Dynamo-electric machine component core winding methods and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention concerns improved methods and apparatus for forming undulated wire coils that are placed into the cores of dynamo electric machine components. In particular, the invention concerns improved methods and apparatus for controlling the direction of deposit (along the axis about which the coil is wound) for the turns of a wire coil and for positioning the leads of the coil. This is accomplished by forming a series of wire coils using a programmable apparatus that controls a sequence of directions (along the coil axis) in which the wire turns are deposited, as well as positions of the final leads. The same methods and apparatus may also be used to form continuously wound wire portions.

1 . Apparatus for forming a multi-coil winding for a dynamo-electric machine component core, the apparatus comprising: 
 gripper structure for positioning an initial lead of at least one wire;    forming structure configured to sequentially form each of a first coil portion and a second coil portion by winding the at least one wire into wire turns about a coil axis, successive ones of the wire turns being positioned in respective, successive, substantially parallel planes; and    wire feeding mechanism configured to translate substantially perpendicularly to said parallel planes to position the wire turns, wherein the feeding mechanism translates in a first direction along the coil axis away from the initial lead to form the first coil portion and translates in an opposite second direction along the coil axis to form the second coil portion.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the feeding mechanism is further configured to position a final lead of the at least one wire after winding a final turn of the second coil portion.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the feeding mechanism is further configured to position a final lead of the at least one wire, after winding a final turn of the second coil portion, away from a portion of the core exposed to another component of the dynamo-electric machine.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising forming mechanism configured to shape each of the first and second coil portions into an undulated configuration having a plurality of radial lobes alternated with hollows positioned in angular intervals around a circumference of each of the coil portions.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the forming mechanism is further configured to arrange the second coil portion at a position angularly shifted relative to the first coil portion, wherein the lobes of the second coil portion are positioned at angular positions corresponding to hollows of the first coil portion.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the forming mechanism is further configured to shape a wire portion connecting the first coil portion with the second coil portion to form a loop following an annular path matching the profile of one lobe of one of the two coil portions for one part and the profile of a hollow of the other coil portion opposite to the lobe for another part.  
   
   
       7 . A method for forming a multi-coil winding for a dynamo-electric machine component core, the method comprising: 
 positioning an initial lead of at least one wire; and    sequentially forming a first coil portion and a second coil portion by winding the at least one wire into wire turns about a coil axis, successive ones of the wire turns being positioned in respective, successive, substantially parallel planes, wherein the wire turns are wound away from the initial lead in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the parallel planes to form the first coil portion, and wherein the wire turns are wound in an opposite second direction to form the second coil portion.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising positioning a final lead of the at least one wire after winding a final turn of the second coil portion.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising positioning a final lead of the at least one wire, after winding a final turn of the second coil portion, away from a portion of the core exposed to another component of the dynamo-electric machine.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein forming the first coil portion further comprises shaping the first coil portion in an undulated configuration having a plurality of radial lobes alternated with hollows positioned in angular intervals around a circumference of the first coil portion.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein forming the second coil portion further comprises: 
 shaping the second coil portion in the undulated configuration; and    arranging the second coil portion at a position angularly shifted relative to the first coil portion, wherein the second coil portion has lobes at the same angular positions of the hollows of the first coil portion.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising shaping a wire portion connecting the first coil portion with the second coil portion to form a loop following an annular path matching the profile of one lobe of one of the two coil portions for one part and the profile of a hollow of the other coil opposite to the lobe for another part.  
   
   
       13 - 17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . A method of winding a pair of half-coils using wire that emanates from a wire dispenser and that is continuous between the half-coils, the respective half-coil being intended for insertion in a dynamo-electric machine core with respective different angular registrations relative to a circumference of the core, comprising: 
 winding a first plurality of substantially planar turns of wire on a forming structure starting from an initial lead to produce a first of the half-coils;    winding a second plurality of substantially planar turns of wire on the forming structure ending with a final lead to produce a second of the half-coils; and    displacing at least one of the initial and final leads out of the plane of the turn of wire from which that lead extends.    
   
   
       19 . The method defined in  claim 18  wherein the displacing comprises: 
 causing relative movement between the wire dispenser and the forming structure substantially perpendicular to the plane of a turn of wire on the forming structure.    
   
   
       20 . The method defined in  claim 18  wherein the displacing leaves the lead that is displaced in a position that results in that lead being at a desired location radially of the core when the half-coils are inserted in the core.  
   
   
       21 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein the desired location is more centrally located between inner and outer circumferences of the core than the displaced lead would be if it were not displaced.  
   
   
       22 . The method defined in  claim 18  wherein each of the half-coils is substantially helical on the forming structure, except to the extent that results from the displacing of at least one of the leads.  
   
   
       23 . The method defined in  claim 18  further comprising: 
 removing the first half-coil from the forming structure prior to winding the second half-coil on the forming structure.    
   
   
       24 . (canceled)  
   
   
       25 . The method defined in  claim 18  further comprising: 
 forming a reversal loop in the wire extending between the first and second half-coils.    
   
   
       26 - 27 . (canceled)