Abstract:
A device is provided for installing at least one linear motor line in the grooves ( 14 ) of an inductor ( 15 ) which is situated underneath a cover plate ( 10 ). The device includes a vehicle ( 31 ) which can be moved on the cover plate ( 10 ), a supply ( 34 ) of line ( 16 ), a device ( 36, 40 ) for forming the meander of the line ( 16 ), a device ( 35 ) for drawing the line ( 16 ) from the supply ( 34 ) and for delivering the line ( 16 ) to the device ( 36 ) and a tool ( 42 ) for pressing the line ( 16 ) into the grooves ( 14 ). The line may be installed automatically, even if the spacing of the grooves varies in dimension, by providing for an assembly slide ( 46 ) which can be moved in relation to the vehicle ( 31 ). The slide is located at least partially under the cover plate ( 10 ) and the device ( 36, 40 ) and tool ( 42 ) are located thereon. A measuring device ( 52 ) for measuring the position and the spacing (A) of the grooves ( 14 ) is also provided, as is a computer for processing the measuring data and for controlling the position of the assembly slide ( 46 ), the forming device ( 36, 40 ) and the tool ( 42 ). A corresponding method is also provided for installing at least one linear motor line.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a method and a device for installing a three-phase alternate current winding into the grooves of an extended inductor and/or into the inductor package of a linear motor which are affixed with downwardly open grooves at the underside of a cover plate of a track way.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    DE 3737 719 A2 describes a laying vehicle movable on the cover plate of the track ways and its working method. The work sequence is mainly comprised of the following steps:  
           [0003]    The winding phases are pulled-off from a supply mounted on a vehicle and supplied to a bending device installed on the vehicle;  
           [0004]    in the bending device, each winding phase is bent like a meander and in bent status brought into holders;  
           [0005]    the holders are connected with each other on a strip at a fixed distance that corresponds to the groove spacing, and  
           [0006]    the winding lying in the holders of the strip is guided via a jib to the underside of the cover plate and there pressed by a tool into the grooves of the inductor.  
           [0007]    According to this method, the dimensions of the groove spacings and those of the winding geometry (meander forming) are firmly defined by the use of holders. This method does not allow for considering any tolerances or deviations in the meander dimensions.  
           [0008]    However, tolerances or deviations do occur almost always. There are both tolerances in manufacture and tolerances at butt joints of the inductor packages or of the track way. Moreover, the grooves do not have constant distances in curved areas, because the groove spacings in the outer track are somewhat bigger than in the inner track. On the other hand, the groove spacings are constant within inductor packages if such packages are used, but to offset way differences greater inductor package spacings do occur in the outer track than in the inner track. Furthermore, there are changes in material due to weather impacts (thermal impacts) which entail deviations. Over long distances, these tolerances may add-up to noticeable differences in dimensions.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The technical problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a device and a method, which allow for an automatic laying, even if there are dimensional deviations in groove spacings.  
           [0010]    According to the invention, a device is provided for laying at least one linear motor line into grooves of an inductor which is situated underneath a cover plate. The device includes a vehicle that can be moved on the cover plate, a supply of line, a device for forming the path or meander of the line, a device for drawing the line from the supply and for delivering the line to the device and a tool for pressing the line into the grooves. An assembly slide is provided that can be moved relative to the vehicle. The assembly slide is situated at least partly underneath the cover plate. The device and the tool are located on the assembly slide. A measuring device for measuring the position and spacings of grooves is provided. A computer is provided for processing measuring data and for controlling the position of the assembly slide, forming device, and tool.  
           [0011]    The device is for laying at least one linear motor line into the grooves of an inductor and includes the vehicle that can be moved on the cover plate. As will be described yet in the following, the laying device is comprised of comprehensive technical setups so that it might be purposive to distribute modules of the laying device on several vehicles which can be moved as a train over the cover plate. Owing to the heavy weight of the technical material, it may also be expedient to equip the laying device B particularly concerning the line supply B with a facility that provides for an offset of the track way transverse inclination of the cover plate. To give an example for an inductor, reference is made to the description from DE 196 20 222 CI (see also U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,550).  
           [0012]    The laying device is preferably comprised of a line supply, usually laid on a cable reel; a device for pulling-off the line and feeding the line to a forming device in which the line is bent and crimped to take the form of a meander; a tool for joining the meanders into the grooves; an assembly slide on which the forming device, the tool, and a measuring facility for measuring the groove spacings are accommodated, with the assembly slide being located at least partly under the track way and with it being possible to slide it relatively to the vehicle in longitudinal and transverse direction; a computer or a data processing and controlling facility to process measuring data and to control the position of the forming device, assembly slide and/or tool.  
           [0013]    The most essential steps in the laying process B for one phase of the inductor B are comprised of the following ones: the laying device, hereinafter briefly referred to as a vehicle, moves preferably at a constant speed on the cover plate; the line is pulled-off continuously from the cable reel and passed over into the assembly slide; on the assembly slide, the groove spacings are measured by a measuring facility and these measured data are transmitted to the forming device; the bending device forms two bends of a meander in distinct cycles according to the defined dimensions; the two bends are taken-over by a crimping station and crimped, depending on the phase or groove position; from the crimping station, the meanders are taken-over by the indentation tool and pressed into the grooves.  
           [0014]    The motion sequence of the assembly slide is comprised of a standstill in relation to the grooves and cover plate and of a motion preferably overtaking that of the vehicle, moving to the next position of indentation. During the standstill, the meanders are pressed into the grooves.  
           [0015]    The laying procedure is repeated three times for each phase of the inductor at each side of the cover plate. For this purpose, the laying device may be comprised of one assembly slide with the associated equipment for each phase, so that the lines for all the three phases can be laid in a single pass. In a simpler version, the device is comprised of only one assembly slide so that the line of one phase only can be laid per pass.  
           [0016]    The vehicle is comprised of a device (preferably a laser measuring system as an optoelectronic device) for measuring and transmitting the inductor groove spacings per phase; the measurement can be taken during a standstill or during a movement of the assembly slide. The measured groove spacings are transmitted to the bending device so that the meanders of the linear motor line can be formed in accordance with the measured data.  
           [0017]    Furthermore, there is preferably a temperature-measuring device installed on the vehicle. The current temperature is transmitted to the data processing and controlling unit which thereby controls the bending device and/or the position of the slide, so that deviations in the measuring temperature from a defined design temperature are converted into modifying dimensions (plus or minus allowances) of the bending lengths of the meanders and transmitted.  
           [0018]    The indentation tool is monitored via a power-way measurement and compared with a design curve (envelope curve) deposited in a computer. During indentation into the groove, an initial indentation resistance must be overcome, and after complete indentation, a growing resistance builds-up. Deviations from the power curve suggest that assembly has been faulty. The automatic assembly sequence is therefore specifically monitored at this critical point and interrupted if the power-monitoring device signalizes faulty sequences, which may lead to an impermissible deformation of the line.  
           [0019]    An example for execution of this invention is outlined on the drawing. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    In the drawings:  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 a  is a side view showing an example of the invented laying device;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 b  is a side view showing an example of the invented laying devices  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a side view onto the assembly slide;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a side view onto the winding heads;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a view showing the bending device; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a front partially sectional view showing an arrangement according to the state of the art in technology  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0027]    Referring to the drawings in particular, FIG. 5 shows a laying arrangement according to the state of the art in technology. One can see a laying vehicle  31  on the cover plate  10  of the track way. From a cable reel  34  the line is pulled-off and formed in the vehicle to meanders and brought into holders. The holders are connected with each other on strip  1  and guided via a jib  33  to the underside of the cover plate and mounted there with a tool in the inductor  15 .  
         [0028]    The present invention does not make use of holders mounted on a strip. Devices according to this invention are illustrated in a side view on FIG. 1 a  and  1   b.  The difference between these two devices in FIG. 1 a  and  1   b  consists in that the device illustrated in FIG. 1 a  is suitable for laying a line of one phase only, while the device illustrated in FIG. 1 b  can lay the lines of three phases in one pass. Apart from this difference, both devices have analogous features.  
         [0029]    The device is comprised of a vehicle  31  which can be moved on the cover plate  10 . Furthermore, a supply  34  for one and/or three lines  16  is provided for, with the supply  34  being configured each as a separate vehicle. The vehicle  31  and the supply  34  are comprised of appropriately configured guiding elements  20  to allow for a movement along cover plate  10 . Thus the vehicle  31  and the supply  34  form a train that moves during laying along the cover plate  10 .  
         [0030]    Connected with the vehicle  31  is one assembly slide  46  each, which encompasses the cover plate  10  and which is partly located under the cover plate  10 . Provided on the assembly slide  46  for each line  16  of one phase is a device  36 ,  40  to form the meanders of the line  16  and a tool  42  for indentation of the line  16  into the grooves  14 . Furthermore, the assembly slide  46  accommodates a device  35  for pulling-off the line  16  from the supply  34  and for feeding the line  16  to the facility  35 .  
         [0031]    This situation is outlined in detail in a side view in FIG. 2. Under the track way  10 , one can see the inductor  15  with the grooves  14 . The line  16 , coming from the left side, is introduced via a pull-off device  35  into the assembly module. The assembly module is located in a frame  33  which is affixed as a jib to the vehicle and which laterally encompasses the cover plate  10  of the track way. Accommodated in the assembly module, relatively to the vehicle or to the frame  33 , is a mobile assembly slide  46 . During assembly, the vehicle  31  moves in the direction of arrow R. The grooves  14  pertaining to one phase have a spacing A which is optically scanned by a laser-measuring device  52 . With the measuring data of the groove spacings processed by a compute, two bends of the meander are bent in the bending device  36  (FIG. 4). In cycles, the two bends of the meander are passed on to the crimping station  40  where the winding heads  16 . 1  of the meanders are crimped. The crimping is explained more detailedly in the description of FIG. 3. Located at the end of the assembly slide  46  is the indentation station  42  by which the line  16  is pressed into the grooves  14 . A power-way measuring station  56  monitors the indentation station  42 . Furthermore, in this area a temperature measuring device and a computer may be provided; these are not illustrated in the figures.  
         [0032]    With the illustrated assembly unit, one side of the inductor  15  each is equipped with the line meanders of one phase. For complete laying of the inductor, three phases of the line must be accommodated at both sides of the cover plate.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 shows the crimpings of the meanders. The crimpings are required because the winding heads  16 . 1 ,  16 . 2  and  16 . 3  cross each other. By laying the winding heads one above the other, the existing space can be filled here optimally. The meander (here  16 . 1 ) of a first phase of the inductor has no crimping, and in the second phase, only one winding head (here  16 . 2 ) is unilaterally bent-off in upward direction, and in the third phase both winding heads (here  16 . 3 ) are crimped in upward direction. The groove spacings of two phases are marked with the reference signs A 1  and A 2 , with A 1  and A 2  representing the distances for the visible winding heads  16 . 1  and  16 . 2 , and reference sign A 1 ′ constituting the distance of the relevant winding head on the backside of the inductor (arranged towards the inside of the cover plate).  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 gives a schematic view of the bending device  36  in the assembly slide, viewed from the top. The axis of line  16  is represented by a dotted line. The line, coming from the left, is taken-over into the bending station  36  which is comprised of a bending ram  37  and two counter-bearings  38 . 1 ,  38 . 2 . Prior to the bending procedure, the width B 1 , B 2 , of the bending ram  37  and of the first counter-bearing  38 . 1  is adjusted in conformity with the computerized input data. The widths B 1 , B 2  correspond to the measuring data of the groove spacings A 1 , A 2 , corrected for plus or minus allowances for temperature. In accordance with the width sizes, the assembly slide is positioned according to the input data of the computer so that there is no lateral deviation when pressed into the grooves. During the bending procedure, in which the line is fixed at the stationary counter-bearing  38 . 1 , the bending ram  37  carries-out two movements. It moves vertically to the track way and to the first counter-bearing  38 . 1  with its first speed v 1 . The second counter-bearing  38 . 2  moves simultaneously with the double speed v 2  by recovering the line length to the first counter-bearing  38 . 1 . The bent meanders are then taken-over in cycles by the crimping station  40  where the inner and outer winding head are crimped.  
         [0035]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.  
         [0036]    The invention relates to a method and a device for installing a three-phase alternate current winding into the grooves of an extended inductor and/or into the inductor package of a linear motor which are affixed with downwardly open grooves at the underside of a cover plate of a track way.  
         [0037]    DE 3737 719 A2 describes a laying vehicle movable on the cover plate of the track ways and its working method. The work sequence is mainly comprised of the following steps:  
         [0038]    The winding phases are pulled-off from a supply mounted on a vehicle and supplied to a bending device installed on the vehicle;  
         [0039]    in the bending device, each winding phase is bent like a meander and in bent status brought into holders;  
         [0040]    the holders are connected with each other on a strip at a fixed distance that corresponds to the groove spacing, and  
         [0041]    the winding lying in the holders of the strip is guided via a jib to the underside of the cover plate and there pressed by a tool into the grooves of the inductor.  
         [0042]    According to this method, the dimensions of the groove spacings and those of the winding geometry (meander forming) are firmly defined by the use of holders. This method does not allow for considering any tolerances or deviations in the meander dimensions.  
         [0043]    However, tolerances or deviations do occur almost always. There are both tolerances in manufacture and tolerances at butt joints of the inductor packages or of the track way. Moreover, the grooves do not have constant distances in curved areas, because the groove spacings in the outer track are somewhat bigger than in the inner track. On the other hand, the groove spacings are constant within inductor packages if such packages are used, but to offset way differences greater inductor package spacings do occur in the outer track than in the inner track. Furthermore, there are changes in material due to weather impacts (thermal impacts) which entail deviations. Over long distances, these tolerances may add-up to noticeable differences in dimensions.  
         [0044]    The technical problem to be solved by the invention is to propose a device and a method, which allow for an automatic laying, even if there are dimensional deviations in groove spacings.  
         [0045]    The solution is described as a device in the features of the principal claim and as a method in a secondary claim. Further configurations may be found in the sub-claims.  
         [0046]    The device for laying at least one linear motor line into the grooves of an inductor is comprised of at least one vehicle that can be moved on the cover plate. As will be described yet in the following, the laying device is comprised of comprehensive technical setups so that it might be purposive to distribute modules of the laying device on several vehicles which can be moved as a train over the cover plate. Owing to the heavy weight of the technical material, it may also be expedient to equip the laying device—particularly concerning the line supply—with a facility that provides for an offset of the track way transverse inclination of the cover plate. To give an example for an inductor, reference is made to the description from DE 196 20 222 CI.  
         [0047]    The laying device is preferably comprised of a line supply, usually laid on a cable reel; a device for pulling-off the line and feeding the line to a forming device in which the line is bent and crimped to take the form of a meander; a tool for joining the meanders into the grooves; an assembly slide on which the forming device, the tool, and a measuring facility for measuring the groove spacings are accommodated, with the assembly slide being located at least partly under the track way and with it being possible to slide it relatively to the vehicle in longitudinal and transverse direction; a computer or a data processing and controlling facility to process measuring data and to control the position of the forming device, assembly slide and/or tool.  
         [0048]    The most essential steps in the laying process—for one phase of the inductor—are comprised of the following ones: the laying device, hereinafter briefly referred to as a vehicle, moves preferably at a constant speed on the cover plate; the line is pulled-off continuously from the cable reel and passed over into the assembly slide; on the assembly slide, the groove spacings are measured by a measuring facility and these measured data are transmitted to the forming device; the bending device forms two bends of a meander in distinct cycles according to the defined dimensions; the two bends are taken-over by a crimping station and crimped, depending on the phase or groove position; from the crimping station, the meanders are taken-over by the indentation tool and pressed into the grooves.  
         [0049]    The motion sequence of the assembly slide is comprised of a standstill in relation to the grooves and cover plate and of a motion preferably overtaking that of the vehicle, moving to the next position of indentation. During the standstill, the meanders are pressed into the grooves.  
         [0050]    The laying procedure is repeated three times for each phase of the inductor at each side of the cover plate. For this purpose, the laying device may be comprised of one assembly slide with the associated equipment for each phase, so that the lines for all the three phases can be laid in a single pass. In a simpler version, the device is comprised of only one assembly slide so that the line of one phase only can be laid per pass.  
         [0051]    The vehicle is comprised of a device (preferably a laser measuring system as an optoelectronic device) for measuring and transmitting the inductor groove spacings per phase; the measurement can be taken during a standstill or during a movement of the assembly slide. The measured groove spacings are transmitted to the bending device so that the meanders of the linear motor line can be formed in accordance with the measured data.  
         [0052]    Furthermore, there is preferably a temperature-measuring device installed on the vehicle. The current temperature is transmitted to the data processing and controlling unit which thereby controls the bending device and/or the position of the slide, so that deviations in the measuring temperature from a defined design temperature are converted into modifying dimensions (plus or minus allowances) of the bending lengths of the meanders and transmitted.  
         [0053]    The indentation tool is monitored via a power-way measurement and compared with a design curve (envelope curve) deposited in a computer. During indentation into the groove, an initial indentation resistance must be overcome, and after complete indentation, a growing resistance builds-up. Deviations from the power curve suggest that assembly has been faulty. The automatic assembly sequence is therefore specifically monitored at this critical point and interrupted if the power-monitoring device signalizes faulty sequences, which may lead to an impermissible deformation of the line.  
         [0054]    An example for execution of this invention is outlined on the drawing, where  
         [0055]    [0055]FIG. 1 shows two examples of the invented laying devices  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 2 shows a side view onto the assembly slide  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 3 shows a side view onto the winding heads  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 4 shows the bending device and  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 5 shows an arrangement according to the state of the art in technology  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 5 shows a laying arrangement according to the state of the art in technology. One can see a laying vehicle  31  on the cover plate  10  of the track way. From a cable reel  34  the line is pulled-off and formed in the vehicle to meanders and brought into holders. The holders are connected with each other on strip  1  and guided via a jib  33  to the underside of the cover plate and mounted there with a tool in the inductor  15 .  
         [0061]    The present invention does not make use of holders mounted on a strip. Devices according to this invention are illustrated in a side view on FIG. 1 a  and  1   b.  The difference between these two devices in FIG. 1 a  and  1   b  consists in that the device illustrated in FIG. 1 a  is suitable for laying a line of one phase only, while the device illustrated in FIG. 1 b  can lay the lines of three phases in one pass. Apart from this difference, both devices have analogous features.  
         [0062]    The device is comprised of a vehicle  31  which can be moved on the cover plate  10 . Furthermore, a supply  34  for one and/or three lines  16  is provided for, with the supply  34  being configured each as a separate vehicle. The vehicle  31  and the supply  34  are comprised of appropriately configured guiding elements  20  to allow for a movement along cover plate  10 . Thus the vehicle  31  and the supply  34  form a train that moves during laying along the cover plate  10 .  
         [0063]    Connected with the vehicle  31  is one assembly slide  46  each, which encompasses the cover plate  10  and which is partly located under the cover plate  10 . Provided on the assembly slide  46  for each line  16  of one phase is a device  36 ,  40  to form the meanders of the line  16  and a tool  42  for indentation of the line  16  into the grooves  14 . Furthermore, the assembly slide  46  accommodates a device  35  for pulling-off the line  16  from the supply  34  and for feeding the line  16  to the facility  35 .  
         [0064]    This situation is outlined in detail in a side view in FIG. 2. Under the track way  10 , one can see the inductor  15  with the grooves  14 . The line  16 , coming from the left side, is introduced via a pull-off device  35  into the assembly module. The assembly module is located in a frame  33  which is affixed as a jib to the vehicle and which laterally encompasses the cover plate  10  of the track way. Accommodated in the assembly module, relatively to the vehicle or to the frame  33 , is a mobile assembly slide  46 . During assembly, the vehicle  31  moves in the direction of arrow R. The grooves  14  pertaining to one phase have a spacing A which is optically scanned by a laser-measuring device  52 . With the measuring data of the groove spacings processed by a compute, two bends of the meander are bent in the bending device  36  (FIG. 4). In cycles, the two bends of the meander are passed on to the crimping station  40  where the winding heads  16 . 1  of the meanders are crimped. The crimping is explained more detailedly in the description of FIG. 3. Located at the end of the assembly slide  46  is the indentation station  42  by which the line  16  is pressed into the grooves  14 . A power-way measuring station  56  monitors the indentation station  42 . Furthermore, there area a temperature measuring device and a computer; these are not illustrated in the figures.  
         [0065]    With the illustrated assembly unit, one side of the inductor  15  each is equipped with the line meanders of one phase. For complete laying of the inductor, three phases of the line must be accommodated at both sides of the cover plate.  
         [0066]    [0066]FIG. 3 shows the crimpings of the meanders. The crimpings are required because the winding heads  16 . 1 ,  16 . 2  and  16 . 3  cross each other. By laying the winding heads one above the other, the existing space can be filled here optimally. The meander (here  16 . 1 ) of a first phase of the inductor has no crimping, and in the second phase, only one winding head (here  16 . 2 ) is unilaterally bent-off in upward direction, and in the third phase both winding heads (here  16 . 3 ) are crimped in upward direction. The groove spacings of two phases are marked with the reference signs A 1  and A 2 , with A 1  and A 2  representing the distances for the visible winding heads  16 . 1  and  16 . 2 , and reference sign A 1 ′ constituting the distance of the relevant winding head on the backside of the inductor (arranged towards the inside of the cover plate).  
         [0067]    [0067]FIG. 4 gives a schematic view of the bending device  36  in the assembly slide, viewed from the top. The axis of line  16  is represented by a dotted line. The line, coming from the left, is taken-over into the bending station  36  which is comprised of a bending ram  37  and two counter-bearings  38 . 1 ,  38 . 2 . Prior to the bending procedure, the width B 1 , B 2 , of the bending ram  37  and of the first counter-bearing  38 . 1  is adjusted in conformity with the computerized input data. The widths B 1 , B 2  correspond to the measuring data of the groove spacings A 1 , A 2 , corrected for plus or minus allowances for temperature. In accordance with the width sizes, the assembly slide is positioned according to the input data of the computer so that there is no lateral deviation when pressed into the grooves. During the bending procedure, in which the line is fixed at the stationary counter-bearing  38 . 1 , the bending ram  37  carries-out two movements. It moves vertically to the track way and to the first counter-bearing  38 . 1  with its first speed v 1 . The second counter-bearing  38 . 2  moves simultaneously with the double speed v 2  by recovering the line length to the first counter-bearing  38 . 1 . The bent meanders are then taken-over in cycles by the crimping station  40  where the inner and outer winding head are crimped.