US 4,361,773 AGranted

Coil retainer and terminal assembly

AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation

InventorEugene H. Mokrzycki

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Abstract

A coil retainer and terminal assembly for use in an electrodynamic device, such as an electric motor. The assembly includes a coil retainer having portions for retaining spaced portions of the motor coil in association with a core portion of the electrodynamic structure. The coil retainer further defines terminal support portions for receiving terminals to which connection portions of the coil are connected. The terminals, in the illustrated embodiment, further include connecting spade portions. The terminals are arranged to be slidably fitted to the coil retainer terminal support portions and cooperating locking structure is provided on the terminals and terminal support portions for locking the terminals in the installed disposition on the coil retainer. The locking structure, in the illustrated embodiment, includes a deflectible shoulder portion of the terminal arranged to have locking engagement with a transverse shoulder on the coil retainer in the installed disposition. The coil cooperates with the coil retainer in retaining the assembly in fixed association with the core, with the terminals mounted thereto in accessible disposition for facilitated connection of the coil connection portions thereto.

In an electrodynamo structure having a field coil provided with connection portions, an improved coil retainer and terminal assembly adapted for automatic winding of said coil comprising:

a coil retainer having spaced channel portions for receiving portions of the field coil and a terminal mounting portion defined by a base, sidewalls upstanding from said base in spaced relationship and having confronting inwardly facing parallel slots, and locking means;
and
a terminal having a midportion, edge portions slidably received in said slots, a pair of upturned portions including an upturned electrical connection spade and an upturned wire connecting portion on said midportion to which a connection portion of said field coil is electrically connected, and shoulder means engaging said locking means as an incident of said terminal being installed on said terminal mounting portion to lock said terminal to said terminal mounting portion, said shoulder means including a pair of resiliently deflectible portions each arranged to yieldably pass said locking means on the terminal mounting portion during sliding movement of said terminal to the installed position and to be disposed in locking association with said locking means in said installed position, said locking means defining a pair of shoulders extending transversely to the longitudinally extent of said slots to be engaged by said deflectible portions in the installed position of the terminal to prevent withdrawal of the terminal from said slots, said shoulder means further including a downturned tab engaging the terminal mounting portion in said installed disposition for preventing sliding movement of said edge portions in said slots past said installed position and cooperating with said cooperating locking means shoulder and deflectible terminal portion to releasably retain the terminal against displacement from the installed position, said terminal mounting portion defining an access opening providing access as by a deflecting tool to said deflectible portion permitting withdrawal of the terminal from said mounting portion when desired.

Abstract

Claims7