# US 10,312,777 B2 · Method and device for welding wire segment pairs > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,312,777 B2 - Document ID: US10312777B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/626,591 - Filed: 2017-06-19 - Published: 2017-10-26 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-19 - Assignees: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Continental Automotive GmbH - Inventors: Holger Fröhlich; Ricus Müller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312777B2 ## CPC - H02K 15/35: Form-wound windings - B23K 26/037: {by pressing on the workpiece, e.g. using a pressing roller foot} - B23K 26/0604: {by a combination of beams} - B23K 26/082: Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head - B23K 26/24: Seam welding - H02K 3/12: arranged in slots - H02K 3/28: Layout of windings or of connections between windings (windings for pole-changing H02K17/06, H02K17/14, H02K19/12, H02K19/32) - H02K 3/505: {for large machine windings, e.g. bar windings (H02K3/51 takes precedence)} - H02K 15/33: Connecting winding sections; Forming leads; Connecting leads to terminals - B23K 2101/32: Wires - B23K 2101/36: Electric or electronic devices - B23K 2101/38: Conductors - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract A method for welding a plurality of wire segment pairs is disclosed. Each wire segment pair has two adjacent wire segments, and each adjacent wire segment has a contact region where the wire segment is to be welded to the respective other wire segment. The wire segment pairs are successively guided between two elements of a pressing unit, and at a weld moment in which at least one of the wire segment pairs is located between the two elements. The pressing unit exerts a pressing force onto the wire segment pair such that the contact regions of the wire segments are pressed against each other. At each weld moment, laser radiation is irradiated onto the wire segment pair to which the pressing unit is exerting the pressing force, and the laser radiation is irradiated onto a region in which the contact regions are pressed against each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for welding a plurality of wire segment pairs, each of the wire segment pairs comprises two adjacent-lying wire segments, the respective adjacent-lying wire segments of each wire segment pair have a contact region in which they are to be welded to the respective other wire segment, the method comprising: guiding the wire segment pairs one after the other between two elements of a contact-pressing unit, the two elements having a circular shaped periphery, the two elements of the contact-pressing unit have mutually parallel axes of rotation rotating in such a manner that their rate of rotation at their periphery is identical to a speed at which the wire segments of the wire segment pairs that are facing the corresponding element are guided between the two elements; at a weld moment at which at least one of the wire segment pairs is located between the two elements of the contact-pressing unit, exerting, by the contact-pressing unit, a contact-pressing force on this wire segment pair so that the wire segments of this wire segment pair can be pressed against one another at their contact regions; and at the respective weld moment, directing laser radiation at the one of the wire segment pairs against which the contact-pressing unit is exerting a contact-pressing force at this weld moment, wherein the laser radiation is directed at a region in which the contact regions of the wire segments of the corresponding wire segment pairs are pressed against one another. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at the weld moments, two wire segment pairs are guided between the two elements of the contact-pressing unit and their contact regions of the wire segments lie on a common force vector of the contact-pressing force at the weld moment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the wire segment pairs are arranged along a circle or along a plurality of concentric circles, such that the contact regions of the wire segments of the wire segment pairs lie in each case adjacent to one another in a radial manner with respect to the corresponding circle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the wire segment pairs are arranged along two of the concentric circles so that in each case the contact regions of the wire segments of one of the wire segment pairs of one of the circles and the contact regions of the wire segments of one of the wire segment pairs of the other circle lie adjacent to one another in a radial manner with respect to the circles, so that at a respective weld moment the contact-pressing unit simultaneously exerts a contact-pressing force on one of the wire segment pairs of one of the circles and of one of the wire segment pairs of the other circle, wherein at the respective weld moment laser radiation is directed at both of the wire segment pairs against which the contact-pressing unit is exerting the contact-pressing force at this weld moment, and wherein a spacer ring is preferably arranged between the wire segment pairs of the two circles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein: the laser radiation is directed by a laser beam for each of the wire segment pairs at the two wire segment pairs against which the contact-pressing unit exerts the contact-pressing force at this weld moment; and the laser beams are preferably generated in each case by means of a dedicated laser source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the contact regions of the wire segments are delimited by an end of the corresponding wire segments and the laser radiation is directed at the corresponding end of the wire segments or at end faces of the wire segments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the laser radiation is directed along an oscillating path numerous times one after the other at the end or the end face of the wire segments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the two elements of the contact-pressing unit have a tooth-shaped periphery and/or an elastic coating along their periphery and/or have a knurling arrangement along their periphery. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a minimum spacing between the two elements of the contact-pressing unit is smaller than a sum of extensions of all the wire segments against which the contact-pressing unit simultaneously exerts the contact-pressing force at one of the weld moments in the direction of a contact-pressing force that is exerted by means of the contact-pressing unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one or both of the two elements of the contact-pressing unit are driven and the wire segment pairs pass between the two elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: one or both of the two elements of the contact-pressing unit has a toothed periphery; and a periodic length of the toothing is equal to a periodic length with which the plurality of wire segment pairs is arranged adjacent to one another. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the laser radiation has a wave length between 635 nm and 750 nm or 1030 nm; and the laser radiation is continuous and/or is generated by means of a disk laser. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is used to determine a position of the wire segment pairs against which the contact-pressing unit exerts a contact-pressing force and a focal point of the laser radiation is adjusted in such a manner that said focal point has a desired position relative to the corresponding wire segment pair. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wire segments are winding rods of a winding of a stator of a three-phase generator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the wire segments of each of the wire segment pairs are in each case end regions of wires that are bent in a form of a hair pin. ### Claim 16 A device for welding a plurality of wire segment pairs having two adjacent-lying wire segments, the respective adjacent-lying wire segments of each wire segment pair have a contact region in which they are to be welded to the respective other weld segment, the device comprises: a contact-pressing unit including two elements having a circular periphery, the two elements guide the wire segments pairs therebetween one after the other, wherein at a weld moment, at which at least one of the wire segment pairs is located between the two elements of the contact-pressing unit, the contact-pressing unit exerts a contact-pressing force on this wire segment pair so that the wire segments of this wire segment pair are pressed with their contact regions against one another, the two elements of the contact-pressing unit have mutually parallel axes of rotation rotating in such a manner that their rate of rotation at their periphery is identical to a speed at which the wire segments of the wire segment pairs that are facing the corresponding element are guided between the two elements; and at least one laser unit outputting laser radiation at the weld moment, the laser radiation is directed onto one of the wire segment pairs against which the contact-pressing unit exerts the contact-pressing force, the laser radiation is directed onto a region in which the contact regions of the wire segments of the corresponding wire segment pairs are pressed against one another. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein at the weld moments, two wire segment pairs are guided between the two elements of the contact-pressing unit and their contact regions of the wire segments lie on a common force vector of the contact-pressing force at the weld moment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein the wire segment pairs are arranged along a circle or along a plurality of concentric circles, such that the contact regions of the wire segments of the wire segment pairs lie in each case adjacent to one another in a radial manner with respect to the corresponding circle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The device of claim 18, wherein the wire segment pairs are arranged along two of the concentric circles so that in each case the contact regions of the wire segments of one of the wire segment pairs of one of the circles and the contact regions of the wire segments of one of the wire segment pairs of the other circle lie adjacent to one another in a radial manner with respect to the circles, so that at a respective weld moment the contact-pressing unit simultaneously exerts a contact-pressing force on one of the wire segment pairs of one of the circles and of one of the wire segment pairs of the other circle, wherein at the respective weld moment laser radiation is directed at both of the wire segment pairs against which the contact-pressing unit is exerting the contact-pressing force at this weld moment, and wherein a spacer ring is preferably arranged between the wire segment pairs of the two circles. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The device of claim 18, wherein: the laser radiation is directed by a laser beam for each of the wire segment pairs at the two wire segment pairs against which the contact-pressing unit exerts the contact-pressing force at this weld moment; and the laser beams are preferably generated in each case by means of a dedicated laser source. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The device of claim 18, wherein the contact regions of the wire segments are delimited by an end of the corresponding wire segments and the laser radiation is directed at the corresponding end of the wire segments or at end faces of the wire segments. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The device of claim 21, wherein the laser radiation is directed along an oscillating path numerous times one after the other at the end or end face of the wire segments. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein the two elements of the contact-pressing unit have a tooth-shaped periphery and/or an elastic coating along their periphery and/or have a knurling arrangement along their periphery. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein a minimum spacing between the two elements of the contact-pressing unit is smaller than a sum of extensions of all the wire segments against which the contact-pressing unit simultaneously exerts the contact-pressing force at one of the weld moments in the direction of a contact-pressing force that is exerted by means of the contact-pressing unit. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein one or both of the two elements of the contact-pressing unit are driven and the wire segment pairs pass between the elements. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein: one or both of the elements of the contact-pressing unit has a toothed periphery; and a periodic length of the toothing is equal to a periodic length with which the plurality of wire segment pairs is arranged adjacent to one another. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein: the laser radiation has a wave length between 635 nm and 750 nm or 1030 nm; and the laser radiation is continuous and/or is generated by means of a disk laser. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein at least one sensor is used to determine a position of the wire segment pairs against which the contact-pressing unit exerts a contact-pressing force and a focal point of the laser radiation is adjusted in such a manner that said focal point has a desired position relative to the corresponding wire segment pair. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein the wire segments are winding rods of a winding of a stator of a three-phase generator. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein the wire segments of each of the wire segment pairs are in each case end regions of wires that are bent in a form of a hair pin.