The present invention relates to a system and a process for assembling a stator or rotor winding.
It is generally known to make stators or rotors of electric machines, such as generators or electric motors, e.g., for applications on hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), in which the stator or rotor winding consists of a plurality of bent bar conductors and variously interconnected to one another so as to realize electric windings also known as “bar windings”. Said bent bar conductors are also referred to as “hairpin conductors” or simply “hairpins”. The bar windings can be constituted by one or more groups of concentric windings, sometimes known as “crowns”, each group of windings being already a winding per se (“winding sets”).
In particular, windings with hairpins having a circular cross-section (also said “rounded-wire conductors”) or a rectangular cross-section, or even conductors with a variable cross-section geometry along the length (e.g., round conductors made rectangular in the part housed in the slot) are known in the prior art. In this regard, “rectangular” or “square” conductor wire means, in this description, a wire having four substantially flat sides, each joined to the adjacent sides, typically by a rounded edge. Bar conductors having a trapezoidal-shaped cross-section are known.
The aforesaid bar conductors are usually preformed by bending them in a “U”- or a “P” shape, starting from straight bar conductors. Patent U.S. Pat. No. 7,480,987 describes an example of a method for preforming straight bar conductors to form hairpins. “U” or “P”-shaped preformed conductors, often also referred to as “preformed basic conductors” in the technical field, typically have two adjacent legs, of equal or different length, each provided with a free end portion and an opposite end portion, which is connected to the other leg by means of a bridge-like connecting portion. Since the end portions protrude when they are inserted into the rotor or stator, they will henceforth be referred to as the “free protruding portion” and “opposite protruding connected portion”. The protruding connected portion can also be referred to as the “head portion” or “bridge-like connected portions”. The whole of the “head portions” of the legs of the same hairpin forms the so-called “bridge-like connection”.
With reference to
A stator or rotor core of a radial magnetic flux electric machine is substantially a ring having two flat faces and two cylindrical surfaces, having generators perpendicular to the two flat faces parallel to the rotation axis of the rotor of the electric machine. The radial, circumferential and axial directions hereinafter refer to the latter axis, unless otherwise specified. One of the two cylindrical surfaces is adjacent, at least in part, to the air gap of the electric machine, to which said stator or rotor belongs and defines a set of slots in which the straight parts of the winding are housed. The two flat surfaces are divided into the insertion surface or side and the surface or side opposite to the insertion side. The parts of the winding which protrude from said core are referred to as heads. The ends of the free portions of the conductors, which are mainly subject to welding, belong to the head protruding from the side opposite to the insertion side. If protruding portions connected in a bridge-like manner to the legs inserted into the stator slots are present in the winding, they belong to the head protruding from the insertion side. The portions protruding from the insertion side, either free or connected in a bridge-like manner, are indicated hereafter as portions protruding from the insertion side.
The stator or rotor core region between a slot and an adjacent one is referred to as tooth. The number of teeth is equal to the number of slots. The connecting part of the teeth of the core, which also defines a portion of each slot and is located relative thereto on the side opposite to the slot opening on the air gap of the machine, is referred to as a yoke.
The slot can be divided into an array of positions in each of which a leg of a basic conductor can be placed. The conductors housed in the same radial position of the slots define a so-called winding layer.
In a first type of twisting, also referred to as “insertion side twisting”, the preformed basic conductors are appropriately inserted into corresponding radially aligned pockets or “slots”, which are provided in a twisting device adapted to deform such conductors after insertion. The twisting device is substantially used to “spread” the legs of the “U” or “P” shape so that the two legs of each conductor, after having extracted the latter from the device, can then be inserted into a corresponding pair of slots of a stator core, which are mutually angularly offset by a predetermined distance, substantially equal to the angular distance between the slots in which the legs are then inserted, and radially spaced apart by the radial distance between the slot positions occupied by the legs, respectively.
Starting from a preformed hairpin, for example, but not exclusively, as shown in
The patent application published under US 2009/0178270 discloses an example of a twisting method from the insertion side for the twisting, at a uniform pitch, of the preformed bar conductors after having inserted them into the pockets of a twisting device, in which the hairpins have a rectangular cross-section.
According to the prior art and with reference to
This molded hairpin or even a preformed and spread hairpin, obtained as described above, can be subjected to the so-called “welding side twisting”, in which case it is possible to introduce a “step-like” shape of the protruding portions of the legs 255a and 255b, in which, for example, the leg 255a has a first straight portion 255a1, a step-like portion 255a2 and a second straight portion 255a3 (substantially corresponding to portion 255aE in
There are also conductors defined as “reverse” conductors (not shown), and they are hairpins with a bending direction in the bridge-like connection opposite to that of most hairpins that form the same winding. These are used to go from the last layer of one crown to the first layer of the next crown.
Furthermore and with reference to
Furthermore, there are conductors referred to as “I-pins”, i.e., a conductor to be housed in a single slot and, when in the slot, having the portions with free ends protruding from both flat faces of the stator core.
With illustrative reference to
Finally, there are hairpin pairs whose homologous legs belong to different layers (
Hereafter, all the hairpin types, as well as the I-pins and the W-pins will be included in the definition of “basic conductors”.
After having been subjected to the first type of twisting or after having been molded, the basic conductors are typically pre-assembled in a winding set, as mentioned above. The pre-assembly apparatus will have a set of slots, generally in number equal to the slots of the stator associated with the winding, into which the legs of each hairpin are to be inserted, and it will generally be different from the twisting device.
The winding set is then inserted in bulk into the slots of the stator core through a first side thereof (so-called “insertion side” or “insertion face”) with the respective free portions protruding from a second side of the core (so-called “welding side” or “connection side” or “welding face” or “escaping face”) opposite to the first side.
Based on the specific winding pattern to be achieved, the free portions of the basic conductors protruding from the side opposite to the insertion side can thus be subjected to a second type of twisting, also referred to as “twisting from the welding side”, e.g., after having been inserted into pockets made in an appropriate twisting fixture. Here, the twisting fixture has the purpose of bending or twisting the free portions of the conductors to appropriately shape such free portions and thus allowing the appropriate electric connections to be achieved between the conductors to complete the winding. Patent application published under number US 2009/0302705 describes an example of a twisting method from the welding side of the type discussed above.
Assembly systems of electric winding for stators and/or rotors are known. Systems for transferring the winding and inserting it into a stator pack are also known.
With reference to
Furthermore, with reference to Odawara's
Furthermore, the blade movement mechanism 108 of the cylinder has a rotary axis 121, which sets the cams 130 in motion, and which must be axially actuated by acting on another element 129 connected to the axis 121, and not on the wheel 123 (
Indeed, in Odawara's patent, the insertion system into the stator requires a thrust ring gear 135, as shown in the corresponding
This overall configuration has several disadvantages, including that the hairpin insertion is performed with a movement approaching the drum with radial and circumferential components. The co-presence of such two movements makes a confining system of the first leg (non-gripped leg) of the hairpin, which can keep up with an excessively high hairpin forming cadence (e.g., 1.5 s), extremely difficult. Furthermore, in the prior art, there is low accuracy of insertion of the hairpin legs into the assembly drum due to the type of movement thereof (in some cases with both radial and circumferential movement). It is also worth noting that in the prior art, there is a high possibility of undesired leg movement in the drum slots (with possible escaping) because Odawara's guide must remain at a distance from the drum (at least temporarily) for the radial insertion of the basic conductor to be possible. Even adding standard confinement, it would be necessary to complicate the rest of the apparatus to preserve the aforesaid movement.
Application ITRM20100371A1 describes a twisting apparatus, comprising a rotary table adapted to move a twisting device between various work stations and, in particular, between a preformed basic conductor loading station, a subsequent special conductor loading station, a twisting station, and an extraction station. The conductors treated by this apparatus are indeed those that are pre-formed or “P”-shaped, as shown above. In any case, these conductors are formed and extracted from the apparatus and only then inserted into a stator pack to form a winding. The insertion is mentioned but not covered in the apparatus described by that patent document, which indeed does not explain the methods. The apparatus is not adapted to form the winding outside the stator pack and then insert the entire winding into the stator pack.
Application U.S. Pat. No. 20,092,65909A1 describes an apparatus in which pre-formed basic conductors can also be twisted all together and then extracted all together for later insertion into the stator pack. This extraction is done by vertically pushing the conductors from the side of their free legs. However, this thrusting and pulling are very complicated and time-consuming, requiring a gripping apparatus, which comprises a set of double fingers equal in number to the slots, stabilizing plates, and other elements all rotated to trap the hairpin legs in a defined position for the insertion into the stator. The gripping apparatus is then moved to the same side as the extraction and lowered above the stator. But this operation is not the last, because the winding still needs to be made to go up again to release the gripping apparatus and in particular the aforesaid fingers. In this manner, the winding remains high above the stator input plane, and additional thrusting means from above are required to complete the insertion. As a result, although U.S. Pat. No. 20,092,65909A1 describes an assembly and an in-stator insertion in the same apparatus, many complicated, time-consuming, costly, and material-intensive means are needed, and many different operating steps are required, and the winding hairpins are not well-calibrated, not to mention that the windings that can be treated are only those that can be made by a simultaneous twisting, which is only a subset of the possible windings.
The need is felt to assemble the entire winding on one system, with no limitations with respect to the type of assembly, and then easily and reliably insert it into the stator pack, without complicated and expensive mechanisms, pursuing the cycle time and accuracy specifications, which are increasingly stringent nowadays.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process and system for assembling a stator or rotor winding which solves the problems and overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art, in all or part.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process and a system for assembling a stator or rotor winding according to the appended claims.
The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example, with particular reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:
It is worth noting that hereinafter elements of different embodiments can be combined together to provide further embodiments without restrictions respecting the technical concept of the invention, as a person skilled in the art will effortlessly understand from the description.
Furthermore, the present description also refers to the prior art for the implementation thereof, as for detail features not described, such as elements of minor importance usually used in the prior art in solutions of the same type, for example.
When an element is introduced, it is always understood that there can be “at least one” or “one or more”.
When a list of elements or features is given in this description, it is understood that the finding according to the invention “comprises” or alternatively “consists of” such elements.
When listing features within the same sentence or bulleted list, one or more of the individual features can be included in the invention without connection to the other features in the list.
The elements composing the system include:
The respective feeding means 210,220,230 can supply the basic conductors of the layers 1 and 2 (210), the basic conductors of the layers 3 and 4 (220), and the basic conductors of the layers 5 and 6 (230), respectively.
The choice of a rotary table allows compacting the system, being capable of utilizing, as will be seen, the spaces above and below the table (i.e., on the side of a first table surface, and on the side of a second table surface opposite to said first table surface). Furthermore, it allows improving the cycle time, because during the insertion of a winding into the respective stator pack, progress can be made with the assembly of an additional winding to be inserted into a further stator pack.
Furthermore, it must also be specified that the inserter cannot also insert all the basic conductors of the winding before it is transferred by rotating the table. The missing basic conductors can be inserted into an intermediate station (not shown) and/or into the insertion station in the stator pack before the insertion itself into the stator pack.
Again, the arrow which illustrates the feeding of the stator pack 4001 identifies an arbitrary, albeit preferred, feeding direction. The stator pack can be fed to the winding insertion position from any direction and in any manner, as long as the stator pack is supplied from the side of the table opposite to the side of the inserter 100.
The inserters 100 (not shown in detail) can be of various known or unknown types because they intervene from the outside and do not affect the containment and insertion of the winding. Preferably, the inserter is positioned above the circular containment which will be illustrated, thus on one side of the table only.
A first function of the circular containment 500 is to sustain the basic conductors laterally and externally when assembling the winding. This is done by making use of a containment with circumferential geometry having as many walls as the slots in the stator pack so as to recreate a pack-like structure. However, as will be seen, the slots formed by the walls of the circular containment have a variable width due to the radially variable cross-section of the walls. This allows spreading the crowns needed to assemble the winding.
For the radial movement of the walls, as will be illustrated with reference to
A second function of the circular containment 500 is to hold in place (calibrate) the winding during the rotation of the table (transfer) and a third function of the circular containment is to organize and align the conductors of the transferred winding for the insertion into the stator pack.
Multiple circular containments (collectively “circumferential containment means”) can be used at the same time, as illustrated hereafter.
The circular containment 500 can be handled by means of a dedicated circular motion transmission system 917 shown in
This solution provides that the containment and gripping system (or “circular containment” or “circumferential containment means”) of the winding can comprise (
An example of an operation with successive work steps is now illustrated, in which advantageously all the elements just listed are used, although some are optional as indicated.
Step F1 shown in
Step F2 shown in
The basic conductors can be tightened radially (e.g., by means of a shoulder, described below) and/or tangentially, depending on wall thickness. Indeed, in general, tangential tightening is best suited when the insulating paper (usually used in the technical field) is ‘S’-shaped, double ‘S’-shaped, ‘B’-shaped or, more generally, when the paper crosses the slot internally because a radial distance between conductors belonging to the same slot must be ensured.
Radial tightening, on the other hand, works well when the paper is of the ‘O’ type or, in general, when the insulation is only at the edges of the slot because the circular containment compacts the conductors together and thrusts them against an inner abutment. Tangentially, the walls of the positioners can align the conductors so that they do not protrude beyond the area of the slot (minus that of paper).
Step F3, shown in
Step F4, shown in
Step F5, shown in
Step F6, shown in
Using only one circular containment is possible and has the advantage of having fewer components and smaller footprint.
To better control the winding and to reduce the radial travel of the circular containment 500, other circular containments can be used, which preferably take care of the tightening of the winding. With reference to
Step S1, shown in
At this step, all the expected basic conductors are inserted one by one, and with each insertion the central circular containment 500 rotates, taking the winding 200 therewith. Step S1 ends with the assembly of the entire winding 200. The tangential shoulders 513 for radial compacting can be present in one or both of the lower and upper 540,580 circular containments (
Step S2, shown in
Step S3, shown in
As for the radial movement of the positioner 510, in order to compensate for manufacturing tolerances of both the positioner and the basic conductor and thus ensure optimal positioning of the basic conductors in the containment, elastic means (e.g., springs) positioned behind each positioner 510 can be used (elastic means are not shown in the figures).
Step S4, shown in
Step S5, shown in
At this step, the winding is positioned over the stator pack, the upper and lower circular containments 540 and 580 are gripping, the middle circular containment 500 is located as in step S2, and the stator rises and houses the basic conductors (by means of their free ends).
Step S6, shown in
Step S7, shown in
Step S8, shown in
Consequently, according to the invention, one or more circular containments can be used according to the height of the stator pack; for packs with limited height, only one circular containment can be used; for packs with high height, it is preferable to use several circular containments for uniform containment along the height of the winding.
For the study of the entire assembly and insertion system, the starting point has been the movement of circular containment and in particular the analysis of the necessary automation. Indeed, it has been found that, by using a rotary table to move the winding from the assembly work station to that of insertion in the stator pack, different configurations are possible by arranging the components either outside the rotary table or integral therewith.
As for the assembly of the winding itself, it is possible to act in two ways, for example: in the first case, it is possible to hold the circular containment fixed and rotate the inserter about the axis of the winding while inserting the basic conductors; in the second case, it is possible to hold the inserter fixed and rotate the circular containment below it.
Since the inserter normally has a structure which does not allow it to be easily rotated about the entire circumference of the winding when inserting basic conductors, it is preferable to hold the inserter fixed and rotate the circular winding containment in assembly. In many cases, only one circular containment can be used for both assembly and winding calibration and tightening. According to the present invention, two movements can be made with circular containment (as shown in
The positioning of the circular containment 500 above the rotary table 300 and especially the choice of rotating the circular containment when assembling the winding involves the use of circular containment rotating means, which can be realized in many different ways.
For example, one possible choice is to provide holes 912 (engagement holes, see
The base plate 520 of the circular containment in
From the study of process steps, it has been seen that at the winding assembly work station on the rotary table, it is necessary to perform both movements 500r and 500s (
Referring to the embodiment 2000 in
This embodiment 2000 can be realized by using an electrically controlled brake connected to the pulley of the circular containment body, or by taking advantage of an electromagnetic clutch (not shown).
The operation of the solution 2000 (combinable with the solution 1000) with a single motor integral with the rotary table can be diagrammatically illustrated in several successive steps:
The advantages presented by the solution 2000 are the possibility of rotating the circular containment in the winding insertion station; this makes it easier to reach different positions on which to work with special hairpins and to position the winding at any angular position with respect to the stator pack; the use of a single electric motor for the circular containment body and the cam, eliminating weights on the rotary table; as well as the reduction of the overall dimensions under the rotary table.
Solution 2000 is a preferred embodiment according to the invention because it is efficient in achieving the purposes of the invention.
Optionally, one motor is used to rotate both the circular containment body 520 and the cam 910. As mentioned above, an electromagnetic clutch will be capable of inserting or removing one of the two motion-transmitting pulleys 915.
A diagrammatic version of the solution is configured as in the overall view in
Embodiments of each of the assemblies which form the global system (excluding the inserter, which as mentioned above can be of any type) will be illustrated in detail in the following.
As seen, a rotary table 300 has been chosen to work, e.g., on two stations, one for assembling winding under the inserter 100 and the other for inserting the winding into the stator pack 400, at the same time with very short rotation times of the table. It is preferable to rotate the table by 180° in one direction and then in the opposite direction so as to avoid complicated electric and pneumatic connection systems. In all embodiments of the present invention, the two (or more) stations can be housed in corresponding holes 310, 320 of the rotary table.
One rotating element which can be considered is, for example, the element TR315 made by Bettinelli shown in
The table 330 can also be configured to house the storage (not shown) of any special basic conductors to be inserted into the transfer station.
The circular containment assembly 1500, shown in
The circular containment 500 is connected by means of the base plate 530 on the rotary table 300 (not shown in the figure) and is free to rotate.
As the thickness of the positioners 510 (the part in contact with the conductors) increases radially, rotating the cam it is possible to form stator-like slots, more or less narrow than them. Hence, the concept is to recreate wider slots during assembly and then narrower slots to align the basic conductors, with obvious advantages in the simplicity and effectiveness of assembly and winding insertion into the stator pack.
The positioners can be conveniently guided by special guides provided in a plate cover element 521 (not shown). These guides can allow a given stroke to be maintained in all steps of operation.
The cam 910 is provided with external protrusions 532 onto which the pulley or wheel, which puts it in rotation, is supported and fixed.
Looking in detail at the positioner 510 in
The positioner 510 can also be shaped to have in section a first portion of the radially inner end with a fixed thickness 515 and then a second tapered (wedge-shaped) portion 514 toward the radially outer end.
Advantageously, the second portion has a first sub-portion with a first sub-length having a first tapering angle and a second sub-portion, contiguous to said first sub-portion, with a second sub-length having a second tapering angle.
Preferably, wherein each positioner 510 has, in at least said second sub-portion, along the direction 200A of the winding axis, a first end and a second vertical end, wherein at said first vertical end there is a first vertical portion with said tapering and at said second vertical end there is a second vertical portion with said tapering, and wherein there is a central portion 512 without tapering between said first and second vertical portions with said tapering.
In addition, a T-shaped shoulder 513 can be included, for example, at its outer radial end to bundle the conductors radially.
The optional inner containment support assembly 1600 shown in
The tooling structure 620 comprises an inner containment 600 with circular geometry which is used to give the reference of the inner diameter of the winding. It thus facilitates the insertion into the stator pack and has as many slots as the walls of the positioners so as to be crossed by the latter.
For example, the inner containment 600 (adapted not to keep the basic conductors of the winding from falling radially inward) is supported by means of a support (or basket) 620 rigidly connected to the fixed support 610, which connects the two assembly and insertion positions on the rotary table in the 180° configuration.
The motor unit of the circular containment 1950, shown in
It is possible to provide the device according to the invention with transmission means (e.g., above the rotary table), which are used to put the inner cam and the circular containment into rotation and are constantly connected to the motor. These transmission means can, for example, be made with a single motor to whose shaft the rotational part of the circular containment is connected, whereas the rotational part of the cam is implemented, when necessary, by means of independent connection to the shaft with mechanisms, such as an electrically controlled clutch.
The optional pneumatic locking assembly 1970, shown in
The pneumatic lock 970 is designed in a normally closed configuration and thus must be operated to release the circular containment, for safety issues.
The lock can be placed on top of the table 300 and can act directly on the base plate 530 of the circular containment, on the outer circumference of which positioning notches 971 are made in number equal to or a multiple of the number of stator slots, this allows locking the circular containment at least at each slot pitch.
Advantageously, when assembling the system, the locking assembly can be aligned with the notches on the circular containment since an error in doing so would result in displacement of the body of the circular containment when the clutch is deactivated and the pneumatic lock is activated, and consequently, there would be a step error between the upper and lower transmissions. At this point, it is advantageous to provide at least one angular adjustment of the pneumatic locking unit.
If the accuracy of a pneumatic locking device 970 is too low for a specific application, or the precautions to be applied are too sophisticated, an electromagnetic-type brake can also be used along with a clutch. In this manner, the brake would always be activated before the clutch (with the circular containment stationary) with the advantage that, once the clutch is deactivated, the brake would have no settling problems but would remain exactly still. The clutch is reactivated and the brake is deactivated to re-engage the transmission of the circular containment body.
Such a solution would not only allow for more precise control with quick and easy commands but also releasing the clamping system from the angular position of the circular containment body, saving costs as compared to additional machining operations on the base plate.
The support and movement surface assembly 1700, shown in
It has been seen that it is preferable to have a system capable of handling different lifting heights both in the case of winding format change and during the winding steps of the winding, therefore an electric movement (or electric lifting system) 730 connected by means of a belt drive to a worm screw that moves a plate in a vertical direction (not shown) is preferred.
In the movable subassembly 1750, by means of a bearing, a support 765 being free to rotate with respect to the lifting system, is connected and equipped with pins 720 that allow it to couple to the circular containment where related bushings are housed (they are like 911 in
Indeed, when assembling the winding, the support surface 700 will be connected to the circular containment by means of the aforesaid support and will rotate with the containment itself. Once the assembly is finished, the walls of the circular containment advance and tighten the winding against the inner containment then the support surface 700 lowers and its support decouples from the circular containment. A pneumatic cylinder 710 locks the support surface support in the reference position to which it must be returned before lowering.
It is also possible to manage the height at which the winding must be tightened, which will be the most convenient for transfer into the stator pack, by moving the support surface 700 before the circular containment advances to the tightening position. Therefore, the length of the pins 718 (see above) must be such that the basic conductors can be supported at different elevations without losing connection with the circular containment transmission.
The support surface 700 will be capable of advantageously tracing the projection of the insertion-side basic conductors for effective support. It is actually possible to simplify the support surface if the difference between the basic conductors is a few millimeters because having a support surface with precise notches for each basic conductor and then not being sure of the placement of those conductors would not make sense. Furthermore, having on the insertion side of the basic conductors a nape that is not perfectly horizontal poses no problems for winding assembly.
Instead, it is advantageous to make notches where considerably longer terminals such as step terminals or jumpers are placed and create chamfers so as to facilitate their insertion.
For example, the stroke of the lifting system thus made can be about 200 mm, which is sufficient to manage windings with heights on the order of 300-350 mm (in the PDT step).
The winding thrust assembly 800, shown in
It is designed to thrust the basic conductors from the top down through a single plane which thrusts all the conductors at the same time, and thus also plays the role of bringing the nape onto a single horizontal plane.
The suggested solution comprises an electric axis (not fully shown) that moves a plate (not shown) on which the entire thrust assembly 800 is connected.
The thrust assembly 800 can comprise means for opening and closing half-rings 810 to avoid interference with other elements. The thrust means 800, 810 comprise means 800E configured to move two half-discs 810 on a plane perpendicular to the winding axis from an open position to a closed position in which they form a single thrust disc of said head ends.
The base frame assembly 760, shown in
The base frame assembly (one of the possible embodiments) is constructed from an electrically welded structure 761.
The centering rollers and the stator pack lifter (not shown) of the table 980 can be fixed to this base frame, while the rotation motor of the table 762 can be placed under the rotary table 300.
Two or more of the parts (elements, devices, systems) described above can be freely associated and considered as part kits according to the invention.
Preferred embodiments have been described above and some variants of the present invention have been suggested, but it is understood that those skilled in the art may make modifications and changes without departing from the related scope of protection, as defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102022000006170 | Mar 2022 | IT | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2023/052123 | 3/7/2023 | WO |