Metal coil fabrication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12283850-B2
Application number	US-202117474687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2021
Priority date	Feb 16, 2018
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

A 3D printed metal coil for an electrical machine. The 3D printed coil has a plurality of turns and is configured to fit within a slot in an electrical machine. A cross-sectional shape of successive turns of the plurality of turns varies such that a portion of each turn forms a part of an external surface of the metal coil, the external surface forming an interface with a side of the slot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A 3D printed metal coil for an electrical machine, the 3D printed metal coil having a plurality of turns and being configured to fit within a slot in an electrical machine, wherein a cross-sectional shape of successive turns of the plurality of turns varies such that a portion of each turn forms a part of an external surface of the 3D printed metal coil, the external surface forming an interface with a side of the slot, and the 3D printed metal coil having one or more 3D printed pockets in a coil layer of the 3D printed metal coil for thermocouples or other sensors.

2. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 1 , wherein, while the cross-sectional shape of the turns varies for successive turns, the cross-sectional area of the successive turns remains constant.

3. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 1 , wherein each turn has a square or rectangular cross-section in the slot.

4. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 1 , wherein a portion of each turn forming an end winding of the 3D printed metal coil has a flat plate-like shape for dissipating heat from the end winding.

5. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 4 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the turns transitions from a first cross-section in the slot to the flat plate-like shape at the portion of the turn that forms the end winding of the 3D printed metal coil.

6. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 5 , wherein, while the cross-sectional shape of the turns transition from the first cross-section to the flat plate-like shape, a cross-sectional area of the turns remains constant.

7. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 1 , comprising 3D printed termination features at the ends of the 3D printed metal coil.

8. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 1 , further comprising insulation between the turns to electrically insulate the turns from each other.

9. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 8 , wherein the insulation incorporates spacers physically separating successive turns from each other.

10. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 8 , wherein the insulation comprises a dielectric resin.

11. The 3D printed metal coil of claim 1 , wherein the metal is copper.

12. An electrical machine comprising:
a plurality of teeth forming a plurality of slots;
a plurality of 3D printed metal coils within said plurality of slots, wherein each 3D printed metal coil comprises a plurality of turns and a cross-sectional shape of successive turns of the plurality of turns varies such that a portion of each turn forms a part of an external surface of the 3D printed metal coil, the external surface forming an interface with a side of a slot, and each 3D printed metal coil comprises one or more 3D printed pockets in a coil layer of the 3D printed metal coil for thermocouples or other sensors.

13. The electrical machine of claim 12 , wherein, for each 3D printed metal coil, the portion of the turn that forms part of the external surface of the 3D printed metal coil forms a heat sink to the side of the slot.

14. The electrical machine of claim 12 , wherein, while the cross-sectional shape of the turns varies for successive turns, the cross-sectional area of the successive turns remains constant.

15. The electrical machine of claim 12 , wherein, for each 3D printed metal coil, a portion of each turn forming an end winding of the 3D printed metal coil has a flat plate-like shape for dissipating heat from the end winding.

16. The electrical machine of claim 15 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the turns transitions from a first cross-section in the slot to the flat plate-like shape at the portion of the turn that forms the end winding of the 3D printed metal coil.

17. The electrical machine of claim 16 , wherein, while the cross-sectional shape of the turns transition from the first cross-section to the flat plate-like shape, a cross-sectional area of the turns remains constant.

18. The electrical machine of claim 12 , wherein, for each 3D printed metal coil, each turn has a square or rectangular cross-section in the slot.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Lambourne Alexis
• Todd Iain
• Jewell Geraint W

Classifications

• H02K15/0431

  Concentrated windings · CPC title

• H02K15/043

  winding flat conductive wires or sheets · CPC title

• B22F10/64

  by thermal means (control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364) · CPC title

• B22F10/60

  Treatment of workpieces or articles after build-up · CPC title

• B22F10/80

  Data acquisition or data processing · CPC title