Abstract:
A rotor blade set for an electric motor, having a plurality of axially assembled multi-part and/or single-part blades having circle segment shaped blade sections, between which radial and circumferentially open recesses are formed for receiving a respective magnet, wherein a predeterminable number of blade sections of the single-part or multi-part blades have at least one azimuthal clip on the circle radius, which clip bends axially during the insertion of the corresponding magnet into the respective recess, and wherein the circle segment-shaped blade sections of the single-part or multipart blades have at least one notch on the circle radius, in which notch a corresponding clip of a blade section of an axially spaced blade engages following the axial bending.

Description:
This nonprovisional application is a continuation of International Application No PCT/EP2012/005168, which was filed on Dec. 14, 2012, and which claims priority to German Patent Application No 10 2011 122 023.6, which was filed in Germany on Dec. 23, 2011, and which are both herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a rotor blade set for an electric motor, including a plurality of axially assembled, multi-part and/or single-part blades having circle segment-shaped blade sections, between which radial and circumferentially open recesses are provided for receiving a magnet. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     Electric motors having blade sets of this type are frequently used as low-power motors in motor vehicles, where they are employed, in particular, as power steering motors or adjustment drives. While the rotor concentrically surrounds the stationary stator in an electric motor as a so-called external rotor motor, the stator is disposed coaxially to the rotating rotor in an internal rotor motor, forming an air gap. 
     In a permanently excited, brushless DC motor, the rotor has a number of permanent magnets, while the stator includes, for example, a three phase-connected coil winding, which is activated by means of pulse-width modulated currents. If the rotor is provided with the magnets, they may be held on the blade set of the rotor by means of clamping and/or gluing. The blade set comprises a plurality of punch-packed, individual blades (blade laminates). 
     The assembly of a rotor blade set from single/multi-piece or single/multi-part blades having circle segment-shaped blade sections is known from EP 1 223 658 A1 and from DE 10 2007 024 406 A1. For this purpose, a first single-piece (single-part) blade type has web-like connecting areas between the blade sections on the inner and/or outer circumferential side(s). A second multi-piece (multi-part) blade type comprises, for practical purposes, the individual blade sections not connected to each other. The axially stacked blades are connected to each other in the manner of a punch packed system, with the aid of engaging (bead-like) recesses and projections stamped into the blade sections. Radial, circumferentially open recesses, which are axially aligned with the packed blade stack and form receiving pockets for permanent magnets, are provided between the blade sections. 
     A rotor is known from DE 103 57 502 A1, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 8,026,648, which is assembled in the axial direction from a blade set made of identically shaped individual blades, magnets inserted into receiving pockets of the rotor being held on projections provided on the narrow sides of the receiving pockets. 
     In the blade sets known from DE 10 2007 029 719 A1, pocket openings of individual blades carry a clamping clip either on both narrow sides or on only one narrow side, which, however, is always the same side. 
     A rotor stacked from individual blades, including receiving pockets for magnets, is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,140. Clamping clips for fixing the magnets by clamping are provided on the longitudinal sides of the receiving pockets, the clamping clips not being provided in each blade position but only in every third or fourth blade position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to improve a rotor blade set of the aforementioned type. In particular, a reliable hold of the blades to each other as well as, in particular, that of the magnets within the blade set, is to be easily facilitated. 
     The rotor blade set according to an embodiment of the invention for an electric motor is assembled from a plurality of blades having radial recesses for forming receiving pockets for one magnet (permanent magnet) each, i.e., disposed axially above each other (stacked). A predefinable first number of single-piece i.e., single-part, blades and a predefinable second number of multi-piece or multi-part, blades are each provided with circle segment-shaped blade sections. Each of these blade sections accommodates one circle sector (circle segment) and thus a partial surface of the circular surface of the particular blade, each blade section being delimited by a circle arc and two circle radii, which, in turn, radially delimit the magnet recesses. 
     The single-part blades can have a blade section on the inner circumferential side, which has a central material recess for passage of a shaft. The circle segment-shaped blade sections of the single-part blades are molded in the manner of spokes onto this annular blade section by means of blade webs. The multi-part blades also preferably have a blade section provided with a central material recess for passage of a shaft on the inner circumferential side, onto which at least some of the circle segment-shaped blade sections are molded, preferably in the blade circumferential direction of each second blade section, by means of blade webs. 
     The circle segment-shaped blade sections of all blades are practically the same with respect to their segment size, so that the recesses remaining between their circle radii in the stacked blade set are aligned axially and form radial receiving pockets for the permanent magnets. A predefinable number of blade sections, preferably only the multi-part blades, have at least one, preferably two, axially bendable clips on the circle radius side, i.e., along the circle radii of the particular blade segments. The particular clip projects into the magnet recess delimited by this circle radius or this blade section edge. 
     Each of the axially bendable clips (joining clips) of each corresponding circle segment-shaped blade section of the particular blade is advantageously formed by two notches introduced into the blade section edge—i.e., on the circle radius side—which flank the particular clip on both sides. The particular clip runs azimuthally, i.e., in the blade circumferential direction, and projects beyond the particular circle radius-side blade section edge of the corresponding blade section. The clips or joining clips may thus be easily manufactured during the course of the punching process and may be introduced into the corresponding circle segment-shaped blade section. 
     In an embodiment, only some of the circle segment-shaped blade sections are provided with clips of this type. At least two blade sections, which are referred to below as a blade section pair, preferably each have a clip on one of the two circle radii or blade section edges. Two directly adjacent blade section pairs are particularly preferably provided once or twice, of which one blade section is assigned to both blade section pairs and has one clip on each side of its circle radii or blade section edges. These two clips are disposed in radially offset positions along the particular circle radius. The two blade sections adjacent to this middle blade section having two clips each have, on the circle radius facing the middle blade section, only one individual clip which is provided directly opposite the opposite clip of the central blade section in a tangential or azimuthal manner. 
     Each circle segment-shaped blade section of the particular single-piece blade advantageously has at least one notch (joining notch) and preferably at least one notch or joining notch on each circle radius. In particular, the circle segment-shaped blade sections of the particular blade preferably have two notches on each circle radius, which are located directly opposed to the notches of an adjacent blade section in an azimuthal or tangential manner. The clips and notches of all circle segment-shaped blade sections of each blade type (single-part or multi-part) are always located in the very same grid, so that clips and notches within the rotor blade set are always disposed axially above one another and are thus axially aligned. 
     As a result, a clip which is axially bent during the course of inserting a magnet into the corresponding receiving pocket of the rotor blade set, formed by the recesses in the individual blades, always engages with one or multiple axially underlying notches and therefore is able to penetrate therein. The clips therefore at least partially enter the underlying notches, which causes the affected blades and individual bade sections to be particularly advantageously held together in the rotor blade set (blade stack). The clips and notches thus take on a multiple function, namely a clamping fixation of the magnets in the receiving pockets, on the one hand, and the holding together of the affected blades or blade sections, on the other hand. Another function of the clips and notches is to center the blades or blade sections within the blade set or blade substack. 
     In this connection, in particular, one especially advantageous embodiment provides for designing the notch or each notch in the shape of a trapezoid. This design of the shape of the notches is such that, in particular, at least the particular clip is deformed during the course of its axial bending. The clip and the particular notch are preferably mechanically deformed oppositely (alternately). This measure increases the effect of the blade adhesion or the blade or blade section centering. 
     If the blades are offset from each other or rotated around a circle segment angle from one blade position to another blade position during the course of stacking, clips always line up with corresponding notches, into which the clips maybe axially bent, in all blade sections located on top of each other. In this manner, all blades contained within a corresponding blade substack, for example, are joined together as well as held non-rotatably against each other, centered and secured against each other to prevent radial shifting. Due to the design of the circle segment-shaped blade sections having clips and/or notches, single-part and multi-part blades may be stacked in axially different sequences as well as joined together in groups or subsets which include different combinations of single-part and multi-part blades. 
     In the blade set formed in this manner, the recesses between the circle segment-shaped blade sections of the blades are aligned with each other and form the receiving pockets extending in the axial direction for the permanent magnets. The latter are held in place within these receiving pockets by means of a clamp fixing with the aid of the clips. Due to the arrangement of the blades rotated in a targeted manner in the set circumferential direction, all receiving pockets are provided with a number of clips. In addition, additional clips (clamping clips), which are molded onto the circular blade ring section, i.e., the annular blade section having a central material recess for the passage of a shaft of the particular blade and which project radially into the corresponding recess of this blade, are provided on at least some of the blades stacked within the blade set. Each of these blades suitably has only two clamping clips of this type, which are disposed diametrically opposed to each other. 
     If the blades are stacked so that they are offset from each other or rotated around the central blade axis, the circle segment angle or the rotation or offset angle corresponds to the fraction of 360° which occupies the partial surface formed by one circle segment-shaped blade section and one recess. In a blade arrangement having, for example, ten circle segment-shaped blade sections—and thus in a rotor blade set for accommodating ten magnets—the circle segment angle is 36°. Based on a segmentation of this type, when forming a blade set or blade subset, multiple blades may be stacked, offset from each other by a circle segment angle of 36°, and joined together with the aid of the clips and notches. All participating, circle segment-shaped blade sections disposed above one another are reliably held against each other with a minimal yet sufficient number of clips. Due to the targeted positioning of the clips and notches, a collision of the clips is avoided hereby. 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a top view of one half of a multi-part blade, including circle segment-shaped blade sections as well as clips (joining clips) and notches (joining notches); 
         FIG. 2  shows a multi-part blade comprising a corresponding number of circle segment-shaped blade sections, including notches (joining notches), in a representation according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a single-part blade comprising a corresponding number of circle segment-shaped blade sections, including notches (joining notches), in a representation according to  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a top view of a single-part blade comprising circle segment-shaped blade sections, including clips (joining clips) and notches (joining notches); 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of a multi-part blade comprising a corresponding number of circle segment-shaped blade sections, including notches (joining notches); 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic representation of a joint between a deforming clip and notch under the action of a permanent magnet; 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a rotor blade set comprising blade subsets; and 
         FIG. 8  shows a detail of the rotor blade set on a larger scale. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  show (details) of a rotor blade set  1 , including single-part blades  2  according to  FIG. 3  as well as multi-part blades  3 ,  4  according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , respectively. One-part and multi-part blades  2  or  3  and  4  are stacked in different sequences: according to  FIG. 7 , from bottom to top in subsets or blade substacks  1   a  through  1   e , including a subset  1   a  comprising, for example, three one-part blades  2  according to  FIG. 3 , and a blade subset  1   b  comprising multiple multi-part blades  4  according to  FIG. 2 , as well as a subset  1   c  comprising multiple multi-part blades  3  according to  FIG. 1 , and a subset  1   d , in turn, comprising multiple multi-part blades  4  according to  FIG. 2 , as well as a subset  1   e , included, for example, only one single-part blade (terminating blade)  2  according to  FIG. 3 . 
     Subsets  1   b  and  1   d  are formed, for example, from six to nine or from eight multi-part blades  4  according to  FIG. 2 , while middle subset  1   c  is assembled from twenty multi-part blades  3  according to  FIG. 1 . Rotor blade set  1  is part of a rotor of an electric motor, which is not illustrated in greater detail, in particular a drive or an adjustment drive of a motor vehicle. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show alternative designs of a one-part and a multi-part blade  2 ′ and  4 ′. 
     Multi-part blade  3  illustrated in  FIG. 1  has a number of circle segment-shaped blade sections  3   a , for which every second blade section  3   a —viewed in the blade circumferential direction—is molded via a blade web  5  onto a central annular blade section  3   b  having a material recess  6  for the passage of the shaft of the rotor of the electric motor. Remaining blade sections  3   c  are not connected to central blade section  3   b . Each circle segment-shaped blade section  3   a ,  3   c  forms a partial surface, delimited by one circle arc  7  and two circle radii  8 , of the circle surface occupied by blade  3 . Circle radii  8 , which are also referred to below as blade section edges, each delimit a radial recess  9  for permanent magnets (radial magnets), radially disposed in rotor blade set  1 , of which one magnet  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     Some of circle segment-shaped blade sections  3   a ,  3   c  have azimuthal or tangential clips (joining clips)  11  along their blade section edges  8 , while all blade sections  3   a ,  3   b  are provided with notches (joining notches)  12  in the region of their blade section edges  8 . Clips  11  and notches  12  are provided in a certain radial grid, which corresponds to the notch grid of blades  2  through  4 ′ illustrated in  FIGS. 2 through 5 . In the region of circle arc  7  of particular blade section  3   a ,  3   c , azimuthally or tangentially oriented hooks (tangential hooks)  13  are molded or provided thereon, which prevent magnets  10  from sliding radially out of recesses  9 . 
     It is apparent that only some of segment-shaped blade sections  3   a  have clips  11  of this type. Only two groups of three directly adjacent blade sections  3   a ,  3   c , and thus a total of six blade sections  3   a ,  3   c , in four blade section pairs, each have one clip  11  or two clips  12 . 
     Only one such group of three directly adjacent blade sections  3   a ,  3   c  having clips  11  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , while the second group is assigned to the second half of blade  3 , which is not illustrated. Blade sections  3   a  provided with two clips  11  each have one clip  11  on both circle radii  8 , which are offset radially from each other. In this radial position, clips  11  of adjacent blade sections  3   c , in turn, are located diametrically opposed to each other. 
     Blade sections  3   a ,  3   c  designed with clips  11  also have notches  12  in their radially exposed locations or positions. Remaining blade sections  3   a  are clip-free and each have two notches  12  on both circle radii  8  in radially offset positions in the same notch and clip grid. All notches  12  and clips  11  are radially positioned in such a way that clips  11  and/or notches  12  are diametrically opposed to each other in the region of each recess  9 . In other words, clips  11  or notches  12  of all blade sections  3   a ,  3   c  are located on a circumferential circle having a first radius (first radial or grid position) R 1  or a second radius (second radial or grid position) R 2 . 
     Moreover, multi-part blade  3  according to  FIG. 1  has at least one, preferably two, radial clamping clips  14 , which are positioned offset by 180° and which are molded onto central blade section  3   b  and project into corresponding recess  9 . Single-piece blade  2 ′ according to  FIG. 4  may also have two such clamping clips  14 ′ in diametrically opposed positions. 
     Circular material recesses  15  are introduced into segment-shaped blade sections  3   a . They are used to reduce the shunt inductance and, in particular, serve as a mounting aid or for fixing blades  2  and  4 ′ in blade stack  1 , for example with the aid of threaded bolts or the like. 
     Each of clips  11  is formed by one notch pair  11   a ,  11   b  on both sides of particular clip  11  in the region of blade section edge  8 . Clips  11  are thus punched out of particular blade section  3   a ,  3   c  in the region of blade section edges  8 , due to azimuthal or tangential notches  11   a ,  11   b  and extend past circle radius  8  into particular recess  9 . 
     Multi-part blade  4  illustrated in  FIG. 2  also has circle segment-shaped blade sections  4   a , which are molded onto central, annular blade section  4   b  via blade webs  5 , as well as circle segment-shaped blade sections  4   c , which are not molded onto central bade section  4   b . Circle segment-shaped blade sections  4   a ,  4   c  only have notches  12 . The latter are located in radial positions R 1  and R 2  according to the grid of blade  3  in  FIG. 1 . 
     In single-part blade  2  illustrated in  FIG. 3 , all circle segment-shaped blade sections  2   a  are molded onto central blade section  2   b  via blade webs  5 . In this blade type, all circle segment-shaped blade sections  2   a  also only have notches  12 , which, in turn, are provided with positions R 1  and R 2  in the same grid. 
     Each of circle segment-shaped blade sections of blades  2  through  4  occupies a partial surface, delimited by circle arc  7  and the two circle radii or blade section edges  8 , which is equal to the partial surface of one circle segment-shaped blade section of other blades  2  through  4 ′. Since the blade sections of blades  2  through  4  are identical to each other, circle radii  7  and circle arcs  8  of all blade sections are aligned with each other in the stacked state of blades  2  through  4 . Recesses  9  of all blades  2  through  4 , which are also aligned with each other, form receiving pockets  16  ( FIG. 7 ) extending in the axial direction along blade set center axis (central longitudinal axis), for which magnets  10  are disposed radially, i.e., in a star-shaped configuration, within rotor blade set  1 . 
     Within rotor blade set or subset  1 , at least the blades  3  provided with clips  11  are stacked, offset from each other or rotated around a circle segment angle α. Circle segment angle α is 360°, divided by the number a of blade sections  3   a ,  3   c  (α=360°/a). With a total of ten blade sections  3   a ,  3   c  (a=10), according to the exemplary embodiment, circle segment angle α=36°. 
     On the one hand, if five such blades  3  are each offset from each other by this circle segment angle α in the same direction of rotation, multiple clips  11 , which may engage with corresponding notches  12 , are located in each receiving pocket  16  in the axial direction. On the other hand, at least one radial clamping clip  14  is located in each receiving pocket  16 , however in axially different positions or planes, as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
     When permanent magnets  10  are inserted into particular receiving pocket  16 , corresponding clamping clip  11  exists therefrom and clamps or presses particular magnet against undercut hook  13  in the region of circle radii  7 . Likewise, clips  11  are bent axially during the course of inserting magnets  10  and engage with or enter axially adjacent notches  12 , i.e., those which are located thereunder in blade set  1  or the subset. On the one hand, this fixes magnets  10  in place by clamping and, on the other hand, blades  3  of at least blade subset  1   c  are centered and joined together. 
       FIG. 6  shows an exemplary embodiment of the notch  12  or each one thereof. The dimensions of these are selected in such a way that corresponding clip  11  engages with this notch  12  with machining allowance. Notch  12  is preferably designed as a trapezoid, so that clip  11  projects over angled side edges  12   a  of notches  12  by their corner regions  11   a  on the free end. During the course of the bending and engagement of clip  11  with notch  12 , at least clip  11  is deformed. However, a mutual deformation of clip  11  and notch  12  is preferably achieved. This results in a particularly reliable joint between affected, axially adjacent blades  3  or blade sections  3   a ,  3   c.    
     The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described above. Instead, other variants of the invention may be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without going beyond the subject of the invention. Moreover, in particular, all individual features described in connection with the exemplary embodiment may also be otherwise combined with each other without going beyond the subject of the invention.