Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Leyi Zhu

Michael W Degner

Feng Liang

Franco Leonardi

Wanfeng Li

C Bing Rong

Edward Chan-Jiun Jih

Myung Ki Sung

Chuanbing Rong

Lusu Guo

Jun Yang

Chun Tang

Alfredo R Munoz

Jun Kikuchi

A power inductor includes a housing and a magnetic core disposed in the housing. The core includes a first segment and a second segment spaced apart from each other to define a gap. The first and second segments are supported in the housing such that they are movable relative to each other to increase and decrease the size of the gap. A passive actuator is disposed in the housing and is configured to move the second segment relative to the first segment to increase and decrease the size of the gap. The passive actuator includes a shape-memory alloy configured to expand as temperature of the inductor increases to urge the first and second segments apart to increase the gap and to contract as the temperature decreases so that the first and second segments move towards each other to decrease the gap.

Power inductor with variable width air gap

A core for an electrical apparatus includes a plurality of electrical steel sheets having a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic coating applied to both sides of the electrical steel sheets. The electrical steel sheets are arranged in a stack to form a laminated stack. The ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic coating is applied to both sides of the electrical steel sheets. The coating may comprise MnZn ferrites, NiZn ferrites, MgMnZn ferrites, CoNiZn ferrites, Co ferrites, Ni ferrites, Yttrium iron garnets (Y3Fe5O12) or other ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic coating materials.

Electrical steel lamination stacks with magnetic insulator coating for electrical apparatus cores

A three-dimensional magnetic printer includes at least one induction head assembly including an induction heater to heat magnetic material to form an alloy melt and at least one nozzle operable to eject the alloy melt, a coating apparatus, and a base aligned with the at least one nozzle. The induction head assembly deposits at least one alloy melt layer and the coating apparatus forms at least one insulating layer onto the base in accordance with a predetermined pattern to form a three-dimensional article.

Method for three-dimensional printing of magnetic materials

A rotor includes a rotor core lamination. The rotor core lamination includes a first metal alloy that at least partially defines adjacent magnet pockets proximate an outer periphery of the rotor core lamination. The rotor core lamination further includes a second metal alloy different than the first metal alloy that forms at least a portion of a bridge that extends between the magnet pockets. The rotor core lamination further includes permanent magnets disposed in the magnet pockets at opposing sides of the second metal alloy.

Electric machine with locally-tuned properties

A method of forming an electric machine lamination includes punching a sheet having a first composition to form a cavity and a compressed region at a perimeter of the cavity. The method further includes depositing, within the cavity and on the compressed region, a deposit material having a second composition different than the first composition. The method further includes scanning a beam along the deposit material to form a bound material within the cavity and on the compressed region.

An electric machine stator includes a soft magnetic yoke having a cylindrical yoke body extending along a central axis, with an outer surface and an inner periphery defining a central opening about the central axis, and a plurality of soft magnetic stator teeth. Each stator tooth defines a first set of air pockets, and a second set of air pockets. An electric machine rotor and permanent magnet material with air pockets are also provided.

Additively manufactured magnetic materials with structural designs

An electric machine includes a stator and a rotor. The stator has a yoke fitted over a ring that has a plurality of teeth with gaps therebetween for fitting metal windings. The ring of teeth has an inner circumference that is closed and to connect the teeth, and an outer circumference with open gaps or slots between the teeth. The metal windings are fitted through the open outer circumference. Regions of the closed inner circumference between the teeth are treated such that the region's magnetic permeability is reduced relative to the remainder of the stator. The reduction in magnetic permeability provides a magnetic flux barrier between the teeth.

Electric machine having magnetically modified region

A power inductor includes a housing and a magnetic core disposed in the housing. The core includes a first segment and a second segment spaced apart from each other to define a gap. The first and second segments are supported in the housing such that the they are movable relative to each other to increase and decrease the size of the gap. A fluid having a positive thermal expansion coefficient is disposed in the housing such that expansion and contraction of the fluid due to change in temperature increases and decreases the gap, respectively.

A power system has a power-electronic module that includes a housing defining a looped reservoir, a ferro-magnetic medium sealed within and filling the looped reservoir, and a conductor surrounded by the ferro-magnetic medium. The conductor is coiled within and along the looped reservoir, and has terminals extending out of the reservoir such that the ferro-magnetic medium and conductor form an inductor that opposes changes in magnitude of current flowing through the conductor.

Power magnetic components packaged in otherwise unutilized space of power electronics

A stator includes a core and an over-molded midsection arranged to define a plurality of slots, and a plurality of conductors wound within the slots. Portions of the midsection immediately adjacent to the slots have iron particles embedded therein such the portions have magnetic permeability greater than other portions of the midsection lacking the iron particles.

Epoxy-iron mix stator liner system

An electric machine includes a plurality of planar laminations stacked to form an electrical steel rotor having openings defining magnet pockets and adjacent inner side pockets. The adjacent inner side pockets define a center bridge therebetween and have blasted surface portions such that compressive stress layers are induced along edges of the center bridge to strengthen the center bridge.

Surface treatments of electrical steel core devices

An electric machine rotor including a first stamped rotor lamination and a first stamped sheet of a material different than the first stamped rotor lamination is provided. The first stamped rotor lamination may define a pair of magnet pockets. The first stamped sheet may be coplanar with and scarf jointed to the first stamped rotor lamination to define a center bridge between the magnet pockets that has a magnetic permeability less than, and a mechanical strength greater than, the first stamped rotor lamination. The rotor may further include a second stamped sheet of a material different than the first stamped rotor lamination coplanar with and scarf jointed to the first stamped rotor lamination to define a top bridge adjacent to one of the magnet pockets at a perimeter of the rotor that has a magnetic permeability less than, and a mechanical strength greater than, the first stamped rotor lamination.

Electric machine component and method to fabricate

Methods for tuning properties of electric machines are disclosed. A method for reducing core loss in an electric machine includes punching a plurality of laminations from one or more electrical steel sheets that results in one or more cut edges. The method further includes assembling the laminations into a core such that an outer perimeter surface of the core is defined by the cut edges. The method further includes peening the outer perimeter surface to remove residual stresses.

Methods for tuning magnetic properties of electrical steel cores for electrical devices

A method of forming a rotor lamination includes, with a laser, fabricating a first region of a lamination layer with a first powdered metal having a first composition. The first region at least partially defines a magnet pocket. The method further includes, with a laser, fabricating a second region of the lamination layer with a second powdered metal having a second composition different than the first composition. The second region is disposed immediately adjacent the first region.

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Novi, MI, United States of America

Leyi Zhu