Welded AC electromagnet lamination assembly incorporating shading coil

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6798323
  • Patent Number
    6,798,323
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, September 20, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 28, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
An electromagnetically actuable device has a magnetic core proximate an armature and a coil selectively energized to draw the armature to the magnetic core. The armature and magnetic core are of laminated magnetic steel and have mating surfaces. At least one of the armature and magnetic core includes conductive weld or braze lines for integrally securing laminations together to define a conductive path proximate the mating surface to provide a shading coil.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to electromagnetically actuable devices and, more particularly, to an electromagnet incorporating a shading coil.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




A typical electromagnetically actuable device has a magnetic core proximate an armature. A coil is selectively energized to draw the armature to the magnetic core. The device may be a solenoid, a contactor, a motor starter, or the like. The armature is operatively associated with a movable device such as movable contacts or an actuator. In many instances the coil is selectively energized from an AC power source. With AC-operated electromagnets, elimination or control of noise is a prime concern. To minimize noise the surface interface of the magnetic core and armature of each device must be matched to provide minimal magnetic “air gap” and a stable interface surface. The minimal air gap assures sufficient force to prevent movement and the stable surface interface prevents movements due to the widely changing forces in the AC-operated device. Particularly, a spring provides a constant force between the magnetic core and the armature. Energization of the coil counteracts the spring force to draw the armature toward the magnetic core. However, with an AC power source operating at, for example, 60 Hz, there are 120 zero crossings each second during energization. At each zero crossing the spring force may overcome the magnetic force causing the armature to be pushed away and then drawn back again. This can produce a noisy electromagnet.




Conventional shading coils have been used without success to address this problem. A conventional shading coil drives the formation of a small shaded magnetic pole formed on the interface or mating surface of the core or armature. The conventional shading coil is typically a conductive alloy in a stamped ring that is attached to the laminations of the AC electromagnet. These conventional coils routinely break and therefore are costly to produce and assemble. Also, the laminations of conventional coils are often held together with rivets that add costs to producing the electromagnets. The rivets provide points of failure. Accordingly, the inherent weakness of the rivets and the conventional shading coils typically limit the mechanical life of the electromagnet.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with the invention, a shading coil is formed in an electromagnet by welding or brazing or the like.




Broadly, there is disclosed herein an electromagnetically actuable device having a magnetic core proximate an armature and a coil selectively energized to draw the armature to the magnetic core. The device comprises the armature and magnetic core being of laminated magnetic steel and having mating surfaces. At least one of the armature and magnetic core includes means for integrally securing laminations together to define a conductive path proximate the mating surface to provide a shading coil.




It is a feature of the invention that the securing means comprises weld connections between adjacent laminations of the at least one of the armature and magnetic core.




It is another feature of the invention that the securing means comprises braze connections between adjacent laminations of the at least one of the armature and magnetic core. The braze connections may use a conductive alloy such as copper.




It is still another feature of the invention that the securing means comprises the sole means for securing the laminations together.




It is a further feature of the invention that a single conductive line is provided on the mating surface transverse to the laminations and a plurality of conductive lines are provided below the mating surface transverse to the laminations. It is a further feature of the invention that the single conductive line is of greater depth than the plurality of conductive lines.




There is disclosed in accordance with another aspect of the invention an electromagnetically actuable device having a magnetic core proximate an armature and a coil selectively energized to draw the armature to the magnetic core. The device comprises the armature and magnetic core including laminations of magnetic steel and having mating surfaces and at least one of the armature and one of the magnetic core including conductive areas formed integrally with the laminations to define a conductive path proximate the mating surface to provide a shading coil.




There is disclosed in accordance with still another aspect of the invention the method of forming an electromagnet having a magnetic core and an armature. The method comprises providing an armature and magnetic core formed of lamination of magnetic steel and having a mating surface and integrally securing the laminations together to define a conductive path proximate the mating surface to provide a shading coil.




Further features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the specification and from the drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded, perspective view of an electromagnetically actuable device in the form of a contactor including an electromagnet in accordance with the invention;





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of an armature or magnetic core of an electromagnet in accordance with the invention during an initial stage of assembly;





FIG. 3

is a view similar to

FIG. 2

of the electromagnet after conductive areas are formed therein;





FIG. 4

is a view similar to

FIGS. 2 and 3

of the electromagnet after grinding a mating surface; and





FIG. 5

is a side elevation view of the electromagnet of FIG.


4


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring initially to

FIG. 1

, an electromagnetically actuable device in the form of an electrical contactor


18


is illustrated in exploded form. The contactor


18


includes a base


20


, a housing


22


, an electromagnet


24


, a coil


26


an actuator assembly


28


and a cover plate


30


. The electromagnet


24


includes an armature


48


and a magnetic core


50


. The housing


22


is mounted to the base


20


and encloses the coil


26


and the magnetic core


50


. The magnetic core


50


is fixedly mounted in the housing


22


. The magnetic core


50


is made of laminated magnetic steel, as is well known. The coil


26


includes a conventional bobbin, winding and terminal assembly and is located within the housing


22


and on the magnetic core


40


. The armature


48


is also of laminated magnetic steel and is associated with movable contacts


32


carried on a contact carrier


34


moveable mounted in the housing


22


. Particularly, the contact carrier


34


moves with the armature


48


. The housing


22


also supports stationary contacts


36


positioned in proximity with the moveable contacts


32


.




When the coil


26


is energized, the movable armature


48


is drawn toward the magnetic core


50


in a conventional manner. The movement of the armature


48


toward the magnetic core


50


causes the moveable contacts


32


to selectively open or close an electrical circuit with the stationary contacts


36


, as is known.




While this application illustrates an electromagnetically actuable device in the form of a contactor, the teachings of the invention can similarly be applied to other electromagnetically actuable devices such as AC solenoids, electromagnetic actuators, motor starters, or the like.




In accordance with the invention, the electromagnet


24


uses weld penetration areas as conductive sections to replace conventional shading coils and structurally hold the laminations together as an assembly. Conductive alloys may optionally be added to the weld or braze areas to improve the conductivity of the resulting shading coil zone, as the resistivity of the lamination material is not extremely low.





FIGS. 2-4

illustrate an assembly sequence for the magnetic core


50


in accordance with the invention. Additionally, the method described can be used to produce the armature


48


with a shading coil, or both an armature and magnetic core for use in an electromagnet, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.




Referring initially to

FIG. 2

, a plurality of “E-shaped” laminations


52


are stacked with each lamination


52


being aligned with the other laminations


52


. The laminations


52


are temporarily held together by any known means, represented by a bracket


54


, during initial stages of the assembly process. The laminations


52


are typically formed of a material such as silicon steel having approximately 6% silicon. However, the laminations


52


could be cold rolled steel or most other types of steel, except annealed stainless steel. The use of laminations is intended to prevent electrical currents from being conducted between laminations. The assembled laminations


52


define interface first and second opposite end mating surfaces


56


and


57


and a center mating surface


58


to be associated with corresponding mating surfaces of an associated armature, or magnetic core, as the case may be, as with the contactor


18


of FIG.


1


.




Referring to

FIGS. 3 and 5

, the laminations


52


are integrally secured together by welding a plurality of weld lines across or transverse to the stack of laminations


52


. Owing to conductivity of the lamination material and/or an alloy used for welding, the weld lines comprise conductive lines that define conductive paths between laminations


52


. Particularly, a single conductive line


60


is provided on the first end mating surface


56


. Three parallel conductive lines


62


are provided just below the first end mating surface


56


. The use of three conductive weld lines


62


provides as much conductivity as possible between the laminations


52


. However, there may be room for only a single conductive weld line


60


on the mating surface


56


itself. In accordance with the invention, the depth of the single conductive weld line


60


may be greater than the three conductive weld lines


62


. As is apparent, the conductive weld lines


60


and


62


in combination with the outermost laminations


52


form a continuous conductive path. This conductive path provides the function of a shading coil. Additionally, the weld lines


60


and


62


provide structural connections between the laminations


52


.




Similarly, a single conductive weld line


64


is provided on the second end mating surface


57


, while three conductive weld lines


66


are provided below the second end mating surface


57


. The conductive lines


64


and


66


along with the outermost laminations


52


again form a shading coil. In accordance with the invention, the conductive weld lines


60


,


62


,


64


and


66


may comprise the sole means for securing the laminations


52


together. Additionally, a structural weld line


68


can be provided transversely in the central mating surface


58


, with a similar structural weld line


70


opposite thereto.




Referring to

FIG. 4

, as a final manufacturing step, the mating surfaces


56


,


57


and


58


may be subjected to a grinding operation to provide relatively smooth surfaces for a minimal magnetic air gap. In so doing, the single conductive weld lines


60


,


64


and


68


may not be readily visible, but are still present as represented by the dashed lines.




As described above, conductive weld lines are used to define shading coils and to provide structural connections. Alternatively, conductive lines may be provided by conventional brazing techniques rather than welding. Moreover, conductive alloys may be added to the weld or braze lines to improve the conductivity of the shading coil. Copper would be a suitable alloy. As described, a shading coil is formed from either the base material of the laminations or an alternative welding material that is holding the laminations together. This avoids the addition of parts to the magnetic core or armature in order to hold it together and provide a shading coil. More particularly, the described solution replaces the separate pieces with conductive areas that are formed by weld or braze operations. These conductive areas may be structurally superior to rivet connections and also less expensive.




It can therefore be appreciated that a new and novel system and method for forming a shading coil within an electromagnet has been described. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, given the teaching herein, numerous alternatives and equivalent will be seen to exist which incorporate the disclosed invention. As a result, the invention is not to be limited by the foregoing exemplary embodiments, but only by the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. An electromagnetically actuable device having a magnetic core proximate an armature and a coil selectively energized to draw the armature to the magnetic core, comprising:the armature and magnetic core being of laminated magnetic steel and having mating surfaces and at least one of the armature and magnetic core including means for integrally securing laminations together to define a conductive path proximate the mating surface to provide a shading coil, wherein the securing means comprises the sole means for securing the laminations together.
  • 2. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 1 wherein the securing means comprises weld connections between adjacent laminations of the at least one of the armature and magnetic core.
  • 3. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 1 wherein the securing means comprises braze connections between adjacent laminations of the at least one of the armature and magnetic core.
  • 4. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 3 wherein the braze connections use a conductive alloy.
  • 5. The elctromagnetically actuable device of claim 3 wherein the braze connections use copper.
  • 6. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 1 wherein a single conductive line is provided on the mating surface transverse to the laminations and a plurality of conductive lines are provided below the mating surface transverse to the laminations.
  • 7. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 6 wherein the single conductive line is of a greater depth than the plurality of conductive lines.
  • 8. An electromagnetically actuable device having a magnetic core proximate an armature and a coil selectively energized to draw the armature to the magnetic core, comprising:the armature and magnetic core including laminations of magnetic steel and having mating surfaces and at least one of the armature and magnetic core including conductive areas formed integrally with the laminations to define a conductive path proximate the mating surface to provide a shading coil, wherein the conductive areas are defined by securing means comprising the sole means for securing the laminations together.
  • 9. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 8 wherein the at least one of the armature and magnetic core comprises weld connections between adjacent laminations to define the conductive path.
  • 10. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 8 wherein the at least one of the armature and magnetic core comprises braze connections between adjacent laminations to define the conductive path.
  • 11. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 10 wherein the braze connections use a conductive alloy.
  • 12. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 10 wherein the braze connections use copper.
  • 13. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 8 wherein a single conductive line is provided on the mating surface transverse to the laminations and a plurality of conductive lines are provided below the mating surface transverse to the laminations to define the conductive areas.
  • 14. The electromagnetically actuable device of claim 13 wherein the single conductive line is of a greater depth than the plurality of conductive lines.
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Number Name Date Kind
4030056 Patz Jun 1977 A
4899121 Boothroyd Feb 1990 A
5578979 Adams et al. Nov 1996 A
20010030307 Bergstrom et al. Oct 2001 A1
20020008603 Seale et al. Jan 2002 A1