Patent ID: 9653954
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: H02K

Claim:
1. A rotor of an electric machine, comprising: laminations bonded to form first and second core elements, each of the first and second core elements including an annular array of teeth defining annular arrays of leakage notches, axial slots and rotor bar openings, wherein the first and second core elements comprise outer diameter retention elements formed by partial opposite flanges defining the leakage notches such that each rotor bar opening is positioned radially between a corresponding leakage notch and an axial slot, and each rotor bar opening being configured to retain a rotor bar therein; and a spacer element interposed between the first and second core elements to define a rotor vent opening fluidly communicative with the axial slots and the leakage notches, the spacer element comprising an annular spacer hub portion and an annular array of spacer teeth, the annular array of spacer teeth extending radially outwardly from the spacer hub portion, wherein the annular array of spacer teeth is aligned with the annular array of teeth, and wherein each of the spacer teeth comprises an airfoil-shaped body with a distal portion that tapers with increasing radial distance from the spacer hub portion.