US 12,149,128 B2
Axial flux motor having rectilinear stator teeth
James B. Hull, St. Joseph, MI (US)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/733,022.
Application 17/733,022 is a division of application No. 16/576,221, filed on Sep. 19, 2019, granted, now 11,355,974.
Prior Publication US 2022/0263355 A1, Aug. 18, 2022
Int. Cl. H02K 1/2793 (2022.01); H02K 1/14 (2006.01); H02K 3/34 (2006.01); H02K 21/02 (2006.01); D06F 21/02 (2006.01); D06F 37/36 (2006.01); F04D 29/52 (2006.01); H02K 7/14 (2006.01); H02K 15/02 (2006.01); H02K 15/12 (2006.01); H02K 21/24 (2006.01)
CPC H02K 1/2793 (2013.01) [H02K 1/146 (2013.01); H02K 3/345 (2013.01); H02K 21/026 (2013.01); D06F 21/02 (2013.01); D06F 37/36 (2013.01); F04D 29/528 (2013.01); H02K 7/14 (2013.01); H02K 15/022 (2013.01); H02K 15/12 (2013.01); H02K 21/24 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An axial flux motor for an appliance, the axial flux motor comprising:
a stator yoke;
a plurality of stator teeth extending from the stator yoke in an axial direction and positioned about a central rotational axis, wherein the plurality of stator teeth includes a plurality of laminations that extend in the axial direction and form a plurality of T-shaped members;
an overmold that encapsulates the plurality of stator teeth to form a plurality of axial stator poles, wherein the overmold is a polymeric material, and wherein the overmold includes a plurality of living hinges that are positioned between adjacent axial stator poles of the plurality of axial stator poles; and
a winding that is disposed around the plurality of axial stator poles, wherein the plurality of living hinges are configured to provide for manipulation of the plurality of axial stator poles between an elongated configuration and a circular configuration, wherein the winding is disposed on the plurality of axial stator poles while in the elongated configuration and the plurality of axial stator poles are held in the circular configuration through engagement of the plurality of T-shaped members with T-shaped apertures of the stator yoke, wherein the overmold corresponds to the plurality of T-shaped members to define at least one step per axial stator pole of the plurality of axial stator poles, wherein the step cooperates with the winding to form a space between the winding and the overmold.