# US 2017/0288486 A1 · Spoked rotor for an electric motor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0288486 A1 - Document ID: US20170288486A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/622,190 - Filed: 2017-06-14 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-03 - Assignees: Nidec Motor Corporation - Applicants: Nidec Motor Corporation - Inventors: KEITH I. HOEMANN; MICHAEL W. MAJOR; PHILIP S. JOHNSON; WILLIAM R. LEWIS; KENT A. SHEERAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170288486A1 ## CPC - H02K 1/2773: {consisting of tangentially magnetized radial magnets} - H02K 1/30: using intermediate parts, e.g. spiders - H02K 15/12: Impregnating, moulding insulation, heating or drying of windings, stators, rotors or machines - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract A rotor is provided for use in an electric motor. The rotor includes a shaft assembly rotatable about an axis. The rotor also includes a plurality of magnets arranged arcuately about the shaft assembly, and a plurality of pole segments arranged arcuately about the shaft assembly. The pole segments alternate with the magnets, such that each of the magnets is at least in part interposed between adjacent pole segments. The pole segments interlock with the coupling element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotor for use in an electric motor, said rotor comprising: a shaft assembly rotatable about an axis and including a shaft, a coupling element, and a key interconnecting the shaft and the coupling element; a plurality of magnets arranged arcuately about the shaft assembly; and a plurality of pole segments arranged arcuately about the shaft assembly, said pole segments alternating with the magnets, such that each of said magnets is at least in part interposed between adjacent pole segments, said pole segments interlocking with the coupling element, said coupling element comprising a monolithic, homogenous body that extends circumferentially about the shaft, with the body projecting from the shaft to interlock with the pole segments. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotor as claimed in claim 1, said shaft assembly being magnetically isolated from said pole segments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotor as claimed in claim 2, said coupling element comprising an electrically conductive material powder-coated with an at least substantially electrically insulative material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotor as claimed in claim 1, said pole segments interlocking with said coupling element via a dovetail connection. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The rotor as claimed in claim 4, each of said pole segments comprising a metal and including— a dovetail projection having oppositely arcuately spaced pole segment shoulders, oppositely circumferentially outwardly projecting tabs spaced radially outwardly from said pole segment shoulders, said coupling element comprising a metal and including a plurality of arcuately spaced pairs of shoulders, each pair comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder together at least partly circumscribing and defining a dovetail recess, wherein, each of said pole segment shoulders is spaced radially inside and is adjacent to a respective one of said coupling element shoulders, each of said coupling element shoulders is spaced radially inside and is adjacent to a respective one of said tabs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: retention structure securing the pole segments relative to one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The rotor as claimed in claim 6, said retention structure being formed of a magnetically insulative material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The rotor as claimed in claim 6, said retention structure comprising a body overmolded over at least portions of the pole segments. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The rotor as claimed in claim 8, said body being overmolded over the coupling element so as to secure the shaft assembly and pole segments to one another. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The rotor as claimed in claim 9, said shaft assembly being magnetically and electrically isolated from said pole segments. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The rotor as claimed in claim 9, each of said magnets presenting a radially innermost face abutting the body, said body being overmolded over at least portions of the magnets so as to secure the magnets relative to one another and relative to the pole segments. ### Claim 12 A rotor for use in an electric motor, said rotor comprising: a shaft assembly rotatable about an axis and including a shaft and a metal coupling element; a plurality of magnets arranged arcuately about the shaft assembly; and a plurality of pole segments arranged arcuately about the shaft assembly, said pole segments alternating with the magnets, such that each of said magnets is at least in part interposed between adjacent pole segments, said pole segments interlocking with the coupling element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The rotor as claimed in claim 12, said shaft assembly being magnetically isolated from said pole segments. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The rotor as claimed in claim 13, said coupling element comprising an electrically conductive material powder-coated with an at least substantially electrically insulative material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The rotor as claimed in claim 12, said pole segments interlocking with said coupling element via a dovetail connection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The rotor as claimed in claim 15, each of said pole segments comprising a metal and including— a dovetail projection having oppositely arcuately spaced pole segment shoulders, oppositely circumferentially outwardly projecting tabs spaced radially outwardly from said pole segment shoulders, said coupling element including a plurality of arcuately spaced pairs of shoulders, each pair comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder at least partly circumscribing and defining a dovetail recess, wherein, each of said pole segment shoulders is spaced radially inside and is adjacent to a respective one of said coupling element shoulders, each of said coupling element shoulders is spaced radially inside and is adjacent to a respective one of said tabs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The rotor as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: retention structure securing the pole segments relative to one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The rotor as claimed in claim 17, said retention structure being formed of a magnetically insulative material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The rotor as claimed in claim 17, said retention structure comprising a body overmolded over at least portions of the pole segments. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The rotor as claimed in claim 19, said body being overmolded over the coupling element so as to secure the shaft assembly and pole segments to one another. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The rotor as claimed in claim 20, said shaft assembly being magnetically and electrically isolated from said pole segments. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The rotor as claimed in claim 20, each of said magnets presenting a radially innermost face abutting the body, said body being overmolded over at least portions of the magnets so as to secure the magnets relative to one another and relative to the pole segments. ### Claim 23 (depends on 12) The rotor as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a key interconnecting the shaft to the metal coupling element.