Apparatus and method to centrifugally cast copper rotor assemblies for induction motor of electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11070117-B2
Application number	US-201916388515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2019
Priority date	Apr 16, 2019
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

Provided herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods of providing a centrifugally cast rotor assembly for an induction motor of an electric vehicle. The rotor assembly includes a rotor lamination stack with a cylindrical shape that terminates in a first end surface and a second end surface. The rotor lamination stack has multiple lamination discs, and each lamination disc has multiple rotor slots. The rotor assembly further includes copper bars disposed within the rotor slots, a first intermediary end ring disposed at the first end surface, and a second intermediary end ring disposed at the second end surface. A centrifugally cast first copper end ring that electrically and mechanically couples each of the copper bars is located proximate the first end surface, and a centrifugally cast second copper end ring that electrically and mechanically couples each of the copper bars is located proximate the second end surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to centrifugally cast copper rotor assemblies for induction motors of electric vehicles, comprising:
a rotor assembly with a cylindrical shape that defines a central axis, the rotor assembly terminates in a first end and a second end;
an inner die component;
an outer die component, each of the inner die component and the outer die component disposed at the first end of the rotor assembly;
a spinner assembly, comprising:
a lower structure disposed beneath the rotor assembly, comprising:
a base plate;
a spindle component to mate with the outer die component;
a first bearing assembly having a first inner ring component and a first outer ring component, the first outer ring component fixedly coupled with the base plate and the first inner ring component fixedly coupled with the spindle component such that the spindle component is permitted to rotate with the rotor assembly about the central axis relative to the base plate;

an upper structure disposed above the rotor assembly, comprising:
an upper plate;
a drive wheel component to mate with the rotor assembly;
a second bearing assembly having a second inner ring component and a second outer ring component, the second outer ring component fixedly coupled with the upper plate and the second inner ring component fixedly coupled with the drive wheel component such that the drive wheel component is permitted to rotate with the rotor assembly about the central axis relative to the upper plate; and

a sidewall structure that couples the lower structure with the upper structure; and

a motor to drive rotation of the drive wheel component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the inner die component and the outer die component fabricated from at least one of a ceramic material and stainless steel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the inner die component comprising a base plate, an outer circumferential wall, and an inner circumferential wall surrounding a central bore.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , comprising:
the outer circumferential wall of the inner die component comprising a convoluted geometric pattern.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the outer die component comprising a base plate, an outer circumferential wall, and a central projection configured to receive the spindle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , comprising:
the outer die component comprising a plurality of outgassing ports distributed about the outer circumferential wall.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a sprue gate comprising a neck portion extending from a funnel portion, an outer diameter of the neck portion configured to fit within a central axial bore of the rotor assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the motor configured to transmit a rotational force to the drive wheel using at least one of a belt drive, a chain drive, and a gear drive.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
an anti-oxidation shield having a plurality of sidewalls, a top wall, an inlet passage and an outlet passage, the anti-oxidation shield configured to partially encapsulate the spinner assembly, the rotor assembly, and the motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
a hollow shaft comprising a shaft portion and a flange portion, the flange portion disposed between the first end of the rotor assembly and the inner die component.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , comprising:
a lock nut disposed at the second end of the rotor assembly and threadably coupled with the hollow shaft.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the drive wheel comprising an outer drive wheel component with a plurality of circumferential ridges and an inner drive wheel component, the outer drive wheel component and the inner drive wheel component inseparably coupled using a press-fit assembly process.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
the rotor assembly comprising a plurality of lamination discs and a plurality of copper bars, each of the plurality of lamination discs comprising a plurality of rotor slots, the plurality of copper bars disposed within the plurality of rotor slots.

14. A spinner assembly of a centrifugal casting process of a rotor assembly used in an induction motor of an electric vehicle, comprising:
a lower structure disposed beneath the rotor assembly, comprising:
a base plate;
a spindle component to mate with an outer die component of the rotor assembly;
a first bearing assembly comprising a first inner ring component and a first outer ring component, the first outer ring component fixedly coupled with the base plate and the first inner ring component fixedly coupled with the spindle component such that the spindle component is permitted to rotate with the rotor assembly relative to the base plate;

an upper structure disposed above the rotor assembly, comprising:
an upper plate;
a drive wheel component to mate with the rotor assembly;
a second bearing assembly comprising a second inner ring component and a second outer ring component, the second outer ring component fixedly coupled with the upper plate and the second inner ring component fixedly coupled with the drive wheel component such that the drive wheel component is permitted to rotate with the rotor assembly relative to the upper plate; and

a sidewall structure coupling the lower structure to the upper structure.

15. The spinner assembly of claim 14 , comprising:
at least one of the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly comprising a ball bearing assembly.

16. The spinner assembly of claim 14 , comprising:
the sidewall structure comprising a cylindrical portion, a first portion extending vertically from the cylindrical portion, and a second portion extending vertically from the cylindrical portion and located opposite the first portion.

17. The spinner assembly of claim 16 , comprising:
the upper plate comprising a central ring portion, a first arm portion, and a second arm portion located opposite the first arm portion;
the first arm portion configured to detachably couple to the first portion of the sidewall structure, and the second arm portion configured to detachably couple to the second portion of the sidewall structure.

18. The spinner assembly of claim 14 , comprising:
each of the base plate, the sidewall structure, and the upper plate fabricated from stainless steel.

19. A method, comprising:
providing a rotor assembly with a cylindrical shape that defines a central axis, the rotor assembly terminates in a first end and a second end;
providing an inner die component;
providing an outer die component, each of the inner die component and the outer die component disposed at the first end of the rotor assembly;
providing a spinner assembly, comprising:
a lower structure disposed beneath the rotor assembly, comprising:
a base plate;
a spindle component to mate with the outer die component;
a first bearing assembly comprising a first inner ring component and a first outer ring component, the first outer ring component fixedly coupled with the base plate and the first inner ring component fixedly coupled with the spindle component such that the spindle component is permitted to rotate with the rotor assembly about the central axis relative to the base plate;

an upper structure disposed above the rotor assembly, comprising:
an upper plate;
a drive wheel component to mate with the rotor assembly;
a second bearing assembly comprising a second inner ring component and a second outer ring component, the second

Assignees

• Sf Motors Inc

Inventors

• Chen Justin
• Ma Zhichun
• Wang Duanyang
• Tang Yifan
• Wang Yin

Classifications

• H02K15/023

  Cage rotors · CPC title

• H02K15/021 Primary

  Magnetic cores · CPC title

• H02K17/20

  having deep-bar rotors · CPC title

• B22D19/0054 Primary

  rotors, stators for electrical motors · CPC title

• H02K1/26

  Rotor cores with slots for windings · CPC title