Machine and method for forming windings on electric motor stators

A method of forming a winding in a stator having a hollow, substantially cylindrical outer member and at least one pole piece projecting radially inward form the inner surface of said outer member, the inner surface of said pole piece defining an arcuate segment of a cylindrical surface contained entirely within said outer member and having a central longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said outer member, said arcuate segment being bounded by first and second longitudinally spaced arcuate end segments and by first and second arcuately spaced longitudinal side edges, each of said longitudinal side edges being substantially parallel to said central longitudinal axis, the inner surface of said outer member adjacent each of said first and second longitudinal side edges being spaced radially outward from said cylindrical surface to define first and second channels extending radially outward from said cylindrical surface alongside each of said first and second longitudinal side edges respectively, said method involving the use of a needle having a longitudinal axis and a point projecting transverse to said longitudinal axis, said method comprising the steps of positioning the needle such that the longitudinal axis thereof is substantially parallel but eccentric to said central longitudinal axis, maintaining the longitudinal axis of said needle at a predetermined distance from said central longitudinal axis, reciprocating said needle along said longitudinal axis, rotating said needle about said longitudinal axis while said point of said needle is adjacent an end of said stator, and delivering wire from said point of said needle to thereby wind said wire onto said pole piece of said stator and form a winding on said pole piece, said predetermined distance being selected relative to the transverse projection of said point from said longitudinal axis of said needle so that said point projects outwardly into one of said first and second channels during said step of reciprocating said needle and so that said point projects radially outward beyond one of said first and second arcuate end segments during said step of rotating said needle.

A method of manufacturing a stator assembly of an electric motor, comprising the steps of

• positioning a hollow stator body relative to a wire feeding member, said hollow stator body defining an armature axis about which in the electric motor an armature rotates;
• reciprocating the wire feeding member relative to said stator body through successive strokes along a second axis extending internally through said stator body eccentrically of said armature axis;
• partially rotating said wire feeding member relative to said stator body about said second axis during said strokes;
• and
• emitting a wire from said wire feeding member during said reciprocating and rotating to wind said wire around an internal pole piece of said stator body to form a field coil, said wire being wound directly around said pole piece without the employment of temporarily positioned winding forms.

A method of manufacturing a stator assembly having a field coil wound on an internal pole of a stator body having a longitudinal passage therethrough defining an armature axis for rotation thereabout of an armature, said method comprising:

• feeding a wire;
• winding said wire about said internal pole by oscillating the feeding of the wire through said passage pat said pole and, during such oscillation, moving the feeding of the wire along a path concentric with an axis eccentric to said armature axis;
• and
• engaging and guiding said wire directly on said stator assembly during said moving of the feeding of the wire along said path.

A method of winding a field coil around an internal pole of a stator body having a central opening therethrough defining a central axis, comprising the steps of:

• drawing a field coil wire from a wire feeding outlet by movement of the latter;
• reciprocating said wire feeding outlet in said central opening past said pole;
• and
• moving said wire feeding outlet when adjacent each end of said pole about an arc eccentric to said central axis and passing over said pole to wind said wire around said pole into a field coil without the employment of any temporarily positioned members to guide the wire around ends of said pole.

A method of winding a field coil around an internal pole of a stator having a passage therethrough defining an axis for rotation of an armature therein relative to said pole, said method comprising the steps of:

• feeding a field coil wire;
• oscillating the feeding of said wire internally of the stator past said pole;
• moving the feeding of said wire transversely to said axis adjacent an end of said pole along a path which extends over the end of the pole, said path increasing in distance from said axis over a portion of its length and then decreasing in distance from said axis over a subsequent portion of its length;
• and
• said oscillating and said moving effecting winding of the field coil around said pole without the employment of temporarily positioned winding forms.

A method of manufacturing a stator assembly having a field coil wound around an internal pole of a stator body, the latter having an axial passage therethrough defining of an armature, said method comprising:

• drawing a field coil wire from a wire feeding outlet by movement of the latter;
• reciprocating said wire feeding outlet axially through said passage along each side of said pole and just beyond each end of said pole;
• moving said wire feeding outlet when adjacent each end of said pole through a circular arc having a center eccentric to said armature axis, said center being located between said armature axis and said pole, and a mid-portion of said arc extending radially outwardly of a neck portion of said pole connecting said pole to a main body portion of said stator body;
• and
• and reciprocating and said moving of said wire feeding outlet effecting winding of said wire around said pole into the field coil without the employment of temporary winding forms, said mid-portion of said arc causing said wire when just beyond the ends of said pole to be raised radially over and above said pole ends to form end turns of said field coil.

A method of winding a field coil on an internal pole of a hollow stator assembly defining a central armature axis, said pole being connected by a neck portion to a body portion of said stator assembly with a slot extending away from each side of said neck portion between said pole and said body portion, said method comprising:

• drawing a wire from a dispensing outlet on an arm of a wire dispensing tube by movement of said tube;
• reciprocating said tube along an eccentric axis parallel to said armature axis and located between said armature axis and said pole to lay said wire in said slots;
• partially rotating said tube on said eccentric axis when said outlet is adjacent either end of said pole to cause said outlet to follow a circular arcuate path about said eccentric axis, said arcuate path passing over the respective end of said pole radially outwardly of said neck portion;
• said reciprocating and partially rotating of said tube effecting winding of said wire around said pole to form the field coil;
• and
• said arcuate path raising said wire radially above the pole ends with said wire being directly laid on said stator assembly throughout formation of end turns of said field coil, said end turns so being formed with the employment of temporarily positioned winding forms.