Abstract: Electric motors are disclosed. The motors are preferably for use in an automated vehicle, although any one or more of a variety of motor uses are suitable. The motors include lift, turntable, and locomotion motors.

Abstract: An example end cap of a stator segment is provided for use in locating wires in a segmented stator assembly in desired positions. The end cap generally includes a body and an inboard wall. An identifier is defined by the inboard wall of the end cap for use in determining wire sizes to be used with the end cap. Terminal pockets are provided in the body for receiving the wires and making desired electrical connections, and steps located in the terminal pockets help secure the connectors in the terminal pockets. Plateaus, and troughs defined in the plateaus, are located outside the terminal pockets for use in trimming wires received in the terminal pockets as desired. And, retaining structures are located around the end cap to help with locating the wires in the desired positions.

Abstract: An example end cap of a stator segment is provided for use in locating wires in a segmented stator assembly in desired positions. The end cap generally includes a body and an inboard wall. An identifier is defined by the inboard wall of the end cap for use in determining wire sizes to be used with the end cap. Terminal pockets are provided in the body for receiving the wires and making desired electrical connections, and steps located in the terminal pockets help secure the connectors in the terminal pockets. Plateaus, and troughs defined in the plateaus, are located outside the terminal pockets for use in trimming wires received in the terminal pockets as desired. And, retaining structures are located around the end cap to help with locating the wires in the desired positions.

Abstract: An example end cap of a stator segment is provided for use in locating wires in a segmented stator assembly in desired positions. The end cap generally includes a body and an inboard wall. An identifier is defined by the inboard wall of the end cap for use in determining wire sizes to be used with the end cap. Terminal pockets are provided in the body for receiving the wires and making desired electrical connections, and steps located in the terminal pockets help secure the connectors in the terminal pockets. Plateaus, and troughs defined in the plateaus, are located outside the terminal pockets for use in trimming wires received in the terminal pockets as desired. And, retaining structures are located around the end cap to help with locating the wires in the desired positions.

Abstract: An example end cap of a stator segment is provided for use in locating wires in a segmented stator assembly in desired positions. The end cap generally includes a body and an inboard wall. An identifier is defined by the inboard wall of the end cap for use in determining wire sizes to be used with the end cap. Terminal pockets are provided in the body for receiving the wires and making desired electrical connections, and steps located in the terminal pockets help secure the connectors in the terminal pockets. Plateaus, and troughs defined in the plateaus, are located outside the terminal pockets for use in trimming wires received in the terminal pockets as desired. And, retaining structures are located around the end cap to help with locating the wires in the desired positions.

Abstract: A stator for an electromagnetic machine includes a plurality of discrete and individually wound stator segments having end caps positioned on the segments. The end caps have legs for positioning the end cap on the segments with an interference fit. The end caps have angled surfaces to facilitate winding of wire on the segments. The end caps have male and female couplings that mate together to couple adjacent segments together. The end caps have fingers and slots for aligning the segments on substantially the same plane. The end caps have wire isolation features, including hooks, shelves and ledges, for separating the interconnect wires routed on the stator to electrically interconnect the segments. The segments include scalloped contours on their outer edges for draining oil, and the end caps have passages for draining oil.

Abstract: A stator segment for a segmented stator of an electric machine includes insulative material configured for overlapping with insulative material of an adjacent stator segment to provide continuous insulation along a joint between the adjacent stator segments. Additionally, or alternatively, the stator segment can include one or more alignment tabs configured to engage a surface of an adjacent stator segment to inhibit relative axial movement between adjacent stator segments.

Abstract: A method of stitching a plurality of interconnect wires on a stator of an electromagnetic machine is disclosed. The stator includes a plurality of discrete and individually wound stator segments having end caps positioned on the segments. The end caps have wire isolation features, including hooks, shelves and ledges, for separating the interconnect wires routed on the stator to electrically interconnect the segments. The method includes routing the interconnect wires between portions of the stator such that portions of the interconnect wires overlap and separating the overlapping portions in an axial direction with the wire isolation elements.

Abstract: An electric terminal connector block is provided with oblong tool openings that communicate with interior channels of the connector block and with openings in the motor wiring electric terminals positioned in each channel of the connector block. The oblong shapes of the tool openings enable insertion of tool pins through the tool openings and openings of the electric terminals and movement of the tool pins along the lengths of the oblong tool openings whereby the tool pins engage with the electric terminals and move the terminals relative to the connector block to insure that the terminals are locked in place in the connector block. In addition, the tooling used with the connector block is operated according to a method that insures that the terminals of the motor winding are moved to a position relative to the connector block where the terminals are locked in place.

Abstract: A stator assembly has discrete stacks of laminations. A plurality of nonmagnetic containment structures define pockets. The stacks are at least partially received in the pockets and coupled to one another by the containment structure. The containment structures are moveable between a first configuration in which the stacks are separate from one another and a second configuration in which yokes of adjacent stacks are in physical contact with one another. In a method of making a stator assembly, a plurality of stator segments are positioned so each is received in one of a plurality of pockets in a containment structure. Coils are wound around each stator segment while the containment structure prevents the stator segment from having direct physical contact with another stator segment. The containment structure is reconfigured to bring the wound stator segments into contact with one another, thereby forming a closed magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A stator for an electromagnetic machine includes a plurality of discrete and individually wound stator segments having end caps positioned on the segments. The end caps have legs for positioning the end cap on the segments with an interference fit. The end caps have angled surfaces to facilitate winding of wire on the segments. The end caps have male and female couplings that mate together to couple adjacent segments together. The end caps have fingers and slots for aligning the segments on substantially the same plane. The end caps have wire isolation features, including hooks, shelves and ledges, for separating the interconnect wires routed on the stator to electrically interconnect the segments. The segments include scalloped contours on their outer edges for draining oil, and the end caps have passages for draining oil.

Abstract: A stator for an electromagnetic machine includes a plurality of discrete and individually wound stator segments having end caps positioned on the segments. The end caps have legs for positioning the end cap on the segments with an interference fit. The end caps have angled surfaces to facilitate winding of wire on the segments. The end caps have male and female couplings that mate together to couple adjacent segments together. The end caps have fingers and slots for aligning the segments on substantially the same plane. The end caps have wire isolation features, including hooks, shelves and ledges, for separating the interconnect wires routed on the stator to electrically interconnect the segments. The segments include scalloped contours on their outer edges for draining oil, and the end caps have passages for draining oil.

Abstract: A stator assembly has discrete stacks of laminations. A plurality of nonmagnetic containment structures define pockets. The stacks are at least partially received in the pockets and coupled to one another by the containment structure. The containment structures are moveable between a first configuration in which the stacks are separate from one another and a second configuration in which yokes of adjacent stacks are in physical contact with one another. In a method of making a stator assembly, a plurality of stator segments are positioned so each is received in one of a plurality of pockets in a containment structure. Coils are wound around each stator segment while the containment structure prevents the stator segment from having direct physical contact with another stator segment. The containment structure is reconfigured to bring the wound stator segments into contact with one another, thereby forming a closed magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A stator for an electromagnetic machine includes a plurality of discrete and individually wound stator segments having end caps positioned on the segments. The end caps have legs for positioning the end cap on the segments with an interference fit. The end caps have angled surfaces to facilitate winding of wire on the segments. The end caps have male and female couplings that mate together to couple adjacent segments together. The end caps have fingers and slots for aligning the segments on substantially the same plane. The end caps have wire isolation features, including hooks, shelves and ledges, for separating the interconnect wires routed on the stator to electrically interconnect the segments. The segments include scalloped contours on their outer edges for draining oil, and the end caps have passages for draining oil.

Abstract: A stator segment for a stator assembly includes a stack of substantially identical laminations and a containment structure receiving a portion of the stacked laminations. The containment structure includes a flexible hinge element. The containment structure can include a first containment structure member having a first pocket for receiving a portion of the stack of substantially identical laminations and a second containment structure member having a second pocket for receiving a different portion of the stack of substantially identical laminations than the first pocket. In some embodiments, the stack of substantially identical laminations includes two ends and a middle portion extending between the ends. The containment structure can include a first containment structure member for capping one end of the stack of substantially identical laminations and a second containment structure member for capping the other end of the stack of substantially identical laminations.

Abstract: A method of assembling an electric machine generally includes heating a housing to thermally expand the housing. The housing is allowed to cool and thermally contract against an end shield and a rotor assembly such that interference fits are formed between the housing and the end shield and between the housing and the rotor assembly.

Abstract: A stator for an electromagnetic machine includes a plurality of discrete and individually wound stator segments having end caps positioned on the segments. The end caps have legs for positioning the end cap on the segments with an interference fit. The end caps have angled surfaces to facilitate winding of wire on the segments. The end caps have male and female couplings that mate together to couple adjacent segments together. The end caps have fingers and slots for aligning the segments on substantially the same plane. The end caps have wire isolation features, including hooks, shelves and ledges, for separating the interconnect wires routed on the stator to electrically interconnect the segments. The segments include scalloped contours on their outer edges for draining oil, and the end caps have passages for draining oil.