Armature

The present invention is concerned with a method for manufacturing an armature and a construction of the armature. In particular the invention is concerned with the method of connecting the conductors comprising the windings to a commutator segment anchorage in a high current armature. High current armatures are employed in electric starter motors for vehicle engines, although the invention may be applied to other types of armature.

High current armatures require winding conductors of large gauge wire or strip (normally above 2 mm.sup.2 C.S.A.) in order to tolerate the high current loads to which they are subjected. The gauge of such conductors creates particular problems with the connection of each winding conductor to a corresponding segment of the commutator.

Conventionally the commutator is formed by mounting a conducting collar on an insulating core. One end of the collar is formed into a flange which extends radially outward from the collar. The collar, including the flange part, is divided into isolated longitudinally extending segments. Each segment thus comprises a lug and an axially extending brush contact. Each segment of the commutator is insulated from the adjacent segments by the introduction of an insulating resin. Slots are then formed, one each in the spaces between them in each lug, by machining from the circumferential surface radially inwards.

To connect the winding to the commutator, two ends of the conductor from the winding are introduced to each slot, one end being placed radially outwards from the other, and secured in place by hot staking. Hot staking involves applying an electrode to the radially outermost conductor end and applying another electrode to the brush contact of the segment. A large electric current is then applied through the conductors and segment and pressure is applied to the conductor ends via the electrode contacted therewith. This causes the conductor ends to fuse into the slot, resulting in a mechanically secure and electrically good contact between the windings and the commutator.

A problem with this method of manufacture is that the commutator must be engineered to support the large mechanical, thermal and electrical stresses applied by the hot staking step. In consequence, the moulded core must be made of special temperature resistant material. These materials are relatively expensive or hazardous, and frequently limit the commutator performance due to thermal distortion or degradation of the moulding material which permits movement of the commutator segments. Similar problems occur when ultrasonically welding or brazing the conductors to the segment.

The mass of material which is required to support the manufacturing loads is much greater than that which is theoretically required for the armature to support its working loads. The conventional armature is therefore heavier than is required for the working load.

Techniques for ultrasonically welding the conductors to the lugs (sometimes known as the risers) in an armature are disclosed in DE A 25 11 102, with reference to which the independant claims of the application are characterised, and DE A 34 37 744.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method an apparatus and a commutator for manufacturing an armature and an armature which alleviates the aforementioned technical problems exhibited by the prior art.

Accordingly there is provided a method of connecting a winding to a segment of a commutator to form an armature for an electric rotary machine comprising the steps of: positioning end portions of first and second conductors of the winding against a contact surface of a connection portion of the segments to form a stack, engaging a connection member against the stack so that the conductors are interposed between the connection member and the contact surface, engaging another member with the segment so that energy can be applied via the members to secure the stack together, characterised by the step of engaging the other member with a support surface of the connection portion, said other member being a support member (12), whereby the stack is supported and the connection energies confined to the stack.

In the preferred form of this method the wire ends are positioned with their long axis parallel to each other and parallel to the armature axis.

Preferably the stack is formed with the first conductor end sandwiched between the connection portion and the second conductor end. This allows the formation of a stack which extends radially and so occupies a small space in the circumferential direction.

It will usually be most convenient to provide the connection portion radially spaced from the brush contact surface and extending axially away from the winding. In this case a support surface can conveniently be provided on a side of the connection portion facing the axis. The support surface can be engaged by the support member while the ends of the conductors are presented to the contact surface provided on an opposite contact side of the connection portion.

It will be appreciated that by engaging the first and second members on opposite sides of the stack, the energies applied to secure the conductor ends are confined to the stack. Therefore, the core and the part of each segments forming the brush contact surface can be made of materials dimensioned to support the working loads of the armature. Also, because the energies are confined to the stack, the amount of energy required to form the connection is reduced.

The nature of the first and second members depends upon the technique used to secure the stack. Examples of applicable techniques includes: electro-welding/fusing, brazing or sonic welding. In the case of electro-welding the members will be the electrodes. In the case of sonic welding, the members will be the sonotrode and the anvil respectively.

The present method may use commutators constructed by traditional methods, such as cold forming and segmenting a tube on the core. However the present method advantageously allows the commutator to be formed by rolling a metal strip, to form a tube on the core, forming the segments and bending the end of each segment radially outwardly. This method of forming a commutator consumes less material and energy and involves fewer steps than the prior art method.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided, an apparatus for connecting conductors of a winding to a segment of a commutator to form an armature wherein the conductor ends are presented to a connection portion of the segment to form a stack, the apparatus comprising: a connection member engagable with one of the conductor ends to apply energy to the stack to fuse the stack together characterised in that the apparatus includes a support member engagable with a support surface of the connection portion to support the stack and to confine the energies applied to fuse the stack.

Preferably the first and second members comprise the electrodes of an electro-welding apparatus. However, the first and second members may form the corresponding components of braising, soldering or sonic welding apparatus.

Preferably the first support member comprises a sleeve with a bore into which the brush contact surfaces, which extend around the core of the commutator received. The connection portions engage in notches formed in one end of the sleeve to be supported. The notches thus provide the means to support the conductor ends in place against the connection portion and confine the energies applied to fuse the stack.

Further according to the present invention there is provide a commutator for use in making a high current armature comprising a plurality of segments extending circumferentially around a core each segment having a connection portion adapted to be fused with the ends of two conductors of a winding, to electrically and mechanically connect each segment with a corresponding pair of conductors characterised in that each connection portion is provided with a support surface engageable by a support member whereby the connection portion can be supported while it is fused with a conductor.

Preferably the connection portion is spaced radially from a brush contact surface of the segment and extends to overlie the contact surface. This can be advantageously achieved by bending the end of each segment into a `U` shape. This conveniently deploys the supports surface facing the axis where it can readily be engaged by the support member, and presents the connection surface facing away from the axis. Thus, the connection to the conductors is spaced at a large radius, which is convenient to accommodate the radius of the winding and the number of pairs of conductors, but the inertial penalty incurred is kept to a minimum because the radial members which support the connection portion can be thin and light.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C are plan views illustrating stages in the manufacture of a commutator for use in manufacturing an armature,

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned plan view of a stage in assembly of a winding and the commutator to form an armature;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view through the window A in FIG. 2 to illustrate the formation of a stack;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line I through the window A of FIG. 2, before the stack is fused together;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 after the stack is fused together;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a supporting member, shown in part in the preceding figures;

FIG. 7 is a finished armature in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a partial exploded perspective view of the stage in assembly of the winding and commutator of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the finished armature of FIG. 7.

Referring to FIGS. 1a to 1c, these illustrate stages in the manufacture of a commutator 10 for use in the present method. The stages consist of; rolling a rectangle of copper or other conductive metal sheet into a tube 1 and butting the opposite ends together at 2. An insulating tubular core 3 is then moulded into the tube 1.

Longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced cuts 4 are then milled through the collar 1, from end to end to form a plurality of isolated segments 5. At one end of the collar, which extends beyond the end of the core 3 the cuts are enlarged to provide tongues 6 of reduced width. Alternatively the tongues 6 may be blanked out prior to wrapping the shell, thus simplifying the formation of the segments. This may also allow material to be conserved by forming two rectangles with the blanked edges of each rectangle in face to face relation, the tongues of one rectangle being formed of the interleaving material removed from between the tongues of the other rectangle.

At this stage it may be convenient to introduce insulating material into the cuts 4.

As shown in FIG. 1c the tongues 6 are then folded radially outwardly and then a part of each tongue 7, radially spaced from the axially extending brush contacting part 8 of the segment, is folded back over the brush contacting part to form a hook like lug 7 comprising a connection portion 7a and a supporting radial spoke 7d. The surface of the connection portion 7a of the lug 7 facing the axis of the commutator provides a support surface 7b while the surface of the lug 7 facing away from the axis, opposite the support surface 7b, provides a contacting surface 7c.

To connect the commutator 10 to a winding 11 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 the commutator is first mounted onto the armature shaft 9. A supporting member 12 is provided by an annular sleeve and has a bore of a size adapted to receive the brush contacting parts 8 of the commutator 10. A plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced notches 13 are formed into the outer surface of one end of the sleeve to receive the connection portions 7a as illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5.

Once mounted on the supporting member 12, the commutator is presented to the windings 11 as shown in FIG. 2 and the ends 14, 15 of two conductors which form part of the winding, and which it is desired to contact with the commutator segment, are introduced to a notch 13 in a radially overlying relation. Thus the conductor end 14 contacts the contact surface 7c and the wire end 15 contacts the conductor end 14 as can best be seen in FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that each of the pairs of conductor ends which it is desired to contact with a corresponding one of the commutator segments may be arranged as shown in FIG. 4 before the next stage of assembly. The arrangement of the connection portion 7a and conductor ends 14 and 15 shown in FIG. 4 is known as a stack.

To secure the stack together a connecting member 16, which in this case is one electrode of an electro-welding apparatus, is brought into engagement with a radially outer surface of the wire end 15. In this preferred embodiment the supporting member 12 provides the second electrode of the electro-welding apparatus. Current is then applied via the electrode 16 and supporting member 12 through the stack 7a, 14, 15 and the electrode 16 is used to apply mechanical pressure to the stack. Thus the stack is heated by the electric current and the combined effects of pressure and heating cause the stack to fuse together as shown in FIG. 5. Electrode 16 is then displaced radially away from the armature and the winding and commutator rotated to present an un-fused stack to the connection member for connection. Once all of the stacks have been fused the supporting member 12 is removed by axial displacement. FIGS. 7 and 8 show a finished armature in accordance with the invention. FIGS. 7 and 9 show the armature subsequent to removal of the supporting member.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus for securing the stack together may consist of brazing apparatus, in which case the support and connecting members may be simple heaters. Alternatively, ultrasonic welding may be used, in which case anvil 12 simply provides mechanical support while the first member 16 is a sonotrode.

The method contemplates the possibility of simultaneously securing several stacks by the simultaneous application of several connecting members. Thus, for example, four stacks may simultaneously be secured by the application of four electrodes, the commutator rotated with respect to the electrodes, and four more stacks secured.

In an alternative embodiment of the apparatus (not shown), the conductor ends may be supported in the stack configuration by being received in a notch in a second connecting member. In this case notches may be unnecessary in the supporting member.

This method of manufacturing an armature presents numerous advantages in comparison with conventional methods of manufacturing high current armatures which require large gauge wires (e.g., in excess of 2 mm.sup.2) to form the windings. These include a reduced number of manufacturing steps, reduced consumption of material, reduced energy consumption, the possibility of producing high current armatures of reduced weight and inertia. Because the lugs can be made relatively thin in the circumferential direction it is possible to increase the number of commutator segments and or reduce the diameter of the axial part 8 of the commutator.