US4100005A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making a dynamoelectric machine insulator
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1974-12-23
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Granted: 1978-07-11
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Expires: 1994-12-23
Abstract
Abstract Electrical insulators are formed from insulative strip material by providing a substantially continuous ultrasonically welded seam. In one embodiment a tubular insulator for covering stator winding connections is formed by continuously moving the strip and a strip of dissimilar material about a cylindrical former having its axis in generally the same direction as the direction of elongation and motion of the strips to thereby form a multiple layer sleeve with a seam being ultrasonically formed to include the two edges of the strip of polyester material. In a second embodiment two or more parallel elongated narrow flat strips are moved in their direction of elongation with a plurality of flat sheets of polyester material being ultrasonically bonded thereto along a substantially continuous seam on the individual sheets with the individual sheets occurring at uniform intervals along the strips to thereby form a ladder-like strip of insulators. In both embodiments the strip is periodically severed after bonding to form individual insulators. In the case of the second embodiment this severing occurs along a line substantially perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the strips, and in a manner to separate the flat sheets into two approximately equal pieces to thereby form phase insulators for stator windings. Substantially continuous ultrasonically formed seams are achieved with surprisingly little tool wear. Tools are case hardened at least along the surface engaging portions or welding tips thereof. Relatively continuous welded seams are achieved by providing ultrasonic vibrations to the tool tip.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter P. McNeal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:02
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; B29C53/00; B29C53/36; B29C53/38; B29C53/382; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/40; B29C66/41; B29C66/43; B29C66/432; B29C66/4322; B29C66/49; B29C66/70; B29C66/72; B29C66/723; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/812; B29C66/8126; B29C66/81264; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81427; H; H01; H01B; H01B19/00; H02; H02K; H02K15/00; H02K3/00; H02K3/32; H02K3/38; B29C66/71; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29K; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0037; B29K2995/007; B29L; B29L2009/00; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/34; B29L2031/3412; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1002; Y10T156/1036; Y10T156/1038; Y10T156/1052
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A method of assembling together at least a portion of one strip of electrically insulating material and at least one other segment of electrically insulating material to form electric motor insulators of the type having at least one first elongate insulation piece for placement in an axially extending slot of a motor core, and having spaced apart insulation pieces for placement between the end turn portions of different phase windings supported on the motor core with the spaced apart insulation pieces interconnected by the at least one first elongate insulation piece, the method comprising the steps of: moving the strip in a longitudinal direction; overlapping a first portion of the strip and the other segment of insulating material; welding together the overlapped segment and first portion of the strip while they are disposed between a support and an energized welding tool; and subsequently severing the strip material along a line transverse to the longitudinal extent thereof so as to form a discrete insulator having at least one elongated insulation piece that can be accommodated in a core slot, and spaced apart insulation pieces connected together by the at least one first elongate insulation piece that can each be disposed between end turn portions of at least two different windings.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
209 words
A method of assembling together at least a portion of one strip of electrically insulating material and at least one other segment of electrically insulating material to form electric motor insulators of the type having at least one first elongate insulation piece for placement in an axially extending slot of a motor core, and having spaced apart insulation pieces for placement between the end turn portions of different phase windings supported on the motor core with the spaced apart insulation pieces interconnected by the at least one first elongate insulation piece, the method comprising the steps of: moving the strip in a longitudinal direction; overlapping a first portion of the strip and the other segment of insulating material; welding together the overlapped segment and first portion of the strip while they are disposed between a support and an energized welding tool; and subsequently severing the strip material along a line transverse to the longitudinal extent thereof so as to form a discrete insulator having at least one elongated insulation piece that can be accommodated in a core slot, and spaced apart insulation pieces connected together by the at least one first elongate insulation piece that can each be disposed between end turn portions of at least two different windings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
86 words
A mechanical manufacturing method of fabricating an electrical insulator by assembling electrical insulator portions, the method comprising: moving at least two overlapped portions of an electrical insulating material adjacent to an ultrasonic welding device; and securing at least one other portion of electrical insulating material to the at least two portions while the overlapped portions are adjacent to the ultrasonic welding device, and thereafter contouring and cutting individual electrical insulator segments out of at least one of the portions after the ultrasonic weld has been formed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
A mechanical manufacturing method of fabricating an electrical insulator by assembling electrical insulator portions, the method comprising: moving at least two overlapped portions of an electrical insulating material adjacent to an ultrasonic welding device; and securing at least one other portion of electrical insulating material to the at least two portions while the overlapped portions are adjacent to the ultrasonic welding device, and thereafter contouring and cutting individual electrical insulator segments out of at least one of the portions after the ultrasonic weld has been formed.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of forming insulators from electrically insulative strip material and at least one other electrically insulating material comprising: moving the strip material and the other electrically insulating material about a cylindrical former having its axis in generally the same direction as the motion of the materials; forming a multiple layer sleeve having an inner and outer wall of the strip material; enclosing the other electrically insulating material within the inner and outer walls; and securing the sleeve with an ultrasonic weld along a seam formed by only the strip material.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of forming insulators from electrically insulative strip material and at least one other electrically insulating material comprising: moving the strip material and the other electrically insulating material about a cylindrical former having its axis in generally the same direction as the motion of the materials; forming a multiple layer sleeve having an inner and outer wall of the strip material; enclosing the other electrically insulating material within the inner and outer walls; and securing the sleeve with an ultrasonic weld along a seam formed by only the strip material.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of forming insulators from at least one reeled supply of longitudinally extending electrically insulating material and at least one other piece of electrically insulating material comprising the steps of: unreeling a first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material and moving it in a longitudinal direction; relatively overlapping a first portion of the first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material and the at least one other piece of insulating material; ultrasonically welding the first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material and the at least one other piece while the first longitudinally extending portion and at least one other piece are adjacent to an energized ultrasonic welding tool; and severing the first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material along the longitudinal extent thereof so as to form a discrete insulator comprising at least the at least one other piece of insulating material and the first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of forming insulators from at least one reeled supply of longitudinally extending electrically insulating material and at least one other piece of electrically insulating material comprising the steps of: unreeling a first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material and moving it in a longitudinal direction; relatively overlapping a first portion of the first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material and the at least one other piece of insulating material; ultrasonically welding the first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material and the at least one other piece while the first longitudinally extending portion and at least one other piece are adjacent to an energized ultrasonic welding tool; and severing the first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material along the longitudinal extent thereof so as to form a discrete insulator comprising at least the at least one other piece of insulating material and the first longitudinally extending portion of insulating material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 4 wherein a support is provided comprising a rod supported in cantilever fashion with a cylindrical surface thereof lying adjacent to the ultrasonic welding tool, the reeled supply of material is in flat strip form, and the method further comprises: providing a second reeled flat strip of insulating material; superimposing the first and second strips; and forming the superimposed strips about the rod.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the rod is cylindrical and the width of the first reeled strip is somewhat greater than twice the circumference of the rod; and the width of the second strip of material is somewhat less than the circumference of the cylindrical rod; the step of superimposing further comprising the step of asymmetrically placing the second strip on the first strip so that material of the first strip is exposed along one side thereof; and the step of forming further comprises the step of forming a tubular insulator structure with the material of the second strip sandwiched between spaced apart layers of material of the first strip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the material of the second strip is not overlapped on itself and a welded seam is formed only along interfaces between overlapping portions of the first strip of material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the at least one other piece of electrically insulating material comprises a piece of material oriented transversely from the longitudinally extending portion of material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 4 wherein at least two longitudinally extending portions of electrically insulating material are moved in a longitudinal direction; a plurality of other pieces of insulating material are placed transversely relative to the two longitudinally extending portions of material; and wherein the step of severing comprises severing both longitudinally extending portions along the longitudinal extent thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9 wherein one of the pieces of insulating material is severed each time that the strips are severed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the longitudinally extending portion and pieces are polyester material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the ultrasonic welding tool is formed of common steel, and is provided with a hardened surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
210 words
A mechanical manufacturing method of fabricating, by assembling, ladder-like insulators from a plurality of separate insulation pieces, the insulators comprising insulation for an electric motor having a slotted magnetic core, first and second phase windings having portions disposed in slots of the core and end turn portions adjacent the core end faces and wherein at least one first elongate insulation piece extends along one of the core slots, and spaced apart insulation pieces connected together by at least one first elongate insulation piece disposed between end turn portions of the first and second phase windings, the method including assembling the ladder-like insulator from at least one first segment of electrically insulating material and at least one other segment of electrically insulating material and comprising the steps of: moving the at least one first segment in a longitudinal direction; arranging a first portion of the at least one first segment and the at least one other segment of insulating material in mutually overlapping relationship relative to one another; welding the overlapped portions of the at least one other segment and first portion of the at least one first segment together while they are located between a support and an energized welding tool; and forming a contoured configuration to the ladder-like insulator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
210 words
A mechanical manufacturing method of fabricating, by assembling, ladder-like insulators from a plurality of separate insulation pieces, the insulators comprising insulation for an electric motor having a slotted magnetic core, first and second phase windings having portions disposed in slots of the core and end turn portions adjacent the core end faces and wherein at least one first elongate insulation piece extends along one of the core slots, and spaced apart insulation pieces connected together by at least one first elongate insulation piece disposed between end turn portions of the first and second phase windings, the method including assembling the ladder-like insulator from at least one first segment of electrically insulating material and at least one other segment of electrically insulating material and comprising the steps of: moving the at least one first segment in a longitudinal direction; arranging a first portion of the at least one first segment and the at least one other segment of insulating material in mutually overlapping relationship relative to one another; welding the overlapped portions of the at least one other segment and first portion of the at least one first segment together while they are located between a support and an energized welding tool; and forming a contoured configuration to the ladder-like insulator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
134 words
A mechanical maufacturing method of fabricating by assembling, for an electric motor, insulators from at least one reeled piece of electrically insulating material and at least one other piece of electrically insulating material comprising the steps of: unreeling the piece of insulating material and moving it in a longitudinal direction; arranging a first portion of the piece with the at least one other piece of insulating material so that parts thereof are in overlapping relation and welding the overlapped parts of the first portion of the piece and the at least one other piece while they are located between a support and an energized welding tool to form a weld and thus form a ladder-like structure; and establishing a desired form of a portion of the ladder-like structure after the weld has been formed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
134 words
A mechanical maufacturing method of fabricating by assembling, for an electric motor, insulators from at least one reeled piece of electrically insulating material and at least one other piece of electrically insulating material comprising the steps of: unreeling the piece of insulating material and moving it in a longitudinal direction; arranging a first portion of the piece with the at least one other piece of insulating material so that parts thereof are in overlapping relation and welding the overlapped parts of the first portion of the piece and the at least one other piece while they are located between a support and an energized welding tool to form a weld and thus form a ladder-like structure; and establishing a desired form of a portion of the ladder-like structure after the weld has been formed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-07-10 | 1982-01-09 | 1982-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-07-10 | 1986-01-09 | 1986-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-07-10 | 1990-01-09 | 1990-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |