Patents by Inventor Kirk Neet

Kirk Neet has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240039378
    Abstract: A stator for an electric machine includes a stator core having a plurality of slots formed therein and a multi-phase winding arrangement positioned on the stator core. The winding arrangement includes a plurality of cascaded conductors arranged in layers of the slots, the layers defining multiple layer pairs. The plurality of cascaded conductors form a plurality of parallel paths per phase, each of the parallel paths making multiple revolutions of the core with each revolution occurring within a layer pair. For each layer pair, a number of weaves (N) are formed between a first parallel path and a second parallel path in said layer pair, wherein N is greater than or equal to two.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventor: Kirk Neet
  • Publication number: 20240022131
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator core and a plurality of windings wound on the stator core. The plurality of windings include a first coil group arranged in a plurality of layers of the stator core and a second coil group arranged in the plurality of layers of the stator core. At least one connection conductor extends between the first coil group and the second coil group. The at least one connection conductor is provided in at least one extra-outer layer of the stator core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventor: Kirk Neet
  • Patent number: 11843291
    Abstract: A multi-conductor winding for an electric machine includes a plurality of conductors having a substantially identical wire form with a plurality of end turns joining a plurality of slot segments. A first portion of the plurality of conductors is arranged in a first orientation and a second portion of the plurality of conductors is arranged in a second orientation that is a mirror image of the first orientation. The plurality of end turns of the plurality of conductors includes at least three distinct winding pitches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventor: Kirk Neet
  • Publication number: 20230396112
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator core and a multi-phase winding. The stator core includes a plurality of teeth defining a number of slots in the stator core. The multi-phase winding is positioned on the stator core and defines a number of poles, a plurality of parallel paths per phase, and a number of pole-turns for each parallel path. The number of pole-turns for each parallel path divided by the number of poles is a mixed number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventor: Kirk Neet
  • Publication number: 20230396115
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator core and a winding. The stator core includes a plurality of radially extending teeth defining a number of slots in the stator core. The winding is positioned on the stator core and includes a plurality of conductors connected together to provide a plurality of parallel paths per phase for the winding. The winding defines a number of conductor layers in each slot, a number of poles, and a number of slots-per-pole-per-phase. The winding includes a plurality of standard-pitch end loops and a plurality of sets of over-under end loops. A plurality of crossover end loops for each of the plurality of parallel paths per phase are substantially aligned in a radial direction on the stator core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventor: Kirk Neet
  • Patent number: 11799344
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator assembly having a core with windings positioned on the core. The windings including in-slot portions, end turns, and leads. The leads include a plurality of inner leads extending from conductors in an inner layer of the slots and outer leads extending from conductors in an outer layer of the slots, the inner leads and the outer leads defining a semi-cylindrical space. The stator assembly further includes a bus bar assembly connected to the leads, the bus bar assembly including a plurality of series connections and a plurality of phase leads. Each of the series connections connects one of the inner leads to one of the outer leads within the semi-cylindrical space. Each of the phase leads connects at least one of the inner leads to at least one of the outer leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk Neet, Matt Ryan Conner
  • Patent number: 11605989
    Abstract: A stator for an electric machine includes a stator core with a multi-phase winding arranged on the stator core. The stator core has a plurality of slots formed therein and defines a first axial end and a second axial end. The multi-phase winding includes multiple parallel paths for each winding phase, each parallel path completing multiple revolutions around the stator core, and each parallel path comprising a series of slot segments arranged in layers of the plurality of slots and end turns alternately connecting consecutive slot segments on the first axial end and the second axial end. A pitch of the end turns connecting the slot segments for at least one parallel path alternates between a first pitch on the first axial end and a second pitch on the second axial end, the second pitch being different from the first pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Kirk Neet
  • Publication number: 20230016106
    Abstract: A stator for an electric machine comprises a cylindrical core defining an inner cylindrical surface and an outer cylindrical surface with a plurality of slots formed between the inner cylindrical surface and the outer cylindrical surface. Windings are positioned on the cylindrical core. The leads of the windings include a plurality of inner leads associated with conductors in an inner layer of the slots and a plurality of outer leads associated with conductors in an outer layer of the slots. A bus bar assembly includes a plurality of inner bus bars and a plurality of outer bus bars, the plurality of inner bus bars connected to the plurality of inner leads, and the plurality of outer bus bars connected to the plurality of outer leads. The plurality of outer bus bars are positioned radially outward from the end turns of the windings and radially inward from the outer cylindrical surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Timothy Beatty, David Lee Durant, Ryan J. Jones, Kirk Neet
  • Patent number: 11557933
    Abstract: An electric machine a stator having a stator core and windings positioned thereon. The stator core has a plurality of slots formed therein and a winding positioned in the plurality of slots. The winding includes at least four parallel paths distributed in slot sets of the stator core. Each slot set includes at least four contiguous slots including two left slots and two right slots. A first parallel path and a second parallel path are arranged in the two left slots for at least a first revolution of the winding around the core. The first parallel path and the second parallel path are arranged in the two right slots for at least a subsequent revolution of the winding around the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk Neet, Tausif Husain
  • Patent number: 11545867
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator assembly and a bus bar assembly. The stator assembly includes a core with windings positioned on the core. The windings include in-slot portions, end turns, and leads. The leads extend from the in-slot portions at one of the ends of the core with ends of the leads extending axially past the end turns. The leads include a first plurality of leads positioned on a first side of the stator opposite a second plurality of leads positioned on a second side of the stator. The bus bar is substantially circular in shape and positioned radially inward from the end turns. The bus bar assembly includes three bus bars, each bus bar connecting at least one of the first plurality of leads to at least one of the second plurality of leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Ian N. Alsman, Christopher Bledsoe, Kirk Neet
  • Publication number: 20220393521
    Abstract: A stator for an electric machine comprises a stator core and a winding positioned on the stator core. The stator core includes a plurality of teeth defining a plurality of slots. The winding is comprised of a plurality of segmented conductors connected together to provide a plurality of parallel paths per phase for the winding, each conductor comprising (i) an end loop provided on a crown end of the stator core, (ii) two legs extending through the slots, and (iii) two leg ends extending out of the slots on a connection end of the stator core, each leg end having a twist portion. The legs of the conductors are arranged in layers in the slots, wherein the layers include a total number of layers (L), L being greater than five and L/2 being an odd whole number. Each leg end extending from each of the layers has a common twist associated with the layer from which said leg extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Kirk Neet, Cong Ma
  • Publication number: 20220376575
    Abstract: A winding for a stator comprises (i) a plurality of first end turns provided on a first end of the stator core, (ii) straight portions extending through the slots, and (iii) a plurality of second turns provided on a second end of the stator core. The straight portions are arranged in layers in the slots in a number of layers. Each of the second end turns connects straight portions in two consecutive layers of two slots and is defined by a first common twist associated with one of the two consecutive layers and a second common twist associated with another of the two consecutive layers. The first common twist and the second common twist are identical for the second end turns in a first half of consecutive layers, and the first common twist and the second common twist are different for the second end turns in a second half of consecutive layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Kirk Neet, Tim Sailors
  • Publication number: 20220329116
    Abstract: A stator for an electric machine includes a core and a multi-phase winding arrangement positioned on the core. Each phase of the winding arrangement includes a plurality of parallel paths defining a plurality of poles for the electric machine. Each parallel path includes a plurality of coils positioned on the core, each coil defined by coil legs and end turns. The coil legs include left legs and right legs extending through the slots of the core. The left legs and right legs of each coil are connected by first end turns at one end of the core and second end turns at an opposite end of the core. Each pole of the electric machine is associated with a pole slot set comprised of multiple slots on the stator core. For each pole slot set, legs for each parallel path extend through one of the slots of said pole slot set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Kirk Neet, Joshua B. Lahrman, Matthew R. Conner, David A. Fulton
  • Publication number: 20220329124
    Abstract: A method and arrangement is disclosed herein for making a stator with 3D printed end turns. The stator includes a stator lamination stack with semi-closed slots. Straight I-pin wire segments are housed in the slots of the stator lam stack and form the in-slot segments of a stator winding arrangement. The end turns of the winding arrangement are provided by a conductive material that is 3D printed material at both axial ends of the straight I-pins. The end turns result in a winding arrangement with diamond coils that are inter-locked. The 3D printing of the end turns makes the winding arrangement possible, as the winding arrangement is configured such that it cannot be inserted into the lamination stack in a radial direction (i.e., via any slot openings at the inner diameter or outer diameter).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Gabriel Domingues, Joshua B. Lahrman, Matthew R. Conner, Kirk Neet, David A. Fulton
  • Patent number: 11469630
    Abstract: Rectangular conductor wires are often used in alternator applications requiring a high slot fill to maximize output and efficiency. However for lower output and efficiency applications, round conductor wire may increase cost competiveness in these alternators. A common lamination for a core alternatively accommodates both rectangular conductor wires and round conductor wires for different applications without any other component changes. The lamina has a slot that aligns round wire in a single row within the slot and provides a predetermined clearance from the slot opening. A stator core formed from these laminae has a relatively high slot fill factor when wound with the round wire. The same stator core can be alternatively wound with square wire to increase the slot fill factor even higher. The common lamination results in two stator configurations: a high slot fill version (round wire) and a very high slot fill version (square wire).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Jiwon Chung, Kirk Neet
  • Publication number: 20220311316
    Abstract: A multi-conductor winding for an electric machine includes a plurality of conductors having a substantially identical wire form with a plurality of end turns joining a plurality of slot segments. A first portion of the plurality of conductors is arranged in a first orientation and a second portion of the plurality of conductors is arranged in a second orientation that is a mirror image of the first orientation. The plurality of end turns of the plurality of conductors includes at least three distinct winding pitches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventor: Kirk Neet
  • Patent number: 11456652
    Abstract: A wire forming apparatus comprises a first rack moveable relative to a second rack in a first direction, a plurality of first forming structures provided on the first rack, and a plurality of second forming structures provided on the second rack. Each of the plurality of first forming structures is configured to move in the first direction, is separated from an adjacent first forming structure, and is configured to move in a second direction closer to the adjacent first forming structure when the first rack moves relative to the second rack. Each of the plurality of second forming structures is configured to move in the first direction, is separated from an adjacent second forming structure, and is configured to move in the second direction closer to the adjacent second forming structure when the first rack moves relative to the second rack. The second direction is different from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: James Murphy, Kirk Neet
  • Patent number: 11394282
    Abstract: A method of forming a winding for an electric machine includes forming a plurality of conductors having a substantially identical wire form with a plurality of end turns joining a plurality of slot segments, defining a first portion of the plurality of conductors as first conductors, rotating a second portion of the plurality of conductors about a central axis to mirror the first conductors, defining the second portion of the plurality of conductors as second conductors, combining select ones of the first conductors and select ones of the second conductors to form conductor pairs, and combining a plurality of conductor pairs to form a multi-conductor winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventor: Kirk Neet
  • Publication number: 20220224182
    Abstract: A method and arrangement is disclosed herein for making a stator winding with extended legs that may be selectively configured in a four parallel path per phase arrangement or a six parallel path per phase arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Kirk Neet, Tausif Husain, Micah Andrew Jones
  • Publication number: 20220190666
    Abstract: A method and arrangement is disclosed herein for making a stator winding arrangement with multiple phase shift end turns. The winding arrangement is configured for use with conductors provided in multiple parallel paths and in 2-6-6-2 slot sets in each phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventor: Kirk Neet