Conductor insulation arrangement with insulation sleeve for electric machine

Abstract

An electric machine includes a core with a plurality of slots. Electric conductors are positioned within the slots with connection ends extending from the in-slot portions. A plurality of insulation sleeves separate the plurality of electric conductors. Each insulation sleeve substantially covers one entire conductor, including the in-slot portions and the connection ends of the conductor. A tip portion on each connection end remains uncovered by the insulation sleeve and is electrically connected to another tip portion on another conductor. Air passages are formed between the plurality of insulation sleeves at the in-slot portions and at the connection ends of the plurality of electric conductors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric machine comprising:
 a stator core with a plurality of slots;   a plurality of electric conductors positioned in the slots and connected together to form a winding that extends substantially around the stator core, each of the plurality of electric conductors including a U-turn portion extending between two in-slot portions and connection ends extending from the in-slot portions, the connection ends extending from an opposite end of the core from the U-turn portions, each connection end including a tip connected to a tip of another connection end such that the plurality of electric conductors provide a conductive path extending substantially around the core;   a resin insulation coating bonded to the U-turn portion, the in-slot portion, and the connection ends of the plurality of electric conductors; and   a plurality of insulation sleeves separating the plurality of electric conductors, each of the plurality of insulation sleeves covering the resin insulation coating on the in-slot portions and the U-turn portion of a single associated electric conductor, and each of the plurality of insulation sleeves provided as an elongated sheet of insulation material that spiral wraps around the single associated electric conductor.   
     
     
         2 . The electric machine of  claim 1  wherein the resin insulation coating does not cover the tips of the connection ends on each of the plurality of electric conductors. 
     
     
         3 . The electric machine of  claim 2  wherein air passages are positioned between any two of the plurality of insulation sleeves at the U-turn portions and the connection ends of the plurality of electric conductors. 
     
     
         4 . The electric machine of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of insulation sleeves provides a continuous covering for the associated single electric conductor from one of the connection ends to an opposite of the connection ends. 
     
     
         5 . The electric machine of  claim 4  wherein each of the plurality of insulation sleeves substantially covers the connection end of the associated single electric conductor without covering the tip of the connection end. 
     
     
         6 . The electric machine of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of insulation sleeves forms a spiral wrapped tube member that covers the connection ends, the in-slot portions, and the U-turn portion of the associated single electric conductor. 
     
     
         7 . The electric machine of  claim 6  wherein the spiral wrapped tube member provides a continuous tube member covering the associated single electric conductor from one of the connection ends to an opposite of the connection ends. 
     
     
         8 . The electric machine of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of insulation sleeves are comprised of polyimide, polyamide, polyester, polyamideimide, or stretched polyethylene terephthalate film. 
     
     
         9 . An electric machine comprising:
 a stator core with a plurality of slots;   a plurality of electric conductors positioned in the slots and connected together to form a winding that extends substantially around the stator core, each of the plurality of electric conductors including a U-turn portion extending between two in-slot portions and connection ends extending from the in-slot portions, the connection ends extending from an opposite end of the core from the U-turn portions;   an enamel insulation layer substantially covering the U-turn portion, the in-slot portion, and the connection ends of each of the plurality of electric conductors; and   a plurality of insulation sleeves separating the plurality of electric conductors, each of the plurality of insulation sleeves covering the enamel insulation layer on the U-turn portion, the in-slot portions and the connection ends of an associated electric conductor.   
     
     
         10 . The electric machine of  claim 9  wherein the stator core defines a first axial end and a second axial end, wherein the U-turn portion extends between the two in-slot portions on the first axial end of the core, and each connection end extends from one of the two in-slot portions on the second axial end of the core. 
     
     
         11 . The electric machine of  claim 10  further comprising a plurality of air passages positioned between the insulation sleeves at the U-turn portions of the conductors. 
     
     
         12 . The electric machine of  claim 11  wherein one of the plurality of air passages is positioned between any two of the plurality of insulation sleeves at the U-turn portions and at the connection ends of the plurality of electric conductors. 
     
     
         13 . The electric machine of  claim 9  wherein each of the plurality of insulation sleeves provides a continuous covering for the associated electric conductor from one of the connection ends to an opposite of the connection ends. 
     
     
         14 . The electric machine of  claim 13  wherein the enamel insulation layer substantially covers the U-turn portion, the in-slot portions, and the connection ends of the associated electric conductor without covering a tip of the connection end. 
     
     
         15 . The electric machine of  claim 14  wherein each of the plurality of insulation sleeves forms a spiral wrapped tube member that substantially covers the connection ends, the in-slot portions, and the U-turn portion of the associated electric conductor. 
     
     
         16 . The electric machine of  claim 15  wherein the spiral wrapped tube member provides a continuous tube member covering the associated electric conductor from one of the connection ends to an opposite of the connection ends. 
     
     
         17 . The electric machine of  claim 9  wherein the plurality of insulation sleeves are comprised of polyimide, polyamide, polyester, polyamideimide, or stretched polyethylene terephthalate film. 
     
     
         18 . The electric machine of  claim 9  wherein the enamel insulation layer is a resin insulation coating on the plurality of electric conductors. 
     
     
         19 . An electric machine comprising:
 a core with a plurality of slots, the core defining a first axial end and a second axial end;   a plurality of conductors positioned in the slots of the core, each conductor including a first portion extending from the first axial end of the core, a second portion in the plurality of slots of the core, and a third portion extending from the second axial end of the core, the plurality of conductors connected together to form a winding on the core;   a first insulation layer provided on the first, second and third portions of each of the plurality of conductors, the first insulation layer provided by an enamel coating on an associated conductor;   a second insulation layer provided on each first insulation layer, each second insulation layer provided by a film surrounding the first insulation layer and the first, second and third portions of the associated conductor; and   a plurality of air passages formed between the second insulation layers at the third portion of each of the plurality of conductors.   
     
     
         20 . The electric machine of  claim 19  wherein the film is spiral wrapped around the first insulation layer and the first, second and third portions of the associated conductor.