Commutators for electric motors and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A method is disclosed for manufacturing a commutator adapted to be mounted on a shaft of an electric motor for cooperation with electrical contacts of the motor, wherein a support member is molded from an electrically insulating material, the support member having a major outer surface portion divided into subsections of lesser area by a plurality of rib members extending upwardly from the outer surface portion. A sheet of electrically conductive material with minimum waste, is cut into commutator segments of predetermined shape and dimensions preferably by a stamping process for attachment to the outer surface portions of the subsections. The commutator segments are then adhesively attached to the outer surface portions of the subsections such that the segments form commutator surfaces interrupted by the rib members, with the upper surface of each segment being slightly higher than the upper surface of each of the adjacent rib members. A commutator manufactured according to the method and an electric motor incorporating the commutator are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.