Position adjustment method

Abstract

This invention provides a position adjustment method that enables reproducible position adjustment of the belt and annular gear alignment, regardless of the operator's skill level. [Solution] The position adjustment method according to the present disclosure is a method for adjusting the position of a belt in a device that aligns a plurality of coil segments in an annular shape. The method includes, when the coil segments are transferred from the belt conveyor to the first and second annular alignment gears, calculating a first width in the conveying direction at each position of the upper and lower ends of the first and second annular alignment gears when the coil segments are positioned at their maximum inclination between the plurality of holding portions of the belt, and calculating a target position for the belt where the center of the first width coincides with the center of the slit width between the teeth of the first and second annular alignment gears when the coil segments are transferred from the belt conveyor to the first and second annular alignment gears.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a position adjustment method, and particularly to a position adjustment method for a belt and an annular alignment gear.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technique of receiving a plurality of coil segments from a previous process, transporting them to an annular alignment jig (annular alignment gear) with a belt having a crossbar while holding the plurality of coil segments, and supplying them to the annular alignment jig.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to transfer the coil segments from the belt with a crossbar to the annular alignment gear, accurate adjustment of the belt-gear position is required. If this adjustment accuracy is insufficient, excessive contact between the coil segments and the annular alignment gear will lead to damage and deformation of the coil segments.

[0005] So far, an operator manually transports the belt with a crossbar and presses the belt against a reference surface with the transported belt to set a reference position. Based on the set reference position, the delivery positions of a plurality of coil segments to the annular alignment gear are determined. However, since the belt with a crossbar is made of a soft resin such as urethane so that the coil segments are not damaged, it has no rigidity and is easily deformed by an external force. Therefore, the reaction force transmitted from the reference surface to the belt can vary depending on the way the operator presses. That is, the position of the belt easily varies due to the difference in the operator's perception, and thus reproducibility cannot be ensured.

[0006] This disclosure is made to solve these problems and aims to provide a belt position adjustment method that allows for reproducible adjustment of the belt position regardless of the operator's skill level. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The position adjustment method according to this disclosure relates to a device for aligning a plurality of coil segments in an annular shape, comprising: a belt conveyor having a belt having a plurality of holding parts arranged at predetermined intervals along the conveying direction and for holding coil segments; and first and second annular aligning gears, respectively, arranged above and below the belt of the belt conveyor, wherein the positions of the teeth of the first and second annular aligning gears are aligned with each other, wherein when the coil segments are transferred from the belt conveyor to the first and second annular aligning gears, the coil segments are positioned at their maximum inclination between the plurality of holding parts of the belt, and the positions of the upper and lower ends of the first and second annular aligning gears A first width in the conveying direction is calculated, and when the coil segment is transferred from the belt conveyor to the first and second annular gears, the belt position where the center of the first width coincides with the center of the slit width between the teeth of the first and second annular gears is calculated as the target position, the insertion part of the phase alignment jig is inserted between the plurality of holding parts of the belt, the contact surface of the phase alignment jig is fixed perpendicular to the conveying direction, the measuring instrument is fixed and positioned relative to the first and second annular gears, the phase alignment jig is moved in the conveying direction via the belt, the contact surface of the phase alignment jig contacts the measuring probe of the measuring instrument, and the belt is stopped at a position where the measuring instrument indicates the distance between the phase alignment jig corresponding to the target position and the measuring instrument. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, a position adjustment method is provided that enables reproducible position adjustment of the belt and annular gear alignment regardless of the operator's skill level. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the apparatus according to the embodiment, along with the coil segment. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating a position adjustment method according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating a method for fixing a measuring instrument according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the preparation method for the measuring instrument according to the embodiment before adjustment. [Figure 5] This figure illustrates the method for calculating the target position in the position adjustment method according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates the method for calculating the target position in the position adjustment method according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the apparatus 1 according to the embodiment together with the coil segment 21. As shown in Figure 1, the coil segment 21 has a pair of legs and a connecting portion that connects one end of the pair of legs. The coil segment 21 is formed into a roughly U-shape by a molding unit (not shown) in a preceding process. Apparatus 1 receives the multiple coil segments 21 formed in this way from the preceding process and aligns the multiple coil segments 21 in an annular shape. In a coil segment type stator, the coils are aligned in an annular shape in order to insert the formed coil segments into the stator core. Apparatus 1 includes a belt conveyor 10 and an annular alignment gear 15.

[0011] The belt conveyor 10 is positioned between the coil supply unit (not shown) and the annular gear alignment 15 of the molding unit. At the receiving unit 11, it receives multiple coil segments 21 from the coil supply unit and transports the multiple coil segments 21 to the annular gear alignment 15. The belt conveyor 10 has a belt 2, multiple holding parts 22 (also called slats) arranged at predetermined intervals on the belt 2 along the transport direction, and a drive source 23. The belt 2 is made of a soft resin such as urethane so as not to damage the coil segments. The belt 2 is also called a slatted belt. One leg of the multiple coil segments 21 is held between the multiple holding parts 22. When the drive source 23 is driven, the belt 2 rotates clockwise, and as a result, the coil segments 21 held by the holding parts 22 move toward the annular gear alignment 15. The belt conveyor 10 transfers the coil segments 21 to the annular alignment gear 15 in the supply section 14.

[0012] The annular alignment gear 15 aligns multiple coil segments 21 in an annular shape and delivers them to a subsequent process. The annular alignment gear 15 has multiple teeth arranged at a predetermined pitch in its circumferential direction. The annular alignment gear 15 has one or more annular alignment gears, and in the example in Figure 1, it has two annular alignment gears 15a and 15b. The annular alignment gear 15, in the supply unit 14, engages the legs of the coil segments 21 supplied from the belt conveyor 10 between its multiple teeth, thereby holding the coil segments 21. The annular alignment gear 15 is driven by a drive source (not shown) and rotates in the circumferential direction, receiving the multiple coil segments 21 supplied one by one from the belt conveyor 10 and aligning them in a ring along the circumference. The annular alignment gear 15 then transports the aligned coil segments 21 to the next process. The drive source of the belt conveyor 10 and the drive source of the annular alignment gear 15 are synchronized in rotational speed to enable the transfer of coil segments.

[0013] In this embodiment, the annular alignment gear 15 has a plurality of annular alignment gears 15a and 15b. The plurality of annular alignment gears 15a and 15b are arranged side by side at a predetermined distance from each other in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the plurality of annular alignment gears 15a and 15b can each hold the legs of the coil segment 21 such that the legs of the coil segment 21 are substantially parallel to the axial direction of the annular alignment gear 15 (i.e., the alignment direction of the annular alignment jig 16). In this embodiment, the annular alignment gear 15 has a substantially disc shape. In this way, the apparatus 1 can receive the molded coil segment 21 from the previous process, align it in an annular shape, and then transport it to the next process.

[0014] To ensure a smooth transfer of coil segments from the belt conveyor to the annular gear alignment system, position adjustment is necessary. The conventional adjustment method is as follows: The insertion part of the phase alignment jig is fitted snugly between the holding parts 22 of the belt 2. The operator manually moves the belt toward the annular gear alignment system, presses it against the reference surface (transfer position), and sets the reference position. The transfer position is then determined based on the set reference position. However, since the belt is made of soft resin such as urethane, the amount of belt deflection can easily change depending on the force applied by the operator. Therefore, the degree to which the belt is pressed against the reference surface can vary depending on the operator. As a result, the position of the belt during position adjustment varies depending on the operator, making it unreproducible. Furthermore, the adjustment position may change with each periodic inspection or for each piece of equipment installed at each location. Therefore, there is a need to achieve stable maintenance.

[0015] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a position adjustment method according to an embodiment. The position adjustment method according to the embodiment can eliminate the operator-dependent factors and ensure the reproducibility of the belt position by digitizing and reading the position of the belt using the measuring instrument 5. The measuring instrument 5 can use a digital indicator, but is not limited thereto. First, as shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 2, the operator fits the two insertion portions 31 of the alignment jig 3 snugly between the holding portions 22 of the belt 2. The insertion portion 31 of the alignment jig 3 is thicker than the coil segment 21 and fits snugly between two adjacent holding portions 22. Thereby, the contact surface 32 of the alignment jig 3 is maintained perpendicular to the conveying direction. In other words, the contact surface 32 of the alignment jig 3 can maintain its posture in the plane direction with respect to the measuring element 51 of the measuring instrument 5. The operator moves the belt by hand toward the measuring instrument 5 fixed to the annular alignment gear.

[0016] As shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 2, the operator moves the contact surface 32 of the alignment jig 3 through the belt 2, contacts the measuring element 51 of the measuring instrument 5, and further moves the belt so that the numerical value displayed on the display portion 52 of the measuring element 51 becomes a predetermined numerical value (target position) or falls within a numerical range (including the target position). Thereby, the position of the belt can be adjusted. Details of the calculation method of the target position will be described later.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a fixing method of the measuring instrument according to the embodiment. The measuring instrument 5 is fixed to the outer shape guide plate 4 via the block 41. By inserting the pin 42 into the insertion hole at the tip of the block 41 and the insertion hole of the annular alignment gear 15, the annular alignment gear 15 is positioned with respect to the measuring instrument 5. The alignment jig 3 can maintain its vertical posture by being aligned along the outer shape guide plate 4.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a preparation method before adjustment of the measuring instrument according to the embodiment. Attach the mounting part 55 vertically along the outer edge of the outer shape guide plate 4. Then, by setting the zero point at the position where the measuring element 51 of the measuring instrument 5 contacts the surface of the mounting part 55, the surface of this mounting part 55 can be used as a reference plane. The belt position can be managed by the distance from this reference plane.

[0019] Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the method of calculating the target position in the position adjustment method according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, when the position of the belt is adjusted to the target position, the coil segment 21 can be transferred from between the holding parts 22 of the belt 2 to between the teeth 151 of the annular alignment gear 15. In particular, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 5, after the position of the belt is adjusted to the target position, the coil segment 21 transported by the belt is arranged between two teeth 151 of the annular alignment gear 15 without contact during delivery.

[0020] Also, the coil segment 21 during conveyance receives a frictional force (friction with the vertical positioning guide) in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction at the connecting part where one ends of the pair of legs are connected, and as shown in FIG. 6, it is inclined in the front-rear direction. Within the regulation of the belt crosspiece, the inclination of the coil segment is maximized. Annular alignment gears 15a and 15b are arranged above and below the belt 2. Also, in the annular alignment gears 15a and 15b, the positions of the teeth 151a and 151b and the positions of the slits 150a and 150b are aligned with each other. Thereby, the posture of the coil segment during annular alignment is maintained. The inclined coil segment is arranged without contact in the slits 150a and 150b between two adjacent teeth 151a and 151b respectively at the heights of the upper and lower annular alignment gears 15a and 15b during delivery. It is sufficient that the coil segment 21 is within the slit widths between two adjacent teeth 151a and between two adjacent teeth 151b at the heights of the upper and lower annular alignment gears 15a and 15b.

[0021] Here, the first width a shown in Figure 6 represents the width through which the coil segment passes between the upper and lower annular gears 15a and 15b. In other words, the first width a is the width in the conveying direction of the coil segment 21 at positions x and y of the upper and lower ends of the first and second annular gears 15a and 15b when the coil segment 21 is positioned at its maximum inclination between the multiple holding portions 22 of the belt 2. The second width b represents the slit width of the slits 150a and 150b of the upper and lower annular gears 15a and 15b.

[0022] The positional adjustment method for this disclosure is carried out according to the following procedure. Based on the shape and arrangement of the coil segment, belt, and upper and lower annular gears, the maximum inclination of the coil segment and the belt position (target position) where the centers of widths a and b coincide during handover are calculated (S1). For example, by inputting the shape and arrangement of the coil segment, belt, and upper and lower annular gears into a computer, the maximum inclination of the coil segment and the target position during handover can be calculated. Since this maximum inclination may change due to the aging of the belt, this can be addressed by performing this calculation work periodically.

[0023] At the belt position where the centers of widths a and b coincide, the distance between the phase alignment jig 3 shown in Figure 2 and the measuring instrument 5 fixed to the annular alignment gear 15 is calculated (S2). As shown in Figure 2, the operator adjusts the position by moving the belt while measuring with the measuring instrument 5, aiming for the calculated distance (S3).

[0024] Here, the position is adjusted to target a point where the center of width a coincides with the center of width b. However, the range in which width a fits within width b may be considered an acceptable range. This allows the coil segment to be transferred to the annular gear without contact.

[0025] In some embodiments, a method for adjusting the position of a belt and annular alignment gears of a device for aligning a plurality of coil segments in an annular shape is provided. The device comprises a belt conveyor having a belt arranged at predetermined intervals along the conveying direction and having a plurality of retaining parts for holding coil segments, and first and second annular alignment gears positioned above and below the belt of the belt conveyor, respectively, the positions of which of the teeth of the first and second annular alignment gears are aligned with each other. The position adjustment method includes the steps of calculating a first width in the conveying direction at each position of the upper and lower ends of the first and second annular alignment gears when the coil segments are transferred from the belt conveyor to the first and second annular alignment gears, provided that the coil segments are positioned at their maximum inclination between the plurality of retaining parts of the belt, and when the coil segments are transferred from the belt conveyor to the first and second annular alignment gears, the center of the first width is set to a belt position where the center of the slit width between the teeth of the first and second annular alignment gears coincides with a target position The method includes the steps of: calculating the position; inserting the insertion portion of the phase alignment jig between the plurality of holding portions of the belt and fixing the contact surface of the phase alignment jig perpendicular to the conveying direction; fixing and positioning the measuring instrument relative to the first and second annular alignment gears; and moving the phase alignment jig in the conveying direction via the belt so that the contact surface of the phase alignment jig contacts the measuring probe of the measuring instrument, and stopping the belt at a position where the measuring instrument indicates the distance between the phase alignment jig and the measuring instrument corresponding to the target position.

[0026] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0027] 1 device 2 belts 3. Phase alignment jig 4. Outer Guide Plate 5 Measuring instrument 10 Belt conveyor 11 Receiving Section 14 Supply section 15 Annular Aligned Gears 15a Annular Aligned Gear 15a Annular Aligned Gear 16. Annular alignment jig 21 coil segments 22 Holding part 23 Power source 31 Insertion part 32 Contact surface 41 blocks 42 pins 51 Measuring element 52 Display section 55 Mounting part 150a Slit 150b Slit 151 teeth 151a Teeth 151b Teeth

Claims

1. A belt conveyor comprising a belt having multiple holding parts arranged at predetermined intervals along the conveying direction and for holding coil segments, First and second annular alignment gears are arranged above and below the belt of the belt conveyor, respectively, wherein the positions of the teeth of the first and second annular alignment gears are aligned with each other. A method for adjusting the position of a belt and an annular alignment gear in a device for aligning multiple coil segments in an annular shape, wherein When the coil segment is transferred from the belt conveyor to the first and second annular gears, if the coil segment is positioned at its maximum inclination between the plurality of holding portions of the belt, the coil segment calculates a first width in the conveying direction at each position of the upper and lower ends of the first and second annular gears. When transferring the coil segment from the belt conveyor to the first and second annular gears, the belt position where the center of the first width coincides with the center of the slit width between the teeth of the first and second annular gears is calculated as the target position. The insertion portion of the phase alignment jig is inserted between the plurality of holding portions of the belt, and the contact surface of the phase alignment jig is fixed perpendicular to the conveying direction. The measuring instrument is fixed and positioned relative to the first and second annular gears, A position adjustment method comprising: moving the phase alignment jig in the transport direction via the belt, so that the contact surface of the phase alignment jig contacts the measuring probe of the measuring instrument, and stopping the belt at a position where the measuring instrument indicates the distance between the phase alignment jig corresponding to the target position and the measuring instrument.

2. The position adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein the belt is made of soft resin.

3. The position adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring instrument is a digital indicator.

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