Abstract: A stator assembly (50) includes a stator core (52) defining an outside diameter (OD) and an inside diameter (ID) with longitudinally extending slots (58) formed between the inside diameter and the outside diameter. The stator core (52) defines a core height extending longitudinally from a first end (53) to a second end (55) of the stator core (52). Distributed windings (60) are retained by the stator core (52) and include an in-slot portion (66) positioned in the slots of the stator core (52), a first end turn portion (62) adjacent to the first end (53) of the stator core, and a second end turn portion (64) adjacent to a second end (55) of the stator core. The first end turn portion (62) defines a first end turn height (h1) extending from the first end (53) of the stator core to a vertex (78) of the first end turn portion (62). A ratio of the first end turn height (h1) to the outside diameter (OD) of the stator core is less than or equal to 0.07.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator assembly, a rotor positioned within the stator assembly, and a rotor carrier coupled to the rotor. The rotor carrier includes a hub portion, a first cylindrical portion coupled to the hub portion and defining a first diameter that is less than an inner diameter of the rotor, and a second cylindrical portion extending from the first cylindrical portion and defining a second diameter that is greater than the inner diameter of the rotor. A first clutch is positioned within the rotor carrier and engages an inner surface of the first cylindrical portion of the rotor carrier. A second clutch is positioned within the rotor carrier and engages an inner surface of the second cylindrical portion of the rotor carrier.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator assembly, a rotor positioned within the stator assembly, and a rotor carrier coupled to the rotor. The rotor carrier includes a hub portion, a first cylindrical portion coupled to the hub portion and defining a first diameter that is less than an inner diameter of the rotor, and a second cylindrical portion extending from the first cylindrical portion and defining a second diameter that is greater than the inner diameter of the rotor. A first clutch is positioned within the rotor carrier and engages an inner surface of the first cylindrical portion of the rotor carrier. A second clutch is positioned within the rotor carrier and engages an inner surface of the second cylindrical portion of the rotor carrier.

Abstract: An electric machine (10) includes a stator assembly (50) and a rotor (16) positioned within the stator assembly. The electric machine (10) further comprises a rotor carrier (20), and the rotor (16) is mounted on an outer surface (62) of the rotor carrier (20). The rotor carrier (20) includes a hub portion (22), a radial portion (24) extending from the hub portion (22), a first cylindrical portion (60) extending from the radial portion, and a second cylindrical portion (66) extending from the first cylindrical portion. The hub portion (22), the radial portion (24), the first cylindrical portion (60) and the second cylindrical portion (66) are provided as an integrally formed unitary component. An engine disconnect clutch (30) and a transmission clutch (40) are positioned within the rotor carrier (20).

Abstract: An electric machine (10) includes a stator assembly (50) and a rotor (16) positioned within the stator assembly. The electric machine (10) further comprises a rotor carrier (20), and the rotor (16) is mounted on an outer surface (62) of the rotor carrier (20). The rotor carrier (20) includes a hub portion (22), a radial portion (24) extending from the hub portion (22), a first cylindrical portion (60) extending from the radial portion, and a second cylindrical portion (66) extending from the first cylindrical portion. The hub portion (22), the radial portion (24), the first cylindrical portion (60) and the second cylindrical portion (66) are provided as an integrally formed unitary component. An engine disconnect clutch (30) and a transmission clutch (40) are positioned within the rotor carrier (20).

Abstract: A stator assembly (50) includes a stator core (52) defining an outside diameter (OD) and an inside diameter (ID) with longitudinally extending slots (58) formed between the inside diameter and the outside diameter. The stator core (52) defines a core height extending longitudinally from a first end (53) to a second end (55) of the stator core (52). Distributed windings (60) are retained by the stator core (52) and include an in-slot portion (66) positioned in the slots of the stator core (52), a first end turn portion (62) adjacent to the first end (53) of the stator core, and a second end turn portion (64) adjacent to a second end (55) of the stator core. The first end turn portion (62) defines a first end turn height (h1) extending from the first end (53) of the stator core to a vertex (78) of the first end turn portion (62). A ratio of the first end turn height (h1) to the outside diameter (OD) of the stator core is less than or equal to 0.07.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module. The module can include a housing that can define a machine cavity. The housing can include a sleeve member that can include a first axial sleeve member comprising a first flange, a second flange, and first recess at least partially defined between the first flange and the second flange. The sleeve member can also include a second axial sleeve member comprising a third flange, a fourth flange, and a second recess at least partially defined between the first flange and the second flange. The first axial sleeve member can be coupled to the second axial sleeve member to form the sleeve member and so that the first recess and the second recess form a coolant jacket. An electric machine can be positioned within the machine cavity so that it is substantially circumscribed by a portion of the coolant jacket.

Abstract: An access port cover system, including a housing for an item, the housing defining interior and exterior regions and including an access port through which access to the item from the exterior region is provided, a cover inhibiting access through the access port from the exterior region to the interior region, and a fastener connectable to the housing and the cover. The fastener has an actuation portion for disconnecting the housing and the cover to permit access through the access port from the exterior region to the interior region, the actuation portion being inaccessible from the exterior region when the fastener is connected to the housing and the cover.

Abstract: A conductor retention member for a stator core includes a body formed from a non-electrically conductive material. The body includes a radial outwardly facing edge and a radial inwardly facing edge. A plurality of openings extends between the radial inwardly facing edge and the radial outwardly facing edge formed in the body. The body is configured and disposed to be arranged at an axial end of the stator core with the plurality of openings registering with corresponding ones of a plurality of stator slots.

Abstract: A liquid-cooled rotary electric machine including jacket defining a heat transfer surface in conductive thermal communication with a stator and having an axial end portion partially enclosing an interior volume. A heat source is in conductive thermal communication with a wall of the jacket axial end portion. A fluid channel traverses the heat transfer surface between opposite axial ends of the jacket, and a fluid passage in fluid communication with the fluid channel is defined by jacket axial end portion walls. A flow path of liquid coolant through the machine is defined by the fluid channel and the fluid passage between a machine coolant inlet and outlet, whereby at least a portion of heat transferable between the heat source and the fluid passage is convectively transferable between the jacket axial end portion walls and liquid coolant along the flow path. Also a method for liquid-cooling a rotary electric machine.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a pair of substantially aligned sheet metal housing sections each including a substantially “L” shaped portion, at least one cooling channel being formed at an axial end between the two sections, and a plurality of power electronics components engaged with at least one of the housing sections adjacent the axial end cooling channel. An embodiment includes a stator, a pair of housing sections enclosing the stator, power electronics components positioned at an axial end of the electric machine for controlling operation of the electric machine, and a coolant flow path that includes a power electronics cooling channel formed at the axial end between the housing sections. A method includes forming an axial end cooling channel between two sheet metal housing sections, and positioning power electronics components at the axial end along the cooling channel, whereby heat from the electronics components is transferred to the cooling channel.

Abstract: An electric machine having a stator, a rotor and a housing assembly with two end caps and inner and outer axially extending members. The outer housing member is disposed about the inner member. Ribs extend from one housing member and engage the other housing member in an interstitial space. The other housing member may be a tubular sleeve. The ribs define axially extending fluid path segments within the interstitial space and the end caps close the opposite axial ends of the interstitial space and define an inlet and an outlet for a liquid coolant. The liquid coolant path may be serpentine. The housing member with ribs may include a sleeve portion with at least some ribs having a width greater than the radial thickness of the sleeve portion. Threaded fasteners can attach the end caps to the enlarged width ribs. The inner and outer housings are advantageously extrudable.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module including a housing that defines a machine cavity. A coolant jacket can be at least partially defined by the housing. In some embodiments, a plurality of coolant apertures can be disposed through portions of the housing to fluidly connect the coolant jacket and the machine cavity. One or more solenoid assemblies can be at least partially supported by the housing and positioned substantially adjacent to at least some of the coolant apertures. The solenoid assemblies can be configured to regulate passage of a coolant into the machine cavity from the coolant jacket.

Abstract: A cooling system of an electric machine includes a stator core, a housing, and a thermal interfacial material interposed between complementary mating surfaces of the stator core and the housing for substantially eliminating air gaps therebetween. A method of cooling an electric machine having a housing and a stator includes placing a thermal interfacial material onto a heat transfer interface between the stator and the housing, whereby the thermal interfacial material reduces contact resistance at the heat transfer interface. A method of cooling a stator of an electric machine includes heating a housing having a radially inner surface, coating a radially outer surface of the stator and/or the radially inner surface of the housing with a thermal interfacial material, and inserting the stator into the heated housing, whereby the thermal interfacial material is interposed between the inner surface of the housing and the outer surface of the stator.

Abstract: A conductor retention member for a stator core includes a body formed from a non-electrically conductive material. The body includes a radial outwardly facing edge and a radial inwardly facing edge. A plurality of openings extends between the radial inwardly facing edge and the radial outwardly facing edge formed in the body. The body is configured and disposed to be arranged at an axial end of the stator core with the plurality of openings registering with corresponding ones of a plurality of stator slots.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a core defining a first axial end, a second axial end opposite the first axial end, and a plurality of slots extending between the first axial end and the second axial end. Windings are wound on the core. The windings include in-slot portions positioned in the plurality of slots and end turn portions positioned on the first axial end and the second axial end. A cooling tube is coupled to the end turn portions of the windings. A heat transfer member extends between the cooling tube and the windings and is in contact with the cooling tube and the windings.

Abstract: An electric power source supplies electrical power to an electric machine of a vehicle via a plurality of high voltage lines. A plurality of connections are disposed within a housing for connecting the high voltage lines. A cover member encloses a hidden magnet and is removably secured to the housing so that removal is necessary to obtain access to the high voltage lines. A reed switch is mounted proximate the cover member, when secured, within a magnetic field of the magnet, whereby the reed switch is closed when the cover member is secured and is open when the cover member is removed. A controller is controllably coupled to the power source via a control connector and circuit of the electric machine. Such circuit extends from the reed switch to the controller, where the controller causes the electric power source to stop supplying electrical power when the cover member is removed.

Abstract: An embodiment of an electric machine includes inner and outer housing sections attached to one another to form, at an axial end of the electric machine, a cooling channel therebetween. Such electric machine also includes a bearing carrier coupled to the housing sections and radially registered to the inside diameter of the inner housing section. An embodiment of an electric machine includes annular, L-shaped inner and outer sheet metal housing sections enclosing a cooling channel at an axial end of the electric machine and otherwise being substantially parallel and contiguous, and includes a first bearing assembly coupled to the inner housing section.

Abstract: An induction rotor includes a rotor core having an axial end surface, an end ring proximate the axial end surface that provides electrical communication between respective ends of conductor bars extending through the rotor core, and an end ring support structure that includes a ring member at least partially embedded in the end ring. An end ring support structure may have at least one axially extending member coupled with the ring member, such axially extending member projecting axially inwardly of the axial end surface and engaging the rotor core. An end ring support structure may include a ring member having an axially extending portion embedded in the end ring between radially inner and outer surfaces of the end ring whereby the end ring includes an outer portion, radially outwardly of the axially extending portion, and an inner portion disposed radially inwardly of the axially extending portion of the ring member.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a core with a plurality of slots. A plurality of electric conductors are positioned in the slots. Each of the plurality of electric conductors includes a U-turn portion extending between two in-slot portions and connection ends extending from the in-slot portions. The connection ends are positioned on an opposite end of the core from the U-turn portions. A plurality of insulation tubes are positioned in the plurality of slots. The in-slot portions of the electric conductors extend through the insulation tubes.