Armature with regular windings and having a high conductor density
AssigneeNikon Corporation of Japan
InventorsAndrew J. Hazelton, W. Thomas Novak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Regular windings for use in an armature in an electric motor. Windings, each having approximately the same shape as a regular winding, may be overlapped to increase a conductor density within a volume encompassing portions of the windings by having a portion of each winding at least partially fill an aperture of an adjacent overlapping winding. The windings are associated with phases used to operate an electric motor. The windings and armature should be particularly useful in linear electric motors and in steppers used in semiconductor manufacture. Windings of the same shape improve manufacturability of the armature and electric motor. High conductor densities in the windings significantly improve efficiency of the electric motor.
Claims20
An armature comprising:
- a plurality of regular windings, each of said plurality of regular windings responsive to electrical current and having approximately a same shape, said shape forming an aperture, said plurality of regular windings arranged in overlapping fashion and having a portion of said each winding at least partially fill an aperture of an adjacent overlapping winding;
- an enclosure surrounding said plurality of regular windings;
- and
- at least one thermal insulator disposed between a portion of said plurality of regular windings and a portion of said enclosure to prevent heat transfer between said plurality of regular windings and said enclosure and to form a gap between remaining portions of said windings and said enclosure where said at least one thermal insulator is not disposed;
- wherein a subset of said plurality of regular windings is assigned to a phase such that windings in said subset substantially do not overlap each other within a volume.
A method of making an armature, the method comprising:
- arranging a plurality of regular windings each of said plurality of regular windings having approximately a same shape and being responsive to electrical current, said shape forming an aperture, in overlapping fashion by at least partially filling an aperture of a winding adjacent and overlapping said each winding with a portion of said each winding wherein a subset of said plurality of regular windings is assigned to a phase such that windings in said subset substantially do not overlap each other within a volume;
- impregnating said plurality of regular windings with an adhesive to bind said plurality of regular windings to each other;
- surrounding said plurality of regular windings with an enclosure;
- and
- disposing at least one thermal insulator between a portion of said plurality of regular windings and a portion of said enclosure to prevent heat transfer between said plurality of regular windings and said enclosure and to form a gap between remaining portions of said windings and said enclosure where said at least one thermal insulator is not disposed.
An electric motor comprising:
- a plurality of periodically spaced magnetic fields;
- and
- an armature having a plurality of regular conductor windings, each of said plurality of regular conductor windings having approximately a same shape, said plurality of regular conductor windings arranged in overlapping fashion wherein regular conductor windings in a phase group substantially do not overlap each other, such that when electrical current is applied to said plurality of regular conductor windings, said electrical current interacts with said plurality of periodically spaced magnetic fields to cause said armature to move relative to said plurality of periodically spaced magnetic fields, said armature further comprising an enclosure surrounding said plurality of regular windings and at least one thermal insulator disposed between a portion of said plurality of regular windings and a portion of said enclosure to prevent heat transfer between said plurality of regular windings and said enclosure and to form a gap between remaining portions of said windings and said enclosure where said at least one thermal insulator is not disposed;
- a header having a channel therein, a portion of said armature being inserted into said channel;
- and
- an adhesive substance within said channel, said adhesive substance binding said portion of said armature to said header.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.