Over-molded liquid cooled three-stack motor

Abstract

A brushless, liquid or air cooled, direct current motor formed from a three stack stator and three section rotor assembly using an integrated water cooled or air cooled housing and over-molding techniques.

1 . A stator assembly for an electric motor, comprising: a cylindrical stator comprising a plurality of stator slots on an interior periphery of the cylindrical stator; at least one wire winding that is wound around the plurality of stator slots; and an over-mold configured to cover the wire winding and at least a portion of the cylindrical stator. 
     
     
         2 . The stator assembly of  claim 1  wherein the over-mold is injection-molded plastic. 
     
     
         3 . The stator assembly of  claim 1  further comprising winding inserts at ends of the cylindrical stator; wherein the at least one wire winding is wound around the plurality of stator slots and the winding inserts; and further comprising an over-mold configured to cover the wire winding and at least a portion of cylindrical stator and at least a portion of the winding inserts. 
     
     
         4 . The stator assembly of  claim 1  wherein the over-mold includes locating features configured to maintain radial orientation of the stators within the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The stator assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a coating over at least the stator slots that protects wire windings inside stator slots. 
     
     
         6 . The stator assembly of  claim 1  comprises an over-mold of the stator sections to protect wire windings in stator slots. 
     
     
         7 . The stator assembly of  claim 1  wherein the stator assembly is a plurality of stator assemblies being longitudinally offset from each other along a common central axis. 
     
     
         8 . The stator assembly of  claim 7  further comprising: a housing configured to support the cylindrical stator; a rotor disposed within the plurality of cylindrical stator assemblies; and a motor driver circuit disposed within the housing, the motor driver circuit comprising three separate motor drive phase modules, each motor drive phase module electrically coupled to a respective one of the independent stator assemblies. 
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing a stator assembly, comprising: providing a cylindrical stator comprising a plurality of stator slots on an interior periphery of the cylindrical stator; winding at least one wire around the plurality of stator slots; and providing an over-mold over the at least one wire winding and at least a portion of the cylindrical stator. 
     
     
         10 . The method of manufacturing a stator assembly of  claim 9  wherein the over-mold is injection-molded plastic; and wherein providing an over-mold comprises injection-molding the over-mold on the wire winding and at least the portion of the cylindrical stator. 
     
     
         11 . The method of manufacturing a stator assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising snap-fitting winding inserts onto ends of the cylindrical stator; wherein winding the at least one wire comprises winding the at least one wire around the plurality of stator slots and around the winding inserts; and wherein providing the over-mold comprises providing the over-mold over the at least one wire winding and at least a portion of the cylindrical stator and at least a portion of the winding inserts. 
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing a stator assembly of  claim 9  further comprising applying a coating to the cylindrical stator prior to winding the at least one wire. 
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacturing a stator assembly of  claim 12  wherein applying the coating comprises over-molding the coating.