Caseless electric motor with a stationary shaft for marine environments

A motor having a longitudinal axis, the motor comprising:

• a stator assembly centered around the longitudinal axis, the stator assembly including,
• a cylindrically shaped stator yoke having an inward surface defining a plurality of inward radially projecting fingers forming a plurality of longitudinal spaces circumferentially positioned about the longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of groups of longitudinal electrical conductors positioned within the plurality of longitudinal spaces;
• a first alignment ring positioned longitudinally adjacent to a first end of the stator yoke having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures for engaging and positioning the plurality of electrical conductors;
• a second alignment ring positioned longitudinally adjacent to a second end of the stator yoke having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures for engaging and positioning the plurality of electrical conductors;
• a plurality of connecting conductors positioned longitudinally adjacent to the first alignment ring and electrically coupling the electrical conductors of each group together;
• a first multi-step water resistant circular seal positioned longitudinally adjacent to the first end of the stator yoke;
• a second multi-step water resistant circular seal positioned longitudinally adjacent to the second end of the stator yoke;
• a rotor assembly concentrically centered about the longitudinal axis with respect to the stator assembly and positioned within the stator assembly;
• the rotor assembly including,
• a cylindrically shaped rotor yoke coupled to a plurality of elongated magnets circumferentially spaced about an exterior surface of the rotor yoke;
• wherein the rotor yoke includes an interior surface defining a first plurality of circumferentially spaced torque transfer surfaces;
• an impeller concentrically centered about the longitudinal axis and positioned within the rotor assembly, the impeller including,
• a cylindrical shaped outer shell having an exterior surface defining a second plurality of circumferentially spaced torque transfer surfaces sized and shaped to engage the first plurality of torque transfer surfaces;
• a center shaft;
• at least one blades coupling the center shaft to the outer shell;
• wherein the electrical conductors within the plurality of groups of longitudinal electrical conductors are u-shaped conductors having a first leg positioned within a first longitudinal space of the plurality of longitudinal spaces and a second leg positioned within an adjacent space of the plurality of longitudinal spaces, and
• wherein the plurality of connecting conductors is a plurality of semi-circular shaped bus-bars having a rectangular cross section and apertures for engaging ends of a group of longitudinal electrical conductors.

A motor having a longitudinal axis, the motor comprising:

• a stator assembly centered around the longitudinal axis, the stator assembly including,
• a cylindrically shaped stator yoke having an inward surface defining a plurality of inward radially projecting fingers forming a plurality of longitudinal spaces circumferentially positioned about the longitudinal axis;
• a plurality of groups of longitudinal electrical conductors positioned within the plurality of longitudinal spaces;
• a first alignment ring positioned longitudinally adjacent to a first end of the stator yoke having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures for engaging and positioning the plurality of electrical conductors;
• a second alignment ring positioned longitudinally adjacent to a second end of the stator yoke having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures for engaging and positioning the plurality of electrical conductors;
• a plurality of connecting conductors positioned longitudinally adjacent to the first alignment ring and electrically coupling the electrical conductors of each group together;
• a first multi-step water resistant circular seal positioned longitudinally adjacent to the first end of the stator yoke;
• a second multi-step water resistant circular seal positioned longitudinally adjacent to the second end of the stator yoke;
• a rotor assembly concentrically centered about the longitudinal axis with respect to the stator assembly and positioned within the stator assembly;
• the rotor assembly including,
• a cylindrically shaped rotor yoke coupled to a plurality of elongated magnets circumferentially spaced about an exterior surface of the rotor yoke;
• wherein the rotor yoke includes an interior surface defining a first plurality of circumferentially spaced torque transfer surfaces;
• an impeller concentrically centered about the longitudinal axis and positioned within the rotor assembly, the impeller including,
• a cylindrical shaped outer shell having an exterior surface defining a second plurality of circumferentially spaced torque transfer surfaces sized and shaped to engage the first plurality of torque transfer surfaces;
• a center shaft;
• at least one blades coupling the center shaft to the outer shell;
• wherein the cylindrically shaped stator yoke includes an exterior surface defining a plurality of longitudinal channels circumferentially positioned about the exterior surface to minimize impacts on torque created by an interaction of the stator assembly with rotor assembly.

A method of rotating an impeller without a drive shaft, the method comprising:

• concentrically coupling an impeller having a longitudinal axis to an interior surface of a rotor yoke wherein the rotor yoke has an exterior surface containing a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongated magnets;
• positioning the rotor yoke concentrically inside a cylindrical shaped stator yoke wherein the stator yoke comprises an interior defined by longitudinal spaces circumferentially positioned about the longitudinal axis and having one or more groups of conductors positioned within longitudinal spaces;
• electrically coupling individual conductors within each group of conductors to each other;
• energizing at least one group of conductors which causes the elongated magnets to rotate about the longitudinal axis;
• causing the rotor yoke to rotate which in turn causes the impeller to rotate about the longitudinal axis;
• and
• stabilizing the rotation of the impeller with a stationary center shaft positioned within the impeller and concentrically centered about the longitudinal axis.