Patent Application
20240290535
The present disclosure relates to a coil assembly and a method of manufacturing same, and more particularly to a coil assembly having a mounting structure to facilitate winding and attaching of a coil member thereon and a method of manufacturing same.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In a material forming operation, such as a stamping operation, a stack of blanks is generally positioned in proximity to a stamping press and automatically fed by a material handling machine into a stamping press. The material handling machine, such as a material handling robot, may include an end-effector to grasp and lift the uppermost blank from the stack and feed the uppermost blank into the stamping press. The stamping press receives the blanks and forms the blanks into a desired shape.
To facilitate the grasping operation of the end-effector of the material handling robot, the stack of blanks may be de-stacked or separated by a magnetic field generator disposed next to the stack of blanks. The magnetic field generator generates a magnetic field, which induces an eddy current in the uppermost blank before or when the end-effector grasps the uppermost blank. The eddy current in the uppermost blank causes generation of a repulsive force, thereby separating the uppermost blank from stack.
The magnetic field generator typically includes a copper coil member through which electric current flows to generate a magnetic field. When the space is limited, the coil member may need be wound in a smaller radius/size, causing the coil member to kink and/or spring out of the shape needed for the coil member. Winding the coil member is even more difficult when a cooling conduit is provided through the copper coil member.
The present disclosure addresses the issues related to winding and mounting the coil member in an electric apparatus, such as a magnetic field generator.
In one form, a coil assembly is provided, which includes a mounting structure and a coil member. The mounting structure includes at least one surface and at least one locking member disposed on the at least one surface. The coil member is wound around a central axis of the mounting structure and secured to the at least one surface of the mounting structure by the at least one locking member.
In other features, the at least one locking member defines a spiral groove for receiving the coil member therein. The coil member is press-fit into the spiral groove. The mounting structure defines a central opening and the at least one surface is an annular surface surrounding the central opening. The mounting structure includes a plurality of body sections aligned along the central axis of the mounting structure. The plurality of body sections define a plurality of surfaces. The coil member is secured to the plurality of surfaces. As such, the coil member defines a plurality of coiled portions secured to the plurality of surfaces in different planes. The plurality of coiled portions each include a plurality of windings. The mounting structure further includes connecting members at adjacent ones of the plurality of body sections to maintain the plurality of body sections in a spaced position. The plurality of body sections each include an annular plate portion or a truncated cone portion. The truncated cone portions are joined along the central axis of the mounting structure. The coil member includes a tube body made of an electrically conducting material and a cooling channel in the tube body. The mounting structure is made of an insulating material. The coil member is electrically insulated by the mounting structure.
In another form of the present disclosure, a coil assembly is provided, which includes a mounting structure and a coil member. The mounting structure includes a plurality of body sections aligned along a central axis of the mounting structure. The plurality of body sections each define a central opening, an annular surface around the central opening, and a spiral groove on the annular surface. The coil member includes a plurality of coiled portions disposed in different planes and secured to the plurality of annular surfaces of the plurality of body sections.
In other features, the plurality of body sections each have a ring plate configuration or a truncated cone configuration. The body sections are connected along the central axis of the mounting structure.
In still another form of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a coil assembly is provided, which includes: manufacturing a mounting structure by 3D printing, the mounting structure including a plurality of surfaces arranged along a central axis of the mounting structure and a plurality of locking members on the plurality of surfaces; and winding a coil member on the plurality of surfaces, the coil member being secured to the plurality of surfaces by the plurality of locking members.
In other features, the mounting structure includes a plurality of body sections aligned along the central axis of the mounting structure. The method further includes: manufacturing the plurality of body sections and an interconnect in one printing process, the interconnect connecting the plurality of body sections; removing the interconnect to separate the plurality of body sections; and connecting the plurality of body sections to form the mounting structure. The mounting structure further includes a connecting member. The connecting member, the plurality of body sections and the interconnect are manufactured in the same printing process. The method further includes connecting the plurality of body sections along the central axis of the mounting structure after the interconnect is removed to separate the plurality of body sections. The locking members define a plurality of spiral grooves. The method further comprising pressing the coil member in the plurality of spiral grooves.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.
Referring to
As clearly shown in
The first and second body sections 42, 44 include connecting members for connecting the first and second body sections 42 and 44 and for maintaining the first and second body sections 42 and 44 in a spaced position. For example, the first body section 42 may include a plurality of keys 48 and the second body section 44 may include a plurality of keyways 50 for receiving the keys 48 of the first body section 42 such that the first and second body sections 42, 44 are properly aligned and connected. In addition, the second body section 44 may further include a plurality of keys 48 extending upwardly for engaging corresponding keyways 50 of a third body section (not shown) disposed immediately above the second body section 44.
Referring to
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As further shown, the first and second body sections 42, 44 may each has an annular plate configuration and define a central opening 52, an annular surface surrounding the central opening 52, and a locking member 56 disposed on the annular surface for mounting and fixing the coil member 36 thereon. As an example, as shown in
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The removable interconnect 70 may have a comb configuration including a shaft 72 extending in a direction parallel to the central axis X of the body sections and a plurality of teeth 74 extending from the shaft 72 toward the plurality of body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66 and the end plate 68 in a radial direction and joined to the plurality of body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66 and the end plate 68. The teeth 74 of the removable interconnect 70 are configured to have a small size/thickness such that the removable interconnect 74 can be easily separated from the body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66 and the end flange 78 after the semi mounting structure 60 is formed by 3D printing.
During printing of each of the body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66, the locking members 56, the connecting members such as the keys 48 and the keyways 50, and the identifying features 58 (such as beads) for each body section are simultaneously formed. The keys 48 and the keyways 50 in the adjacent body sections are not engaged when the body sections are joined to the removable interconnect 70 during the printing process. It is understood that the end plate 68 does not need to have locking members formed on its surface.
After the semi mounting structure 60 is formed, the removable interconnect 70 is removed to separate the body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66 and the end plate 68 apart. The coil member 36 is then wound and attached to the annular surface of each of the body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66. The body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66 are then aligned and connected along the central axis X of the mounting structure 40 by using the connecting members (i.e., the keys 48 and keyways 50). The identifying feature 58 on each of the body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66 and the end plate 68 help an operator assemble and connect the body sections 42, 44, 62, 64, 66 and the end plate 68 in the right order, i.e., from bottom to top.
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Similarly, the mounting structure 82 may be manufactured by 3D printing as described in connection with
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Similarly, while not clearly shown in the drawings and as previously described in connection with
According to the disclosure of the present application, the coil assembly 24, 80 of the electric apparatus 20 includes a mounting structure 40 or 82 to facilitate mounting and winding of a coil member 36 or 84 thereon. The mounting structure 40 or 82 includes a plurality of body sections and locking members 56, 91 on the body sections to allow the coil member 36 or 84 to be wound into a plurality of coiled portions in different planes and aligned along a central axis of the coil member 36 or 84. The plurality of coiled portions may be a plurality of ring portions or a plurality of hollow truncated cone portions. Each coiled portion has a plurality of windings. The locking members 56, 91 facilitate winding and mounting of the coil member 36 or 84 on the mounting structure 40 or 82 while preventing kinking of the coil member 36 or 84. Therefore, the coil member 36 or 84 can be wound into a relatively smaller radius/size and the number of windings can be increased even if the space is limited or even if the coil member has a relatively large size due to the inclusion of a cooling channel therein. Moreover, the mounting structure can be easily manufactured by one 3D printing process, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs.
As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”
The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
