Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-14
2003-06-17
Arbes, Carl J. (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
C029S596000, C029S732000, C310S216006
Reexamination Certificate
active
06578255
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This application relates generally to laminated cores for electric machines. More particularly, this application relates to cores formed from a plurality of stacked segments and the methods and apparatus used in the manufacture of such laminated cores.
BACKGROUND
Electric machines include stators and rotors that employ a plurality of stacked layers of electrical steel.
By way of example, an electric machine
10
is provided in
FIGS. 1 through 3
. Electric machine
10
includes a stator core
12
and a rotor core
14
. Cores
12
and
14
are formed of a stack of layers
16
. Layers
16
are formed of electrical steel, namely steel having high silicone content. Each layer
16
is coated with an insulating coating
18
. An example layer
16
of stator core
12
is illustrated in FIG.
3
. Here, layer
16
includes a central bore
20
for receiving rotor core
14
and a plurality of spaced apart notches
22
for receiving motor windings
23
.
Several prior methods have been used to manufacture layer
16
and/or cores
12
and
14
. For instance, a complete layer
16
has been stamped from a blank sheet of stock. However, this single stamping system provides poor material utilization of the stock material, which leads to higher manufacturing costs.
In another method, cores
12
and
14
have been manufactured using a continuous stamped layer of insulated electrical steel
24
as illustrated in FIG.
4
. Continuous stamped layer
24
is wound about an arbor
26
to form cores
12
and
14
. Arbor
26
includes blades
28
that receive and align notches
22
of the layer to the arbor. A feed gear (not shown) feeds continuous stamped layer
24
into forming rollers
27
. Arbor
26
is geared/timed to the feed gear. Forming rollers
27
are adapted to form a radius corresponding to the radius of arbor
26
in continuous stamped layer
24
. Thus, rotation of arbor
26
draws continuous stamped layer
24
(having its notches
22
aligned by blades
28
) about the arbor to form cores
12
and
14
as a helically wound core. This helical winding method provides superior material utilization as compared to the single stamping method described above. However, such helical winding methods require large initial investment in the equipment necessary to wind continuous stamped layer
24
about arbor
26
.
SUMMARY
A segmented core for an electric machine is provided. The segment core includes segments stamped from coated electric steel. The segments each have a first end, a second end, and winding openings. A predetermined number of segments are placed end-to-end to form layers. The layers are stacked such that each of the layers is staggered from adjacent layers by a predetermined rotation angle. The winding openings of each of the layers are in vertical alignment with the winding openings of the adjacent layers. The stack of layers is secured to form the segmented core.
An apparatus for manufacturing a segmented core for an electric machine is provided. The apparatus includes a stacking head, a dial and a support table. The stacking head has a magazine, a stripper blade and a stripper blade actuator. The magazine is sized, dimensioned and positioned to receive segments stacked one on top of the other. The segments are stamped from coated electric steel. Each segment has an annular length and winding openings. The dial has an arbor and means for rotating the dial. The arbor has an outer diameter approximately equal to an inner diameter of the segmented core. The arbor also has radially extending blades being sized, positioned and dimensioned to engage the winding openings. The support table supports the stacking head and the dial. The support table also includes rollers disposed about the arbor at an outer diameter of the segmented core. A controller controls the stripper blade actuator and the rotating means. The controller forms layers from the segments by rotating the dial the first predetermined angular distance, extending the stripper blade, and retracting the stripper blade until one of the layers is complete. The controller staggers the layers by rotating the dial the second predetermined angular distance between each completed layer.
A method of making a segmented core for an electric machine is provided. The method includes stamping lamination segments, forming layers from the lamination segments, stacking the layers in a staggered fashion, and securing the stack of layers to form the segmented core. The lamination segments are stamped from a blank of coated electrical steel. Each lamination segment has a first end, a second end, and winding openings. The layers are formed placing a predetermined number of lamination segments end-to-end such that the first end of one of the lamination segments is adjacent the second end of another of the lamination segments. The layers are staggered by rotating adjacent layers by a predetermined rotation angle such that the winding openings of each of the layers are in vertical alignment with the winding openings of the adjacent layers.
The above-described and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4216892 (1980-08-01), Asai et al.
patent: 4455743 (1984-06-01), Witwer et al.
patent: 5592731 (1997-01-01), Huang et al.
patent: 07-015923 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 07-143706 (1995-06-01), None
Lawrence Robert Anthony
Stabel Gerald R
Arbes Carl J.
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Dobrowitsky Margaret A.
Phan Tim D
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