The present invention relates to a method for setting stator coils on a blade of an inserter. Furthermore, the present invention pertains to a method for manufacturing a rotating electrical machine including a stator core about which stator coils are wound.
A stator used for a rotating electrical machine such as an electric motor and a generator has a stator core including teeth. Stator coils are inserted in slots formed between the teeth. Japanese Patent No. 3448204, Japanese Patent No. 3673330, Japanese Patent No. 3673337, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-184887 disclose methods for winding stator coils. In these methods, the stator coils are wound around a stator core such that each stator coil extends over a number of teeth. The stator coils overlap one another to form a spiral shape as a whole.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-80356 discloses a method for inserting stator coils in slots of a stator core using an inserter.
In a case where the stator coils are inserted in the slots of the stator core using the inserter, the stator coils that are formed into a predetermined shape in advance need to be set on a blade of the inserter. In order to apply the above inserter to the methods disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3448204, Japanese Patent No. 3673330, Japanese Patent No. 3673337, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-184887, it is necessary to set, on the blade, the stator coils that are formed into a shape that permits the stator coils to overlap one another to form a spiral shape when inserted in the slots of the stator.
However, in the conventional methods, since the stator coils are manually arranged on the blade, the arrangement of the stator coils inserted in the slots tends to be uneven. In particular, unevenness in the arrangement is significant at the region where the stator coil that is set on the blade first overlaps the stator coil that is set on the blade last. The uneven arrangement of the stator coils reduces the efficiency of the rotating electrical machine.
Furthermore, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent No. 3673330, Japanese Patent No. 3673337, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-184887 disclose methods for manufacturing a single stator core by combining divided cores. More specifically, the stator core is manufactured by setting the stator coils, which are formed into a predetermined shape, on the divided cores in advance, and thereafter combining the divided cores. In this case, the inserter need not be used. However, the stator core manufactured by combining the divided cores reduces the efficiency of the rotating electrical machine as compared to an integrated stator core.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to evenly arrange stator coils when the stator coils are mounted on a stator core using an inserter in a state where the stator coils overlap one another to form a spiral shape.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method for setting a plurality of stator coils on an inserting blade before mounting the stator coils on a stator core using the inserting blade such that the stator coils overlap one another to form a spiral shape is provided. The method includes preparing a coil holder. The coil holder includes a first retaining group and a pair of second retaining groups sandwiching the first retaining group. The first retaining group includes a plurality of rod-like first coil retainers. The pair of second retaining groups each includes the same number of second coil retainers. The length of the second coil retainers differ from the length of the first coil retainers. The first coil retainers and the second coil retainers are arranged on a same line. The pair of second retaining groups are displaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the second coil retainers. The method further includes sequentially setting the stator coils on the coil holder along a predetermined direction. Each stator coil is set on two of the coil retainers that are separate from each other so as to sandwich a predetermined number of the coil retainers. The stator coils are inclined with respect to the coil retainers. At least part of the stator coils overlap one another. The method further includes connecting the second coil retainers of one of the second retaining group to the second coil retainers of the other second retaining group with respect to the longitudinal direction of the second coil retainers, while arranging the coil retainers in an annular shape at equal intervals. The method further includes setting the stator coils on the inserting blade.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
The features of the present invention that are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description of the presently preferred embodiments together with the accompanying drawings in which:
A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.
Stator coils 16 are mounted on the stator core 11. Each stator coil 16 is formed by a conductive wire wound into an annular shape. Each stator coil 16 is mounted on the stator core 11 so as to extend over a predetermined number of the teeth 12. Each stator coil 16 includes an inner section, which extends along a radially inward section of the stator core 11, and an outer section, which extends along a radially outward section of the stator core 11. The inner section of each stator coil 16 is arranged in the vicinity of the opening portion 15 of the corresponding slot 14. The outer section of each stator coil 16 is arranged at the inner most portion of the corresponding slot 14. Each stator coil 16 bulges from the inner section toward the outer section. The adjacent stator coils 16 closely contact each other. Thus, the stator coils 16 are mounted on the stator core 11 such that the stator coils 16 overlap one another to form a spiral shape as a whole.
The stator coils 16 are inserted in the slots 14 of the stator core 11 using an inserter so as to be mounted on the stator core 11. The stator coils 16 are set on an inserting blade 27 (shown in
FIGS. 2 to 6 show a procedure for setting the stator coils 16 on a coil holder, which is a setting jig 20 in the first embodiment. The stator coils 16 are set on a coil setting jig, which is the setting jig 20 in the first embodiment, such that the stator coils 16 overlap one another to form a spiral shape.
The setting jig 20 includes independent first coil retainers, which are first retaining members 21 in the first embodiment, and independent second coil retainers, which are second retaining members 22 in the first embodiment. The number of the first retaining members 21 and the number of the second retaining members 22 are determined in accordance with the specification of the electric motor and the rotary machine. That is, the number of the first retaining members 21 and the number of the second retaining members 22 are determined in accordance with the number of the slots 14 and the number of the teeth 12 over which each stator coil 16 extends. Each stator coil 16 is inserted in two slots 14. The number of the first retaining members 21 and the number of the second retaining members 22 are determined in accordance with the distance between two slots 14 in which each stator coil 16 is inserted.
The first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 all have a rod-like shape, that is, a square columnar shape. The length of the first retaining members 21 differs from the length of the second retaining members 22. The length of the second retaining members 22 of the first embodiment is set to half the length of the first retaining members 21. That is, the length of the two second retaining members 22 connected to each other is the same as the length of the first retaining member 21.
As shown in
All the first retaining members 21 are arranged on the first base 24 together, and configure a first retaining group, which is a main retaining group 21A in the first embodiment. The term first retaining members 21 is a collective term for first long bars 21a, each of which includes a first slit S1, and second long bars 21b, each of which includes a second slit S2. The second slits S2 are shorter than the first slits S1. The length of the first long bars 21a is equal to the length of the second long bars 21b. The first long bars 21a and the second long bars 21b of the main retaining group 21A are arranged alternately at equal intervals. The number of the first long bars 21a is equal to the number of the second long bars 21b. The first slits S1 extend along almost the entire length of the first long bars 21a. The length of the second slits S2 is approximately half the length of the first slits S1. The stator coils 16 are inserted in and supported by the first slits S1 and the second slits S2. The first slits S1 are open at the distal ends of the first long bars 21a (upper ends in
The second retaining members 22 are divided into an upper retaining group 22A and a lower retaining group 22B. The upper retaining group 22A and the lower retaining group 22B are second retaining groups. The main retaining group 21A is located between the upper retaining group 22A and the lower retaining group 22B. The upper retaining group 22A and the lower retaining group 22B are displaced from each other in the axial direction of the second retaining members 22, that is, in the vertical direction in
As shown in
The length of the first short bars 22a is equal to the length of the second short bars 22b. The length of the third slits S3 is equal to the length of the second slits S2, and the third slits S3 extend along the most part of the first short bars 22a. The third slits S3 are open at the distal ends of the first short bars 22a. The fourth slits S4 are longer than the third slits S3, and extend along the entire length of the second short bars 22b. The fourth slits S4 are open at the distal ends and the proximal ends of the second short bars 22b. Dividing one of the first slits S1 into two forms the third slit S3 and the fourth slit S4. The stator coils 16 are inserted in and supported by the third slits S3 and the fourth slits S4. The first short bars 22a and the second short bars 22b are alternately arranged at equal intervals.
The first short bars 22a and the third short bars 22c of the lower retaining group 22B are alternately arranged at equal intervals. The first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are arranged such that all the first to fourth slits S1 to S4 are open to one direction, that is, upward in
In the first embodiment, four retaining members 21, 22 are located between the second retaining member 22 of the first retaining member 21 having the second slit S2 on which the first section 16a of each stator coil 16 is set, and the first retaining member 21 having the first slit S1 or the first short bar 22a of the lower retaining group 22B on which the second section 16b of the same stator coil 16 is set. Thus, the first section 16a of each stator coil 16 is displaced from the second section 16b by five arrangement pitches of the slits S1 to S4.
The arrangement pitch of the slits S1 to S4 correlates with the arrangement pitch of the teeth 12 of the stator core 11. More specifically, the arrangement pitch of the first slits S1 corresponds to the arrangement pitch of the teeth 12. The distance between one of the first slits S1 and the adjacent second slit S2 corresponds to half the arrangement pitch of the teeth 12. The interval between the first section 16a and the second section 16b of each stator coil 16 on the setting jig 20 is determined in accordance with the number of the teeth 12 over which the stator coil 16 will extend. The distance between the second slit S2 or the third slit S3 of the upper retaining group 22A into which the first section 16a of each stator coil 16 is inserted and the first slit S1 or the third slit S3 of the lower retaining group 22B into which the second section 16b of the same stator coil 16 is inserted is determined in accordance with the specification of the electric motor or the rotary machine. The interval between the first section 16a and the associated second section 16b is also determined in accordance with the number of the stator coils 16 that overlap any of the stator coils 16.
The first sections 16a and the second sections 16b of the stator coils 16 are inserted in the slits S1 to S4 so as to be displaced in the vertical direction. That is, the stator coils 16 are set on the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 in an inclined state.
The first section 16a of the stator coil 16 shown in
Subsequently, the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 on which the stator coils 16 are set are arranged on a second base 26 at equal intervals as shown in
In this manner, all the first retaining members 21 and all the second retaining members 22 are arranged on an annular line. A clamping device K shown in
In this manner, by setting the stator coils 16 on the second retaining members 22, which are divided into the upper section and the lower section, and thereafter connecting the second retaining members 22, the stator coils 16 retained by the lower retaining group 22B can be arranged below the stator coils 16 retained by the upper retaining group 22A. That is, the stator coils 16 set on the upper retaining group 22A can be arranged to overlap the stator coils 16 set on the lower retaining group 22B to form a spiral shape.
The stator coils 16 set on the upper retaining group 22A and the stator coils 16 set on the lower retaining group 22B correspond to, for example, the stator coil that is set first and the stator coil that is set last when manually forming the stator coils 16. A section at which the second retaining members 22 are connected to each other corresponds to a section where the stator coil 16 that is set first overlaps the stator coil 16 that is set last. For example, in a case where the stator coils 16 are set on an annular setting jig that cannot be divided, it is impossible to arrange the stator coil 16 that is set last below the stator coil 16 that is set first.
However, in the first embodiment, part of the setting jig 20 can be divided into the upper retaining group 22A and the lower retaining group 22B. As shown in
All the stator coils 16 set on the setting jig 20 as shown in
The first section 16a of each stator coil 16 is moved from the setting jig 20 to the inserting blade 27 by moving upward in
The inserting blade 27, on which the stator coils 16 are set so as to overlap one another to form a spiral shape, is mounted on an inserter (not shown). The inserter inserts all the stator coils 16 to the stator core 11. That is, while maintaining the state formed on the setting jig 20 where the stator coils 16 overlap one another to form a spiral shape, all the stator coils 16 are moved from the setting jig 20 to the inserting blade 27, and further from the inserting blade 27 to the stator core 11. The inserter extrudes all the stator coils 16 from the inserting blade 27 to the stator core 11 by a mechanical configuration or an electrical configuration.
The above mentioned first embodiment has the following advantages.
(1) The stator coils 16 are set on the setting jig 20 in an inclined state such that at least part of the stator coils 16 overlap one another. The setting jig 20 has the main retaining group 21A, and the upper retaining group 22A and the lower retaining group 22B, which sandwich the main retaining group 21A. When the stator coils 16 are set on the upper retaining group 22A and the lower retaining group 22B, the upper retaining group 22A and the lower retaining group 22B are separate from each other.
The second retaining members 22 of the upper retaining group 22A are connected to the second retaining members 22 of the lower retaining group 22B in a state where all the stator coils 16 are set so that all the first retaining members 21 and all the second retaining members 22 are arranged in an annular shape. As a result, the stator coils 16 set on the upper retaining group 22A overlap the stator coils 16 set on the lower retaining group 22B. That is, the stator coils 16 located on both ends of the first base 24 in
(2) Uniformly arranging all the stator coils 16 suppresses reduction in the efficiency of the rotating electrical machine. Furthermore, since the stator coils 16 are uniformly arranged on the integrated stator core 11 instead of a stator core in which divided cores are combined, reduction in the efficiency of the rotating electrical machine is further suppressed.
(3) The first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are selectively separated from one another. Therefore, the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 can be arranged such that the stator coils 16 are easily set. Thus, the stator coils 16 are set on the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 more efficiently.
(4) When setting the stator coils 16, the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are arranged on the first base 24 along the same straight line. Thus, for example, as compared to a case where the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are arranged along a curved line, the stator coils 16 are easily set on the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22.
(5) When setting the stator coils 16, the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are arranged in the straight groove 23 of the first base 24. Thus, the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are easily arranged on the same line. Furthermore, since the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22, on which the stator coils 16 are set, are moved from the straight groove 23 to the annular shape forming groove 25, the stator coils 16 are easily moved to be arranged in an annular shape.
A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to
The first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 of the second embodiment are arranged on the first base 24 in the same manner as the first embodiment. The first section 16a of each stator coil 16 is inserted in one of the retaining members 21, 22, and the second section 16b of the stator coil 16 is inserted in one of the retaining members 21, 22 separate from the first section 16a such that a predetermined number of (four in
After setting all the stator coils 16 on the setting jig 20, the second retaining members 22 of the upper retaining group 22A are connected to the second retaining members 22 of the lower retaining group 22B. Thus, all the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are arranged along an annular line. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, all the stator coils 16 of the second embodiment are also formed in the same manner and are uniformly arranged in a state where the stator coils 16 overlap one another to form a spiral shape. All the stator coils 16 are then moved from the setting jig 20 to the inserting blade 27. The second embodiment has the same advantages as the first embodiment.
The above embodiments may be modified as follows.
In the above embodiments, when setting the stator coils 16 on the setting jig 20, the distance between one of the retaining members 21, 22 in which the first section 16a of one of the stator coils 16 is inserted and one of the retaining members 21, 22 in which the second section 16b of this stator coil 16 is inserted may be changed. The distance is determined in accordance with the specification of the rotating electrical machine as described above.
In the above embodiments, the number of the stator coils 16 set on the setting jig 20 may be varied. The number of the stator coils 16 set on the setting jig 20 is also determined in accordance with the specification of the rotating electrical machine.
In the above embodiments, when setting the stator coils 16, the retaining members 21, 22 need not be arranged on the straight line, but may be arranged on an arcuate line. The retaining members 21, 22 may be arranged in any form as long as the upper retaining group 22A is separated from the lower retaining group 22B when the stator coils 16 are set on the retaining members 21, 22.
In the above embodiments, the retaining members 21, 22 may be connected to one another by a connecting mechanism. However, the second retaining members 22 of the upper retaining group 22A should not be connected to the second retaining members 22 of the lower retaining group 228.
In the above embodiments, the depth of the straight groove 23 of the first base 24 may be increased such that the side surfaces of the straight groove 23 clamp and support the retaining members 21, 22 inserted in the straight groove 23.
In the above embodiments, the length of the second retaining members 22 of the upper retaining group 22A may differ from the length of the second retaining members 22 of the lower retaining group 22B. The length may be varied as long as the length when the second retaining members 22 of the upper retaining group 22A are connected to the second retaining members 22 of the lower retaining group 22B is equal to the length of the first retaining members 21.
In the above embodiments, the inserting blade 27 may also serve as the setting jig 20. In this case, the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are blade components. That is, the first retaining members 21 and the second retaining members 22 are blade members configuring the inserting blade 27. In this case, all the stator coils 16 are formed on the inserting blade 27. This simplifies the procedure.
In the first embodiment, all the first retaining members 21 of the main retaining group 21A may be the first long bars 21a, each of which has the first slit S1.
In the above embodiments, the diameter of the inserting blade 27 may differ from the diameter of the setting jig 20 in the cylindrical state. That is, the inserting blade 27 may be arranged radially outward of the setting jig 20. In contrast, the inserting blade 27 may be arranged radially inward of the setting jig 20.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2006-166487 | Jun 2006 | JP | national |