Motor armature having distributed windings for reducing arcing

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10/404,857, filed on Apr. 1, 2003 and presently, which is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 09/594,357, filed Jun. 14, 2000, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,782 on May 20, 2003.

[0002] This invention relates to electric motors, and more particularly to a winding pattern for winding the coils on an armature in a manner to reduce electromagnetic interference and arcing at the brushes in contact with the commutator of the armature.

[0003] Present day brush commutated electric motors include an armature having a plurality of coils wound in slots formed in the lamination stack of the armature. With traditional motor designs, the lamination stack of the armature forms a plurality of circumferentially arranged slots extending between adjacent pairs of lamination posts. Typically, two coils per slot are used when winding the armature coils on the lamination stack. Among the two coils of the same slot, the one which commutates first is referred to as the first coil and the one which commutates second as the second coil. The second coil has inherently poorer magnetic commutation than the first coil because the second coil passes beyond the magnetic neutral zone within the stator before it finishes commutation. This is illustrated in simplified fashion in FIG. 1, wherein the commutation region of the first coil is designated by Z₁ and the commutation region of the second coil is designated by Z₂. A rotor “R” is shown positioned within a stator “S” having field coils “F”. This is further illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1f. FIGS. 1a and 1b illustrate the position of the magnetic axis of the first and second coils, respectively, relative to the commutation regions Z₁ and Z₂ of each coil. FIGS. 1c and 1d illustrate the position of the magnetic axis of each of the first and second coils, relative to the field pole and brush, at the start of commutation of each coil. The magnetic axis of the first coil, in this example, is retarded about 22.5 degrees from the axis of the field pole and the brush (FIG. 1c), while for the second coil, its magnetic axis is only retarded about 7.5 degrees relative to the field pole and brush (FIG. 1d). FIG. 1e shows the angular position of the magnetic axis of the first coil, relative to the field pole, when the first coil ends commutation. FIG. 1f shows the angular position of the magnetic axis of the second coil, relative to the field pole and brush, when the second coil ends commutation. The angular position of the second coil, when it ends commutation, is clearly past the angular position, relative to the field pole, at which the first coil ends its commutation. The two regions Z₁ and Z₂ are not commonly angularly aligned (i.e., coincident) relative to the field pole and brush. As a result, the second coil commutation can generate significant brush arcing, and becomes the dominant source of the total brush arcing of the motor. This can also cause electro-magnetic interference (EMI) to be generated which exceeds acceptable levels set by various government regulatory agencies. This brush arcing can also lead to accelerated brush wear.

[0004] Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an armature for a brush commutated electric motor having a plurality of coils wound thereon in a unique sequence which serves to significantly reduce brush arcing and improve the commutation efficiency of the motor.

[0005] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an armature for a brush commutated electric motor which incorporates a unique winding pattern for the coils wound on the armature in a manner which does not otherwise require modification of any component of the armature or the need for additional components.

[0006] It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a winding pattern for the armature coils of an armature which allows EMI components usually required to sufficiently attenuate the EMI generated by brush arcing to be eliminated, thus allowing the motor to be constructed less expensively and with fewer components.

[0007] The above and other objects are provided by an armature for a brush commutated electric motor incorporating a unique, distributed winding pattern for the coils thereof, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The winding pattern involves segmenting each coil into first and second subcoil portions. With a first coil, the first subcoil portion is wound around two spaced apart slots for a first plurality of turns and the second subcoil portion is wound around a second pair of spaced apart slots which are shifted circumferentially from the first pair of slots. The second subcoil portion is also formed by a different plurality of winding turns than the first subcoil portion. The two subcoil portions are wound in series with one end coupled to a first commutator segment of the armature and the other end coupled to a second commutator segment.

[0008] A second coil is also divided into first and second subcoil portions, with the first subcoil portion being wound with the same number of turns as the second subcoil portion of the first coil, and in the second pair of spaced apart slots. The second subcoil portion of the second coil, however, is laterally shifted such that it is wound in a third pair of spaced apart slots shifted laterally by one slot from the second pair of slots. The second subcoil portion of the second coil is also wound a plurality of turns in accordance with that of the first portion of the first coil. One end of the first subcoil portion of the second coil is coupled to commutator segment number two while the end of subcoil portion two of coil two is coupled to commutator segment number three.

[0009] Coil number three is segmented into first and second subcoil portions with the first subcoil portion being wound a number of turns in accordance with the second subcoil portion of the second coil, and wound around the second pair of spaced apart slots. The second subcoil portion of the third coil is wound around the third pair of spaced apart slots but with a number of turns in accordance with the first subcoil portion of the second coil. The end of the first subcoil portion of the third coil is coupled to commutator segment number three while the end of the second subcoil portion of coil three is coupled to commutator segment number four.

[0010] The above winding pattern continues in alternating fashion such that an overlapping of the coils occurs around the lamination stack. In effect, all of the first subcoil portions shift their magnetic axes forward with respect to rotation of the armature, and all of the second coil portions shift their magnetic axes backward relative to the direction of armature rotation. With a desired turns ratio between the two subcoil portions of each coil, which ratio may vary considerably but is preferably about 3:1, the above described winding pattern smoothes out the “unevenness” in the magnetic coupling between adjacent armature coils, thus improving commutation efficiency. This also improves the commutation efficiency for the second subcoil portion of each coil, thus reducing brush arcing. This in turn serves to significantly reduce EMI. The reduction of EMI eliminates the need for expensive EMI suppression components that have previously been required for use with the motor brushes to ensure that EMI levels remain below regulated limits.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an armature 10 for a brush commutated electric motor 11 having a plurality of coils wound in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The armature 10 includes a commutator 12 which, merely by way of example, includes 24 independent commutator segments 12₁-12₂₄. A lamination stack 14 is used to support a plurality of 24 coils 25₁-25₂₄ wound thereon. An armature shaft 22 extends through the lamination stack 14 and is fixedly coupled to a gear reduction assembly 20 and also to a fan 18. It will be appreciated, though, that the fan 18 and the gear reduction assembly 20 are optional and not essential to the armature 10 of the present invention, and shown merely because they are components that are often used in connection with an armature for an electric motor.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 3, the lamination stack 14 is illustrated without any coils wound thereon. The lamination stack 14 includes a plurality of radially projecting lamination posts or “teeth” 24. Twelve slots S₁-S₁₂ are formed between the posts 24. It will be appreciated immediately, however, that while twelve such slots are illustrated, that a greater or lesser plurality could be employed. The overall number of slots depends on the number of commutator segments and will always be one-half the number of commutator segments used.

[0021] Referring now to FIG. 4, the winding pattern of the present invention will be described. Coil number 1 (25₁) has a first subcoil portion 1A and a second subcoil portion 1B formed in series with subcoil portion 1A. Subcoil portion 1A has one end thereof coupled to commutator segment number 12₁ and the end of second subcoil portion 1B is coupled to commutator segment number 12₂. Subcoil portion 1A of coil 25₁ includes a first plurality of turns, for example seven turns, which are wound around slots S₁₂ and S₅ of the lamination stack 14. Subcoil portion 1B of coil 25₁ is then wound for a larger plurality of turns, in this example 17 turns, in slots S₁ and S₆ of the lamination stack 14. It will be appreciated that the precise number of windings of each subcoil portion can vary considerably, but in the preferred embodiment the number of turns between the subcoil portion 1B and portion 1A of coil 25₁ is such that one has preferably about three times as many winding turns as the other. The number of turns also alternates between the subcoils, as will be described further, such that adjacent coils will always have the two first subcoil portions with differing numbers of winding turns, and the two second subcoil portions with differing numbers of winding turns.

[0022] Coil number 2 (25₂) also has a first subcoil portion 2A and a second subcoil 2B in series with one another. Subcoil portion 2A is wound in slots S₁ and S₆ with seventeen turns. Subcoil portion 2B is wound in series with portion 2A but around slots S₅ and S₇ of the lamination stack 14, and with seven winding turns. The end of subcoil portion 2A is coupled to commutator segment 12₂ while the end of subcoil portion 2B is coupled to commutator segment 12₃. The first subcoil portion 2A of coil 25₂ overlaps the second subcoil portion 1B of coil 25₁.

[0023] Coil number 3 (25₃) includes a first subcoil portion 3A and a second subcoil portion in series with one another 3B. Subcoil portion 3A is attached to commutator segment number 12₃ and includes seven winding turns wound around slots S₁ and S₆. Subcoil portion 3B is formed in series with subcoil portion 3A and includes seventeen turns wound in slots S₂ and S₇, with the end thereof being coupled to commutator segment 12₄.

[0024] Coil 4 (25₄) also includes a first subcoil portion 4A and a second subcoil portion 4B in series with subcoil portion 4A. Subcoil portion 4A has its end coupled to commutator segment 12₄ and includes seventeen turns wound around slots S₂ and S₇. Subcoil portion 4B includes seven turns wound around slots S₃ and S₈, with the end thereof being coupled to commutator segment 12₅. It will be noted that coil 25₄ partially overlaps coil 25₃. In effect, one of the subcoil portions of each adjacent pair of coils 25 overlap with each other.

[0025] The above-described pattern for coils 25₁-25₄ is repeated until all of the coils (in this example 24 coils) are wound onto the lamination stack 14. Each of the ends of the coils 25₁-25₂₄ are further secured to immediately adjacent pairs of commutator segments 12₁-12₂₄. For example, coil 25₅ has its ends secured to commutator segments 12₅ and 12₆, coil 25₆ to segments 12₆ and 12₇, and so forth.

[0026] The above-described winding pattern significantly improves the commutation performance of all of the second coil portions of the coils 25. Splitting each coil 25 into first and second subcoil portions allows each first subcoil portion to shift its magnetic axis away (i.e., laterally), from the position it would have otherwise had in a traditional two-coil-per-slot. This is illustrated in FIGS. 5a-5c and FIGS. 6a-6c. These figures each show a coil consisting of two series connected subcoils of unequal turns as disclosed previously. Each subcoil has a magnetic axis as shown. The resultant magnetic axis of the complete coil resides between the magnetic axes of the subcoils, but it is closer to the larger of the two. In FIGS. 5a and 6a, the orientation of the resultant magnetic axis of each of coils 1 and 2 (25₁ and 25₂) can be seen to fully overlap, as evidenced by the alignment of commutation regions 30 and 32 for each of the two coils 1 and 2.

[0027] In FIGS. 5b and 6b, each of coils 1 and 2 are shown at the beginning of commutation. In FIG. 5b, the resultant magnetic axis of coil 1 is shifted laterally to the right in the drawing figure due to the weighting of the turns of the two subcoil portions of coil 1. Its resultant magnetic axis aligns with the beginning of commutation region 30 of coil 1 as indicated by the vertical line 36. In this example, the resultant magnetic axis of coil 1 is advanced 15 degrees, or one-half the width of the commutation region 30. The axis of the field pole can be seen to fall at the center of brush 40. In FIG. 6b, the resultant magnetic axis of coil 2 is shifted laterally to the left due to the weighting of the two subcoil portions of coil 2. The resultant magnetic axis of coil 2 thus also aligns with vertical line 36 at the beginning of commutation of coil 2. As such, both of coils 1 and 2 begin commutation at the same angular point (i.e. represented by line 36) relative to the axis of the field pole and the brush 40.

[0028] In FIGS. 5c and 6c, each of coils 1 and 2 are shown at the end of their respective commutation regions 30 and 32. In FIG. 5c, the resultant magnetic axis of coil 1 is indicated by the vertical line 38. In FIG. 6c, the resultant magnetic axis of coil 2 falls at the same angular position as coil 1, as also indicated by vertical line 38. Commutation regions 30 and 32 fully overlap one another, as evidenced in FIGS. 5b, 6b and 5c, 6c, and are in a common overlapping region with respect to the field coil 34 shown in FIG. 5.

[0029] Further, it can be seen by examining FIGS. 5, 5a-5c and 6a-6c that the commutation regions 30 and 32 are also in a common angular position with respect to the commutator bars 12 to which the coils are connected. With a turns ratio between the two subcoils of about 3:1, this winding pattern smoothes out the magnetic “unevenness” between adjacent coils, which is a drawback with traditional two-coil-per-slot winding patterns. This, in connection with the shifting of the resultant magnetic axes of each coil, serves to significantly improve the commutation efficiency of the motor and to reduce the overall brush arcing.

[0030] The winding pattern employed on the armature 10 of the present invention also serves to significantly reduce the cost of constructing the armature by eliminating components that would otherwise be needed to sufficiently attenuate the EMI that results from traditional two-coil-per-slot winding patterns. Typically, inductive components are required to form a choke circuit associated with each armature brush. These additional components increase the overall cost of manufacturing a motor, as well as increase the complexity of the task of replacing the brushes during repair procedures.

[0031] The apparatus and method of the present invention thus allows an armature to be formed which significantly reduces brush arcing, and therefore the EMI that is present with traditional two-coil-per-slot armature constructions for all brush commutated electric motors. The apparatus and method of the present invention further does not increase the complexity of the manufacturing process or require additional component parts that would otherwise increase the overall cost of construction of an armature.

[0032] Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification and following claims.