Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a concentrated winding type coil connecting structure of a driving motor for a hybrid vehicle. A protrusion protrudes upwards (the axial direction of the motor) from each of U-/V-/W-/N-phase conducting plates concentrically inserted into receiving grooves of a conductor holder, and a bent part is bent from the upper end of the protrusion in a radial direction of the motor, and a curved groove is formed in an end of the bent part to surround the circumferential surface of each of the coils, so that a connector integrally having the protrusion, the bent part and the groove allows each conducting plate and the coil to be firmly joined to each other, thus maintaining a strong force of connection between the conducting plate and the coil, and providing high workability and durability.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0118882 filed Dec. 3, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    (a) Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a concentrated winding type coil of a driving motor for a hybrid vehicle. In particular preferred embodiments, the present invention relates to a concentrated-winding type coil of a driving motor for a hybrid vehicle, that maintains a firm connection between a conducting plate and a coil of the motor. 
         [0004]    (b) Background Art 
         [0005]    A distributed winding type motor does not require a coil connecting structure, whereas a concentrated winding type motor requires a coil connecting structure. In a typical concentrated winding type motor, a toroidal coil is used as a conductor for connecting coils, and the conductor is formed by bending. Further, the conductor is axially layered outside slots in a circular fashion. In order to connect the conductor to the coil of each of the slots, the ends thereof are fused and welded using an additional connecting part. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a portion of a conventional concentrated winding type motor. The conventional concentrated winding type motor includes main terminal parts  100  which protrude inwards in a radial direction, and three-phase power supply terminal parts  110  which protrude outwards in a radial direction. 
         [0007]    Each of the main terminal parts  100  has a trapezoidal shape and comprises a U phase  100 U, a V phase  100 V, and a W phase  100 W which are arranged sequentially and side by side in a circumferential direction at regular intervals. 
         [0008]    Further, the power supply terminal parts  110  and lead frames  120  are installed to correspond to the respective phases of the main terminal parts  100 . 
         [0009]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lead frames  120  are superposed on each other and are attached to each other by resin  130  that is applied to the lead frames at a regular interval. 
         [0010]    Such a concentrated winding type motor, however, has a problem of spatial limitation when it is installed in a vehicle. Also, the optimal vibration and temperature conditions thereof are harder to be achieved than those of a general motor, and therefore it is difficult to realize firm connection in a conventional structure. 
         [0011]    The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0012]    In one aspect, the present invention provides a concentrated winding type coil connecting structure of a driving motor for a hybrid vehicle, in which a protrusion protrudes upwards (the axial direction of the motor) from each of U-/V-/W-/N-phase conducting plates concentrically inserted into receiving grooves of a conductor holder, and a bent part is preferably bent from the upper end of the protrusion in a radial direction of the motor, and a curved groove is formed in an end of the bent part to surround the circumferential surface of each of the coils, so that a connector integrally having the protrusion, the bent part and the groove allows each conducting plate and the coil to be firmly joined to each other, thus maintaining a strong force of connection between the conducting plate and the coil. 
         [0013]    In a preferred embodiment, the coils may pass through the conductor holder and protrude upwards in a vertical direction, and the upper ends of the coils may be suitably positioned in “the same diameter” and at “the same height” along a concentric circle, thus allowing the coils to be easily fusion welded to connectors of conducting plates. 
         [0014]    As described above, a concentrated winding type coil connecting structure of a driving motor for a hybrid vehicle according to the present invention provides the following effects. 
         [0015]    First, U-/V-/W-/N-phase conducting plates are concentrically arranged outside coil winding parts, thus preventing interference between connectors which connect coils to the conducting plates, in comparison with the arrangement wherein the conducting plates are positioned inside the coil winding parts. 
         [0016]    Second, a groove of each connector is fusion welded to the corresponding coil in such a way as to surround the circumferential surface of the coil, thus maximizing a welding area, therefore keeping the force of connection between the coil and a conducting plate strong. 
         [0017]    Third, after coils are taken out from corresponding coil winding parts and fixedly inserted into corresponding insert slots of a bobbin, the coils extend along a surface of the bobbin and protrude upwards in a vertical direction through the through holes of a conductor holder, thus improving the durability of the coils, and the upper ends of the coils are arranged in the same radius and at the same height in the circumferential direction of a motor, thus allowing grooves of the connectors and the upper ends of the coils to be easily fusion welded to each other, therefore suitably improving welding workability. 
         [0018]    It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g. fuels derived from resources other than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more sources of power, for example both gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings which are given hereinbelow by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a portion of a conventional concentrated winding type driving motor for a vehicle; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a front view illustrating a concentrated winding type driving motor for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view illustrating portion A encircled in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line X-X of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the connection of coils and conducting plates according to the embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view seen from direction B of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
       [0026]    It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. 
         [0027]    In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    In a first aspect, the present invention features a concentrated winding type driving motor for a vehicle, comprising a conductor holder provided with a plurality of receiving grooves concentrically formed at a predetermined interval and provided with through holes at a predetermined interval, a plurality of conducting plates each of which is inserted into and secured to each of the receiving grooves, respectively, a plurality of coils each of which passes vertically through the through holes; and a plurality of connectors each of which is positioned in a radial direction of the conductor holder to connect one of the conducting plates with one of the coils, wherein one end portion of each of the connectors is bent in the circumferential direction of the conductor holder and extends downwardly to be in contact with one of the conducting plates, and wherein the other end portion of each of the connectors is bent to form a curved groove by which a portion of the circumferential surface of one of the coils is surrounded. 
         [0029]    Hereinafter reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 2-6  and described below. While the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0030]    A concentrated winding type driving motor for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a conductor holder  18 , conducting plates  10 , coils  16 , and connectors  15 . 
         [0031]    The conductor holder  18  is provided with a plurality of receiving grooves  18   a  and a plurality of through holes  18   b.  The receiving grooves  18   a  are concentrically formed therein at a predetermined interval and the through holes  18   b  are provided therein at a predetermined interval. Each of the conducting plates  10  is inserted into each of the receiving grooves  18   a.  Each of the coils passes vertically through the through holes. Each of the connectors is positioned in a radial direction of the conductor holder to connect one of the conducting plates with one of the coils. One end portion of each of the connectors is bent in a circumferential direction of the conductor holder and extends downwardly to form a protrusion  15   a  contacting one of the conducting plates. The other end portion of each of the connectors is bent to form a curved groove  15   b.  A portion of the circumferential surface of one of the coils is surrounded by the curved groove  15   b.    
         [0032]    Preferably, the conducting plates  10  may be consisted of a W-phase conducting plate  11 , a V-phase conducting plate  12 , a U-phase conducting plate  13 , and an N-phase conducting plate  14 . For example, the N-phase conducting plate  14 , which serves as a neutral point, may be inserted into the innermost receiving groove  18   a,  the U-phase/V-phase/W-phase conducting plates  13 ,  12 , and  11  may be sequentially inserted. That is, the W-phase conducting plate  11  may be arranged at the outermost position, the V-phase conducting plate  12  may be arranged right inside the W-phase conducting plate  11 , the U-phase conducting plate  13  may be arranged inside the V-phase conducting plate  12 , and the N-phase conducting plate  14  may be arranged at the innermost position. The four conducting plates  10  are concentrically installed at one or more intervals. Suitably, the conducting plates  14 ,  13 ,  12 , and  11  may be secured by, e.g., epoxy molding. 
         [0033]    Coil winding parts  17  are provided in the driving motor in the circumferential direction thereof. Each coil winding part  17  includes the coil  16  wound in a winding slot. 
         [0034]    The conducting plate  10  and the receiving grooves  18   a  are arranged outside the coil winding parts  17  in such a way as to be concentric with the coil winding parts  17 . Such an arrangement can avoid interference between the conducting plate  10  and the coil  16 , in comparison with the arrangement in which the conducting plate  10  is positioned inside the coil winding parts  17 . 
         [0035]    The conductor holder  18  is made of a plastic material to have non-conductivity, and increases connecting force with the conductor made of the copper material. 
         [0036]    Further, through holes  18   b  are formed between the receiving grooves  18   a  of the conductor holder  18  and the coil winding parts  17 . The coil  16  of each coil winding part  17  passes through the conductor holder  18  in a vertical direction (the axial direction of the motor) via the through hole  18   b.    
         [0037]    Here, after an end of the coil  16  wound in each coil winding part  17  is inserted into and secured to an associated insert slot  19   a  of a bobbin  19 , the coil  16  is bent upwards in a vertical direction along a surface of the bobbin  19 , thus improving the durability of the coil  16 . 
         [0038]    Further, the coils  16  have the same radius with reference to the radial direction of the motor in the circumferential direction thereof, and the upper ends of the coils  16  are positioned at the same height, thus allowing a fusion welding operation to be performed most easily. 
         [0039]    Here, in order to connect the U-phase/V-phase/W-phase/N-phase conducting plates  13 ,  12 ,  11  and  14  to the coils  16 , a plurality of connectors  15  are provided on the conducting plate  10  at one or more predetermined intervals in such a way as to be bent in a radial direction. 
         [0040]    Each of the connectors  15  includes a protrusion  15   a  which protrudes axially from the corresponding conducting plate  10 , a bent part  15   b  which is bent radially from an end of the protrusion  15   a,  and a “U”-shaped groove  15   c  which is defined in an end of the bent part  15   b.    
         [0041]    All of the protrusion  15   a,  the bent part  15   b  and the groove  15   c  protrude from the conducting plate  10  by a predetermined length in the axial direction of the motor, thus connecting the conducting plate  10  with an associated coil  16 . 
         [0042]    The position at which the protrusion  15   a  is attached to the conducting plate  10  varies. That is, the protrusion  15   a  of a first connector  15  can be attached to the plate  11 , the protrusion  15   a  of a second connector  15  can be attached to the plate  12 , the protrusion  15   a  of a third connector  15  can be attached to the plate  13 , and the protrusion  15   a  of a fourth connector  15  can be attached to the plate  14 . According to the attachment position, the length of the bent part  15   b  varies. 
         [0043]    The upper end of each coil  16  passes through the interior of the groove  15   c . The circumferential surface of the upper end of the coil  16  is surrounded by the inner surface of the “U”-shaped groove  15   c  and may be joined to the inner surface of the groove  15   c  by, e.g., fusion welding. 
         [0044]    After the conducting plate  10  and the coils  16  are attached to each other, the space of the through hole  18   b  except for the space occupied by the coils  16  and a gap between the conducting plate  10  and the receiving grooves  18   a  are molded using epoxy, so that the coils  16  are secured to the conductor holder  18  and the conducting plate  10  is secured to the conductor holder  18 . 
         [0045]    As described above, the U-phase/V-phase/W-phase/N-phase conducting plates are concentrically arranged outside the coil winding parts  17 . This arrangement significantly prevents interference between the connectors  15 , compared to the arrangement wherein the conducting plates are arranged inside the coil winding parts  17 . 
         [0046]    As the respective protrusions  15   a  are attached to respective phase conducting plates, and the respective grooves  15   c  surround the circumferential surface of the respective coils  16  to be securely joined thereto, connection between the coils  16  and the conducting plate  10  can be firmly maintained. 
         [0047]    In addition, as each of the coils  16  is taken out from the corresponding coil winding part  17  and is fixedly inserted into the corresponding insert slot  19   a  of the bobbin  19 , and each of the coils  16  then extends along a surface of the bobbin  19  and protrudes upwards through the corresponding through hole  18   b,  the durability of the coils  16  can be improved. 
         [0048]    Further, as the coils  16  are positioned so that the lengths between the respective coils and the center of the motor are identical and the heights of the respective coils are identical, joining the upper ends of the coils  16  to the grooves  15   c  can be facilitated. 
         [0049]    The invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.