Multi-gap rotating electric machine

A multi-gap rotating electric machine comprising:

• an annular rotor connected to a rotating shaft;
• a stator core having, at least, an inner core part and an outer core part, the inner core part having an annular shape and being located radially inside of the rotor with a radially inner magnetic gap formed between the inner core part and the rotor, the inner core part having a plurality of slots formed at a constant pitch in a circumferential direction of the inner core part, the outer core part having an annular shape and being located radially outside of the rotor with a radially outer magnetic gap formed between the outer core part and the rotor, the outer core part having a plurality of slots formed at a constant pitch in a circumferential direction of the outer core part;
• and
• a multi-phase stator coil including a plurality of phase coils, each of the phase coils being formed of a plurality of electric conductor segments mounted on the stator core,
• wherein
• each of the slots of the inner core part of the stator core is formed so as to be at least partially closed at a radially outer periphery of the inner core part,
• each of the slots of the outer core part of the stator core is formed so as to be at least partially closed at a radially inner periphery of the outer core part,
• each of the electric conductor segments forming the phase coils of the stator coil is substantially U-shaped to have a first leg portion inserted in a corresponding one of the slots of the inner core part of the stator core, a second leg portion inserted in a corresponding one of the slots of the outer core part of the stator core, and a connecting portion that connects the first and second leg portions on one axial side of the rotor,
• the first leg portion has a distal end part that protrudes from the corresponding slot of the inner core part of the stator core on the opposite axial side to the connecting portion of the electric conductor segment,
• the distal end part of the first leg portions is bent to extend along the circumferential direction of the inner core part and thereby forms a radially inner coil end part of the electric conductor segment,
• the second leg portion has a distal end part that protrudes from the corresponding slot of the outer core part of the stator core on the opposite axial side to the connecting portion of the electric conductor segment,
• the distal end part of the second leg portion is bent to extend along the circumferential direction of the outer core part and thereby forms a radially outer coil end part of the electric conductor segment,
• each corresponding pair of the radially inner coil end parts of the electric conductor segments are joined to each other, and
• each corresponding pair of the radially outer coil end parts of the electric conductor segments are joined to each other.