METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A SEALING DEVICE FOR AN ELECTRIC MOTOR FOR MOTOR ENGINES

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of mounting a sealing device (1) in an electric propulsion motor of an automobile, said device comprising an annular sealing gasket (3) and a ring (4) in two semi-circular parts (4a,4b) provided at their ends with a conduit-shaped housing (6a,6b), said method providing for the use of spacing means (7) comprising two tabs (8a,8b) mounted to slide along each other, two rods (10) projecting respectively from each of said tabs, a latch (11) actuable to lock to prevent said rods from approaching each other below a threshold gap, said method providing for inserting said rods into contiguous housings (6a,6b), spacing said tabs apart, actuating the latches to lock and mounting said device. The invention also relates to a spacing means (7) intended for use in such a process. Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A SEALING DEVICE FOR AN ELECTRIC MOTOR FOR AUTOMOBILE PROPULSION

[0001] The invention relates to a method of mounting a sealing device for an electric motor for the propulsion of a motor vehicle and a means for spacing intended to be used in such a method.

[0002] It is known to mount a sealing device in an electric propulsion motor of a motor vehicle, said device being ring-shaped defining a mounting orifice, said device comprising: - an annular sealing gasket made of elastomeric material, - and a ring made of molded plastic material fitted inside said seal, said ring having a first and a second semi-circular disjointed part held together by said seal receiving them in a fitting, so that said parts are separated from each other by two slots.

[0003] The use of a two-part ring allows, by widening the slots - with concomitant stretching of the seal - to benefit from an enlarged mounting orifice facilitating the mounting of the sealing device in the motor.

[0004] However, in the case of manual assembly of the sealing device, the assembly operation may prove to be not very ergonomic for an assembly operator.

[0005] The invention aims to overcome this drawback.

[0006] To this end, and according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a method for mounting a sealing device in an electric motor for the propulsion of a motor vehicle, said device being ring-shaped defining a mounting orifice, said device comprising: - an annular sealing gasket made of elastomeric material, - and a molded plastic ring fitted inside said seal, said ring having a first and a second semi-circular part that are not joined together and are held together by said seal which receives them in a fitting, so that said parts are separated from each other by two slots, said method providing that said first part is provided at each of its ends with first housings and said second part with second housings, said housings being in the form of conduits, said method further providing for the use of two spacing means, each of said means comprising: - two tabs mounted to slide along each other along a sliding axis, - two stems protruding respectively from each of the said legs, - a locking latch to prevent the rods from coming closer together than a certain threshold gap said process includes the following steps: - insert the said rods of each of the said means into a first and a second contiguous housing, - to separate the said legs of each of the said means from each other and to actuate the said latch in the locking position, in order to widen the corresponding slot, - to mount said device in said engine, - actuate the latches to unlock in order to allow said slots to return to the non-enlarged configuration and to retain said device in said motor, - remove said means from said device to finalize the assembly.

[0007] With such a method, a particularly ergonomic manual assembly of the sealing device is ensured.

[0008] It should also be noted that the elastic nature of the seal allows it to ensure, once retracted after its temporary stretching, the maintenance of the sealing device once mounted.

[0009] According to another aspect, the invention proposes a spacing means intended to be used in such a process, said means comprising: - two legs mounted to slide along each other along a sliding axis, - two stems protruding respectively from each of the said legs, - a latch that can be acted upon to lock the said rods together below a threshold gap.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the legs are based on a metal plate.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the legs are folded at their furthest ends one from the other, so that said ends form gripping zones to actuate said legs by spreading them apart.

[0012] According to one embodiment, a second leg is provided with a light elongated along the sliding axis, a first leg being provided with a finger inserting into said light.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the latch is mounted to rotate around the finger, said latch actuated in lock taking support against a stop provided on the second leg.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the first leg has, in view along the sliding axis, two lateral guide folds along the second leg inserted between said folds.

[0015] The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig. 1] is a partial schematic representation in axial section (i.e. along the X axis of rotation of the motor) of a motor equipped with a sealing device according to one embodiment, - [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective representation of a device sealing during assembly with spacing means according to one embodiment, the mounting orifice being enlarged (A) and not enlarged (B)

[0016] A method for mounting a sealing device 1 in an electric propulsion motor of a motor vehicle is now described with reference to the figures. The device is ring-shaped, defining a mounting orifice 2. The device comprises - a 3-ring sealing gasket made of elastomer material, - and a ring 4 made of molded plastic material fitted inside said seal, said ring having a first 4a and a second 4b semi-circular disjointed parts held against each other by said seal receiving them in a fitting, so that said parts are separated from each other by two slots 5, said method providing that said first part is provided at each of its ends with first housings 6a and said second part with second housings 6b, said housings being in the form of conduits, said method further providing for the use of two spacing means 7, each of said means comprising: - two tabs 8a, 8b mounted to slide along each other along a sliding axis 9, - two stems 10 projecting respectively from each of the said legs, - a latch 11 that can be actuated to lock in order to prevent the said rods from coming closer together than a certain threshold gap, said method comprising the following steps: - insert the said rods of each of the said means into a first 6a and a second 6b contiguous housings, - to separate the said legs of each of the said means from each other and to actuate the said latch in the locking position, in order to widen the corresponding slot 5, - to mount said device in said engine, - actuate the latches 11 in the unlocking position to allow the said slots to return to their non-enlarged configuration and to retain the said device in the said motor, - remove the said means from the said device to finalize the assembly.

[0017] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], such a sealing device 1 is notably mounted in a motor comprising a stator, said stator comprising a sleeve 13 and a plurality of coils of conductive wire mounted inside said sleeve and having a protruding part 14 extending from said sleeve and inscribed in axial view - that is to say along the axis of rotation X of said motor - in a circle, said device fitting said protruding part.

[0018] A spacing means 7 intended for use in such a process is now described, said means comprising: - two legs 8a,8b mounted to slide along each other along a sliding axis 9, - two stems 10 projecting respectively from each of the said legs, - a latch 11 that can be acted upon to lock in order to prevent the said rods from coming closer together below a threshold gap.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the legs 8a,8b are based on a metal plate.

[0020] According to the embodiment shown, the legs 8a,8b are folded at their ends furthest from each other 20a,20b, so that said ends form gripping areas to actuate said legs in spreading apart from each other.

[0021] According to the embodiment shown, a second leg 8b is provided with a light 17 elongated along the sliding axis 9, a first leg 8a being provided with a finger 18 inserted into said light.

[0022] Not shown, the finger 18 may be provided with a means - such as a washer or a nut - ensuring its retention in the light 17.

[0023] According to the embodiment shown, the latch 11 is mounted to rotate around the finger 18, said latch actuated in lock taking support against a stop 12 provided on the second leg 8b.

[0024] According to the embodiment shown, the first leg 8a has, in view along the sliding axis 9, two lateral folds 16 for guidance along the second leg 8b inserted between said folds.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for mounting a sealing device (1) in an electric motor for the propulsion of a motor vehicle, said device being in the form of a ring defining a mounting orifice (2), said device comprising: - an annular sealing gasket (3) based on an elastomeric material, - and a ring (4) made of molded plastic material fitted inside said gasket, said ring having a first (4a) and a second (4b) semi-circular disjointed part held against each other by said gasket receiving them in a press fit, so that said parts are separated from each other by two slots (5), said method providing that said first part is provided at each of its ends with first housings (6a) and said second part with second housings (6b), said housings being in the form of conduits, said method further providing the use of two spacing means (7),Each of said means comprises: - two legs (8a, 8b) mounted to slide along one another along a sliding axis (9), - two rods (10) projecting respectively from each of said legs, - a latch (11) actuable in a locking position to prevent said rods from approaching each other below a threshold gap, said method comprising the following steps: - inserting said rods of each of said means into a first (6a) and a second (6b) contiguous housing, - separating said legs of each of said means from each other and actuating said latch in a locking position, in order to widen the corresponding slot (5), - mounting said device in said motor, - actuating the latches (11) in a unlocking position in order to allow said slots to return to their non-widened configuration and to retain said device in said motor, - removing said means from said device to finalize the assembly.

2. A spacing means (7) intended for use in a process according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: - two legs (8a,8b) mounted to slide along each other along a sliding axis (9) - two rods (10) projecting respectively from each of said legs - a latch (11) actuable to lock to prevent said rods from approaching each other below a threshold gap, - the legs (8a,8b) being folded at their most distant ends (20a,20b) from each other, so that said ends form gripping areas to actuate said legs to move apart from each other.

3. Spacing means (7) according to claim 2, characterized in that the tabs (8a,8b) are based on metal plate.

4. Spacing means (7) according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that a second leg (8b) is provided with a light (17) elongated along the sliding axis (9), a first leg (8a) being provided with a finger (18) inserted into said light.

5. Spacing means (7) according to claim 4, characterized in that the latch (11) is mounted to rotate around the finger (18), said latch actuated in lock taking support against a stop (12) provided on the second leg (8b).

6. Spacing means (7) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the first leg (8a) has, in view along the sliding axis (9), two lateral guide folds (16) along the second leg (8b) inserted between said folds.

Images