Motor with encapsulated stator and method of making same

US 20050134124A1
Filed: 01/14/2005
Published: 06/23/2005
Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1-24. -24. (canceled)

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Abstract

A motor comprises a baseplate, a shaft supported by said baseplate, a stator assembly having windings, the stator being rigidly attached to said baseplate, and injection molded thermoplastic material encapsulating said windings. In one embodiment, the stator is coreless. In other embodiments, the stator has a core and the core is substantially encapsulated by the thermoplastic material. In preferred embodiments, the thermoplastic material secures the stator to the baseplate or forms the baseplate.

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65 Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A motor comprising:
- a) a baseplate;
  
  b) a stator assembly comprising i) a core having poles, and ii) windings around said poles; and
  
  c) an injection molded thermoplastic material encapsulating the windings and also locking the stator assembly to the baseplate, the baseplate and stator assembly not being in direct contact with one another but rather having a space between them filled in by the thermoplastic material.
- View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 60, 61, 62)
- - 26. The motor of claim 25 wherein the baseplate is made of a thermoplastic material having a modulas of elasticity of at least 1,000,000 psi and a metal plate, the metal plate being substantially encapsulated in the thermoplastic material.
  - 27. The motor of claim 26 wherein the thermoplastic material of which the baseplate is made is the same material that encapsulates the windings, and the baseplate and winding encapsulation are formed as one monolithic body.
  - 60. The motor of claim 25 wherein the thermoplastic used in the encapsulation has a vibratory dampening ratio of at least 0.05 in the range of 0-500 H_z.
  - 61. The motor of claim 25 wherein the thermoplastic used in the encapsulation has a vibratory dampening ratio of at least 0.1 in the range of 0-500 Hz.
  - 62. The motor of claim 25 wherein the thermoplastic used in the encapsulation has a vibratory dampening ratio of at least 0.5 in the range of 0-500 Hz.

28-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A method of manufacturing a motor comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a baseplate, a shaft having at least one bearing connected thereto and a stator assembly comprising a core having poles and windings around said poles;
  
  b) rigidly attaching the stator core to the baseplate;
  
  c) injection molding a thermoplastic material to encapsulate the windings after the core is attached to the baseplate; and
  
  d) mounting the shaft so that either the shaft or at least one bearing is supported on the baseplate so that the bearing can rotate with respect to the stator.
- View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 63, 64)
- - 39. The method of claim 38 wherein the injection molding operation injects thermoplastic material to fill in a space between the windings and the baseplate so that the thermoplastic material is in intimate contact with the baseplate and is thereby secured thereto.
  - 40. The method of claim 38 wherein the stator assembly is rigidly attached to the baseplate by being rigidly attached to a support member secured to the baseplate.
  - 41. The method of claim 40 wherein the thermoplastic material encapsulating the windings is injected so as to contact the baseplate and support member.
  - 42. The method of claim 38 wherein the thermoplastic material also encapsulates the stator core except where it is rigidly attached to the baseplate.
  - 43. The method of claim 38 wherein a hub is rotatably supported on the shaft by ball bearings interposed between the hub and the shaft.
  - 63. The method of claim 38 wherein the thermoplastic material has a modulas of elasticity of at least 2,000,000 psi at 25°
    - C.
  - 64. The method of claim 38 wherein the thermoplastic material has a modulas of elasticity of at least 3,000,000 psi at 25°
    - C.

44. A method of manufacturing a motor comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a baseplate, a stator assembly comprising a core having poles and windings around said poles, and a shaft having a bearing connected thereto;
  
  b) injection molding a thermoplastic material to encapsulate the windings and space in between the baseplate and stator assembly so as to secure the stator assembly to the baseplate sufficiently to allow the rigidity of the core to help stiffen the baseplate, and c) rotatably mounting the bearing on the shaft rigidly supported on the baseplate.
- View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 65)
- - 45. The method of claim 44 wherein the baseplate has a plurality of holes in it and the thermoplastic material is injected so as to fill in said holes.
  - 46. The method of claim 45 wherein the holes are enlarged on the side of the baseplate opposite to the stator assembly and the thermoplastic is thus locked to the baseplate by solidifying in the enlarged hole areas.
  - 65. The method of claim 44 wherein the thermoplastic material has a modulas of elasticity of at least 4,000,000 psi at 25°
    - C.

47. A method of manufacturing a motor comprising the steps of:
- a) providing metal laminations and winding the laminations with wire to from poles;
  
  b) providing a shaft; and
  
  c) holding the wound metal laminations and shaft in an injection mold and injection molding a thermoplastic material so as to substantially encapsulate the windings, laminations and portion of the shaft.
- View Dependent Claims (58)
- - 58. The method of claim 47 wherein the shaft is seperated from the laminations in the injection mold and the thermoplastic material contacts the shaft so as to secure the shaft in rigid support with the combined windings and laminations.

48-57. -57. (canceled)

59. A motor comprising:
- a) a core having poles and windings around said poles forming a pole assembly;
  
  b) a shaft, the shaft and pole assembly not being in direct contact with one another, but rather the shaft being spaced from the pole assembly; and
  
  c) a thermoplastic material secured to the shaft and substantially encapsulating the pole assembly, the thermoplastic material joining the pole assembly to the shaft in the space between the pole assembly and the shaft, filling in the space between them such that the windings, core and shaft are rigidly fixed together.

Specification

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Current Assignee
Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
Original Assignee
Encap Motor Corporation
Inventors
Neal, Griffith D., Lieu, Dennis K.

Granted Patent

US 7,067,944 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

310/43
CPC Class Codes

G11B 19/2009   Turntables, hubs and motors...

H02K 1/04   characterised by the materi...

H02K 1/146   consisting of a generally a...

H02K 1/18   Means for mounting or faste...

H02K 1/185   to outer stators

H02K 1/187   to inner stators

H02K 15/12   Impregnating, heating or dr...

H02K 3/38   around winding heads, equal...

H02K 5/08   Insulating casings

H02K 5/10   with arrangements for prote...

H02K 5/165   radially supporting the rot...

H02K 5/1737   radially supporting the rot...

Y10T 29/49009   Dynamoelectric machine

Y10T 29/49073   by assembling coil and core

Motor with encapsulated stator and method of making same

First Claim

9 Assignments

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

15 Citations

65 Claims

Specification

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Motor with encapsulated stator and method of making same

First Claim

9 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

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Abstract

15 Citations

65 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links