Manufacturing method of motor iron core and manufacturing device of motor iron core

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a motor core according to the present disclosure includes: holding a motor core including a resin-filled portion in a mold in which a resin-filled path is formed so that the resin-filled path communicates with the resin-filled portion; conveying a resin kneaded body toward a chamber communicating with the resin filling path using an extruder that kneads and conveys the resin kneaded body so that at least a portion of the resin kneaded body contains a granular resin composition; a softening step for heating and softening the resin kneaded body conveyed into the chamber; a resin filling unit that operates a plunger capable of moving in the chamber, and fills the inside of the resin filling unit with a softened resin obtained by softening the resin kneaded body in the chamber; and curing the softened resin filled in the resin filling part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a motor core and a manufacturing apparatus for a motor core. Background Art

[0002] In a rotating electric machine, there is a rotating electric machine in which a permanent magnet is assembled to a motor core, for example, a rotor core. In the case of assembling a permanent magnet to a motor core in this way, a method is known in which after inserting the permanent magnet into a groove provided in the motor core, a resin composition is filled around it and cured (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2021-087296).

[0003] In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2021-087296, as a resin injection device for injecting a resin material into a magnet housing portion of a motor core, a resin injection device including a plasticizing cylinder (the English term is cylinder) into which a solid resin material is charged and a screw provided in the plasticizing cylinder is described. Further, it is also described that by heating the plasticizing cylinder and the screw and rotating the screw, the solid resin material is melted and conveyed into a cylinder including a plunger for conveying to the magnet housing portion of the motor core. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2021-087296, after the solid resin material is melted in the plasticizing cylinder, it is conveyed into a cylinder including a plunger. Thus, if the resin composition (resin material) is completely melted to a highly fluid state before being conveyed into the cylinder, the curing reaction of the resin composition is accelerated, and the fluidity of the resin composition when being conveyed from the cylinder to the magnet housing portion of the motor core is reduced.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a motor core and a manufacturing apparatus for a motor core that suppress a decrease in fluidity caused by an accelerated curing reaction of a resin composition.

[0007] Solutions to the Problems

[0008] The manufacturing method of the motor core according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes the following steps: In a mold formed with a resin filling path, hold the motor core including the resin filling part in such a way that the resin filling path communicates with the resin filling part; Use an extruder that kneads and conveys a powdery resin composition to form a resin kneaded body that at least partially includes a granular resin composition, and convey the resin kneaded body toward a chamber communicating with the resin filling path; Heat the resin kneaded body conveyed into the chamber to soften it; Operate a plunger capable of moving in the chamber to fill the softened resin formed by softening the resin kneaded body in the chamber into the resin filling part; And cure the softened resin filled in the resin filling part.

[0009] In the manufacturing method of the motor core as described above, by making the resin conveyed toward the chamber by the extruder be a resin kneaded body that at least partially includes a granular resin composition, resin softening can be implemented in the chamber, and it is possible to suppress the resin from curing against the will before being filled into the resin filling part.

[0010] Regarding the manufacturing method of the motor core according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, in the manufacturing method of the motor core according to the first aspect of the present disclosure above, the motor core is composed of a rotor core, the resin filling part is composed of one or more groove parts that can insert a permanent magnet inside and are formed along the axial direction of the rotor core, and the manufacturing method of the motor core further includes the following steps: Insert the permanent magnet into the groove part of the rotor core.

[0011] In the manufacturing method of the motor core as described above, the permanent magnet can be fixed in the groove part.

[0012] Regarding the manufacturing method of the motor core according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, in the manufacturing method of the motor core according to the first or second aspect of the present disclosure above, it further includes the following steps: Heat the powdery resin composition conveyed in the extruder.

[0013] In the manufacturing method of the motor core as described above, the temperature of the resin in the extruder can be forcibly increased, and at least a part of the powdery resin composition conveyed in the extruder can be stably made into a granular resin composition.

[0014] Regarding the manufacturing method of the motor core according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in the manufacturing method of the motor core according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present disclosure above, it further includes the following steps: Preheat at least one of the mold and the motor core.

[0015] In the method for manufacturing a motor core as described above, by preheating the mold and the rotor core, the resin filled in the resin filling portion can be cured in a short time.

[0016] The manufacturing apparatus for a motor core according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure includes: a mold that can hold a motor core including a resin filling portion; a chamber formed in the mold, one end portion of the chamber communicating with a resin filling path, the resin filling path communicating with the resin filling portion; an extruder that can knead a powdery resin composition and convey it toward the chamber; a plunger that can move within the chamber; a heater disposed inside the mold and around the chamber; and a control device that controls at least the extruder, the plunger, and the heater, and can perform each process of the method for manufacturing a motor core according to any one of the first aspect to the fourth aspect.

[0017] In the manufacturing apparatus for a motor core as described above, by making the resin conveyed toward the chamber by the extruder a resin kneaded body containing at least a part of a granular resin composition, softening of the resin can be performed in the chamber, and it is possible to suppress the resin from being undesirably cured before being filled into the resin filling portion.

[0018] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0019] According to the method for manufacturing a motor core and the manufacturing apparatus for a motor core of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress a decrease in fluidity caused by an acceleration of the curing reaction of the resin composition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic explanatory view showing an example of a manufacturing apparatus for a motor core according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A graph showing an example of the relationship between the temperature and viscosity of the resin used in the manufacturing apparatus for a motor core shown.

[0022] Figure 3 It shows the use of Figure 1 A flowchart showing an example of a manufacturing process implemented by the manufacturing apparatus for a motor core shown.

[0023] Figure 4A It shows Figure 1 An operation explanatory view showing an example of the operation state of the manufacturing apparatus for a motor core shown.

[0024] Figure 4B It shows Figure 1 An operation explanatory view showing an example of the operation state of the manufacturing apparatus for a motor core shown.

[0025] Figure 5A It is an operation explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation state of the manufacturing apparatus of the motor core shown in Figure 1 Figure 1 .

[0026] Figure 5B It is an operation explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation state of the manufacturing apparatus of the motor core shown in Figure 1 Figure 1 .

[0027] Figure 6A It is an operation explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation state of the manufacturing apparatus of the motor core shown in Figure 1 Figure 1 .

[0028] Figure 6B It is an operation explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation state of the manufacturing apparatus of the motor core shown in Figure 1 Figure 1 .

[0029] Figure 7 It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the state of measuring the rotor core and the permanent magnet.

[0030] Figure 8A It is a schematic enlarged view showing a modified example of the extruder shown in Figure 1 Figure 1 .

[0031] Figure 8B It is a schematic enlarged view showing a modified example of the extruder shown in Figure 1 Figure 1 .

[0032] Figure 9 It is a schematic top view showing an example of the manufacturing apparatus of the motor core according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 10 It is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A - A of Figure 9 Figure 9 . Detailed Embodiment

[0034] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022 - 171626 filed in Japan on October 26, 2022, the content of which forms part of the content of this application.

[0035] In addition, through the following detailed description, the present disclosure should be more fully understood. Through the following detailed description, the further application scope of this application should become obvious. However, the detailed description and specific examples are the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, which are only described for the purpose of illustration. According to this detailed description, various changes and modifications are obvious to those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0036] The applicant does not intend to dedicate any of the described embodiments to the public. The disclosed changes and alternative solutions that may not literally be included in the claims are also part of the invention under the doctrine of equivalents.

[0037] Hereinafter, each embodiment for implementing the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that hereinafter, the range required for the description for achieving the purpose of the present disclosure is schematically shown, and mainly the range required for the description of the corresponding part of the present disclosure will be described, and the parts omitted from the description are assumed to be based on publicly known techniques. In addition, the same or similar reference numerals are assigned to the same or corresponding components in the drawings, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Moreover, in the case where a plurality of the same or corresponding components are included in one drawing, for the convenience of the view, sometimes only some of them are assigned reference numerals.

[0038] (First Embodiment)

[0039] <Manufacturing Apparatus for Motor Core>

[0040] Figure 1 FIG. is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manufacturing apparatus for a motor core according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The manufacturing apparatus 1 for a motor core according to the present embodiment may be an apparatus for assembling a permanent magnet 3 into a groove portion 4 formed in a rotor core 2 of an inner rotor type, for example, of a motor core. And the assembly of the permanent magnet 3 can be achieved by resin molding. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, the rotor core 2 is exemplified as the motor core, and the groove portion 4 (more strictly, the filling space 6) of the rotor core 2 is exemplified as an example of the resin filling portion included in the motor core, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Specifically, the manufacturing apparatus 1 for the motor core may be used, for example, for resin molding of a portion wound with a coil of a stator core as the motor core, or the manufacturing apparatus 1 for the motor core may be used to fill a resin into a through hole provided axially in an unriveted laminated core to fix the laminated core integrally. In addition, in the following description, for the convenience of understanding, sometimes the Figure 1 X direction shown in is set as the left - right direction, the Y direction is set as the front - rear direction, and the Z direction is set as the height direction (or up - down direction) for description.

[0041] The resin P used in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the motor core according to the present embodiment may be composed of a thermosetting resin composition. More specifically, the resin P may mainly contain a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, an unsaturated polyester resin, or a cyanate resin. In addition, in the resin P, in addition to the thermosetting resin composition, a curing agent, a filler, etc. may also be added. It should be noted that in the following description, various resins (specifically, the powdery resin composition P1, the resin kneaded body P2, the softened resin P3, and the cured resin P4) are described according to their forms, and the above-mentioned "resin P" is used as a general term for these resins.

[0042] As Figure 1 shown, the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the motor core according to the present embodiment at least includes: a mold 20 capable of holding the rotor core 2; a chamber 30 communicating with a resin filling path 25 formed in the mold 20; a plunger 35 capable of moving within the chamber 30; a heater 40 disposed around the mold 20 and the chamber 30; an extruder 50 capable of conveying the resin P toward the chamber 30; and a control device 60 capable of controlling the above-described components, specifically, at least controlling the plunger 35, the heater 40, and the extruder 50. In addition, the above-described respective components may be housed within the manufacturing apparatus main body 10 or assembled at appropriate positions of the manufacturing apparatus main body 10.

[0043] The manufacturing apparatus main body 10 may include: a base 11; a plurality of (for example, four) columns 12 erected on the surface of the base 11; and a top plate 13 supported at the top portions of the columns 12. Regarding the top plate 13, the upper die 21 of the mold 20 described later may be fixed to the lower surface of the top plate 13, and an actuator (not shown) may be used to enable the top plate 13 to move up and down in the vertical direction together with the columns 12 and the upper die 21.

[0044] The mold 20 is a member for holding the rotor core 2. Specifically, it may be provided that the mold 20 includes: an upper die 21 that abuts against and supports the upper portion of the rotor core 2, specifically, the upper surface of the rotor core 2; and a lower die 22 that abuts against and supports the lower portion of the rotor core 2, specifically, the lower surface. Among them, the lower die 22 may include: a lower die main body 23; and a stage 24 provided on the lower die main body 23 for placing the rotor core 2. The rotor core 2 may be placed on the stage 24 or conveyed from the stage 24 to an arbitrary position by a robotic arm (not shown), etc.

[0045] A resin filling path 25 can be provided inside the stage 24, and the resin filling path 25 is used to supply the resin P to an appropriate part of the rotor core 2 placed on the stage 24. The path structure of the resin filling path 25 is preferably changed in accordance with the structure of the rotor core 2 to be placed on the stage 24. In connection with this, for the stage 24, it is preferable to prepare in advance a plurality of stages having different structures of the resin filling path 25 and appropriately change and use them in accordance with the size of the rotor core 2 to be held in the mold 20, the position of the slot portion 4, etc. In addition, the lower mold 22 may further include a lifter 26 for lifting and lowering the stage 24 to perform cleaning of the resin filling path 25 and the like. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the resin filling path 25 is provided in the lower mold 22 and the resin P is filled from the lower side, but it is not limited thereto. For example, a resin filling path may be provided in the upper mold 21 and the resin P may be filled from above.

[0046] In addition, the upper mold 21 can move in the vertical direction together with the top plate 13 as described above. And by lowering the upper mold 21 when the rotor core 2 is placed on the stage 24 and pressing the upper surface of the rotor core 2 with a predetermined pressing force, the rotor core 2 can be held in such a manner that the rotor core 2 is sandwiched between the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22. The shape, raw material, etc. of the surfaces of the upper mold 21 and the stage 24 that come into contact with the rotor core 2 are preferably adjusted so that the resin P does not leak out of the rotor core 2 during the filling of the resin P described later. In other words, the shape, raw material, etc. of the surfaces of the upper mold 21 and the stage 24 that come into contact with the rotor core 2 are preferably adjusted so that the contact surface becomes airtight when the rotor core 2 is clamped. In addition, in the present embodiment, as described above, a structure in which the upper mold 21 moves up and down together with the top plate 13 is adopted, but as long as it is a structure capable of relatively changing the vertical position of the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22, other structures can be adopted. Specifically, for example, a structure in which the lower mold 22 moves in the vertical direction or a structure in which both the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22 move in the vertical direction can be adopted instead of the structure in which the upper mold 21 moves in the vertical direction.

[0047] In the present embodiment, as the slot portion 4 of the rotor core 2, an example is shown of a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is open in the vertical direction and has substantially no gap in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. Therefore, the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22 adopt a structure having a substantially flat contact surface, but the shape of the contact surface of the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22 can also be appropriately changed in accordance with the shape of the rotor core 2 to be held. For example, when the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the motor core of the present embodiment is used for resin molding of an inner rotor type stator core, it is preferable to adopt a structure for the upper mold 21 and the lower mold 22 that includes protrusions inserted into the space formed in the center of the stator core.

[0048] The rotor core 2 held in the above-described mold 20 can be formed of a substantially cylindrical magnetic body formed by laminating a plurality of thin electromagnetic steel sheets. A through-hole 5 into which a shaft constituting a rotating shaft is inserted when assembled into a motor can be provided at the axial center portion of the rotor core 2. Further, one or more groove portions 4 extending in the axial direction of the rotor core 2 can be provided so as to surround the through-hole 5. The groove portion 4 can be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example, but the specific shape is not particularly limited as long as it can accommodate a permanent magnet 3 described later. Further, the number of the groove portions 4 is also not particularly limited, and can be set to about 10 to 40, for example.

[0049] The groove portion 4 of the rotor core 2 can accommodate the permanent magnet 3 and fix it inside. The permanent magnet 3 can be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape slightly smaller than the groove portion 4, for example. Further, the permanent magnet 3 may or may not be magnetized at the time of being inserted into the groove portion 4. When the permanent magnet 3 is inserted into the groove portion 4, a gap is at least partially formed between the outer peripheral surface of the permanent magnet 3 and the inner peripheral surface of the groove portion 4. This gap can function as a filling space 6 which is an example of a resin filling portion. When the rotor core 2 is placed on the stage 24, a part of each of the plurality of filling spaces 6 can communicate with the end portion of the resin filling path 25.

[0050] A chamber 30 can be provided to form a space into which a predetermined amount of resin P to be filled into the filling space 6 is introduced. The chamber 30 can be formed inside a support table 31 provided on the base 11 so as to extend in the vertical direction. And the upper end portion of the chamber 30 can communicate with the resin filling path 25 formed in the lower mold 22 including the stage 24 disposed on the support table 31.

[0051] The plunger 35 can be a member for delivering the resin P delivered into the chamber 30 toward the resin filling path 25. The plunger 35 of the present embodiment can form the lower surface of the chamber 30 and can be connected to an actuator (not shown) to be movable in the chamber 30 in the vertical direction.

[0052] The heater 40 can be composed of a known heater or the like and heats an appropriate part of the manufacturing apparatus 1. The heater 40 of the present embodiment can include: a mold heater 41 disposed in the mold 20, specifically, disposed in the upper mold 21 and the lower mold main body 23; and a chamber heater 42 disposed in the support table 31 so as to be close to the outer periphery of the chamber 30. As the mold heater 41 and the chamber heater 42, known heaters can be used, for example, an infrared heater or a sheathed heater can be used.

[0053] It is possible that an extruder (sometimes also referred to as an "extrusion machine (the English term is extruder)") 50 can knead a specified amount of resin P and convey it toward the chamber 30. The extruder 50 may at least include: a barrel 51 serving as an extrusion conveyance path for conveying resin P therein; and a screw 52 disposed inside the barrel 51 for kneading and conveying the resin P supplied into the barrel 51, specifically, the powdery resin composition P1 as a raw material. In the present embodiment, as Figure 1 shown, an example is given where the extruder 50 extends in the left-right direction, but the extending direction is not limited to the above direction. For example, it may extend obliquely upward from the chamber 30, or may (for example, as in the structures shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10 ) extend in the up-down direction side by side with the chamber 30. When the extruder 50 is disposed side by side with the chamber 30, it is preferable to ensure a space for conveying resin P between the extruder 50 and the chamber 30 in advance.

[0054] It is possible that the barrel 51 constitutes a conveyance path for resin P extending in one direction, for example, the left-right direction. A supply port 53 for supplying the powdery resin composition P1 as a raw material of resin P may be formed at one end of the barrel 51, and a discharge port 54 connected to the chamber 30 may be formed at the other end. A resin supply path 57 may be connected to the supply port 53 and connected to a resin supply source 58 via the resin supply path 57. In addition, a sliding or rotary shutter 56 may be provided, for example, at the discharge port 54. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, an example is given where the resin supply path 57 extending from the resin supply source 58 is directly connected to the supply port 53, but the structure of the supply port 53 part is not limited thereto. For example, it may be configured such that a funnel opening upward is provided at the supply port 53, and the powdery resin composition P1 is supplied into the barrel 51 by throwing an arbitrary amount of the powdery resin composition P1 into the funnel.

[0055] The powdery resin composition P1 supplied into the barrel 51 from the supply port 53 refers to a resin composition formed of smaller particles (the particles also include particles such as small pieces obtained by pulverizing and crushing larger resin blocks).

[0056] The screw 52 can be composed of a long strip member having a spiral fin formed on the outer circumferential surface and rotating by a motor 59 connected to one end of the screw 52. The screw 52 can be arranged in the barrel 51 along the extension direction of the barrel 51 so as to mix the powdered resin composition P1 supplied from the supply port 53 and convey it toward the transport port 54. In addition, if the powdered resin composition P1 is continuously supplied to the screw 52, ​​the resin P in the conveying can also be pressurized. Therefore, the powdered resin composition P1 conveyed in the barrel 51 can be mixed and pressurized by the screw 52 during its conveying process to become a resin mixed body P2. Here, the resin mixed body P2 refers to a resin P in which the surface of a part of the particles constituting the powdered resin composition P1 is slightly melted during the conveying process using the extruder 50, so that the adjacent particles are fused to each other, and at least partially changed into a block-shaped resin composition (hereinafter, such a resin composition is referred to as a "granular resin composition") larger than the original particles.

[0057] The motor 59 connected to the screw 52 can adjust the conveying amount of the resin P by its rotation speed. In this connection, the amount of the resin kneaded body P2 conveyed from the extruder 50 to the cavity 30 in this embodiment can be adjusted with high precision by controlling the rotation speed of the motor 59 and the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing part 56.

[0058] The extruder 50 may also include a temperature sensor (not shown) that can detect the temperature of the powdered resin composition P1 or the resin kneaded body P2 conveyed in the barrel 51, or the room temperature in the barrel 51. By considering the detection result of the temperature sensor, the temperature of the resin P conveyed in the barrel 51 can be controlled. It should be noted that, with respect to the extruder 50 of the present embodiment, an extruder having two screws 52 is shown as an example, but the number of screws 52 may be one, or may be three or more.

[0059] A reserve space 51A of a specified size without the screw 52 may also be formed between the discharge port 54 of the barrel 51 and the top end (free end) of the screw 52. This reserve space 51A may be a space for temporarily storing the resin kneaded body P2 that has been kneaded and conveyed by the rotation of the screw 52. In addition, in order to stabilize the shape of the resin kneaded body P2 stored in the reserve space 51A, the resin kneaded body P2 conveyed by the rotation of the screw 52 may be pressed against an opening / closing part 56 disposed downstream of the reserve space 51A. The resin kneaded body P2 successively pressed against the opening / closing part 56 may be compression-molded into a shape conforming to the inner diameter shape of the barrel 51. The compression-molded resin kneaded body P2 conveyed to the reserve space 51A may be transported into the chamber 30 in any amount by moving an arbitrary extrusion part, for example, the screw 52 itself, in the conveying direction. The supply amount of the resin kneaded body P2 may be adjusted by performing an opening / closing operation on an unillustrated cutting part (for example, a cutter) or the opening / closing part 56 to cut and separate an arbitrary amount of the resin kneaded body P2. It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, an example of molding by pressing the resin kneaded body P2 against the opening / closing part 56 is shown, but it is not limited thereto. Specifically, the above molding may be omitted, or an unillustrated molding device may be provided between the discharge port 54 and the chamber 30 instead of the above molding, and the resin kneaded body P2 may be compression-molded into a desired shape using this molding device. In the case where molding by pressing against the opening / closing part 56 is not performed, it is preferable to omit the opening / closing part 56, or the opening / closing part 56 functions as a cutting part for cutting the resin kneaded body P2.

[0060] In addition, a barrel heater 55 is preferably disposed at an appropriate part of the barrel 51, and the barrel heater 55 can preheat the resin P conveyed in the barrel 51. The barrel heater 55 may be composed of a known heater such as an infrared heater, similarly to the mold heater 41, etc., and for example, may be disposed so as to surround substantially the entire circumference of the barrel 51. By adopting the barrel heater 55, the resin P conveyed in the barrel 51 can be heated to a desired temperature.

[0061] The control device 60 may be a device that can implement an arbitrary manufacturing process by being electrically connected to the above-described respective constituent elements and controlling their operations. For example, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1 , the control device 60 may be communicably connected to each constituent element via wired or wireless communication. The control device 60 may be implemented using a sequencer (Programmable Logic Controller, PLC) or a known computer. In addition, the control device 60 may be composed of only one of the above-described computers, etc., or a combination of multiple ones.

[0062] The control device 60 can implement the manufacturing method of the motor core of the present embodiment described below by operating the above-described respective components. In connection with this, the manufacturing method of the motor core of the present embodiment can be provided to the computer constituting the control device 60 in the form of a software program including instructions for executing a prescribed operation, in the form of a non-transitory recording medium storing the program, or in the form of an application program provided via a network or the like. The details of the manufacturing method of the motor core of the present embodiment are described below.

[0063] In the above-described manufacturing apparatus 1, a structure in which the discharge port 54 of the barrel 51 is directly connected to the chamber 30 and a spare space 51A is provided adjacent to the discharge port 54 is exemplified, but the present disclosure is not limited to this structure. For example, it may be configured such that a conveying mechanism (not shown) is provided between the discharge port 54 of the barrel 51 and the chamber 30, and the resin kneaded mass P2 is conveyed into the chamber 30 by operating the conveying mechanism. Similarly, a mechanism for discharging air from the resin kneaded mass P2 may be additionally provided between the discharge port 54 of the barrel 51 and the opening / closing portion 56 or the chamber 30. This mechanism can discharge air from the resin kneaded mass P2, for example, by compressing the resin kneaded mass P2 or providing a decompression chamber.

[0064] Particularly, it should be noted that the resin P introduced directly or indirectly into the chamber 30 from the extruder 50 is the resin kneaded mass P2 obtained by kneading the powdery resin composition P1, rather than a pre-formed (e.g., sheet-like) resin. For the resin of the present embodiment, since the resin P to be introduced (or conveyed) into the chamber 30 is not a pre-formed finished product, i.e., a sheet-like resin, the amount of the resin P to be introduced into the chamber 30 can be freely adjusted by controlling the rotational speed of the motor 59, the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing portion 56, and the like.

[0065] Here, when a specific amount of resin P is to be transported into the chamber 30 using the extruder 50, if the resin P is heated at a high temperature to a highly fluid state before being transported into the chamber 30, the curing reaction of the resin P may be accelerated before it is to be filled into the filling space 6. Such an undesired acceleration of the curing reaction may be a major cause of deviation in the supply amount of the resin P supplied to the chamber 30, or a major cause of various problems when the rotation operation of the screw 52 stops due to, for example, an increase in the cleaning frequency in the extruder 50 or the resin P with an accelerated curing reaction getting stuck between the screws 52. In addition, the resin cured due to the undesired acceleration of the curing reaction may locally block the filling path, such as the resin filling path 25, and as a result, the fillability of the resin P into the filling space 6 may be reduced. Therefore, in order to stably fill the resin P into the filling space 6, it can be said that suppressing the above-mentioned undesired acceleration of the curing reaction is important. Considering the above points, in the present embodiment, the curing reaction of the resin P is suppressed from being undesirably accelerated by controlling the temperature of the resin P during transportation in the extruder 50.

[0066] Figure 2 is a graph showing Figure 1 an example of the relationship between the temperature (°C) and viscosity (Pa·s) of the resin used in the manufacturing apparatus of the motor core shown. The resin P used in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the motor core of the present embodiment described above and the manufacturing method of the motor core to be described later can use a thermosetting resin as described above. Here, with reference to Figure 2 an example of the temperature-viscosity characteristics of a resin composed of a thermosetting resin will be described. First, when the powdery resin is heated at room temperature to a specified temperature ( Figure 2 the melting start temperature T1 in ), melting (also referred to as "fusion" or "melting") of a part of the powdery resin, for example, the surface of the particles, starts, and the particles of the powdery resin with a part of the surface melted change to a state in which granular resin compositions and powdery resin compositions fused to adjacent other powdery resin particles coexist. When the heating is further intensified to reach a specified temperature ( Figure 2 the melting completion temperature T2 in ), the entire original powdery resin melts, and the particulate resins fuse with each other to form a large lump. After the resin P melts, if the heating is further intensified, the viscosity of the resin P decreases, its fluidity becomes higher, and it becomes a softened state. Then, if heated further from the softened state, a curing reaction occurs and it becomes a cured state.

[0067] Considering the state change of the thermosetting resin, in the motor core manufacturing device 1 and the motor core manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the resin P conveyed in the extruder 50 is not softened but maintained in a partially molten state, thereby suppressing the undesired intensification of the above-mentioned curing reaction. Specifically, the temperature of the resin P kneaded and conveyed in the extruder 50 is maintained lower than the melting completion temperature T2, so that the resin P before being conveyed to the cavity 30 is not softened.

[0068] Based on the above, the method for manufacturing the motor core of the present embodiment will be described below. In the following description of the method for manufacturing the motor core, a case where the rotor core 2 is manufactured using the above-mentioned motor core manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described as an example.

[0069] <Motor core manufacturing method>

[0070] Figure 3 It means to use Figure 1 FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 are flowcharts showing an example of a manufacturing process performed by a manufacturing device for a motor core. Figure 1 The operation diagram of an example of the operation state of the motor core manufacturing device shown in FIG. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state where the rotor core and the permanent magnet are measured. Figure 3 The method for manufacturing the motor core of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. It should be noted that in Figs. 4 to 6, for the sake of convenience, reference numerals are sometimes centered around components related to each operation, and reference numerals for components less related to the operation are omitted.

[0071] In the method for manufacturing the motor core of the present embodiment, as a preliminary preparation, the amount of resin P filled into the filling space 6 of the rotor core 2 may be measured in advance. When measuring the filling amount, for example, Figure 7As shown, a measurement unit such as cameras C1 and C2 can be used to measure the volume of the slot portion 4 of the rotor core 2 and the volume of the permanent magnet 3 to be inserted into the slot portion 4, calculate the difference between the two, and thereby perform the measurement. The measured resin filling amount can be sent to the control device 60 and used to control the amount of resin P input into the chamber 30. It should be noted that the components for measuring the volumes of the slot portion 4 and the permanent magnet 3 are not limited to the above cameras C1 and C2, and non-contact measurement units and contact measurement units (such as vernier calipers, etc.) other than the cameras C1 and C2 can be appropriately used. In addition, in the present embodiment, a case where the permanent magnet 3 to be inserted into the slot portion 4 is predetermined is exemplified, but instead of this case, a permanent magnet 3 of an appropriate size can be selected to match the size of the slot portion 4 measured by the camera C2. In this case, the gap (i.e., the filling space 6) between the slot portion 4 and the permanent magnet 3 can be made substantially the same in each slot portion 4, and the amount of resin to be filled in each slot portion 4 can be made uniform.

[0072] In addition, a method of determining the filling amount of the resin P to be input into the chamber 30 by measuring the volumes of the slot portion 4 and the permanent magnet 3 using the cameras C1 and C2 is exemplified, but the filling amount can also be determined by other methods. Specifically, for example, a trial production process can be performed before the start of mass production, and the filling amount can be determined based on the filling amount of the resin and the amount of remaining resin in this trial production process. Alternatively, it can be set that during mass production, the actual resin filling amount, remaining resin, etc. are confirmed at a frequency that does not hinder mass production, and an appropriate filling amount is maintained by performing feedback control on the filling amount. In addition, the above various methods for determining the filling amount can be executed individually or in combination.

[0073] After the above preparation, regarding the manufacturing method of the motor core of the present embodiment, first, a permanent magnet 3 and a rotor core 2 for assembling the permanent magnet 3 are prepared, and the permanent magnet 3 is inserted into the groove portion 4 of the rotor core 2 (step S1). Then, preheating of the mold 20 and the rotor core 2 is performed (step S2). The preheating of the mold 20 can be performed, for example, using a known heating unit (not shown). The preheating of the rotor core 2 can be performed separately from the mold 20 before placing the rotor core 2 on the stage 24, or can be performed simultaneously with the preheating of the mold 20 by operating the mold heater 41 in a state where the rotor core 2 is placed on the stage 24. When preheating the mold 20 and the rotor core 2 simultaneously, it is preferable to perform a step S3 described later before step S2. The preheating temperature of the mold 20 and the rotor core 2 can be set to about 100 to 180°C. It should be noted that this preheating can also be performed only on either the mold 20 or the rotor core 2. In addition, it is preferable to preheat the chamber 30 in advance together with the preheating of the mold 20. The preheating of the chamber 30 can be achieved by operating the chamber heater 42. Furthermore, the order of steps S1 and S2 can be changed. In this case, after preheating the rotor core 2 and the mold 20, the (preheated separately or not preheated) permanent magnet 3 is inserted into the groove portion 4 of the rotor core.

[0074] When the preheating of the mold 20 and the rotor core 2 is completed, as Figure 4B shown, the rotor core 2 is placed on the stage 24, and the upper mold 21 is moved downward to hold the rotor core 2 in the mold 20 (step S3). At this time, the upper mold 21 is adjusted to press the upper surface of the rotor core 2 with a predetermined pressure, whereby the upper mold 21 can be closely attached to the upper surface of the rotor core 2 and the lower mold 22 can be closely attached to the lower surface of the rotor core 2.

[0075] Next, kneading and conveying of the powdery resin composition P1 are performed using an extruder 50 (step S4). In this step, as Figure 4B shown, first, the powdery resin composition P1 is supplied (continuously, for example) from the resin supply source 58 to the supply port 53 of the barrel 51. Then, the motor 59 is driven to rotate the screw 52, kneading the powdery resin composition P1 supplied to the supply port 53 and conveying it to the discharge port 54. At this time, if the barrel heater 55 is operated in accordance with the driving of the motor 59, the resin P in the barrel 51 can be heated.

[0076] The powdered resin composition P1 supplied to the supply port 53 increases in temperature as it is transported in the barrel 51 due to the shear heat generated by the rotation of the screw 52 and the heat from the barrel heater 55. It should be noted that the temperature of the resin P transported in the barrel 51 is adjusted to be lower than the melting completion temperature T2 at which all the powdered resin composition P1 supplied to the supply port 53 is completely melted. Specifically, the temperature of the resin P transported in the barrel 51 is adjusted to a temperature range lower than the melting completion temperature T2 and including the melting start temperature T1 (for example, within Figure 2 In the state where the temperature of the powdered resin composition P1 is adjusted to be within the first temperature range A1 and conveyed in the barrel 51, the surface of a part of the particles constituting the powdered resin composition P1 is slightly melted, so that the adjacent particles are welded to each other, and the powdered resin composition is at least partially changed into a block-shaped granular resin composition larger than the original particles, and conveyed to the spare space 51A.

[0077] The shape of at least a part of the resin mixed body P2 that reaches the spare space 51A, which includes at least a part of the granular resin composition, changes from powder to granular, but the melting of the entire resin is not completed, so it can contain a powdery resin. In addition, the viscosity of the resin mixed body P2 includes a higher viscosity than the powdery resin composition P1 supplied as a raw material. Moreover, the resin mixed body P2 has a lower fluidity than the softened resin P3 described later, and the temperature is also maintained at a low state.

[0078] When a predetermined amount of the resin kneaded body P2 is conveyed to the standby space 51A, as shown in FIG. Figure 5A As shown, the opening and closing section 56 is opened, and the resin kneaded body P2 temporarily stored in the spare space 51A is transported into the chamber 30 by, for example, operating the screw 52 itself in the conveying direction (step S5). The amount of the resin kneaded body P2 transported into the chamber 30 can be preset in consideration of the volume of the filling space 6, etc., and the resin kneaded body P2 is cut and separated by the opening and closing action of the cutting section or the opening and closing section 56 (not shown) provided at the transport outlet 54, thereby adjusting the transport amount. Regarding the transport of the resin kneaded body P2, other specific examples are described below.

[0079] When the resin mixture P2 is transported into the chamber 30, the opening and closing portion 56 is then closed, and the chamber heater 42 is operated to heat the resin mixture P2 to soften it (step S6). The chamber heater 42 can be controlled to heat the resin mixture P2 in the chamber 30 to a temperature range in which its viscosity decreases (for example, at Figure 2The temperature range represented as the second temperature range A2). Through this heating, the resin kneaded body P2 is completely melted and its viscosity is reduced, changing into a highly fluid resin (hereinafter referred to as "softened resin") P3. Thus, in the method for manufacturing a motor core according to the present embodiment, by delaying the completion of the melting of the resin P and the implementation of softening until a timing after being transported into the chamber 30, the exacerbation of an undesired curing reaction of the resin P is suppressed.

[0080] When the resin kneaded body P2 changes into the softened resin P3, then, as Figure 5B shown, the plunger 35 is raised to push up the softened resin P3, thereby filling the resin P into the filling space 6 (step S7). The softened resin P3 pushed up by the plunger 35 flows from the chamber 30 through the resin filling path 25 into the filling space 6. It should be noted that, in order to smoothly perform the filling of the softened resin P3 into the filling space 6 in step S7, for example, air holes (not shown) for discharging the air in the filling space 6 may be provided at appropriate positions on the upper mold 21.

[0081] When the filling of the softened resin P3 into the filling space 6 is completed, the mold heater 41 is operated to heat the softened resin P3 in the filling space 6 to cure it (step S8). When curing the softened resin P3, it is preferable to heat the softened resin P3 within a temperature range in which its viscosity significantly increases (for example, within the temperature range represented as the third temperature range A3 in Figure 2 ) for about several minutes. The softened resin P3 changes into a cured resin P4 through this heating, whereby the permanent magnet 3 is fixed to the groove portion 4 of the rotor core 2 by resin molding. It should be noted that the heating time in this step S8 can be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the specific composition of the resin P, etc.

[0082] When the above series of resin molding processes are completed, as Figure 6A shown, the upper mold 21 is raised, and the resin-molded rotor core 2 is transported out using a transport unit (not shown) such as a robotic arm (step S9). The transported rotor core 2 can be transferred to other devices, for example, for shaft assembly, etc. And when the transport of the rotor core 2 is completed, the manufacturing apparatus 1 is cleaned (step S10). The cleaning of the manufacturing apparatus 1 can be implemented by a cleaning unit (not shown) including cleaning members such as brushes.

[0083] During the above cleaning, when cleaning the resin filling path 25 of the stage 24, the following operations can be performed. That is, first, the elevator 26 is operated to separate the stage 24 from the lower mold body 23, thereby removing the cured resin P4 clogging the resin filling path 25 from the resin filling path 25. Then, the plunger 35 is further raised, thereby also separating the cured resin P4 from the lower mold body 23 (refer toFigure 6B )。 Then, the separated cured resin P4 is grasped by a robotic arm (not shown) or the like to remove it, and the surfaces of the stage 24 and the lower die body 23 and the inside of the resin filling path 25 are cleaned with a brush or the like. When a series of cleaning is completed, it returns to Figure 4A the state shown in the figure, and remains in a standby state until the next rotor core 2 is transported in.

[0084] It should be noted that the order of the above series of processes can be changed or executed in parallel within the range that can maintain its function. For example, the conveyance of the powdery resin composition P1 or the resin kneaded body P2 by the extruder 50 can start at any timing, for example, in parallel with the process of inserting the permanent magnet 3 into the rotor core 2 and the preheating processes of the mold 20 and the rotor core 2. In addition, the preheating of the mold 20, the preheating of the rotor core 2, or the preheating of the resin P using the barrel heater 55 can be appropriately omitted.

[0085] In addition, the above first temperature range to third temperature range A1 to A3 can be appropriately set in consideration of the material of the resin P, the melting start temperature T1 and the melting completion temperature T2 determined in association therewith.

[0086] As described above, according to the method for manufacturing a motor core of the present embodiment and the manufacturing apparatus 1 for a motor core capable of implementing this method, by suppressing the temperature of the resin P from becoming too high before being introduced into the chamber 30, it is possible to suppress the aggravation of an undesired curing reaction of the resin before being filled into the filling space 6.

[0087] Hereinafter, a specific example of a method for adjusting the amount of the resin P to be introduced into the chamber 30 in the above-described manufacturing apparatus 1 for a motor core and the method for manufacturing a motor core of the present embodiment will be described.

[0088] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing Figure 1 a modified example of the extruder shown in the figure, Figure 8A is a schematic enlarged view showing an enlarged top portion of the extruder in the case of a large resin filling amount, Figure 8B is a schematic enlarged view showing an enlarged top portion of the extruder in the case of a small resin filling amount. In the manufacturing apparatus for a motor core of the present disclosure, the resin P to be introduced into the chamber 30 can be adjusted using an extruder 50A having the configuration shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, the screw 52A of the extruder 50A of this modified example can be moved in the resin P conveyance direction by a sliding mechanism (not shown). It should be noted that Figure 8A and Figure 8B for the extruder 50A shown in the figure, for the sake of simplifying its configuration, a structure including only one screw 52A is exemplified.

[0089] The adjustment of the filling amount of the resin P performed using the extruder 50A including the sliding mechanism described above can be implemented by adjusting the position of the screw 52A. Specifically, for example, when the resin filling amount is large, as Figure 8A shown, first, the screw 52A is slid to adjust the size of the spare space 51A formed between the tip of the screw 52A and the discharge port 54 to match the desired resin filling amount. Next, the screw 52A is rotated to knead and convey the resin P, thereby transporting the resin P into the spare space 51A. At this time, the resin P is continuously transported into the spare space 51A, so that the resin P is compressed between the opening / closing part 56 and the screw 52A, and the spare space 51A can be filled with the resin P.

[0090] When the transportation and compression of the resin P into the spare space 51A are completed by the rotation of the screw 52A, the opening / closing part 56 is opened, and the sliding mechanism is operated to move the screw 52A together with the resin P in the conveying direction. And when the tip of the screw 52A reaches the same position as the discharge port 54 in the conveying direction, the sliding mechanism is stopped, and the resin P is cut along the Figure 8A shown cutting line CL. The separated resin P can be put into the chamber 30.

[0091] In addition, when the resin filling amount is small, as Figure 8B shown, the sliding mechanism is operated to move the tip of the screw 52A to a position more downstream in the conveying direction than the case of Figure 8A , thereby adjusting the spare space 51A to be smaller. After this adjustment operation, by simply performing the same operation as in the case of a large resin filling amount described above, a smaller amount of the resin P can be put into the chamber 30.

[0092] According to the above adjustment method, by sliding the screw 52A to adjust the size of the spare space 51A, the amount of the resin P to be put into the chamber 30 can be adjusted. It should be noted that the adjustment method of the resin filling amount may also be assumed to be a method other than the above-described modification examples. For example, in the above modification example, the size of the spare space 51A is adjusted to match the amount of the resin to be put into the chamber 30, but instead of this case, the adjustment of the amount of the resin to be put into the chamber 30 can be implemented by adjusting the moving amount of the screw 52A achieved by the sliding mechanism when the resin P is discharged from the discharge port 54.

[0093] Specifically, when the amount of resin to be introduced into the chamber 30 is large, when the opening / closing portion 56 is opened to discharge the resin P together with the screw 52A, the tip of the screw 52A is moved to the same position as the discharge port 54 in the conveying direction. On the other hand, when the amount of resin to be introduced into the chamber 30 is small, the tip of the screw 52A is moved to a specified position upstream of the discharge port 54 in the conveying direction. Thus, the amount of resin P to be introduced into the chamber 30 can also be adjusted based on the sliding movement amount of the screw 52 when discharging the resin P.

[0094] Alternatively, although not shown in the drawings, it is also possible to substantially adjust the amount of resin P to be introduced into the chamber by compressing the resin introduced into the spare space using the rotational force of the screw. That is, it can be such that when the amount of resin to be introduced into the chamber is large, the amount of resin discharged into the spare space by rotating the screw is relatively increased, thereby compressing the resin introduced into the spare space using the rotational force of the screw to make it a high-density resin. When the amount of resin to be introduced into the chamber is small, the amount of resin discharged into the spare space by rotating the screw is relatively decreased, thereby reducing the compression effect on the resin introduced into the spare space achieved by the rotational force of the screw to make it a low-density resin. It should be noted that in this case, the density of the resin in the spare space can be estimated by measuring the reaction force acting on the screw.

[0095] (Second Embodiment)

[0096] In the motor core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the above-described first embodiment, a structure in which the extruder 50 extends in the left-right direction is exemplified, but the extending direction of the extruder 50 is not limited thereto. Therefore, hereinafter, as a second embodiment of the present disclosure, the motor core manufacturing apparatus 100 including the extruder 150 extending in the up-down direction will be briefly described.

[0097] Figure 9 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the motor core manufacturing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. In addition, Figure 10 is composed of Figure 9 a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A - A of Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown in the figure, the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the motor core according to the present embodiment mainly includes: a mold 120 capable of holding the rotor core; a chamber 130 formed in the mold 120, one end of the chamber 130 communicating with a resin filling path 125, and the resin filling path 125 communicating with the groove portion 4 of the rotor core 2; a plunger 135 for delivering the resin P in the chamber 130 toward the resin filling path 125; a heater (not shown) disposed in the mold 120 or around the mold 120 and the chamber 130; and an extruder 150 for kneading and delivering the resin P to introduce the resin P into the chamber 130. It should be noted that, for the same components in various components of the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the motor core according to the present embodiment as those in the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the motor core according to the first embodiment, the content described in the first embodiment is followed, and the description thereof is omitted below.

[0098] As Figure 9 shown, a plurality of chambers 130 of the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the motor core according to the present embodiment can be formed on a turntable 131, for example, four are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The turntable 131 can be composed of a disk-shaped member having a predetermined wall thickness, and its central portion is rotatably supported by a rotating column 132, whereby it can rotate at an arbitrary timing.

[0099] A plurality of working areas E1 to E4 can be provided on the turntable 131. Specifically, a first working area E1 can be provided for introducing the resin P into the chamber 130 and setting the rotor core 2 on the lower mold 122; a second working area E2 for injecting the resin P into the groove portion 4 of the rotor core 2 and curing it; a third working area E3 for taking out the rotor core 2 after the injection and curing of the resin P are completed and cleaning the lower mold 122 and the like; and a fourth working area E4 for adjusting the temperature of the lower mold 122 and the chamber 130. It should be noted that the operation content in each working area and the number of working areas are not limited to the above content and can be appropriately changed.

[0100] The mold 120 can be a member for holding the rotor core 2 and includes: a lower mold 122 disposed above each of the plurality of chambers 130; and an upper mold 121 assembled to the top plate 113 of the device main body 110 described later. A resin filling path 125 connecting the chamber 130 and the groove portion 4 can be formed in the lower mold 122.

[0101] The plunger 135 can be a member capable of moving in the up and down direction in the chamber 130 and is provided in each of the plurality of chambers 130. An actuator (not shown) capable of operating the plunger 135 in the up and down direction can be disposed below the second working area E2. In this case, the operation of the plunger 135 provided in each chamber 130 can be achieved by the above one actuator.

[0102] The heater may be the same component as the first heater 40 described in the first embodiment. For example, the heater may be provided on the top plate 113 and the turntable 131.

[0103] The extruder 150 may be composed of components extending in the vertical direction. The extruder 150 may include: a barrel 151 for conveying resin P therein; and a screw 152 disposed inside the barrel 151 for kneading the resin P (specifically, the powdery resin composition P1) supplied into the barrel 151 and conveying it downward.

[0104] The barrel 151 may be composed of a tubular component extending in the vertical direction and may be a component capable of forming a conveying path for resin P. A supply port 153 for supplying the powdery resin composition P1 may be formed at the upper end of the barrel 151, and a discharge port 154 may be formed at the other end. A resin supply path 157 may be connected to the supply port 153. In addition, an opening / closing part 156 may be provided at the discharge port 154, for example. The opening / closing part 156 opens and closes the discharge port 154 and also functions as a cutter for cutting resin P. Although not shown, a barrel heater may also be disposed inside the barrel 151 for preheating resin P.

[0105] The screw 152 may be a long member that rotates by a motor 159 and has spiral fins formed on its outer peripheral surface. The screw 152 is disposed inside the barrel 151 along the extending direction of the barrel 151. In addition, the screw 152 of the present embodiment may be disposed only one in the barrel 151, and as described in Figure 8A and Figure 8B the screw 152 itself can slide vertically through a sliding mechanism (not shown).

[0106] A transfer mechanism 190 may be provided below the discharge port 154 of the extruder 150 for transferring the resin P conveyed from the extruder 150 into the chamber 130 in the first working area E1. The transfer mechanism 190 may include: a transfer mechanism main body 191 composed of a long block; a rotating support 192 that rotatably supports the middle part of the transfer mechanism main body 191; receiving parts 193 formed near both ends in the long dimension direction of the transfer mechanism main body 191 and penetrating the transfer mechanism main body 191 in the vertical direction; and a bottom cover 194 that closes the lower end of the receiving part 193 in an openable and closable manner.

[0107] The transfer mechanism 190 including the above-mentioned structure makes one of the accommodating parts 193 wait in a state of being positioned below the carrying outlet 154 of the extruder 150, thereby being able to receive the resin P carried out from the extruder 150 into the accommodating part 193. It should be noted that the resin P temporarily accommodated in the accommodating part 193 may be a resin kneaded body P2 at least part of which contains a granular resin composition: after being pressed against the opening and closing part 156 in the extruder 150 and pressurized, it is cut into a predetermined size by the opening and closing action of the opening and closing part 156, thereby being temporarily formed into a block.

[0108] When the resin mixture P2 is contained in the container 193, the transfer mechanism body 191 is rotated to move the container 193 containing the resin mixture P2 to the chamber 130 of the first operation area E1. Then, the bottom cover 194 is opened, so that the resin mixture P2 can be put into the chamber 130. Here, when the resin mixture P2 is put into the chamber 130, Figure 9 As shown, the other accommodating portion 193 is preferably positioned below the carrying-out port 154 of the extruder 150. With such a configuration, the resin kneaded body P2 can be continuously carried out from the extruder 150.

[0109] In addition, the motor core manufacturing device 100 of this embodiment can also be provided with a device body 110 at a position corresponding to the second operation area E2, and the device body 110 can move the upper mold 121 in the up-down direction. The device body 110 can include: a support 112 extending in the up-down direction; a support plate 114 extending in the horizontal direction from the upper end of the support 112; a top plate 113 mounted on the support plate 114 in a manner that can move up and down; and a motor 115 for moving the top plate 113 in the up-down direction.

[0110] Furthermore, the motor core manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment may be provided with robot arms 181 and 182 near the first operation area E1 and the third operation area E3, respectively, and the robot arms 181 and 182 are used to carry in and carry out the rotor core 2. In addition, a cleaning unit 170 may be provided in the third operation area E3, and the cleaning unit 170 cleans the lower mold 122 and the like after the rotor core 2 is carried out by the robot arm 182.

[0111] Furthermore, the motor core manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment may include a control device 160 for controlling the above series of components. The control device 160 may be constituted by a well-known computer similarly to the control device 60 described above.

[0112] When manufacturing the motor core using the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, except for additionally performing the transfer between the transfer of the resin P and the working area of the rotor core 2, it can be carried out in the same process as the manufacturing method of the motor core described in the first embodiment. Therefore, detailed description is omitted here.

[0113] As described above, according to the manufacturing apparatus 100 of the motor core of the present embodiment, the resin P shipped out from the extruder 150 is also adjusted to a resin kneaded body P2 in which at least a part contains a granular resin composition. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the temperature of the resin P from becoming too high before being introduced into the chamber 30, and to suppress the intensification of the undesirable curing reaction of the resin before being filled into the filling space 6.

[0114] It should be noted that in the above-described present embodiment, a structure in which a plurality of chambers 130 are provided in the rotating disk-shaped turntable 131 is exemplified, but a linear conveying path may be used instead of the turntable 131. In addition, in the present embodiment, a structure in which one turntable 131 and one transfer mechanism 190 are respectively provided for one extruder 150 is exemplified. However, if a configuration in which two turntables 131 and two transfer mechanisms 190 are arranged side by side and the resin kneaded body P2 shipped out from one extruder 150 is sequentially transferred by a plurality of transfer mechanisms 190 is adopted, the manufacturing of the motor core can be carried out more efficiently.

[0115] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. And all these modifications are included in the technical idea of the present disclosure. In addition, in the present disclosure, as long as there is no contradiction, each component may exist only one, or may exist two or more.

[0116] Regarding all the documents including publications, patent applications, and patents cited in this specification, each document is specifically shown, referred to, and incorporated herein, and in addition, all the contents of each document are referred to and incorporated herein to the same extent as the content described herein.

[0117] Regarding the use of nouns and the like used in connection with the description of the present disclosure (particularly in connection with the claims), unless otherwise specifically indicated in this specification or clearly inconsistent with the context, they are construed to cover both the singular and plural. Regarding the terms "comprising", "having", "including", and "containing", unless otherwise specified, they are construed as open-ended terms (i.e., having the meaning of "including but not limited to..."). Regarding the detailed description of numerical ranges in this specification, unless otherwise specifically indicated in this specification, it is only intended to serve as a shorthand notation for individually referring to each value falling within the range, and each value is introduced into the specification as if it were individually recited in this specification. Regarding all the methods described in this specification, unless otherwise specifically indicated in this specification or clearly inconsistent with the context, they can be carried out in all appropriate orders. Regarding all examples or exemplary phrases (such as "etc.") used in this specification, unless otherwise claimed, it is only intended to better illustrate the present disclosure and does not constitute a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure. No phrase in the specification shall be construed as indicating an element not recited in the claims as essential to the practice of the present disclosure.

[0118] In this specification, the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described, including the best mode known to the inventor for practicing the present disclosure. For those skilled in the art, upon reading the above description, variations of these preferred embodiments should be obvious. The inventor expects skilled persons to appropriately apply such variations, and anticipates that the present disclosure will be implemented in ways other than those specifically described in this specification. Accordingly, to the extent permitted by law, the present disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto. Moreover, unless otherwise specifically indicated in this specification or clearly inconsistent with the context, any combination of the above elements in all variations is included in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a motor core, comprising the following steps: In a mold formed with a resin filling path, hold a motor core including the resin filling portion in such a manner that the resin filling path communicates with the resin filling portion; Using an extruder that kneads and conveys a powdery resin composition to form a resin kneaded body that at least partially includes a granular resin composition, convey the resin kneaded body toward a chamber communicating with the resin filling path; Heat the resin kneaded body conveyed into the chamber to soften it; Operate a plunger capable of moving in the chamber to fill the softened resin formed by softening the resin kneaded body in the chamber into the resin filling portion; And Cure the softened resin filled in the resin filling portion.

2. The manufacturing method of the motor core according to claim 1, wherein the motor core is composed of a rotor core, and the resin filling portion is composed of one or more groove portions formed along the axial direction of the rotor core and capable of inserting a permanent magnet therein; the manufacturing method of the motor core further comprises the following step: inserting the permanent magnet into the groove portion of the rotor core.

3. The manufacturing method of the motor core according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises the following step: heating the powdery resin composition conveyed in the extruder.

4. The manufacturing method of the motor core according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises the following step: preheating at least one of the mold and the motor core.

5. A manufacturing apparatus of a motor core, comprising: A mold capable of holding a motor core including a resin filling portion; A chamber formed in the mold, one end portion of the chamber communicates with a resin filling path, and the resin filling path communicates with the resin filling portion; An extruder capable of kneading a powdery resin composition and conveying it toward the chamber; A plunger capable of moving in the chamber; A heater disposed in the mold and around the chamber; and A control device that controls at least the extruder, the plunger, and the heater and can perform each step of the manufacturing method of the motor core according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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