Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6701817
-
Patent Number
6,701,817
-
Date Filed
Friday, December 28, 200122 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, March 9, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 083 876
- 083 160
- 083 207
- 083 209
- 083 211
- 083 4373
- 083 485
- 083 907
- 083 276
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus includes an electronic control box and a transmission system to receive signals and control from the electronic control box for receiving finished iron cores to perform air gaps cutting operations. The completed iron cores with the air gaps formed thereon are pushed to an exit chute for packaging, thereby completing the automatic iron core fabrication process.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus and particularly an apparatus for cutting air gaps of annular iron cores made of metal magnetic material such as a silicon steel sheet or nickel steel sheet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional annular iron cores made of metal magnetic material such as a silicon steel sheet or nickel steel sheet should have an air gap for forming magnetic field. The air gap is made by placing a finished iron core on a selected air gap-cutting device (such as a lathe) to perform required machining processes. It is a complicated processing and cannot be made in a mass production fashion. The main problems are:
1. The air gap on the annular iron core formed by a specific air gap-cutting device must be done individually and manually. The processing is time-consuming and incurs a higher labor cost. The cutting device is also expensive and occupies a large floor area. As most iron core producers make only a limited quantity of iron core products these days, the cost burden becomes very heavy for the producers.
2. As cutting of the air gap is done manually, it is difficult to control the quality at a consistent level. The iron cores made by different workers often result in different quality, and are prone to produce greater product defects and product returns, and a lot of reworks are required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is to resolve aforesaid disadvantages. The invention aims to provide an automatic iron core air gap cutting processing, which can automatically cutting and forming air gaps on iron cores. The cutting of the air gap on every iron core is done through calculations and central control of a computer. The invention includes an electronic control box and a transmission system to receive signals from the electronic control box for cutting air gaps on the iron cores. The finished iron cores are directly fed to the transmission system to perform air gap cutting. The completed iron cores with the air gaps are pushed to an exit chute for packaging and follow on processes. It is a fully automatic fabrication processing for making the iron cores.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A and 1B
are schematic views of the invention at an initial condition.
FIGS. 2A
,
2
B and
2
C are schematic views of the invention, showing iron cores being transported to a machining platform.
FIGS. 3A
,
3
B and
3
C are schematic views of the invention, showing iron cores are under cutting operations.
FIG. 4
is a schematic view of the invention, showing the machining platform and the cutting mechanism.
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of a finished iron core with an air gap.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 1A
,
1
B and
5
, the invention is an apparatus for automatically and respectively cutting an air gap
41
a
,
41
b
on iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
through an electronic control box
10
and a transmission system
20
which may receive signals from the control box
10
. The transmission system
20
has a material holding area
21
for holding the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
that are made of a metal magnetic material such as a silicon steel sheet or nickel steel sheet. In the material holding area
21
, there is a chute
22
for carrying the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
, a holding platform
23
located at the exit of the chute
22
and a machining platform
24
located at one side of the holding platform
23
. The chute
22
includes a transporting passage
221
and a tube
222
located between the transporting passage
221
and the holding platform
23
. On the holding platform
23
, there is a first push device
25
for moving the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
to the machining platform
24
. On the machining platform
24
, there is a cutting mechanism
30
which includes an electric driving device
31
, a rotary shaft
32
driven by the electric driving device
31
and cutters
33
mounted on the rotary shaft
32
for cutting the air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
on the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b.
Referring to
FIGS. 2A and 2B
, the material holding area
21
further has a plurality of sensors
11
a
,
11
b
and
11
c
for detecting moving paths of the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
and generating signals to the electronic control box
10
. When the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
are dropped to the holding platform
23
from the transporting passage
221
and tube
222
, the sensor
11
b
on the material holding area
21
detects the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
and generates signals to notify the electronic control box
10
. The electronic control box
10
synchronously generates signals to activate the transmission system
20
to move the first push device
25
. The first push device
25
has a first oil hydraulic rod
251
and a first push member
252
driven by the first oil hydraulic rod
251
to move the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
towards the machining platform
24
. When the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
pass the sensor
11
a
, the sensor
11
a
detects and generates signals and transmits the signals to the electronic control box
10
for stopping the first push device
25
, therefore the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
may be positioned at the front end of the machining platform
24
.
Referring to
FIG. 2C
, on the machining platform
24
, there is an anchor device
27
for depressing and holding the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
firmly without wobbling or skewing when the air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
are being cut and forming. The anchor device
27
has an anchor oil hydraulic rod
271
and a depressing member
272
driven by the anchor oil hydraulic rod
271
. When the sensor
11
a
notifies the electronic control box
10
to stop the movement of the first push device
25
, the electronic control box
10
simultaneously sends a signal to the transmission system
20
to activate the anchor device
27
to move down and depress and hold the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
on selected positions. Through signals issued by the electronic control box
10
, the anchor device
27
is moved down and the first push device
25
is stopped from moving forwards and returned to its original position.
Referring to
FIGS. 3A and 3B
, when the first push device
25
passes the sensor
11
b
, the electronic control box
10
immediately issues signals to activate the cutting mechanism
30
. There is a slide rail
34
located between the cutting mechanism
30
and the machining platform
24
to allow the cutting mechanism
30
moving to the machining platform
24
when receiving signals from the electronic control box
10
. The electric driving device
31
of the cutting mechanism
30
is a motor. The cutters
33
mounted on the rotary shaft
32
are circular cutting blades. In order to facilitate cutting operation, the machining platform
24
has slots
241
(as shown in
FIG. 4
) corresponding to where the air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
are formed. Thus through the electronic control box
10
, the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
made of metal magnetic material such as a silicon steel sheet or nickel steel sheet my be cut to form air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
of a selected width and length. And after the cutting mechanism
30
finishes cutting operations, it can be returned through the slide rail
34
to its original location. The cutting time and cycle of the cutting mechanism
30
may also match the return displacement of the first push device
25
. When the first push device
25
is passing the sensor
11
c
, a signal will be issued concurrently to move the cutting mechanism
30
to its original location through the slide rail
34
.
Referring to
FIG. 3C
, at one side of the machining platform
24
, there is further a second push device
26
for moving the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
which have completed machining and have the air gap
41
a
,
41
b
formed thereon. At another side of the machining platform
24
, there is an exit chute
28
for receiving the completed iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
. The second push device
26
has a second oil hydraulic rod
261
and a second push member
262
driven by the second oil hydraulic rod
261
. When the cutting mechanism
30
completes cutting operation and is returned to its original location, the electronic control box
10
issues a signal to the transmission system
20
to activate the second push device
26
. The second oil hydraulic rod
261
will be driven to move the second push member
262
in a parallel displacement with the machining platform
24
to move the completed iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
which have air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
formed thereon from the machining platform
24
into the exit chute
28
. Then the aforesaid operations for next cycle may be started again for cutting air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
on other iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
. By means of the construction and operations of the invention, a fully automatic air gap cutting processing may be accomplished.
As previous discussed, and referring to the accompanied drawings, it is clearly that the invention can achieve the following objects:
1. Cutting of the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
is performed according to pre-set processes built in the electronic control box
10
. It is done automatically without human labor as conventional techniques do. The air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
formed on the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
can be centrally controlled and maintained at a consistent quality level, thus can improve production yield and increase economic value.
2. One or two or more iron cores
40
a
,
40
b
may be cut concurrently to form air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
desired depends on the number of the chute
22
and cutters
33
. Change of these numbers is relatively simple. Hence the invention may be adapted to mass production easily to greatly shorten fabrication time of the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b.
3. The width of the air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
may be changed by replacing cutters
33
of a selected width, and may be done easily. This also helps automatic cutting operations for forming the air gaps
41
a
,
41
b
of desired widths on the iron cores
40
a
,
40
b.
Claims
- 1. An automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus, comprising:an electronic control box; and a transmission system to receive signals from the electronic control box for cutting air gaps on iron cores; wherein the transmission system includes: a material holding area for holding the iron cores, a chute for carrying the iron cores having an exit, a holding platform located at the exit of the chute and a machining platform located at one side of the holding platform; a first push device located on the holding platform for moving the iron cores to the machining platform; and a cutting mechanism including an electric driving device, a rotary shaft driven by the electric driving device and cutters mounted on the rotary shaft for cutting the air gaps on the iron cores.
- 2. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the machining platform has an anchor device for depressing and holding the iron cores.
- 3. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the machining platform has a second push device located on one side thereof for pushing the iron cores which have completed machining and have the air gaps formed thereon, and an exit chute located on another side thereof for receiving the iron cores pushed by the second push device.
- 4. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second push device includes a second oil hydraulic rod and a second push member driven by the second oil hydraulic rod.
- 5. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chute includes a transporting passage for carrying the iron cores and a tube located between the transporting passage and the machining platform.
- 6. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1 further having a slide rail located between the cutting mechanism and the machining platform to allow the cutting mechanism moving to the machining platform to perform cutting operations of the air gaps.
- 7. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission system is an oil hydraulic server system.
- 8. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission system includes a plurality of sensors located on the material holding area for detecting iron cores moving paths to generate signals to the electronic control box.
- 9. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first push device includes a first oil hydraulic rod and a first push member.
- 10. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric driving device is a motor.
- 11. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cutters are circular cutting blades.
- 12. The automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the machining platform has slots formed at locations corresponding to where the air gaps are cut and formed.
US Referenced Citations (12)