Abstract:
The present invention concerns solutions for disposing the wire leads of a wire coil along trajectories that have predetermined positional references relative to the dynamo-electric machine component. The present invention proposes to provide a wire lead manipulator that operates to dispose the wire lead by entering within extremely narrow gaps on a dynamo-electric machine component at high speed and with a lower risk of the wire lead manipulator colliding with the accessory parts of the component. Using the solutions of this invention, these achievements are possible for dynamo-electric machine components with very small spaces between accessory components that do not allow the passage of conventional wire lead manipulator apparatus.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/426,463, filed Nov. 14, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention concerns improved methods and apparatus for winding and termination of wire coils that are required in components of dynamo-electric machines. In particular, the present invention concerns solutions for disposing the wire lead of a wire coil along a trajectory that has predetermined positional references relative to the dynamo-electric machine component.  
           [0003]    Modern dynamo-electric machine components require disposition of the wire leads on the component along trajectories that incorporate significant changes of direction. Furthermore, an increasingly limited space is made available proximate to the dynamo-electric machine component for the presence and movement of wire lead manipulators configured to accomplish this task. The space available on a component is particularly limited for a portion of the traditional wire lead manipulator that engages the wire leads and places them along the trajectories. This space limitation is mainly caused by the presence of numerous structural accessories on the component and the high number of trajectories that are required in the limited dimensions of the component.  
           [0004]    The present invention proposes to provide a wire lead manipulator that operates to dispose wire leads on a dynamo-electric machine component by entering within extremely narrow gaps on the component at high speed and with a lower risk of the wire lead manipulator colliding with the accessory parts of the component. Using the solutions of this invention, these achievements are possible for dynamo-electric machine components with very small spaces between accessory components (e.g., small gaps between pegs placed on a terminal board) that do not allow the passage of conventional wire lead manipulator apparatus.  
           [0005]    These and other objects of the present invention will be more apparent in view of the following drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic partial view of terminal board  10  of stator  11  which shows wire leads  12  disposed along trajectories  13  in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view from direction  2 - 2  of FIG. 1 which shows some principal parts of the apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view from direction  3  of FIG. 2 which shows the constructional details of guide member  17  and certain operational principles thereof in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a perspective view from direction  4  of FIG. 2 which shows column member  18  disassembled from the assembly of FIG. 3 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a side elevational view from direction  5  of FIG. 4 which further illustrates details of column member  18  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view, similar to that of FIG. 4, which shows sheath member  20  disassembled from the assembly of FIG. 3 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a side elevational view from direction  7  of FIG. 6 which further illustrates the details of sheath member  20  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is a perspective view from direction  8  of FIG. 3 which additionally shows an assembly representative of needle member  15  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken from direction  9  of FIG. 8 and sectioned at level  9 ′ of FIG. 3 which shows details of the actuation mechanism for sheath member  20  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10 is a schematic partial sectional view similar to the view of FIG. 2 which shows the operational configuration of the apparatus at an instant before wire W has been received within lower portion  18 ′ in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 11 is a schematic partial sectional view similar to the view of FIG. 2 which shows the operational configuration of the apparatus at an instant when wire W has been received within lower portion  18 ′ but before sheath member  20  has captured wired W in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 12 is a schematic partial sectional view similar to the view of FIG. 2 which shows the operational configuration of the apparatus at an instant when wire W has been captured within lower portion  18 ′ by sheath member  20  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]    The solutions of the present application are generally related to those described in Luciani et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,503 and Luciani et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,751, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a schematic partial view of terminal board  10  of stator  11  which shows wire leads  12  disposed along trajectories  13  in accordance with the present invention. Also shown in FIG. 1 are adjacent wire coils  11 ″ which have been wound onto stator  11 . The central bore of stator  11  may possess longitudinal axis  11 ′, which is represented as an intersection point in FIG. 1.  
         [0021]    Terminal board  10 , as shown in FIG. 1, may not provide sufficient space for a traditional wire lead manipulator (e.g., as described in the previously cited Luciani et al. U.S. patents) to move in areas like  10 ′ to dispose the wire leads on trajectories  13 . The limitations of space may be caused by the vicinity of pegs  14 , around which the wire leads are to be coursed in order to be disposed on trajectories  13 . The vicinity of pegs  14  may lead to collisions between a peg and the end portion of a traditional wire lead manipulator, which may be required to serve as a wire source and to move in the directions of the trajectory to dispose the wire lead.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view from direction  2 - 2  of FIG. 1 showing some principal parts of the apparatus of the present invention. Note that FIG. 2 shows a condition of wire lead disposition prior to the condition shown FIG. 1, which shows the wire leads already placed in their trajectories on the terminal board. For sake of clarity, stator  11  in FIG. 2 is not shown in cross section.  
         [0023]    As illustrated in FIG. 2, needle member  15  represents a portion of a winding needle that may be used to wind a coil of the stator with wire W. Needle member  15  may be translated in directions T and T′ to wind a coil of the stator with wire W. Furthermore, relative rotations in directions R and R′ around axis  11 ′ and relative translations in directions X and X′ with respect to axis  11 ′ (see FIG. 1) may also be provided between needle member  15  and stator  11  in order to wind and stratify wire W onto the poles of stator  11  to form a coil. Translation in directions X and X′ with respect to axis  11 ′ may also be referred to generally as radial stratification.  
         [0024]    Wire W may be delivered from outlet  15 ′ of needle member  15  during movements in some or all of directions T, T′, X, X′, R and R′ in order to properly locate wire W around the poles of stator  11  during winding of a coil. The use of movements in directions T, T′, X, X′, R and R′ for winding of the coils, together with the details of needles like needle member  15  have been described in Luciani et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,835, Santandrea et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,289, and Becherucci et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,208, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.  
         [0025]    As shown in FIG. 2, stator  11  may be caused to rotate in directions R and R′around its bore axis  11 ′ by supporting stator  11  on table  40  (through columns  41 ) and rotating table  40  in directions R and R′ around axis  11 ′. Rotation of table  40  in directions R and R′ may be driven by motor gear unit  41 ′. Table  40  may be supported for rotation in directions R and R′ by means of bearings  43  assembled on table  42 . Table  42  may be translated in directions X and X′ (into and out of the page containing FIG. 2) by being mounted on guides  44  of frame  26 . Motor screw unit  45  may be used to drive the translation of table  42  in directions X and X′ atop guides  44 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 represents an instant in which wire lead  12  is being disposed along predetermined trajectory  13  on terminal board  10 . More particularly, portion  12   a  of the wire lead has already been disposed on a first portion of trajectory  13  whilst portion  12   b  of wire lead  12  has yet to be disposed on the trajectory. Wire lead portion  12   b  will be disposed on a further portion of trajectory  13  at a later time in the wire lead disposition process.  
         [0027]    As shown in FIG. 2, guide member  17  is located between wire outlet  15 ′ and terminal board  10  of stator  11  and at a predetermined distance from terminal board  10 . In order to draw wire W from needle member  15  and to dispose portions of the wire lead on trajectory  13 , stator  11  may be rotated in directions R or R′, or translated in direction X and X′. For example, with reference to FIG. 2, stator  11  may be further rotated in direction R/R′ or further translated in direction X/X′ to dispose the wire lead on a further portion of trajectory  13 . Also, needle member  15  and guide member  17  may be further translated in direction T to cause the wire lead to climb onto terminal receptacle  46 . If the trajectory requires wire lead deviations which can be obtained with translations in directions X and X′ (i.e., radial stratification), then table  42  may supply such translations by means of motor screw unit  45 . If the trajectory requires wire lead deviations which can be obtained with rotations in directions R and R′, then table  40  may supply such rotation by means of rotation supported by bearings  43 .  
         [0028]    These translational and rotational movements may be appropriately sequenced and combined by a control system like those described in the previously incorporated references to′ obtain a wire lead trajectory with the desired predetermined positional references. Sequencing and combination of the movements may be dependent on the spatial coordinates of the wire lead trajectory. During these movements, guide member  17  constrains the exit of wire W, which results in the disposition of wire W onto terminal board  10  with a predetermined location and direction with respect to stator  11 . Simultaneously, guide member  17  allows the passage of wire W from needle member  15  to stator  11  in order to dispose the wire leads on trajectories  13 .  
         [0029]    The wire leads disposed according to the above principles may originate from wire coils that are already present on stator  11 , or from an initial attachment point on stator  11  where wire W may be anchored prior to the winding of a coil. The wire leads disposed according to the above principles may flow from a wire lead source like needle member  15 , or from a terminal attachment point where wire W may be anchored away from stator  11  following the completion of a coil. Therefore, it should be understood that the present invention may be used to dispose a wire lead at the beginning of a wire coil or to terminate a wire lead at the end of a coil and may be used with any of the above-mentioned wire lead sources or any other type of wire lead source. The previously described translational and rotational movements pull wire W from needle member  15  and through guide member  17  to dispose the wire lead on trajectory  13 . A wire tensioner like that described in Dell&#39;Aglio et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,774, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, may be used to tense the wire during movements in directions T, T′, X, X′, R and R′. The distance of guide member  17  from stator  11  may be predetermined during the translational and rotational movements in order to accurately dispose the wire leads along trajectory  13 . Wire guide member  17  may be extremely near to stator  11  in those areas where there is little available space for operation of a traditional wire lead manipulator.  
         [0030]    As will be more apparent from the following, a distal end of guide member  17  which is most proximate to stator  11  during disposition of the wire lead may be of an extremely small dimension compared with the dimensions of the rest of guide member  17  or needle member  15 . This feature of the present apparatus allows the wire lead to be guided and disposed in directions T, T′, X, X′, R and R′ within areas of limited space near stator  11 . Furthermore, guide member  17  may be free from any structure that may present a source of interference with respect to stator  11 . As a result, for example, a distal end of guide member  17  may enter into the confined spaces close to the surface of terminal board  10 , where pegs  14  and other similar structures may present a source of interference, and dispose the wire leads within seat  14 ′ carved into pegs  14 .  
         [0031]    Prior to disposing the wire lead on trajectory  13 , guide member  17  first receives a portion of wire W that extends from wire outlet  15 ′ to stator  11 . Once the portion of wire W has been received by guide member  17 , the operational situation of the apparatus is similar to that shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view from direction  3  of FIG. 2 that illustrates the constructional details of guide member  17  according to an embodiment of the present invention. For sake of clarity, some of the parts in FIG. 3 have not been shown with sectional hatching. As shown in FIG. 3, part of guide member  17  may be a first portion comprised of a longitudinal column member  18  joined to support plate  19  by means of flange  19 ′ bolted to support plate  19 . The lower portion of column member  18  may be a tubular portion  18 ′. Tubular portion  18 ′ may be a partial cylinder that is sliced along its longitudinal axis and therefore open towards the viewer of FIG. 3.  
         [0033]    Column member  18  is also shown in more detail in FIG. 4, which is a perspective view of member  18  as seen from direction  4  of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows column member  18  by itself and disassembled from the assembly shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, tubular portion  18 ′ is also open at its terminal end  18 ″ (i.e., portion  18 ′ is open toward stator  11  when it is assembled as shown in FIG. 3). FIG. 5 is a side elevational view from direction  5  of FIG. 4 that further illustrates the features of column member  18 .  
         [0034]    Returning to the illustration of FIG. 3, it is shown that guide member  17  has a second portion that comprises sheath member  20 . Sheath member  20  may be of a tubular form that coaxially surrounds column member  18  when sheath member  20  is assembled in the assmebly of FIG. 3. Flange portion  20 ′ of sheath member  20  may be bolted to support ring  20 ″, which may be supported inside bearings  22  of support plate  19 . These assembly principles locate sheath member  20  coaxially surrounding column member  18 . Sheath member  20  may be able to rotate around its longitudinal axis  21 , which may be considered a commonly axis of reference for both column member  18  and sheath member  20 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 is a perspective view like that of FIG. 4 (from direction  4  of FIG. 2), which shows sheath member  20  by itself and disassembled from the assembly of FIG. 3. Lower portion  23 ′ of sheath member  20  may be of a cylindrical tubular form that is open at its terminal end  23 ″. Within end  23 ″, sheath member  20  may have an internal reinforcing rim portion.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 is a side view from direction  7  of FIG. 6 that further illustrates the features of sheath member  20 . As shown in FIG. 7, sheath member  20  may have a cutout opening  20 ″. The reasons for the existence of opening  20 ″ will be more fully explained in the following with reference to the operation of needle member  15 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 is a perspective view from direction  8  of FIG. 3 that includes an representative assembly of needle member  15  (in particular, elements  32 ,  33 ,  34  and  38  of FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 8, support plate  19  is bolted to carriage  24 . Carriage  24  may be capable of translation in directions T′ and T along guide structure  25  of frame  26 . Mechanical drive for this translational movement may be accomplished by means of air cylinder  27  assembled on frame  26 . Rod  27 ′ of air cylinder  27  is connected to an extension arm  28  that is affixed to support plate  19 .  
         [0038]    With reference to FIG. 8, needle member  15  (first show in FIG. 1) may consist of shaft  32  possessing substantially perpendicular extension  33 . Wire W may run through shaft  32  and extension  33  in order to extend to stator  11  as shown in FIG. 2. Outlet  15 ′ of FIG. 2 may correspond to an end opening of extension  33  as will be shown below in FIGS.  10 - 12 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view as seen from direction  9  of FIG. 8. The partial sectioning of FIG. 9 has been made at level  9 ′ of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 9, support plate  19  includes corridor  29  in which rack member  30  is seated. Rack member  30  is engaged with gear  31  (see also FIG. 3), which surrounds and is fixed to support ring  20 ′. Corridor  29  may be disposed in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to axis  21  (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9). The rod of air cylinder  47  may be connected to rack member  30 . Air cylinder  47  may be supported by support plate  19 . By actuating air cylinder  47 , rack member  30  is caused to translate in directions H and direction H′ within corridor  29 . This translation of rack member  30  causes the rotation of sheath member  20  around axis  21 . By rotating sheath member  20 , the angular position (with respect to axis  21 ) of lower portion  23 ′ may be controlled with respect to the lower portion of tubular portion  18 ′.  
         [0040]    Once wire W is received within lower portion  18 ′ of column  18 , the presence of lower portion  23 ″ in front of the opening in tubular portion  18 ′ captures or engages wire W. This result has been shown with guide member  17  of FIG. 2, which engages the wire lead and disposes it onto terminal board  10  of stator  11  with a predetermined trajectory. In other words, the rotation of sheath member  20  may be used to align the angular position (with respect to axis  21 ) of lower portion  23 ′ with that of the opening in lower tubular portion  18 ′ and thereby capture or engage wire W within tubular portion  18 ′.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 10 is a schematic partial sectional view similar to the view shown in FIG. 2. With simultaneous reference to FIGS. 8 and 10, extension  33  of winding shaft  32  may possess flange portion  34  with face  34 ′ where wire W leaves extension  33  to reach stator  11 . Face  34 ′ may also be understood to demark a plane at which wire W exits out of extension  33  or previously shown outlet  15 ′ (see FIG. 2). In preparation for receiving wire W within tubular portion  18 ′ of column member  18 , face  34 ′ may be aligned with plane  35  of column member  18 . Plane  35 , as also previously shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, may define a face of lower tubular portion  18 ′ coinciding with the longitudinal opening in portion  18 ′. For example, plane  35  may define a face where tubular portion  18 ′ has been cut to produce the longitudinal opening. In preparation for receiving wire W, column member  18  may be positioned so that plane  35  is substantially parallel to the plane of face  34 ′. This alignment of planes  35  and face  34 ′ also corresponds to the alignment of lower portion  18 ′ with the portion of wire W extending out of extension  33  to stator  11 .  
         [0042]    With reference to FIG. 10, it should be understood that when preparing to receive wire W, column member  18  and sheath member  20  are rotated with respect to each other so that the longitudinal opening in the side of lower portion  18 ′ is aligned with the opening in the side of lower portion  23 ′ so as to allow the entry of wire W into tubular member  18 . In other words, lower portion  23 ′ of sheath member  20  is rotated so that its angular positon with respect to axis  21  is substantially diametrically opposite to that of the longitudinal opening in lower portion  18 ′.  
         [0043]    Once planes  35  and face  34 ′ are aligned, air cylinder  27  may be actuated to cause column member  18  to translate in direction T′ along axis  21  so that wire W passes through terminal end openings  23 ″ and  18 ″ and into lower portion  18 ′ of column member  18 . The resultant operational configuration is shown in FIG. 11, which is a view similar to that of FIG. 10.  
         [0044]    As shown in FIG. 11, column member  18  may be translated in direction T′ along axis  21  until column member  18  reaches predetermined distance d from stator  11 . With reference to FIG. 8, predetermined distance d may be assured by causing registrable abutment members  36  of bracket  37  to abut against plate structure  38  fixed to winding shaft  32 . Variations in distance d may be obtained by changing the position of winding shaft  32  and thereby changing the distance of plate structure  38  from stator  11 . A controlled motor for obtaining translations T and T′ of winding shaft  32  during winding may be set and actuated to position winding shaft  32  so that the distance of plate structure  38  from stator  11  enables guide member  17  to be placed at required distance d away from stator  11  when the wire lead disposition commences. As an alternative, and to avoid using the motor drive used for translations T and T′ of winding shaft  32 , a separate controlled motor unit may be used to translate support plate  19  in directions T and T′ so that distance d is achieved.  
         [0045]    Once column member  18  has reached a position distance d above stator  11 , air cylinder  47  may be actuated to rotate sheath member  20  around axis  21  in order to align the angular position (with respect to axis  21 ) of lower portion  23 ′ with the opening of tubular portion  18 ′ to enclose, capture, and engage wire W within tubular portion  18 ′. The resultant operational configuration is shown in FIG. 12, which is a view similar to that of FIG. 10.  
         [0046]    In other words, the lower portion  23 ′ of sheath member  20 , which comprises the part of sheath member  20  that is disposed below cutout portion  20 ′, confronts the longitudinal opening in the lower tubular portion  18 ′, thereby closing at least a lower part of the longitudinal opening. Cutout portion  20 ′ serves to enable sheath member  20  to become disposed extremely proximate to flange portion  34  without collision or interference. It may also be possible for flange portion  34  to enter into the plane of cutout portion  20 ′ in order to transfer wire W to tubular portion  18 ′ without collision or interference.  
         [0047]    At the conclusion of the wire transfer operation, wire W is enclosed, captured, and engaged within lower tubular portion  18 ′ and lower portion  23 ′ to fulfil the previously described wire disposition requirements. In particular, wire W may be guided for disposition on a desired trajectory that has predetermined positonal references with relation to stator  11 .  
         [0048]    In view of the foregoing, it should be understood that a distal end of the wire lead manipulator that enters into a plane ajdacent stator  11  to dispose the wire lead in the trajectory may comprise a terminal end of sheath member  20 , column member  18 , or both. FIGS.  10 - 12 , which show a terminal end of sheath member  20  being disposed below the terminal end of inner column member  18 , are for purposes of illustration only and should not be used to limit the distal end of the wire lead manipulator to the terminal end of sheath member  20 . As an alternative to what is illustrated in FIGS.  10 - 12 , the terminal ends of column member  18  and sheath member  20  may be at the same distance away from stator  11  as one another and therefore disposed in the same plane.  
         [0049]    It should be understood that it is contemplated to dispose wire leads on a terminal board present on opposite side  10 ″ of stator  11  (see FIG. 2). Like subject matter is described in Luciani et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,138, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. In the case of disposing wire leads on opposite side  10 ″ of stator  11 , needle member  15  may be translated in direction T′ to present itself according to the dashed line representation shown in FIG. 2. Additional parts similar to members  18  and  20  described in the foregoing may access spacing  48  below the stator and may be similarly used to achieve guide member  17 ′, which is shown in dashed line representation in FIG. 2. Guide member  17 ′ may be configured and operated in a similar manner as previously described guide member  17  in order to dispose wire leads on a terminal board present on the opposite side  10 ″ of stator  11 .  
         [0050]    Thus, improved systems and methods for disposing wire leads onto dynamo-electric machine components are provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for the purpose of illustration and not of limitation.