Coil terminating means

Abstract

A terminal board is provided for terminating the coil ends of a winding on an electric motor or other wound coil. The terminal board comprises a unitary structure which overlays the coil supporting structure. In a preferred embodiment, the terminal board will comprise supporting structure for multiple groups of terminals. A wing member joins together the supporting structure for each group of terminals to make a unitary terminal board. In a preferred embodiment, the terminal board is first retained in position by press fitting a boss on the underside of the terminal board into a mating hole in the supporting structure. The coils cooperate with a portion of the terminal board to provide a second retention means. The wing members comprise a thin wall structure which extends normal to the mounting plane and provides a barrier to retain the individual windings of the coils within a predetermined space. The terminals are not included on the terminal board structure when it is first mounted. The terminal inserted in each well includes slots which are sized to engage the ends of the coil windings, pierce the insulation and provide mechanical and electrical connection to the wires. The terminal is adapted to make connection to an external wire which may be inserted into the terminal in the same direction that the terminal was inserted in the well. The terminals of the terminal board may also be adapted to make connections with projections from another terminal board which may overlay the first terminal board and may include a brush assembly. At a subsequent stage of assembly, the boss, which first held the terminal board, may be knocked off.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.