Method and apparatus for wire termination on outwardly spooled multi-pole stators

#This non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to European Patent Application No. EP 02425221.5, which application was filed on Apr. 10, 2002.

#The present invention relates to the field of stator winding machines, and precisely it relates to a method for wire termination on outwardly spooled multi-pole stators. Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus that carries out this method.

#Outwardly spooled multi-pole stators are known, formed by a substantially star-shaped stack of sheets featuring a plurality of poles extending from a tubular core. The stators of this type are suitable for coupling with an inner concentric armature or outer ring armature. They are common in brushless motors.

#Further characteristics and the advantages of the method and of the device according to the invention for winding of multi-pole stators will be made clearer with the following description of an embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

#FIGS. 1 and 2 show, respectively, a top plan view and a side elevational view of an outwardly spooled multi-pole stator with terminals on the boundary of the pole extensions;

#FIG. 3 is an elevational side view of a terminating device on multi-pole stators according to a first embodiment of the invention;

#With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an outwardly spooled multi-pole stator 1 has a core formed by a stack of ferromagnetic sheets 2, having an axis of symmetry 7 and a plurality of poles 6 that radially extend defining grooves between them. Stack 2 is in part covered by a terminal board 3 that has a plurality of terminals 4. Terminals have a slit wherein has to be inserted a terminal of wire spooled about poles 6.

#A winding step, for example, is shown in FIG. 14. Wire 15 is wound about poles 6 distributed by a rotatable arm 10, or flier, having a needle end 11. Wire 15 slides through flier 11, while it is kept stretched and fed by means not shown, and known to a person skilled in the art. At winding, wire is guided by shrouds 16 that move radially with respect to stator 1 thus overlapping the respective pole 6. In FIG. 14, a pole 6 already wound with a coil 5 is shown on the right edge of the stator, with an end 5′ that engages a terminal 4.

#Before and after winding wire termination operations are provided on the ends of wire 15 into terminals 4 with the aid of flier 10, carried out by an apparatus equipped with a terminating device shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Such operations, according to invention, are described hereinafter.