Abstract: An energy storage device for storing energy for starting an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle includes a DC-DC converter, a plurality of capacitors connected electrically to the DC-DC converter, and a housing for containing the DC-DC converter and the capacitors. The DC-DC converter converts a voltage provided by the motor vehicle's battery to a second voltage stored by the capacitors. During an engine start cycle, energy discharges from the capacitors to the starter motor of the engine, wherein the stored voltage of the capacitors provides energy to start the engine. The capacitors are recharged by the vehicle's battery. A thermally insulated barrier separates the DC-DC converter and the capacitors. The housing may be sized and shaped substantially as that of a standard motor vehicle battery, enabling the energy storage device to be installed within the motor vehicle as a substitute for one or more of the vehicle's batteries.

Abstract: A rotor assembly is disclosed for use with an alternator. The rotor assembly includes a bobbin assembly, a claw pole assembly having an integrated hub on which the bobbin assembly is positioned, a shaft that is received in the claw pole assembly, and a slipring assembly connected to the shaft. The bobbin assembly includes thin first and second end caps, a metal sleeve, a ring of inner tape, a field coil, and a ring of outer tape. The first and second end caps each have inner and outer flaps. The inner flaps are folded inwardly so that the end caps fit over the metal sleeve. The ring of inner tape is wrapped around the inner flaps of both end caps to adhere the first and second end caps to the metal sleeve. The field coil is wrapped around the inner ring of tape, inner end caps, and metal sleeve. The outer flaps on the end caps are inwardly folded around the field coil. The ring of outer tape is adhered to the folded outer flaps and the field coil.

Abstract: A rotor assembly is disclosed for use with an alternator. The rotor assembly includes a bobbin assembly, a claw pole assembly having an integrated hub on which the bobbin assembly is positioned, a shaft that is received in the claw pole assembly, and a slipring assembly connected to the shaft. The bobbin assembly includes thin first and second end caps, a metal sleeve, a ring of inner tape, a field coil, and a ring of outer tape. The first and second end caps each have inner and outer flaps. The inner flaps are folded inwardly so that the end caps fit over the metal sleeve. The ring of inner tape is wrapped around the inner flaps of both end caps to adhere the first and second end caps to the metal sleeve. The field coil is wrapped around the inner ring of tape, inner end caps, and metal sleeve. The outer flaps on the end caps are inwardly folded around the field coil. The ring of outer tape is adhered to the folded outer flaps and the field coil.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electric machine. The electric machine includes, a housing defining an internal volume, a stationary shaft fixedly attached to the housing, a stationary field coil attached to the shaft, a pole assembly rotatable about the shaft, and a pulley fixedly attached to the pole assembly being positioned externally of the internal volume.

Abstract: A dynamoelectric machine insulator includes, a body having a plurality of holes therethrough at least some of the plurality of holes being receptive of a lead such that a lead extending through each of the plurality of holes is electrically isolated from a lead extending through each of the other of the plurality of holes, and at least one channel in the body extending arcuately along a perimetrical extent of the body. The at least one channel configured and dimensioned to insulate at least one lead routed therein.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rotor assembly for an electric machine including a stationary shaft, a first bearing, a second bearing, a first pole segment, a second pole segment, a first internal fan, and a second internal. The first bearing is positioned at a first end of the shaft. The second bearing is positioned at a second end of the shaft. The first pole segment is supported by the first bearing and is rotatable about the shaft. The second pole segment is supported by the second bearing and is rotatable about the shaft. The first internal fan is attached to the first pole segment. And, the second internal fan is attached to the second pole segment.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a brushless electric machine comprising, a housing, a stationary field coil, a shaft, a bearing, a pole segment, and a stator. The stator including a core having a plurality of core slots that extend between a first and a second end of the stator core. The stator also including a winding with a plurality of phases, each of the phases having at least one conductor having a plurality of substantially straight segments disposed in the core slots. The straight segments are alternately connected at the first and the second ends of the stator core by a plurality of end loop segments. A section of at least one of the conductors including three consecutive end loop segments and two straight segments, is formed from a single continuous conductor, and one of the core slots houses a plurality of the straight segments arranged in at least one radial row.

Abstract: The apparatus disclosed herein relates to a pole piece for an electric machine comprising, a pole piece with a finger support structure, a plurality of fingers having an axial component of extension relative to the finger support structure, a coil contact surface and at least one of a protrusion or a depression having an axial component of extension relative to the coil contact surface. Further disclosed is a method that relates to assembling a coil to pole pieces comprising, axially compressing a coil between coil contact surfaces of a pair of opposing pole pieces and deforming the coil axially and without radial deformation with at least one of protrusions and depressions in the coil contact surfaces of the pole pieces thereby rotationally fixing the coil to the pole pieces.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electric machine. The electric machine includes, a housing defining an internal volume, a stationary shaft fixedly attached to the housing, a stationary field coil attached to the shaft, a pole assembly rotatable about the shaft, and a pulley fixedly attached to the pole assembly being positioned externally of the internal volume.

Abstract: An energy storage device for storing energy for starting an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle includes a DC-DC converter, a plurality of capacitors connected electrically to the DC-DC converter, and a housing for containing the DC-DC converter and the capacitors. The DC-DC converter converts a voltage provided by the motor vehicle's battery to a second voltage stored by the capacitors. During an engine start cycle, energy discharges from the capacitors to the starter motor of the engine, wherein the stored voltage of the capacitors provides energy to start the engine. The capacitors are recharged by the vehicle's battery. A thermally insulated barrier separates the DC-DC converter and the capacitors. The housing may be sized and shaped substantially as that of a standard motor vehicle battery, enabling the energy storage device to be installed within the motor vehicle as a substitute for one or more of the vehicle's batteries.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that relates to a bobbin of a dynamoelectric machine. The bobbin comprising, a central hub with radial surfaces on axial ends thereof receivable of end caps attachable to the radial surfaces. The central hub is receivable of a wire winding, and at least one radial protrusion extending radially outwardly from one of the radial surfaces is receivable of a wrapped end of the wire winding.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rotor assembly for an electric machine. The rotor assembly includes a shaft, at least one slip ring, a field coil, a first pole segment, and a wire retainer. The at least one slip ring is attached to the shaft. The field coil surrounds the shaft such that the field coil has one or more wire sections in electrical communication with the at least one slip ring. The first pole segment rotates with the shaft. And, the wire retainer is disposed between the field coil and the at least one slip ring such that the wire retainer includes at least one opening, disposed along an outer periphery of the pole segment, for routing the one or more wire sections.

Abstract: The apparatus disclosed herein relates to a pole piece for an electric machine comprising, a pole piece with a finger support structure, a plurality of fingers having an axial component of extension relative to the finger support structure, a coil contact surface and at least one of a protrusion or a depression having an axial component of extension relative to the coil contact surface. Further disclosed is a method that relates to assembling a coil to pole pieces comprising, axially compressing a coil between coil contact surfaces of a pair of opposing pole pieces and deforming the coil axially and without radial deformation with at least one of protrusions and depressions in the coil contact surfaces of the pole pieces thereby rotationally fixing the coil to the pole pieces.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a brushless electric machine comprising, a housing, a stationary field coil, a shaft, a bearing, a pole segment, and a stator. The stator including a core having a plurality of core slots that extend between a first and a second end of the stator core. The stator also including a winding with a plurality of phases, each of the phases having at least one conductor having a plurality of substantially straight segments disposed in the core slots. The straight segments are alternately connected at the first and the second ends of the stator core by a plurality of end loop segments. A section of at least one of the conductors including three consecutive end loop segments and two straight segments, is formed from a single continuous conductor, and one of the core slots houses a plurality of the straight segments arranged in at least one radial row.

Abstract: An electric machine for a motor vehicle is provided, the electric machine generally comprising a claw-pole rotor and a stator circumscribing the rotor. Adjacent pole fingers of the rotor define a distance P representing the axial distance between the magnetic centers of the adjacent pole fingers. The stator generally includes a stator core defining a distance H representing the axial height of the lamination stack. Preferably, the electric machine has a ratio of P to H (P/H) in the range of 0.29 to 0.45, resulting in an improvement in the power output of the electric machine.

Abstract: An alternator of the present invention includes a housing, a stator assembly mounted stationary within the housing, and a rotor assembly mounted rotatably within the housing in functional engagement with the stator assembly. An air gap extends annularly around the alternator between the rotor assembly and the stator assembly. The rotor assembly has a first end and a second end, and the air gap has a non-uniform thickness that varies along the axial length of the rotor assembly between the first and second ends of the rotor assembly. This non-uniform thickness is designed to avoid interference between rotor outer surface and stator inner surface at high rotor spin speed, but minimize the averaged air gap thickness for high alternator performance.

Abstract: A bobbin for a rotor is of a three-piece construction which allows for greater heat transfer, increased percentage fill, and hence increased power density of the alternator. Preferably, the three-piece assembly includes an injection molded plastic core, and opposing end caps constructed of a laminate material having good tearresistance.

Abstract: An alternator of the present invention includes a housing, a stator assembly mounted stationary within the housing, and a rotor assembly mounted rotatably within the housing in functional engagement with the stator assembly. An air gap extends annularly around the alternator between the rotor assembly and the stator assembly. The rotor assembly has a first end and a second end, and the air gap has a non-uniform thickness that varies along the axial length of the rotor assembly between the first and second ends of the rotor assembly. This non-uniform thickness is designed to avoid interference between rotor outer surface and stator inner surface at high rotor spin speed, but minimize the averaged air gap thickness for high alternator performance.

Abstract: A method is performed for attaching a fan to a rotor assembly for a dynamounted electric machine. A shaft is mounted within a housing of the dynamo-electric machine. The shaft includes an integral shoulder portion for creating an abutment surface. A fan which includes a fan base and a plurality of fan blades protruding from the fan base is mounted on the shaft. The fan base has a central bore wherein an inner circumference of the fan base along the central bore is juxtaposed to the abutment surface. A pair of pole cores is mounted axially along the shaft toward the shoulder portion so as to clamp the fan between a respective end of the pole cores and the abutment surface.

Abstract: A method is performed for attaching a fan to a rotor assembly for a dynamo-electric machine. A shaft is mounted within a housing of the dynamo-electric machine. The shaft includes an integral shoulder portion for creating an abutment surface. A fan which includes a fan base and a plurality of fan blades protruding from the fan base is mounted on the shaft. The fan base has a central bore wherein an inner circumference of the fan base along the central bore is juxtaposed to the abutment surface. A pair of pole cores is mounted axially along the shaft toward the shoulder portion so as to clamp the fan between a respective end of the pole cores and the abutment surface.