(19)

*EP003661032A1*
(11) EP 3 661 032 A1
(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication: (51) Int Cl.:

03.06.2020 Bulletin 2020/23 H02K 21/00 (2006.01) H02K 1/16 (2006.01)
H02K 1/27 (2006.01)
(21) Application number: 19209582.6

(22) Date of filing: 15.11.2019

(84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventors:

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB • GRAZIOTTIN, Fabio
GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO 33170 Pordenone (IT)
PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR • SANTAROSSA, Roberto
Designated Extension States: 33170 Pordenone (IT)
BA ME
Designated Validation States: (74) Representative: Giugni, Valter et al
KH MA MD TN Propria S.r.l.
Via della Colonna, 35
(30) Priority: 28.11.2018 IT 201800010638 33170 Pordenone (IT)

(71) Applicant: Nidec Sole Motor Corporation S.r.l.

33170 Pordenone (IT)

(54) BRUSSHLESS PERMANENT MAGNET ELECTRIC MOTOR FOR WASHING MACHINES

(57) The present invention proposes to obtain a BPM tor itself.

motor of the "spoke" type for washing machines, having In magnetic calculations, to determine the dimen-
improved dimensional characteristics, in particular defin- sional characteristics of the motor (such as the ge-
ing the value of a parameter that allows one to design ometries of the rotor slots, the stator tooth, the air gap),
and build the motor so that the electromagnetic vibration the result was obtained by appropriately modifying "Cart-
and noise are reduced to a minimum without excessively er’s coefficient", which is a dimensionless multiplicative
compromising the electromagnetic efficiency of the mo- coefficient.
EP 3 661 032 A1

Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)

 EP 3 661 032 A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

5 [0001] . The present invention refers to a BPM (brushless permanent magnet) electric motor with improved magnetic
circuit, which is intended to be used to rotate the drum of a washing machine.
The improvement concerns in particular the sizing of the slots of both the rotor and of the stator, in which the permanent
magnets and the electric windings are respectively housed to generate the electromagnetic field.

10 STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] . BPM electric motors for washing machines substantially consist of a stator and a rotor, each of which is made
up of a stack of magnetic laminations. The stator is provided with slots in which the windings that generate the magnetic
field are inserted, while the permanent magnets are inserted in the rotor.
15 [0003] . Domestic-type washing machines are designed for ever higher spin speeds and therefore require motors that
run at very high rotation speeds up to 15-18,000 rpm, delivering power on the order of 600-800 W.
Due to the unquestionable advantages they offer in terms of consumption and energy efficiency, BPM motors of the so-
called IPM (interior permanent magnet) type, with "spoke" rotor, are preferably used.

20 TECHNICAL PROBLEM TO BE RESOLVED

[0004] . Unfortunately, BPM motors with "spoke" rotor configuration have the drawback of excessive noise generated
both directly (electromagnetic noise, bearing noise, ventilation noise, etc.) and indirectly (vibrations and resonance of
the transmission and of the machine structure induced by the motor). As is easy to understand, this problem is particularly
25 felt when the motor is applied to domestic washing machines, especially if these machines are operated at night to take
advantage of any discounts in the cost of electricity.
[0005] . Moreover, the noise level of washing machines, as with all home appliances, must be declared on the energy
label, which indicates the functional characteristics of the appliances. These characteristics are becoming more and
more stringent on the basis of international standards that are continuously updated.
30 [0006] . Consequently, theoretical studies and design experiments are being developed for a better understanding of
the problem and its causes, so as to define the correlation between sensitive design parameters and the electromagnetic
noise of the motor at high speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

35
[0007] . The present invention proposes the object of overcoming the aforementioned problem by creating a BPM
motor of the "spoke" type, with improved dimensional characteristics, in particular defining the value of a parameter that
allows one to design and build the motor so that the electromagnetic vibration and noise are reduced to a minimum
without excessively compromising the electromagnetic efficiency of the motor itself.
40 [0008] . To obtain this result, the present inventors have developed a study based on "multiphysics" simulation, simul-
taneously evaluating the electromagnetic and vibro-acoustic aspects with FEM simulation tools, and conducting tests
and validations of an experimental type with specific and targeted test plans.
[0009] . In essence, it was a question of working on the stator and rotor slots of which the presence, but especially
the shape thereof, produces a local reduction of the air gap induction and thus an increase of the reluctance of the
45 magnetic circuit with respect to the value than would be obtained if the surfaces of the stator and rotor were smooth. In
magnetic calculations, to determine the dimensional characteristics of the motor (such as the geometries of the rotor
slots, the stator tooth, the air gap), this effect is cumulatively considered by means of "Carter’s coefficient", which is a
dimensionless multiplicative coefficient, suitably modified.
[0010] . According to the invention, this coefficient has been suitably extended so that it may also be applied effectively
50 to motors with rotors of the "spoke" type. The objective of this extension is to evaluate, by means of the aforementioned
coefficient, a proper compromise between the electromagnetic noise and the electromagnetic performance of the motor.
On the basis of these considerations, an optimal value of this coefficient between 1.40 and 1.50 was determined.
[0011] . The predefined object is achieved with a motor according to the invention, the technical characteristics of
which are defined in the claims of the present patent.
55
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0012] . The characteristics and advantages of the motor, according to the present invention, will become more evident

2
 EP 3 661 032 A1

in the following description given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying figures wherein:

- Fig. 1 is a partial schematic view of a stator for a BPM motor, according to the invention,
- Fig. 2 is a partial schematic view of a closed slot rotor for a BPM motor, according to the invention,
5 - Fig. 3 is a partial schematic view of an open slot rotor for a BPM motor, according to the invention,
- Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are schematic views, respectively, of an open slot rotor and a stator for a BPM electric motor with
indication of the sizing thereof based on the coefficient modified according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

10
[0013] . The study developed by the present inventors starts from the following considerations. The electromagnetic
forcing in a BPM motor manifests itself mainly at a frequency f1 equal to the order multiple "p" (p = number of poles) of
the rotation speeds "n" (in Hz) of the motor, according to the formula:

15

[0014] . However, it is known that this forcing is not perfectly sinusoidal, in particular for the configuration of a IPM
(Interior Permanent Magnet) motor, and contains "distortions" that manifest themselves as non-negligible components
20 of the forcing at higher frequencies. These frequency forcings are due to the composition of the harmonics present in
the spectrum of the air gap induction and therefore of the magnetic pressure connected thereto, according to the formula:

25

where: i = 2, 3, 4, .........
[0015] . It is also well known that, as a result of some "non-linearity" still present in the system (for example, due to
"saturation" conditions of some portions of the magnetic lamination, the static or dynamic eccentricity of the rotor 12 with
respect to the stator 10, etc.), components of the forcing may be generated even at order frequencies
30

where: x = 1, 2, 3, ...
35
The latter components are normally neglected in the current design for small motors used in the household appliance
sector; however, they can be responsible for sensitive noise and vibrations when the motor works under load at high
speed and these components fall into frequency bands that are particularly annoying to the human ear, and thus it is
virtually impossible to guarantee the absolute absence of resonance conditions in the structure of the washing group
and the washing machine itself.
40
[0016] . The present invention consists in the definition of a dimensionless parameter to be used for the sizing of the
motor components in order to minimize the vibrations and the electromagnetic noise of the motor itself on the basis of
the calculation considerations previously stated. In particular, the sizing concerns the geometries of the rotor slots, the
stator tooth, and the air gap.
[0017] . As is known, in an electric motor, the presence of the slots 11 of the stator 10 and the slots 13 of the rotor 12
45
(Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) produces a local reduction in the air gap induction and therefore an increase in the reluctance of the
magnetic circuit of the motor with respect to the value that would be obtained if the stator and rotor surfaces were smooth.
In the calculations of the magnetic circuit, this effect is taken into account by means of a multiplicative coefficient (Carter’s
coefficient) to be applied to the geometric length of the air gap for designing high efficiency BPM motors. One may refer,
for example, to patent documents JPS5561250 and JPH04105530. Normally, this coefficient varies between 1.20 and
50
1.35.
[0018] . According to the present invention, the identified parameter is defined as "Kcm" and is calculated as the product
of two coefficients: "Kcms" (Carter’s coefficient modified for the stator) and "Kcmr" (Carter’s coefficient modified for the
rotor), defined by means of a special processing of the original "Carter’s coefficient".
[0019] . In particular, the following formulas apply:
55

• With reference to Fig. 1, which shows a partial schematic view of a stator 10 with slots 11 for a BPM motor, according
to the invention:

3
 EP 3 661 032 A1

10

15
wherein:

Der is the outer diameter of the rotor,

Dis is the inner diameter of the stator,
20 Q is the number of stator slots,
wbt is the width of the tooth lip,
wos is the opening of the stator slot,

• With reference to Fig. 2, which shows a partial schematic view of a stator 12 and closed slots 13 for the BPM motor,
25 according to the invention:

30

35

40 wherein:

p is the number of poles

Dsr is the diameter of the shaping of the rotor pole
α is the half-angle of the shaping of the rotor pole
45 β is the half-angle of the rotor pole
sp is the thickness of the bridge
lp is the length of the bridge
wor is the opening of the rotor slot

50 • With reference to Fig. 3, which shows a partial schematic view of a rotor 14 and open slots 15 for the BPM motor,
according to the invention:

55

4
 EP 3 661 032 A1

10 [0020] . As a result, the dimensionless parameter Kcm is:

15 and, according to the present invention, the value considered optimal for sizing the motor for the purposes of containing
electromagnetic noise is between 1.40 and 1.50, without compromising the electromagnetic efficiency.
[0021] . By way of example, with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, a rotor 14 with open slots 15 and a related stator 10
for a BPM motor for a washing machine are respectively represented schematically. Based on the dimensions indicated
in the figures, the resulting parameters according to the invention, using the calculation formulas indicated above, have
20 the following values:

25

30

In this case, the sizing of the constructive elements of the motor has resulted in an average reduction of 10% in the
noise level of the same motor, in particular on the order i=2, defined with the formulation stated above, relative to the
corresponding value set by a motor sized according to the standards previously in use.
[0022] The optimal geometric configuration for the dimensions of the rotor 14 and the stator 10 is therefore that shown
35
in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5.
[0023] . This result has allowed the "filtering" effect of the harmonics in the air gap and the reluctance of the motor to
be increased, without compromising the efficiency of the motor. The most sensitive harmonics are those of order "i = 2,
3, ......." and all those related to the saturation of the magnetic circuit.
[0024] In conclusion, the technical problem of reducing motor noise by sizing the rotor and stator on the basis of a
40
suitably modified dimensionless coefficient (Carter’s coefficient) has been resolved.

Claims

45
1. A BPM electric motor of the "spoke" type for washing machines, comprising:

- a stator (10), consisting of a stack of magnetic laminations defining radial slots (11), equally spaced circum-
ferentially, in which the windings which generate a magnetic field are housed, and
- a rotor (12,14), consisting of a stack of magnetic laminations defining radial slots (13, 15), equally spaced
50
circumferentially, in which the permanent magnets are inserted,
- said stator (10) and said rotor (12,14) being separated by an air-gap (g),

characterized in that
in a motor having a rotor (14) with open slots (15), the dimensional characteristics of the rotor slots (14), teeth of
55
the stator (10) and the air gap (g) are calculated on the basis of a dimensionless parameter Kcm resulting from a
modified Carter’s coefficient Kcm according to the following formula:

5
 EP 3 661 032 A1

wherein:
5

Kcms is a modified Carter’s coefficient for the stator, and

Kcmr is a modified Carter’s coefficient for the rotor,

and wherein, to calculate said coefficients, the following formulas are applied:
10

15

20

25
wherein:

Der is the outer diameter of the rotor,

Dis is the inner diameter of the stator,
30 Q is the number of stator slots,
wbt is the width of the tooth lip,
wos is the opening of the stator slot,

and:
35

40

45

wherein:
50
p is the number of poles
Dsr is the diameter of the shaping of the rotor pole
α is the half-angle of the shaping of the rotor pole
β is the half-angle of the rotor pole
55 wor is the opening of the rotor slot

2. BPM electric motor of the "spoke" type for washing machines, according to claim 1, characterized in that in a motor

6
 EP 3 661 032 A1

with a rotor (12) with a closed slot (13), the shaping coefficient of the rotor is obtained with the following formulas:

10

15
wherein:

sp is the thickness of the bridge

lp is the length of the bridge
20
3. A BPM electric motor of the "spoke" type for washing machines, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dimensionless
parameter Kcm has a value between 1.40 and 1.50.

4. A BPM electric motor of the "spoke" type for washing machines, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dimensionless
25 parameter Kcm has a value of 1.435.

5. A washing machine with a BPM electric motor of the "spoke" type as in any of the previous claims.

30

35

40

45

50

55

7
EP 3 661 032 A1

8
EP 3 661 032 A1

9
EP 3 661 032 A1

10
 EP 3 661 032 A1

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

11
 EP 3 661 032 A1

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

12
 EP 3 661 032 A1

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader’s convenience only. It does not form part of the European
patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be
excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description

• JP S5561250 B [0017] • JP H04105530 B [0017]

13