Rotary electric machine for vehicles

An on-vehicle rotary electric machine, comprising:

• a rotary shaft driven to rotate, the shaft having a longitudinal axis defining an axial direction, radii defining a radial direction, and a circumference defining a circumferential direction;
• a pole core secured on the rotary shaft;
• a plurality of magnetic poles formed as parts of the pole core, the magnetic poles being located at intervals in the circumferential direction, passing magnetic flux between two mutually-adjacent magnetic poles, and each having an axial inner surface directed inward in the axial direction;
• a plurality of permanent magnets each intervening between the two mutually-adjacent magnetic poles, each magnet being magnetized to reduce leakage of the magnetic flux to be passed;
• and
• a plurality of holding members each holding therein each permanent magnet between the two mutually-adjacent magnetic poles, each holding member being formed as a rectangular box-shaped hollow frame member and being secured between the two mutually-adjacent magnetic poles and each holding member having:
• a first plate portion enclosing a radially outer surface of each permanent magnet in the axial direction and being located in each circumferential interval between two mutually-adjacent magnetic poles of the magnetic poles so that the first plate portion is partially exposed in the radial direction, and
• two second plate portions respectively being located to face an axial side surface of each of the magnetic poles in the circumferential direction and enclosing both axial side surfaces of each permanent magnet in the circumferential direction, the two second plate portions being rigidly coupled to the first plate portion, and radial ends of the second plate portions being bent to partly enclose a radially inner surface of the permanent magnet, wherein
• the first and the second plate portions form axial ends each being located on both axial sides of the first and the second plate portions, the axial ends being open ends, both open ends allowing each permanent magnet held in each holding member to be exposed in the axial direction and each of both open ends facing the axial inner surface of each of the two mutually-adjacent magnetic poles on both axial sides of each holding member, and the two second plate portions each have an opening formed therethrough in the circumferential direction, the opening weakening each of the second plate portions in rigidity so that each of the two second plate portions is lower in rigidity than the first plate portion;
• the magnetic poles are composed of a plurality of unguiform pieces through which magnetic flux passes, the plurality of unguiform pieces protrude from the pole core in the axial direction;
• the holding member is secured between two of the mutually-adjacent unguiform pieces by at least partially touching an outer surface of each of the second plate portions of the holding member to each side surface of each of the mutually-adjacent unguiform pieces, and
• a thermosetting resin is filled in a gap between the outer surface of each of the second plate portions of the holding member and each side surface of each of the unguiform pieces, the gap having a width in the circumferential direction and the width increasing as the gap goes down radially inward.