Laminate of metal plates, core for rotating electrical machine, and laminating method for laminate of metal plates

The present invention relates to a laminate of metal plates such as a rotor core or a stator core for a rotating electrical machine such as a motor and to a laminating method for the laminate.

Typically, a core for a rotating electrical machine is a laminate of metal plates. The core is configured by joining a plurality of laminated core plates together. Structures for joining such laminated core plates are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications No. 2-264411 and No. 2006-166500. Specifically, the structures join the laminated core plates to one another by engaging a projection of each of the core plates with a recess or a hole formed in an adjacent one of the core plates in the laminating direction.

However, since the conventional structures join the core plates simply through engagement between projections and corresponding recesses or holes, a high joint strength cannot be ensured. To solve this problem, an additional component must be employed to fix the laminated core plates together, thus complicating the structures. Further, if projections and recesses, each having a triangular cross section, are employed, the projections may be displaced along the inclined wall surfaces of the triangular recesses unless the positions of adjacent core plates are properly determined. As a result, a gap may be easily formed between adjacent core plates. This hampers the core function.

Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a laminate of metal plates, a core for a rotating electrical machine, and a laminating method for the laminate that are capable of joining laminated metal plates to one another with high strength.

To achieve the foregoing objective and in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a laminate formed by laminating a plurality of metal plates is provided. The laminate includes a joint portion provided in each of the metal plates, a fixing piece provided in each of the joint portions, a passage hole provided in each of the joint portions, a receiving portion provided in each of the joint portions, and an opening provided in each one of the joint portions. Each joint portion is joined to another one of the metal plates. Each fixing piece is raised in the laminating direction of the metal plates. Each fixing piece of the corresponding adjacent one of the metal plates is passed through the passage hole. Each receiving portion is joined to the corresponding adjacent one of the metal plates by bending the fixing piece passed through the passage hole. Each opening receives the fixing piece bent on the receiving portion of another one of the metal plates, thereby avoiding interference with the fixing piece.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a stator core for a motor according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a first core plate of the stator core;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the first core plate before a fixing piece of each joint portion is cut and raised;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged plan view showing a portion in the vicinity of a joint portion before the fixing piece is cut and raised;

FIG. 4B is an enlarged plan view showing the portion in the vicinity of the joint portion after the fixing piece is cut and raised;

FIG. 5 is a partially cross-sectional view taken along line 5 - 5 in FIG. 4B ;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a second core plate with the first core plate rotated clockwise by 120 degrees;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a third core plate with the first core plate rotated clockwise by 240 degrees;

FIGS. 8A , 8 B, and 8 C are plan views showing the portions corresponding to the joint portions of the first to third core plates;

FIGS. 9A , 9 B, and 9 C are plan views showing the portions corresponding to the joint portions of the first to third core plates to illustrate assembling procedure of the joint portions;

FIG. 10 is a partially cross-sectional view taken along line 10 - 10 in FIG. 9B ;

FIG. 11 is a partially cross-sectional view taken along line 11 - 11 in FIG. 9C ;

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a core plate of a stator core according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13A is an enlarged plan view showing a portion in the vicinity of a joint portion before a fixing piece is cut and raised;

FIG. 13B is an enlarged plan view showing the portion in the vicinity of the joint portion after the fixing piece is cut and raised;

FIGS. 14A , 14 B, 14 C, and 14 D are enlarged plan views showing the portion in the vicinity of the joint portion of the core plate with the phases offset by 90 degrees;

FIG. 15 is a partially cross-sectional view taken along line 15 - 15 in FIG. 14C ;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion in the vicinity of a joint portion in a core plate of a stator core according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the joint portion in the core plate;

FIGS. 18A , 18 B, and 18 C are perspective views each showing a portion corresponding to a joint portion in a core plate of a stator core according to a fourth embodiment of the invention to illustrate a method for forming the joint portion;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion corresponding to a fixing piece to illustrate the state of the fixing piece at the time when the fixing piece is cut and raised;

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing the portion corresponding to the fixing piece to illustrate the state of the fixing piece at the time when the fixing piece is bent;

FIG. 21 is a plan view showing a core plate of a split type stator core according to a fifth embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 22 is a side view showing a portion of the stator core.

First Embodiment

A stator core for a motor serving as a laminate according to a first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a stator core 21 is configured by laminating a plurality of core plates 22 each serving as a metal plate. Each of the core plates 22 includes an annular yoke portion 22 a and a plurality of teeth 22 b , which are arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the yoke portion 22 a . A plurality of joint portions 23 , which are identically shaped, are formed in the yoke portion 22 a of each core plate 22 and separated by predetermined angular intervals. The joint portions 23 join the laminated core plates 22 to one another. In the first embodiment, each of the core plates 22 has six joint portions 23 , which are separated by 60 degrees.

The configuration of each of the joint portions 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, 23 D, 23 E, and 23 F will hereafter be described in detail. Since the joint portions 23 A to 23 F are shaped identically, the description below is focused on the joint portion 23 A formed in the first core plate 22 A.

With reference to FIGS. 4A , 4 B, and 5 , the joint portion 23 A includes a fixing piece 24 , a passage hole 25 , and a receiving portion 26 . The fixing piece 24 is raised in the laminating direction of the core plates 22 A to 22 C. The passage hole 25 receives the corresponding fixing piece 24 of the lower adjacent one of the core plates 22 A to 22 C. The fixing piece 24 in the passage hole 25 is then bent to join the receiving portion 26 to the core plate 22 A to 22 C having the fixing piece 24 . An opening 27 for receiving the corresponding fixing piece 24 is formed in the joint portion 23 A. Specifically, the opening 27 receives the fixing piece 24 , which is bent on the receiving portion 26 of another adjacent core plate 22 A to 22 C, in such a manner as to prevent interference with the fixing piece 24 . Each of the openings 27 is formed continuously from the associated one of the passage holes 25 .

To form each joint portion 23 A to 23 F, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4A , the passage hole 25 , the receiving portion 26 , the opening 27 , and an outer peripheral curve 24 a of the fixing piece 24 , which has an arcuate shape, are first formed through punching. The passage holes 25 , the fixing pieces 24 , and the receiving portions 26 are formed in the zones separated by 120 degrees. To prevent a burr from being produced by cutting and raising each fixing piece 24 , a recess 28 and a hole 29 are formed at opposite sides of the outer peripheral curve 24 a of the fixing piece 24 . Then, with reference to FIGS. 4B and 5 , the fixing piece 24 is cut and raised from the core plate 22 using a cut-and-raise punch 30 . The cut-and-raise punch 30 has a cutting edge 30 a for cutting the outer peripheral curve 24 a of each fixing piece 24 and a round portion 30 b for bending a basal portion of the fixing piece 24 .

The joint portions 23 are arranged such that the rotational angle phases of the joint portions 23 about the center of the core plates 22 A to 22 C are displaced by 60 degrees. Accordingly, as clearly shown in FIG. 2 , the three joint portions 23 A, 23 B, 23 C, which are separated by 120 degrees, are oriented in the same direction and formed each in a first pattern. The other three joint portions 23 D, 23 E, 23 F, which are separated by 120 degrees, are formed each in a second pattern oriented in a different direction from the direction of the first pattern.

When the core plates 22 are laminated, the second core plate 22 B shown in FIG. 6 is arranged below the first core plate 22 A illustrated in FIG. 2 . The third core plate 22 C illustrated in FIG. 7 is arranged below the second core plate 22 B. Although the first to third core plates 22 A to 22 C are configured identically, the rotational angle phases of the joint portions 23 A to 23 F of the core plates 22 A to 22 C are offset by 120 degrees. Specifically, the joint portions 23 A to 23 F of the second core plate 22 B, which is shown in FIG. 6 , are offset clockwise from the joint portions 23 A to 23 F of the first core plate 22 A by 120 degrees. The joint portions 23 A to 23 F of the third core plate 22 C, which is illustrated in FIG. 7 , are offset clockwise from the joint portions 23 A to 23 F of the first core plate 22 A by 240 degrees. As the first to third core plates 22 A, 22 B, 22 C are laminated repeatedly, the joint portions 23 A to 23 F located at the corresponding positions in each adjacent pair of the core plates 22 A to 22 C in the laminating direction are joined together. As a result, the laminated core plates 22 A to 22 C are fixed together.

A method for joining the core plates 22 A to 22 C together using the joint portions 23 A to 23 F at the time when the core plates 22 A to 22 C are rotationally laminated and operation of the stator core 21 will hereafter be described. In the first embodiment, the core plates 22 A to 22 C are laminated while being rotated by 120 degrees.

As shown in FIGS. 2 , 6 , and 7 , when the first to third core plates 22 A to 22 C are laminated consecutively while being rotated by 120 degrees, the rotational angle phases of the joint portions 23 A to 23 F of each core plate 22 A to 22 C are arranged offset from the rotational angle phases of the joint portions 23 A to 23 F of the adjacent one of the core plates 22 A to 22 C in the laminating direction by 120 degrees. With reference to FIGS. 8A to 8C , the joint portion 23 B of the second core plate 22 B, which is below the first core plate 22 A, and the joint portion 23 C of the third core plate 22 C, which is below the second core plate 22 B, are arranged at positions offset from the joint portion 23 A of the first core plate 22 A, which is located at an upper position, by 120 degrees. As illustrated in FIG. 9A , when the first core plate 22 A is laminated on the second core plate 22 B, the fixing piece 24 of the joint portion 23 B of the second core plate 22 B is passed through the passage hole 25 of the joint portion 23 A of the first core plate 22 A.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 10 , the fixing piece 24 of the joint portion 23 B of the second core plate 22 B is then bent from the state in FIG. 9A using a bending punch 31 and laminated on the receiving portion 26 of the joint portion 23 A of the first core plate 22 A. The bending punch 31 has an inclined surface 31 a and a round portion 31 b . The inclined surface 31 a presses and bends the fixing piece 24 . The round portion 31 b bends the fixing piece 24 continuously after the fixing piece 24 has been bent by the inclined surface 31 a , thus preventing the fixing piece 24 from springing back. Through such bending of the fixing piece 24 , the first core plate 22 A, which is the upper core plate 22 , is joined to the second core plate 22 B, which is the lower core plate 22 , in the laminated state.

Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 9C , when the third core plate 22 C is laminated on the first core plate 22 A, the fixing piece 24 of the joint portion 23 A of the first core plate 22 A is passed through the passage hole 25 of the joint portion 23 C of the third core plate 22 C. The fixing piece 24 of the first core plate 22 A is then bent on the receiving portion 26 of the joint portion 23 C of the third core plate 22 C. As a result, the third core plate 22 C is joined to the first core plate 22 A in the laminated state. In this state, with reference to FIGS. 9C and 11 , the fixing piece 24 of the joint portion 23 B of the second core plate 22 B, which is bent on the receiving portion 26 of the joint portion 23 A of the first core plate 22 A, is received in the opening 27 of the joint portion 23 C of the third core plate 22 C. This prevents interference between the bent fixing piece 24 of the second core plate 22 B and the third core plate 22 C. As a result, the third core plate 22 C and the first core plate 22 A are laminated with each other without forming a gap, extending parallel to each other.

By laminating and joining the first to third core plates 22 A, 22 B, 22 C by means of the joint portions 23 A to 23 F in the above-described manner, the stator core 21 is assembled. In this state, the fixing pieces 24 of the joint portions 23 A to 23 C of the uppermost set of the core plates 22 A to 22 C in the stator core 21 are not cut or raised. Specifically, these fixing pieces 24 are cut at their bases and removed from the core plates 22 A to 22 C.

In the stator core 21 , the fixing pieces 24 of the six joint portions 23 A to 23 F are bent to fix the first to third core plates 22 A, 22 B, 22 C, which are adjacently located, in the laminated state. In other words, the fixing pieces 24 firmly hold the core plates 22 A to 22 C, which are adjacent in the laminating direction. The bent fixing pieces 24 are received in the corresponding openings 27 and prevented from hampering laminating of the core plates 22 A to 22 C. The surfaces of the fixing pieces 24 and the receiving portions 26 are coated with insulating membranes. This prevents electric connection between each fixing piece 24 and the corresponding receiving portion 26 even when the fixing piece 24 and the receiving portion 26 contact each other.

The first embodiment has the advantages described below.

(1) The multiple joint portions 23 A to 23 C are formed in each core plate 22 A to 22 C to join the core plates 22 A to 22 C in a laminated state. Each of the joint portions 23 A to 23 C has the fixing piece 24 , the passage hole 25 , the receiving portion 26 , and the opening 27 . The opening 27 receives the fixing piece 24 of the adjacent one of the core plate 22 A to 22 C in the laminating direction. The fixing piece 24 , which is passed through the corresponding passage hole 25 , is bent to join the receiving portion 26 to the adjacent core plate 22 A to 22 C. The opening 27 receives the corresponding fixing piece 24 , which is bent on the receiving portion 26 of another core plate 22 A to 22 C, in such a manner as to prevent interference with the fixing piece 24 .

As a result, by bending each fixing piece 24 on the corresponding receiving portion 26 , the receiving portion 26 is held between the fixing piece 24 and the core plate 22 A to 22 C. This joins the adjacent core plates 22 A to 22 C together with improved strength, thus making it unnecessary to employ an additional component for joining the laminated core plates 22 A to 22 C together. Each bent fixing piece 24 is received in the corresponding opening 27 of another one of the core plates 22 A to 22 C. This prevents interference between the fixing piece 24 and the core plate 22 A to 22 C, thus allowing the core plates 22 A to 22 C to be laminated without a gap and extended accurately parallel to one another. Further, since each bent fixing piece 24 contacts the corresponding receiving portion 26 through the insulating membrane arranged on the surfaces of the fixing piece 24 , eddy-current loss decreases. As a result, a simply configured high-strength and high-efficiency core for a rotating electrical machine is obtained.

(2) Each opening 27 is formed continuously from the associated passage hole 25 . This allows the passage hole 25 and the opening 27 to be formed simultaneously through punching using a single set of a punch and a die.

Second Embodiment

A stator core for a motor according to a second embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 15 . Detailed description of components of the second embodiment that are the same as or like corresponding components of the first embodiment is omitted herein.

As shown in FIG. 12 , a stator core 21 is formed by a core piece 32 having a yoke portion 32 a . The yoke portion 32 a includes four joint portions 33 A, 33 B, 33 C, and 33 D, which are shaped identically and separated by 90 degrees. The rotational angle phase of each of the joint portions 33 A to 33 D with respect to the center of the core plates 32 A to 32 C is offset with respect to an adjacent one of joint portions 33 A to 33 D by 90 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 13B , each of the joint portions 33 A to 33 D has a fixing piece 24 , a passage hole 25 , a receiving portion 26 , a opening 27 , a recess 28 , and a hole 29 , which are substantially identical to the corresponding components of the first embodiment. Each joint portion 33 A to 33 D also includes a holding portion 34 for holding the fixing piece 24 when the fixing piece 24 is bent on the corresponding receiving portion 26 . To form each joint portion 33 A to 33 D, a passage hole 25 , a receiving portion 26 , an opening 27 , a recess 28 , a hole 29 , a holding portion 34 , and an outer peripheral curve 24 a of the fixing piece 24 having an arcuate shape are formed through punching, as illustrated in FIG. 13A . The passage holes 25 , the openings 27 , the holding portions 34 , and the fixing pieces 24 are arranged in the zones separated by 90 degrees. Then, with reference to FIG. 13B , each fixing piece 24 is cut and raised about the base of the fixing piece 24 .

The core plates 32 A to 32 D, which are configured in the above-described manner, are laminated consecutively at offset phases at 90 degrees. As a result, as illustrated in FIGS. 14A to 14D , the joint portion 33 B of the second core plate 32 B, the joint portion 33 B of the third core plate 32 C, and the joint portion 33 D of the fourth core plate 32 D, which are located below the first core plate 32 A, are arranged in correspondence with the joint portion 33 A of the first core plate 32 A, which is arranged above the other core plates 32 B to 32 D, at positions offset by 90 degrees with respect to one another.

As indicated by the corresponding chain lines in FIGS. 14A to 14D , when the first to fourth core plates 32 A to 32 D are laminated, the fixing piece 24 of each joint portion 33 A to 33 D of the lower one of the core plates 32 A to 32 D is passed through the passage hole 25 of the corresponding joint portion 33 A to 33 D of the upper one of the core plates 32 A to 32 D. The fixing piece 24 in the passage hole 25 is then bent on the receiving portion 26 to join the laminated core plates 32 A to 32 D to one another in the laminated state. In this state, each bent fixing piece 24 is received in the opening 27 of the corresponding joint portion 33 A to 33 D of the most adjacent one of the core plates 32 A to 32 D located above the fixing piece 24 . The bent fixing piece 24 is also held from above by the holding portion 34 of the corresponding joint portion 33 A to 33 D of the second most adjacent one of the core plates 32 A to 32 D above the fixing piece 24 .

With reference to FIG. 15 , the fixing piece 24 of the joint portion 33 D of the fourth core plate 32 D is bent on the receiving portion 26 of the joint portion 33 C of the third core plate 32 C, received in the opening 27 of the joint portion 33 B of the second core plate 32 B, and held from above by the holding portion 34 of the joint portion 33 A of the first core plate 32 A. This prevents interference between the bent fixing piece 24 and the second core plate 32 B and the fixing piece 24 is maintained without being separated from the receiving portion 26 .

The second embodiment has the advantage described below in addition to the advantages (1) and (2) of the first embodiment.

(3) Each fixing piece 24 bent on the corresponding receiving portion 26 is held by the corresponding holding portion 34 . In other words, the holding portion 34 holds the bent fixing piece 24 to prevent the fixing piece 24 from being separated from the receiving portion 26 . The force for joining the core plates 32 A to 32 D together is thus prevented from being decreased through such separation of the fixing piece 24 . Gap formation between the adjacent core plates 32 A to 32 D is also prevented.

Third Embodiment

A stator core for a motor according to a third embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 17 . Detailed description of components of the third embodiment that are the same as or like corresponding components of the first embodiment is omitted herein.

With reference to FIGS. 16 and 17 , core plates 22 A to 22 C have joint portions 23 A to 23 F, respectively, which are similar to those of the first embodiment. A holding portion 37 is formed in the base of the fixing piece 24 of each joint portion 23 A to 23 F. The holding portion 37 is bent in the opposite direction to the direction in which the fixing piece 24 is bent. After the fixing piece 24 is bent to join the corresponding core plates 22 A to 22 C together and another core plate 22 A to 22 C is laminated on the joined core plates 22 A to 22 C, the holding portion 37 of the laminated core plate 22 A to 22 C contacts the base of the bent fixing piece 24 . As a result, the holding portion 37 maintains the fixing piece 24 in the bent state and prevents the fixing piece 24 from being separated.

The third embodiment has substantially the same advantages as the advantages of the second embodiment.

Fourth Embodiment

A stator core for a motor according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 18A to 20 . Detailed description of components of the fourth embodiment that are the same as or like corresponding components of the first embodiment is omitted herein.

As illustrated in FIGS. 18A to 20 , each of core plates 22 A to 22 C has joint portion 23 A to 23 F, which is similar to the corresponding portion of the first embodiment. Each of the joint portions 23 A to 23 F has a fixing piece 24 , a passage hole 25 , a receiving portion 26 , and an opening 27 , which are substantially identical to those of each joint portion 23 A to 23 F of the first embodiment. To form each joint portion 23 A to 23 F, as illustrated in FIG. 18A , the passage hole 25 , the receiving portion 26 , the opening 27 , and the outer peripheral curve of the fixing piece 24 having a trapezoidal shape are formed through punching. Then, with reference to FIGS. 18B and 19 , each fixing piece 24 is cut and raised with respect to the base of the fixing piece 24 using a pillar-like cut-and-raise punch 38 and a die 39 having a hole for receiving the punch. As shown in FIG. 18B , the cut and raised fixing piece 24 is curved with respect to a plane intersecting the direction in the fixing piece 24 is raised. In other words, the inner wall surface of the fixing piece 24 facing the passage hole 25 extends in an arcuate shape.

With reference to FIG. 18C , when the core plates 22 A to 22 C are laminated, the fixing piece 24 of the joint portion 23 A to 23 F of the lower one of the core plates 22 A to 22 C is passed through the passage hole 25 of the joint portion 23 A to 23 F of the upper one of the core plates 22 A to 22 C. Then, as illustrated in FIGS. 18C and 20 , the fixing piece 24 is bent on the corresponding receiving portion 26 using a bending punch 40 and a die 41 to join the laminated core plates 22 A to 22 C. Specifically, the fixing piece 24 is bent outward. In other words, the fixing piece 24 is bent in a flat plate-like shape and held in contact with the receiving portion 26 , which is located below the fixing piece 24 .

The fourth embodiment has the advantage described below in addition to the advantages (1) and (2) of the first embodiment.

(4) The fixing piece 24 of each joint portion 23 A to 23 F is cut and raised in the arcuate shape. The fixing piece 24 is then passed through the passage hole 25 of the corresponding joint portion 23 A to 23 F of the upper one of the core plates 22 A to 22 C and, in this state, bent on the corresponding receiving portion 26 in a flat plate-like shape. This prevents the fixing piece 24 from restoring the raised posture from the bent position. As a result, the core plates 22 A to 22 C are maintained in the laminated state.

Fifth Embodiment

A stator core for a motor according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 21 to 22 . Detailed description of components of the fifth embodiment that are the same as or like corresponding components of the first embodiment is omitted herein.

As illustrated in FIGS. 21 and 22 , the stator core 21 is configured by joining a plurality of split core pieces 36 together in an annular shape. Each of the split core pieces 36 is configured by laminating a plurality of core plates 35 A, 35 B. Each of the core plates 35 A, 35 B includes an arcuate yoke portion 36 a and a tooth 36 b projected from the inner peripheral surface of the yoke portion 36 a . The joint portions 33 A to 33 D, which are identical to the joint portions 33 A to 33 D of the second embodiment, are formed at the center of the yoke portion 36 a of each core plate 35 A, 35 B. Specifically, four core plates 35 A, 35 B, which are to be laminated, are defined as one set. The joint portions 33 A to 33 D, which are illustrated in FIGS. 14A to 14D , are formed consecutively on each core plate 35 A, 35 B. The joint portions 33 A to 33 D are joined together to maintain the core plates 35 A, 35 B in a laminated state. With reference to FIGS. 21 and 22 , the length of each core plate 35 A is different from the length of each core plate 35 B. The core plates 35 A, 35 B are arranged alternately in a circumferential direction of each split core piece 36 . As a result, each of the opposite ends of each core plate 35 B is overlapped with the circumferentially adjacent core plates 35 B.

The fifth embodiment has substantially the same advantages as the advantages of the first and second embodiments.

The illustrated embodiments may be modified to the forms described below.

In each of the illustrated embodiments, the number of the joint portions may be modified. For example, it is preferable to change the number of the joint portions to a multiple of three in the first embodiment and to a multiple of four in the second embodiment.

The present invention may be embodied as a rotor core for a motor.

The invention may be embodied as a core for a transformer.