Electrical machine winding assembly and method of manufacture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11367543-B2
Application number	US-201916558640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2019
Priority date	Sep 20, 2018
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a winding assembly for an electrical machine, the method comprising: forming, by three-dimensional, 3D, printing, an electrically insulating body comprising a channel defining a winding path, the channel having an inlet and an outlet; heating the electrically insulating body to a temperature above the melting point of an electrically conducting material; flowing the electrically conducting material through the inlet to the outlet to fill the channel; and cooling the electrically insulating body to solidify the electrically conducting material within the channel, thereby forming said winding assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a winding assembly for an electrical machine, the method comprising:
forming, by three-dimensional, 3D, printing, an electrically insulating body comprising a channel defining a winding path, the channel having an inlet and an outlet;
heating the electrically insulating body to a temperature above the melting point of an electrically conducting material;
flowing the electrically conducting material through the inlet to the outlet to fill the channel, wherein the channel fully encloses the electrically conducting material but for the inlet and the outlet;
cooling the electrically insulating body to solidify the electrically conducting material within the channel, thereby forming said winding assembly; and
prior to the step of flowing the electrically conducting material, vibrating the electrically insulating body and/or applying a stream of gas to the inlet to remove any debris from the channel via the outlet.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating body is formed by 3D printing with a ceramic material.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electrically conducting material is copper, or an alloy thereof, and the electrically insulating body is heated to a temperature greater than 1100 degrees Celsius, preferably 1300 degrees Celsius, prior to and during the step of flowing the electrically conducting material.

4. A method of manufacturing a winding assembly for an electrical machine, the method comprising:
forming, by three-dimensional, 3D, printing, an electrically insulating body comprising a channel defining a winding path, the channel having an inlet and an outlet;
heating the electrically insulating body to a temperature above the melting point of an electrically conducting material;
flowing the electrically conducting material through the inlet to the outlet to fill the channel;
cooling the electrically insulating body to solidify the electrically conducting material within the channel, thereby forming said winding assembly;
prior to the step of flowing the electrically conducting material, vibrating the electrically insulating body and/or applying a stream of gas to the inlet to remove any debris from the channel via the outlet; and
applying a lower pressure to the outlet relative to the pressure at the inlet during the step of flowing the electrically conducting material.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the channel is substantially evacuated during the step of flowing the electrically conducting material.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the channel is formed internally to the electrically insulating body and the inlet and outlet are formed at the surface of the electrically insulating body, such that the channel is contiguous on all sides within the electrically insulating body.

7. A winding assembly for an electrical machine, the winding assembly comprising
a monolithic electrically insulating body having a first channel defining a first winding path, the first channel having an inlet and an outlet formed at an outer surface of the electrically insulating body and being filled with an electrically conducting material,
wherein the first channel fully encloses the electrically conducting material but for the inlet and the outlet.

8. The winding assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the electrically insulating body is formed of a ceramic material.

9. The winding assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the electrically conducting material is copper or a copper-based alloy.

10. The winding assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising a second channel defining a second winding path, the second channel being filled with an electrically conducting material, wherein the first and second channels are mutually DC electrically insulated by the electrically insulating body.

11. The winding assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second channels together define a bifilar winding.

12. The winding assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second channels are internal to the electrically insulating body, such that each of the first and second channels are contiguous on all sides with the electrically insulating body.

13. The winding assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising a cavity for receiving a stator tooth.

14. An electrical machine comprising:
a stator;
a rotor; and
one or more winding assemblies according to claim 7 .

15. The winding assembly of claim 7 , wherein the monolithic electrically insulating body includes a central cavity shaped to receive a tooth of a stator or rotor.

16. The winding assembly of claim 7 , wherein the monolithic electrically insulating body includes four sidewalls arranged to define a quadrilateral shape.

17. The winding assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first channel is formed entirely internally within the four sidewalls.

18. The winding assembly of claim 17 , wherein each sidewall of the four sidewalls includes a top surface, and wherein the inlet and the outlet are formed in the top surface of one of the four sidewalls.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Lambourne Alexis
• Smith Alexander C
• Khan Jameel B

Classifications

• H02K15/30

  Manufacture of winding connections · CPC title

• H02K15/00

  Processes or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines · CPC title

• H02K3/04 Primary

  Windings characterised by the conductor shape, form or construction, e.g. with bar conductors · CPC title

• H02K3/32

  Windings characterised by the shape, form or construction of the insulation · CPC title

• H02K3/34

  between conductors or between conductor and core, e.g. slot insulation · CPC title