Abstract:
The present invention discloses methods and apparatus for winding successive differently sized components with coils of wire. More specifically, the present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for winding multiple electric motor armatures in succession, when those armatures have different dimensions. Generally speaking, the invention includes an assembly with movable parts, which enables all armatures to have a common alignment characteristic in the winding apparatus. If necessary, the actual coil winding mechanism will shift to achieve proper positioning relative to each armature. This reduces the number of adjustments that have to be made to hardware that is ordinarily required to wind such differently sized armatures.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/118,728, filed Feb. 4, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns the manufacture of electric motors and generators, and similar apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to improved solutions for placing coils of wire on different sized armatures using a mechanical winding machine. 
     Electric motors generally include two main parts—a fixed hollow portion and a core that is placed inside of it. In most cases, the fixed portion is known as a “stator” and the core is the portion that rotates inside the stator, called a “rotor” or an “armature.” In a brushless motor, the rotating armature surrounds the fixed stator and rotates around it. The main body core portion typically has slots spaced along its circumference for coiling wire. A commutator provides the electrical connection to the armature. The core and the commutator are mounted in axially spaced relation on a common shaft. The commutator has circumferentially spaced connection points typically known as “tangs” to which the starting and ending leads of the wound coils are physically and electrically connected. While tangs are a commonly available type of connection point, it should be noted that other types of connections are also available. For example, slots are sometimes present on the commutator to which the wire leads may be attached. In either case, electricity supplied to the wire interacts with a magnetic field produced in the stator to create the torque required to operate the motor. 
     Several machines available in the art are capable of coiling wire on slotted cores. These winding machines have at least one—and usually two—wire applying devices known as “flyers” that rotate about an axis normal to that of the core, drawing wire from a source and winding it around the slots to produce a coil with a desired number of turns. When a coil (or set of coils in the case of a double flyer machine) is finished, the flyers stop and the wire leads are brought next to the tangs or other connection points on the commutator to which they will be attached. The core is then rotationally indexed to present the tangs (or other connection points) to the wire hooking devices, and the flyer wraps wire around them. Rotational indexing also brings the next set of slots into position to receive wire from the flyers. Wire winding machines are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,563 to Anderson and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,594 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,745 both to Lombardi et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The contents of each of the above mentioned references are hereby incorporated by reference for their entire teachings. 
     While such winders are very effective for properly placing wire around cores, difficulties arise when it is desired to next coil wire around a core that does not have the same dimensions as the previously coiled core. Currently available winding machines require the center of each core to be aligned with a fixed axis in the machine. Since cores that have different dimensions have their centers placed at different locations along the common shaft, it becomes difficult to process different sized cores in succession. The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for efficiently coiling wire around armature or stator cores that are placed in a winding machine in succession, when such successive cores have different dimensions. The invention can thus be easily and precisely adapted to wind wire coils on cores that have different shaft lengths, commutator dimensions, distances from the commutator to the lamination stack and lamination stack lengths. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for winding components that includes a winding system with at least one flyer winder, wherein the winding system is mounted to a support structure. The apparatus also includes a loading device which receives a component from a supply source and transports it a distance along a path to extend it into the winding system, and a transport system which moves the support structure along the path and aligns the component in the winding system at a desired position along the path. The desired alignment position is determined by a dimension of the component. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for winding components which includes a winding system with at least one flyer winder, and a loading device which receives an electric motor core from a supply source and transports it a distance along a path to extend it into the winding system to receive a wire coil. The core has at least one tang, and the apparatus also includes a termination device fixed at an end of the path for connecting the wire coil to the tang. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of winding components which includes transporting a component along a path to extend it in a winding system. The winding system is mounted on a support structure, and the method further includes moving the support structure along the path to align the component in the winding system at a desired position. The desired alignment position is determined by a dimension of the component. The method also includes the step of winding wire on at least a portion of the component while the component is extended in the winding system. 
     The present invention has significant advantages over current armature winding methods and devices. First, it enables a winding machine to coil multiple armatures in succession without requiring extensive adjustments to be made to the machinery each time the dimensions of an armature being coiled vary from those coiled before it. One embodiment of the invention also allows for a single loading distance, regardless of the dimensions of the armature. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 contains a detailed illustration of two differently sized armatures available in the art, which can be wound in succession using the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 depicts an example of a prior art double flyer winder that may be used in the coil winding system of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 contains a magnified view illustrating a commutator being supported by a holding gripper. 
     FIG. 4 shows an example of a winding system that positions different sized armatures in a winder in succession according to the invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a manner of positioning armatures with different sizes and dimensions in a winding machine according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings which are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not for limiting same, FIG. 1 shows two armatures  10 A and  10 B currently available in the art that may be placed in the present invention to receive electrical wire from an external source. While the invention will be described with an electric motor armature serving as the component having the core about which coils will be placed, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can also be used with any generally similar component having a core with radially outwardly opening slots that extend axially along the core and that are spaced from one another circumferentially around the core, thereby making it possible to wind coils of wire on the component with a flyer-type winder. Specific examples of other component types that can thus be used with the invention include armatures for electrical generators and stators for brushless electric motors. Each armature has a main body  16  which principally comprises a lamination stack  18 . Slots  20  are located around the circumference of each lamination stack  18  to receive the wire. The geometric center of each lamination stack  18  is indicated with a cross mark, and the letter “C.” Main body  16  and a commutator  30  are mounted on a shaft  22 , spaced apart by a section  24 . A shaft section  26  extends from commutator  30  to the rightmost end of shaft  22  as shown in the illustration. Leads from the wires are connected to commutator  30 . 
     Electric motor cores come in a variety of sizes, as shown in FIG. 1 where armature  10 A is larger than armature  10 B. In the illustration provided, both the diameter d a  and height h A  of main body  16  of armature  10 A are larger than the diameter d B  and height h B  of the main body of armature  10 B. Similarly the diameter and height of the commutator of armature  10 A are larger than the corresponding parts of armature  10 B. While the illustrations provided and described here show all dimensions in one armature being larger than the corresponding dimensions in the other armature, those skilled in the art will recognize that this is not always the case, and that such configurations will not be required to practice the invention. Thus, armature  10 A may be provided with a main body that is larger than the core of armature  10 B, but with a commutator that is smaller than the commutator of armature  10 B. Or the invention can be adapted to coil wire around an armature for which both section  24  and section  26  are longer in armature  10 A than in armature  10 B, while in still another armature only one section will be longer than the corresponding section in the other armature. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, an example of a winding machine  100  that may be found in the art and used with the present invention will be briefly described. For simplicity, the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to a double flyer type of winding machine, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that it could be adapted for use with an apparatus that includes one or more flyers, or that it could be used with other devices that can be used to wrap coils of wire around an electric motor core. An armature such as  10 A illustrated in FIG. 1 will typically be mounted in winder  100  as shown. Significantly, the geometric center C of lamination stack  18  is mounted such that it lies along axis “X” which passes through the axis of rotation of flyers  102  and  104  of the winder. Flyers  102  and  104  draw wire  12  from sources  106  and  108 , and rotate about axis X to form coils  110  and  112  in slots  20  of lamination stack  18 . 
     As stated earlier, axis X is located at the center of rotation of flyers  102  and  104 , and geometric center C for all armatures is preferably positioned on this axis. Thus if an armature  10 A is removed from winder  100  and replaced by armature  10 B, the differences in the dimensions for the remaining portions of the armatures force commutator  30  and sections  24  and  26  of shaft  22  to be shifted along longitudinal axis Y, which lies normal to axis X. That is, the locations along axis Y in which the parts other than main body  16  will be located will not be the same as those where the corresponding parts of the previously processed armature were positioned. This will require several adjustments to be made to hardware associated with winder  100  as armatures that have different dimensions are processed in succession. 
     For example, a loading gripper  122  is typically provided with a load/unload device to support and transport unwound armatures to the winder and to move processed armatures to a holding gripper  132 . In the prior art, the distance  148  that loading gripper  122  will travel in order to deliver the armature to the winder must be changed each time an armature that has dimensions that vary from the previously wound armature will be processed. While this procedure may be acceptable at times, it also has its disadvantages. For example, holding gripper  132  will typically have to be changed to one with appropriate dimensions in order to properly position the armature with respect to flyers  102  and  104  and winding guides  134  and  136 . A holding gripper  132  may also be replaced with one that can be abutted against outer surface  202  of the commutator during winding and indexing. Otherwise it may not be possible to properly index the armature to connect leads to connection points or to present unwound slots for winding by the flyers. 
     Turning now to FIG. 3, prior art winding devices also require shielding tubes  138  (which surround the commutator and holding gripper during winding) to be translated along axis Y as the location of commutator  30  changes. The shielding tubes may also have to be replaced with tubes that can accommodate variations in the size of holding gripper  132  and commutator  30  (i.e. having a diameter d C  or depth h C ) Hooking plates  140  and  142 , which must be aligned with respect to tangs  146  or other commutator connection points in order to properly assist in attaching the leads to the commutator as the coils are wound, may also have to be repositioned. Winding guides  134  and  136  may also have to be altered in order to accommodate such changes. In one embodiment of the invention, hooking plates  140  and  142  operate as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,770 to Anichini et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. One way to change the wire guides to cope with the differences in length of the lamination stack has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,745 to Lombardi et al., also assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, the present invention efficiently winds successive armatures that have different dimensions. As indicated in the illustration, the invention includes a winding system  300  which, in the preferred embodiment, will include a double flyer winder  100 . Winding system  300  is mounted on a support structure  302  which will typically be a rigid platform or plate, but which may take on any shape and flexibility that may be advantageous for using winding system  300 . Loading gripper  122  will typically be located in close proximity to winding system  300 . Quite often, loading gripper  122  will be associated with a conveyor system  310  which transports armatures along a path from a separate assembly area to winding system  300 . It may instead be associated with another type of motor core supply (including manual) from which it receives armatures. Loading gripper  122  removes the unprocessed armatures from the supplier, and extends them into winding system  300  for proper alignment. 
     Turning to FIG. 5, in the preferred embodiment of the invention loading gripper  122  will travel the same distance  148  toward winding system  300 , regardless of the size or dimensions of the armature  10  being transported. This feature greatly simplifies the design and use of the load/unload device. However, it should be noted that it is possible to use a load/unload device that provides for a variable distance  148  with the invention, or to leave distance  148  constant while sets of armatures that have sizes within a given range are processed and then alter the distance to process another set. It is intended to embrace all such alternatives, and while providing a constant distance  148  is advantageous, the invention is not limited to such use. 
     Armatures  10 A and  10 B (first shown in FIG. 1) are illustrated together in FIG. 5 in order to allow for comparison. It should be noted that multiple armatures will not typically be placed simultaneously in a winding system  300 . Both armatures are aligned with a reference axis A, in accordance with the invention. Before armatures are delivered to loading gripper  122 , tangs  146  (or other points at which wires are connected to the commutator) for all armatures to be processed will be positioned along a common reference axis on the conveyor such as axis B. Positioning of tangs  146  along a common axis may be accomplished using an adjustable pallet transport such as that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,060,781 and 5,115,901 both to Santandrea et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention and hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for their teachings. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, loading gripper  122  will receive each armature at position  406  and transport it toward holding gripper  132  until it reaches position  402 . In another embodiment of the invention, loading gripper  122  will support the armature along its lamination stack until it is properly placed in winding system  300 . An example of a loading gripper  122  that is capable of performing this function is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,912 to Andorlini et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for its teachings. 
     Aligning tangs  146  as described places lamination stacks  18  in proper position to enable loading gripper  122  to support the armature along the lamination stack and repeatedly transport successive armatures through distance  148  to winder  100 . As stated earlier, loading gripper  122  may transport these successively processed armatures through a constant distance regardless of the size of the armature. Aligning tangs  146  with axis B also causes them to be aligned with axis A once they are placed in the winder after the loading gripper travels through its constant length stroke. This is true for any and all possible armature sizes. Thus, according to the invention, the respective centers C will be placed in various locations along axis Y as illustrated in FIG.  5 . 
     Turning back to FIG. 4, winding system  300  includes a transport system which drives support structure  302  down a path along axis Y, and places it in position along the axis in the position that is most appropriate based upon the dimensions of the armature. Winding guides  134  and  136  are then brought in contact with or adjacent to the armature stack, and loading gripper  122  is returned to position  406 . 
     While many systems will successfully transport support structure  302  and the items mounted thereon along axis Y in accordance with the invention, the preferred embodiment of such a transport system is provided in FIG.  4 . Here, support structure  302  is attached to guides  306 , which run parallel to axis Y. While two guides  306  are shown supporting support structure  302  here, those skilled in the art will recognize that it is possible to practice the invention using one guide or three or more guides. A device that can propel support structure  302  or otherwise cause it to move along axis Y on guides  306  is also included. In the preferred embodiment, such a device includes a drive screw  308  which is mounted to support structure  302  and a motor  312  which rotates the drive screw to cause support structure  302  to move along guides  306 . Motor  312  may be controlled as needed to place support structure  302  in any desired position parallel to axis Y to allow armatures of any size to be wound correctly. As explained earlier, the desired positioning of support structure  302  is that which causes center C of the armature to be aligned with axis X, which passes through the rotation center of the winder. Winder  300  may optionally include an additional device to unload armatures from the winder once coils have been properly placed upon them. 
     Turning for a moment to FIG. 3, holding gripper  132  can be changed in order to accommodate shaft sections  26  or commutators  30  with different sizes. Thus if necessary, a holding gripper that can accommodate a larger or smaller commutator diameter d C  or commutator height h C  can be substituted for the one that is presently in place. The rear of all commutators  30  will preferably abut against the forward portion  202  of holding gripper  132  when the armature is positioned inside winder  100 , regardless of the size of the armature. 
     Referring back to FIG. 4, hooking plates  140  and  142  can also be permanently aligned with reference axis A. They will preferably be moved inward in the direction of arrows  314  and placed adjacent to commutator  30  in order to guide the wire leads into proper position around tangs  146 . The device used to perform this function should be located separately from support structure  302  and will preferably be fixed at the end of the path traveled by loading gripper  122  near holding gripper  132 . In one embodiment of the invention, air driven cylinders will be used to move hooking plates  140  and  142 . It should be noted here that quite often the size of tangs  146  will remain the same regardless of any change in the size of lamination stack  18 , of the length of shaft  22  or the length of section  26 . When that is the case, hooking plates  140  and  142  may not need to be altered at all. 
     It is, therefore, apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the present invention, methods and apparatus for winding electric motor cores that fully satisfy the aims and advantages hereinbefore set forth. While this invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.