The invention relates to switched reluctance electric motor rotors, and more particularly to retention structure enhancing the hold-together strength of the rotor laminations.

In a switched reluctance motor, the rotor comprises a plurality of rotor laminations stacked axially to form a laminated stack having axial ends. The rotor includes a central annular hub having a plurality of rotor poles extending radially outwardly from the hub. The rotor poles are circumferentially spaced and have gaps therebetween. The laminations are electrically insulated from each other, to minimize interlaminar current. The laminations are typically glued together with epoxy or similar adhesive material which is cured while the laminations are held together under pressure.

The present invention provides simple and effective structure enhancing the hold-together strength of the laminated rotor stack.

• FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a switched reluctance motor known in the prior art.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the motor rotor of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a switched reluctance motor rotor in accordance with the invention.
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rotor of FIG. 3.
• FIG. 5 is a side elevation view, partially cut away, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 1 shows a switched reluctance motor 10 including stator 12 and rotor 14. The stator and rotor each comprise a plurality of laminations, and FIG. 1 shows a single lamination of each. The stator has a plurality of circumferentially spaced stator poles such as 16 with slots such as 18 therebetween. The slots receive windings 20 around the stator poles. The windings are retained in the slots by wedges such as 22. The rotor comprises a central annular hub 24 having a plurality of rotor poles 25, 26, 27, 28 extending radially outwardly from the hub. The rotor poles are circumferentially spaced and have gaps 29, 30, 31, 32 therebetween. The sides of the rotor poles have fingers such as 34 and 36 extending into the respective gap. The gaps are filled with electrically insulating material 37, 38, 39, 40. The fingers such as 34 and 36 help retain the insulating material in the respective gap. FIG. 2 shows a plurality of rotor laminations 42, 43, etc. stacked axially to form the laminated stack having axial ends 44 and 46. Insulating material 37-40 enhances the hold-together strength of the stack.

FIG. 3 shows a switched reluctance motor rotor 50 in accordance with the invention. The rotor comprises a central annular hub 52 having a plurality of rotor poles 53, 54, 55, 56 extending radially outwardly therefrom. The rotor poles are circumferentially spaced and have gaps 57, 58, 59, 60 therebetween. Retention structure is provided on hub 52 in the gaps in the form of tangs 61, 62, 63, 64 extending radially outwardly from hub 52 into gaps 57, 58, 59, 60, respectively. Electrically insulating material 65, 66, 67, 68, such as bakelite, nylon, or valox, is provided in gaps 57, 58, 59, 60, respectively, and retained therein by tangs 61, 62, 63, 64, respectively.

Each of tangs 61-64 has a radial length substantially less than the radial length of rotor poles 53-56 such that the outer tip such as 70 of the tang is spaced substantially radially inwardly of the arc of travel of the outer tip such as 72 of the rotor pole. This is desirable because it minimizes magnetic flux path lines through the tang, in contrast to fingers 34 and 36 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Tang 61 has distally opposite sides 74 and 76 with inner root ends 78 and 80 at hub 52 and outer ends 82 and 84 spaced radially outwardly of hub 52. The circumferential spacing between inner root ends 78 and 80 is less than the circumferential spacing between outer ends 82 and 84. Distally opposite sides 74 and 76 diverge away from each other as they extend away from hub 52. The remaining tangs are comparable.

FIG. 4 shows a plurality of rotor laminations 86, 87, etc. stacked axially to form a laminated stack having axial ends 88 and 90. Electric insulation material 65-68 is part of a one-piece unitary harness 92 molded in-situ axially around the laminated stack and structurally enhancing the hold-together strength thereof. Harness 92 has a plurality of axial runners provided by the noted insulation material 65, 66, 67, 68 extending axially along gaps 57, 58, 59, 60, respectively, and integral with a pair of annular end rings 94 and 96 on axial ends 88 and 90. Axial runners 65-68 extend axially beyond the end rotor laminations 86 and 98 of the laminated stack and merge into annular end rings 94 and 96. Axial runners 65-68 have a given radial extension in respective gaps 57-60, and annular end rings 94 and 96 have a given radial extension at least partially overlapping the radial extension of axial runners 65-68. The outer radius 100 of axial runners 65-68 is the same as the outer radius 102 of annular end rings 94 and 96. The inner radius 104 of axial runners 65-68 is greater than the inner radius 106 of annular end rings 94 and 96. The inner radius 106 of annular end rings 94 and 96 is greater than the inner radius 108 of rotor 50.

The electrically insulating molded material 65-68 integrally formed both in gaps 57-60 and on axial ends 88 and 90 provides in combination axial runners 65-68 of molded material extending axially along gaps 57-60 and integral with annular end rings 94 and 96 of molded material on axial ends 88 and 90, which combination further structurally enhances the hold-together strength of the laminated stack.

It is recognized that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, although the drawings show four poles, the invention is not limited to that number but rather can be used with two, four, six or eight, or any number of rotor poles. Furthermore, although FlGS. 3 and 4 show only one tang between poles, the invention is not limited thereto, but can use one or more tangs.