Electrical collecting and distributing member holding structure, electric motor, and electric motor producing method

An electrical collecting and distributing member holding structure, comprising:

• a stator including a multiplicity of cores arranged annularly, windings wound around the multiplicity of cores respectively, and an insulator for electrical insulation between the cores and the windings;
• a plurality of annular electrical collecting and distributing members held around the stator to collect and distribute electric current to the windings;
• and
• a holding portion formed on the insulator, the holding portion including a plurality of recesses formed therein, the plurality of recesses being formed on top of each other in an axial direction of the stator and open in a radial direction of the stator in such a manner so as to receive and hold the plurality of electrical collecting and distributing members in the holding portion when the plurality of annular electrical collecting and distributing members are inserted inwardly in the radial direction of the stator into the plurality of recesses, respectively,
• wherein the electrical collecting and distributing members integrally include a respective U shaped portion, which is formed by bending a metal conductor into a U shape, respective held portions, which are held in the holding portion, and a respective pair of separated extended portions, which are provided between both ends of the respective U shaped portion and the respective held portions, respectively, by extension in a radial direction of the annular electrical collecting and distributing members,
• wherein the electrical collecting and distributing members and the windings are electrically connected together with a respective end of the windings inserted in the respective U shaped portion,
• wherein the U shape portion includes a pair of extended portions extending in a radial direction and a pair of shafts extending in an axial direction as one piece, and a respective end of the windings is inserted between the pair of shafts and the pair of shafts are clamped on both sides into electrically-conductive engagement with the respective end of the winding to electrically connect the respective winding to the electrical collecting and distributing member, the extended portions of the U shaped portion remaining separated from one another.