Systems and methods for preparation of conductors for electric motors

Abstract

The present invention discloses, in certain aspects, methods for removing material from ends of wires, the wires being electrical conductor wires of a coil for an electric motor, the ends of the wires projecting from the coil, the methods including: securing a holder apparatus to a coil, the coil having two portions projecting therefrom, each portion including a plurality of wire ends, each wire end having material thereon; positioning the holder apparatus with the coil on a support, the support adjacent a blasting apparatus, the blasting apparatus including an enclosure; moving the holder apparatus with the coil on the support thereby moving the wire ends into the enclosure; and blasting the wire ends within the enclosure to remove the material from the wire ends. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

1 . A method to remove material from ends of wires, the wires comprising electrical conductor wires of a coil for an electric motor, the ends of the wires projecting from the coil, the method comprising
 securing a holder apparatus to a coil, the coil having two portions projecting therefrom, each portion including a plurality of wire ends, each wire end having material thereon,   positioning the holder apparatus with the coil on a support, the support adjacent a blasting apparatus, the blasting apparatus including an enclosure,   moving the holder apparatus with the coil on the support thereby moving the wire ends into the enclosure, and   blasting the wire ends within the enclosure to remove the material from the wire ends.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coil has two spaced-apart sides, and the holder apparatus comprises at least one holder, the at least one holder having two openings, one each of the two openings for receiving part of a side of the coil, the method further comprising
 emplacing part of each side in one of the two openings.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one holder apparatus comprises two matable parts combinable about the sides of the coil, the method further comprising
 combining the two matable parts about the coil so a part of each side of the coil is in one of the two openings.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the two matable parts include a first part with projections and a second part with recesses, the method further comprising
 combining the two matable parts with each projection of the first part in a recess of the second part.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the at least one holder has at least one cut out portion for facilitating handling of the holder. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one holder is two spaced-apart holders. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the holder apparatus is generally round. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the support comprises a wheeled trolley positioned on a base, the base adjacent the enclosure of the blasting apparatus, the method further comprising
 moving the wire ends into the enclosure by moving the wheeled trolley on the base.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the wheeled trolley has a plurality of spaced-apart rollers rotatably mounted thereon, the holder apparatus movably positioned on the plurality of rollers, the method further comprising
 moving the wire ends within the enclosure to facilitate removal of material therefrom by moving the holder apparatus on rollers of the plurality of rollers.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the holder apparatus is two spaced-apart holders, the method further comprising
 moving each holder on two spaced-apart rollers of the plurality of rollers.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the enclosure has a coil opening through which part of the coil is movable to move the wire ends into the enclosure, the method further comprising
 placing a seal structure at the coil opening and around the coil to seal off the coil opening while part of the coil is passing through the coil opening to facilitate the blasting of material off the wire ends.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the seal structure comprises seal apparatus connected to the enclosure. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the seal structure comprises two seal pieces emplaceable on the coil, at least one of the two seal pieces having openings for accommodating parts of sides of the coil, the method further comprising
 emplacing the two seal pieces on the coil, and   connecting the two seal pieces together.   
   
   
       14 . A method to remove material from ends of wires, the wires comprising electrical conductor wires of a coil for an electric motor, the ends of the wires projecting from the coil, the method comprising
 securing a holder apparatus to a coil, the coil having two portions projecting therefrom, each portion including a plurality of wire ends, each wire end having material thereon,   positioning the holder apparatus with the coil on a support, the support adjacent a blasting apparatus, the blasting apparatus including an enclosure,   moving the holder apparatus with the coil on the support thereby moving the wire ends into the enclosure, and   blasting the wire ends within the enclosure to remove the material from the wire ends,   wherein the coil has two spaced-apart sides, and the holder apparatus comprises two holders, each holder having two openings, one each of the two openings for receiving part of a side of the coil, the method further comprising
 emplacing part of each side in one of the two openings, 
   wherein each holder comprises two matable parts combinable about the sides of the coil, the method further comprising
 combining the two matable parts about the coil so a part of each side of the coil is in one of the two openings, 
   wherein each holder is generally round,   wherein the support comprises a wheeled trolley positioned on a base, the base adjacent the enclosure of the blasting apparatus, the method further comprising
 moving the wire ends into the enclosure by moving the wheeled trolley on the base. 
   
   
   
       15 . A system for removing material from ends of wires, the wires comprising electrical conductor wires of a coil for an electric motor, the ends of the wires projecting from the coil, the system comprising
 a holder apparatus for securement to a coil, the coil having two portions projecting therefrom, each portion including a plurality of wire ends, each wire end having material thereon,   a support, the holder apparatus on the support, the support positionable adjacent a blasting apparatus, the blasting apparatus including an enclosure, and   the holder apparatus with the coil movable on the support to thereby move the wire ends into the enclosure.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the coil has two spaced-apart sides, and the holder apparatus comprises at least one holder, the at least one holder having two openings, one each of the two openings for receiving part of a side of the coil. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the at least one holder apparatus comprises two matable parts combinable about the sides of the coil so a part of each side of the coil is in one of the two openings, the two matable parts including a first part with projections and a second part with recesses, each projection of the first part receivable in a recess of the second part. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the support comprises a wheeled trolley positioned on a base, the base positionable adjacent the enclosure of the blasting apparatus, the wheeled trolley movable on the base to move the wire ends into the enclosure. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the wheeled trolley has a plurality of spaced-apart rollers rotatably mounted thereon, the holder apparatus movably positioned on the plurality of rollers so that moving the holder apparatus on rollers of the plurality of rollers moves the wire ends within the enclosure to facilitate removal of material therefrom. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the enclosure has a coil opening through which part of the coil is movable to move the wire ends into the enclosure, the system further comprising
 a seal structure positionable at the coil opening and around the coil to seal off the coil opening while part of the coil is passing through the coil opening to facilitate the blasting of material off the wire ends,   wherein the seal structure comprises one of seal apparatus connected to the enclosure and two seal pieces emplaceable on the coil, at least one of the two seal pieces having openings for accommodating parts of sides of the coil.