# US 12,184,121 B2 · Support structure and segmented stator for an electric machine, wind turbine and method of manufacturing a support structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,184,121 B2 - Document ID: US12184121B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/799,704 - Filed: 2021-01-13 - Published: 2023-03-16 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-28 - Assignees: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S - Applicants: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S - Inventors: Simon Vyff Jensen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12184121B2 ## CPC - H02K 1/187: {to inner stators} - F03D 80/00: Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00 - H02K 7/183: {wherein the turbine is a wind turbine (adaptation of a wind turbine to an electric generator F03D9/25)} - H02K 7/1838: {Generators mounted in a nacelle or similar structure of a horizontal axis wind turbine} - F05B 2220/706: an electrical generator - F05B 2240/10: Stators - H02K 1/148: {Sectional cores (H02K1/141 takes precedence)} - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - F03D: WIND MOTORS - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A support structure for supporting a lamination stack and a winding structure in order to form a stator segment for an electric machine, in particular a wind turbine generator including (a) a frame including two parallel end plates and two side plates, the side plates extending between corresponding end portions of the end plates, (b) a plurality of internal connecting members extending within the frame between the end plates, and (c) a plurality of external connecting members extending outside of the frame, each external connecting member forming an extension of a corresponding internal connecting member beyond one of the end plates, wherein (d) the internal and external connecting members are adapted to engage with corresponding fastening members for securing a lamination stack. A stator segment, a wind turbine generator, and a method of manufacturing a support structure are also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A support structure for supporting a lamination stack and a winding structure to form a stator segment for an electric machine, the support structure comprising: a frame comprising two parallel end plates and two side plates, the side plates extending between corresponding end portions of the end plates, wherein at least one of the end plates is connected to a finger plate laterally spaced therefrom via a finger plate connecting structure, wherein the at least one of the end plates comprises a plurality of holes, and wherein the finger plate connecting structure comprises a plurality of hollow cylindrical spacers receiving a plurality of bolts extending between the finger plate and the at least one of the end plates, a plurality of internal connecting members extending within the frame between the end plates, and a plurality of external connecting members extending outside of the frame, each external connecting member forming an extension of a corresponding internal connecting member beyond the at least one of the end plates, wherein the plurality of external connecting members each have a u-shaped cross section, wherein each of the u-shaped cross sections has a height that decreases with increasing distance away from the at least one of the end plates, and wherein the internal and external connecting members are adapted to engage with corresponding fastening members for securing a lamination stack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The support structure according to claim 1, wherein the external connecting members extending from one of the end plates have a first length and the external connecting members extending from the other one of the end plates have a second length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The support structure according to claim 2, wherein the first length and the second length are between 5% and 25% of the length of the lamination stack. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The support structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the internal connecting members and external connecting members comprises a plurality of holes for allowing a bolt connection with the corresponding fastening members. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The support structure according to claim 1, wherein the end plates have an arc-like shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The support structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the two side plates comprises side connecting members for mechanically connecting the support structure with a neighboring support structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A stator for a wind turbine generator, the stator comprising a plurality of interconnected stator segments, wherein each stator segment comprises the support structure according to claim 1, a lamination stack and a winding structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A wind turbine comprising the stator according to claim 7. ### Claim 9 A method of manufacturing a support structure for supporting a lamination stack and a winding structure in order to form a stator segment for an electric machine, the method comprising providing a frame comprising two parallel end plates and two side plates, the side plates extending between corresponding end portions of the end plates, wherein at least one of the end plates is connected to a finger plate laterally spaced therefrom via a finger plate connecting structure, wherein the at least one of the end plates comprises a plurality of holes, and wherein the finger plate connecting structure comprises a plurality of hollow cylindrical spacers receiving a plurality of bolts extending between the finger plate and the at least one of the end plates, providing a plurality of internal connecting members extending within the frame between the end plates, and providing a plurality of external connecting members extending outside of the frame, each external connecting member forming an extension of a corresponding internal connecting member beyond the at least one of the end plates, wherein the plurality of external connecting members each have a u-shaped cross section, wherein each of the u-shaped cross sections has a height that decreases with increasing distance away from the at least one of the end plates, and wherein the internal and external connecting members are adapted to engage with corresponding fastening members for securing a lamination stack.