Inductor devices – With supporting and/or spacing means between coil and core – Preformed insulation between coil and core
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-03
2001-06-19
Mai, Aah (Department: 2832)
Inductor devices
With supporting and/or spacing means between coil and core
Preformed insulation between coil and core
C336S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249204
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of electrical transformers and inductors and particularly to a method and an apparatus for constructing continuously wound magnetic cores of transformers and inductors.
Transformers and inductors and the construction thereof is common in the art.
FIG. 1
depicts an exemplary electrical transformer known in the art, shown generally at
10
. The transformer
10
comprises a double coil transformer having a first coil bobbin
12
and a second coil bobbin
14
. Each of the coil bobbins
12
and
14
typically has a turn wire (not shown) wrapped about the bobbin. The turn wire of the first coil bobbin is connected to the turn wire of the second coil bobbin by an electrical wire
16
. The electrical wire
16
terminates in a prong
18
which provides a means for connecting the transformer
10
to another device. The first and second coil bobbins
12
and
14
include openings
20
and
22
, respectively.
The electrical transformer
10
further comprises a wound core of magnetic material
24
. The magnetic material
24
is wound about both the first coil bobbin
12
and the second coil bobbin
14
through the openings
20
and
22
, respectfully, to form a magnetic transformer core
26
. The magnetic material
24
is typically a magnetic strip wound to a predetermined thickness and cut to form a trailing edge
28
. The trailing edge
28
is secured to the underlying magnetic material
24
by welding or other common adhesive process.
There are several common practices known in the art for assembling the magnetic material
24
within the transformer
10
to form the magnetic transformer core
26
. In one method, the transformer core
26
is formed out of a stack of laminations which are constructed utilizing commonly known techniques such as interleave, butt-stack, etc. The second commonly implemented method for constructing the magnetic core
26
of an electrical transformer
10
involves assembling two pre-formed cut magnetic core halves about the wire coil. Although commonly implemented, these methods of manufacturing the magnetic core elements of electrical transformers are very time consuming and costly to the manufacturer.
Another known method for assembling magnetic transformer cores utilizes a core winding mechanism which winds a magnetic material in and through openings formed in a wire coil bobbin such that the leading edge of the magnetic material is continuously threaded through the opening(s) formed in the bobbin(s) to form a wound transformer core. In effect, this method pushes the magnetic material through the opening of a wire coil bobbin to form a magnetic core there about. The resulting magnetic core is fashioned into a predetermined shape such as a rectangle, etc.
This winding method, however, encounters difficulties when utilizing certain magnetic materials. Thin magnetic materials tend to buckle and jam the winding mechanism when forced in and about the coil bobbins thus inhibiting the winding process. Thick or hard magnetic materials form bulkier magnetic transformer cores. Higher stresses are placed upon the thick material thus resulting in the degradation of the magnetic properties of the material. Further, a winding mechanism as described above is insufficient in attaining a prescribed tension of the magnetic core material, especially when thick or hard magnetic material is used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,133 to Grimes et al ('133), incorporated fully herein by reference, teaches a method of constructing an electrical transformer which entails winding an electrical wire about a pre-formed laminated magnetic core. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,207 ('207) to Knight et al, incorporated fully herein by reference, teaches a method of constructing an electrical transformer by preforming a laminated magnetic transformer core and winding a conducting coil about said core by use of a winding bobbin. However, neither the '133 nor the '207 patent teaches a winding technique for the construction of the transformer core, thus both referenced patents require implementation of costly and time consuming traditional core manufacturing methods as are discussed herein above.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a continuous core winding process and a winding apparatus used to produce electrical transformers. In its assembled state the electrical transformer may comprise at least one pre-formed wire coil with at least one magnetic core wound about said wire coil, in accordance with the present invention.
In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a first member and a second member. The first member is identical in description to the second member each comprising a winding member, a first flange, a second flange and a locking assembly. The winding member is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape with a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface. The first flange and the second flange are semi-circular in shape and include meshing protuberances or gear teeth on their circumferential edge. The first flange is mounted at one end of the winding member perpendicular to said winding member. The second flange is mounted perpendicularly at an end of the winding member opposite the first flange. The locking assembly includes a locking post and lock pin for securing the first member to the second member.
In an exemplary embodiment, the method of the present invention includes securing the first member to the second member about a pre-formed wire coil to form a bobbin assembly, fixing a magnetic material to the bobbin assembly, engaging the bobbin assembly with a drive mechanism, operating the drive mechanism to rotate the bobbin and thus wind the magnetic material about the bobbin assembly. The drive mechanism of the present invention may utilize a servo type motor to implement a prescribed number of revolutions to the bobbin assembly and to apply a specified tension to the wound magnetic element.
The above discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed descriptions and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 714891 (1902-12-01), Gill
patent: 4060783 (1977-11-01), Harnden, Jr.
patent: 4592133 (1986-06-01), Grimes et al.
patent: 5635891 (1997-06-01), Miyoshi et al.
patent: 5860207 (1999-01-01), Knight et al.
patent: 291011 (1953-09-01), None
patent: 1424518 (1965-12-01), None
patent: 526611 (1940-09-01), None
Attarian Farshid
Criniti Joe
Larranaga Javier
Cantor & Colburn LLP
General Electric Company
Horton Carl B.
Mai Aah
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