases. The neutral bar is connected to each of the electrical phases and defines an orifice. The thermistor is disposed within the orifice and is configured to sense a temperature of the electric machine. The controller is programmed to control a power output of the electric machine based on the temperature of the electric machine.

Electric machine for hybrid/electric vehicle

A vehicle, electric machine, and stator include stator teeth extending from a yoke portion toward a rotor and defining slots between adjacent teeth with windings positioned within the slots, wherein the teeth form pockets at connections to the yoke portion. Electrically insulating slot paper may line at least three sides of the slots. The pockets may extend into the teeth or the yoke portion where the teeth extend from the yoke portion, and may be filled with an electrically insulating compound that secures the insulating slot paper lining and electrically conductive rectangular windings within the slots.

Electrified vehicle having electric machine stator with slot pocket

A vehicle includes a battery, an electric machine, a thermistor, and a controller. The electric machine is configured to draw electrical power from the battery to propel the vehicle. The electric machine has a rotor and a stator. The stator has a core defining a plurality of slots and windings arranged within the slots. The thermistor is disposed within a first of the slots between first and second axial ends of the core and is configured to measure a temperature of the electric machine. The controller is programmed to control a power output of the electric machine based on the temperature of the electric machine.

An electric vehicle power supply includes a housing, a power supply, and a plurality of fasteners. The housing defines an internal cavity and has inwardly protruding tabs that extend into the cavity. The power assembly has a front cover and an end cover. The power assembly also has an array of electrical switching units arranged horizontally between the front and end covers. The front and end covers have outwardly protruding tabs. Each of the plurality of fasteners extend vertically, engage one inwardly protruding tab, and engage one outwardly protruding tab to secure the power assembly to the housing.

Power supply device

A vehicle power module assembly including an array of stacked switch unit assemblies, a front cover, first and second side rails, and an end cover is provided. Each of the assemblies may include a power stage frame having a mid-cutout located at a substantially central side frame region such that a mid-cutout region is defined along each side of the array. The front cover may be disposed at a first end of the array. The first and second side rails may each extend from the front cover and each may be disposed within one of the mid-cutout regions such that an outer surface of each side rail is substantially flush with an outer surface of a respective power stage frame. The end cover may be arranged with the front cover to retain the assemblies therebetween. The assembly may further include a clamping plate and a spring element.

According to one embodiment, a power-module assembly includes a power-module stack having coolant chambers interleaved with power modules and supply and return manifold channels extending axially along the stack. An endcap has a major side defining recessed inlet and outlet manifold cavities aligned with the channels and inlet and outlet ports disposed on one or more minor sides that are perpendicular to the major side.

Power-module assembly with endcap

A vehicle power supply includes a housing, a backing plate, a power assembly, and a clamp. The housing has a bottom wall and a side wall. The backing plate extends from the bottom wall. The power assembly has an array of electrical switching units that extend from the side wall to the backing plate. The clamp extends from the backing plate and is configured to engage a backside of the array such that a frontside of the array is forced into engagement with the side wall.

Growing community of inventors

Westland, MI, United States of America

Akash Changarankumarath Pradeepkumar