Method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine, apparatus for manufacturing the core, and core

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing a core part of a rotary electric machine that prevents contact of electrodeposition coating paint to portions other than a to-be-painted portion of an iron core main body using a masking mechanism, to efficiently carrying out an electrodeposition coating to the iron core main body, thus to improve working efficiency related to formation of an insulated part.SOLUTION: Each elastic body of an end face masking part and a radial direction masking part that compose a masking mechanism 30 for an iron core main body 11 is brought into contact with the iron core main body 11, to seal an opening of a slot 13 in each direction, and the elastic body of the end face masking part and the elastic body of the radial direction masking part are brought into contact with each other, to set a state where no gap in communication with the slot 13 is created between the elastic bodies. A surface facing the slot 13 of the iron core main body 11 is isolated from the outside together with the slot 13 to hold electrodeposition coating paint introduced to the slot 13 on the slot 13, to carry out electrodeposition coating. Therefore, adhesion of the paint to a portion that does not require painting can be prevented, to enable the electrodeposition coating paint to be efficiently used without a loss, thus to reduce a cost related to use of the electrodeposition coating paint.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a core portion in a stator or a rotor of a rotating electrical machine, and particularly to a manufacturing method for disposing an insulating portion on a partial surface of an iron core.

Background Art

[0002] In a stator or a rotor of a rotating electrical machine such as a motor or a generator, a laminated iron core is generally used for a core on which a coil is disposed. The laminated iron core forming this core usually has an annular yoke portion and a plurality of teeth portions protruding from the yoke portion and arranged radially, and the coil is disposed in a wound state on each tooth portion of the laminated iron core. In the laminated iron core, for the purpose of preventing rust and ensuring the insulation state between the laminated iron core and the coil, it was common to dispose an insulating film on the surface of the laminated iron core.

[0003] As a specific method for providing an insulating film on the laminated iron core forming such a conventional core portion, electrodeposition coating is cited as one example. Examples of the method for providing an insulating film by this electrodeposition coating include those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-268738 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-327199.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The conventional electrodeposition coating on the laminated iron core is performed by the methods shown in the above patent documents, and electrodeposition coating is performed on the entire surface of the laminated iron core to form a coating film covering the entire laminated iron core. When an insulating film is provided to ensure insulation from the coils in a laminated iron core, the areas on the laminated iron core where the insulating film should be provided are the areas around the coils on the surface of the laminated iron core, that is, the inner surface of the yoke portion facing the slots and the sides of the teeth portion. Ideally, electrodeposition coating to form the insulating film should be applied only to these areas.

[0006] However, conventional methods involved electrodeposition coating the entire laminated iron core, which resulted in coating areas that did not need to be coated, wasting electrodeposition paint, and in some cases required the extra step of removing some of the coating after painting.

[0007] In contrast, one approach is to apply electrodeposition paint only to the areas of the laminated iron core where an insulating film is required, thereby forming a coating by electrodeposition. In this case, it is necessary to mask the areas that are not to be painted using a masking jig. However, attaching such masking jigs to the laminated iron core is time-consuming and creates a new problem of reduced productivity.

[0008] In particular, when attaching masking jigs to surfaces facing slots in a laminated iron core that are to be painted, multiple masking jigs are required to close the slots from multiple directions, making it difficult to properly position them in a way that prevents paint leakage from the slots.

[0009] Furthermore, during electrodeposition coating, the laminated iron core is in contact with the highly fluid electrodeposition paint. This means that the electrodeposition paint may penetrate into the minute gaps between the thin metal sheets that make up the laminated iron core, potentially leading to an increase in the dimensions of the laminated iron core in the lamination direction, as well as a deterioration in the flatness and straightness of the iron core.

[0010] On the other hand, to prevent the electrodeposited paint from penetrating into the gaps, it is conceivable to attach a pressurizing jig to the laminated iron core that applies pressure in the direction of the lamination to eliminate the gaps between the thin plates. However, in that case, the addition of the pressurizing jig around the laminated iron core would create a problem in which the placement of the mask jig would become even more difficult.

[0011] In addition, since the coating obtained by electrodeposition coating generally hardens to a finished state through heating, if the pressure jigs and masking jigs are attached to the laminated iron core while heating is performed in order to stably maintain the coating after painting, these pressure jigs and masking jigs are also exposed to high temperatures. For this reason, these jigs must have heat resistance, and the limited range of materials that can be used may result in higher costs.

[0012] The present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problems, and aims to provide a method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine, a core manufacturing apparatus to which this core manufacturing method is applied, and a core obtained by this core manufacturing method, which enable efficient electrodeposition coating of the iron core body by preventing contact of electrodeposition paint to areas other than those to be painted on the iron core body with a masking mechanism, thereby improving the work efficiency related to the formation of an insulating part. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine, which involves manufacturing a core that forms part of the rotor or stator of a rotating electric machine by arranging an insulating portion on at least a part of an iron core body formed by laminating a plurality of thin sheets made of magnetic metal material, wherein the method for manufacturing the core includes at least a painting step in which the area to be arranged for the insulating portion on the iron core body is isolated from the area other than the area to be arranged using a predetermined masking mechanism, and the area to be arranged is painted, wherein the iron core body comprises an annular yoke portion and a plurality of teeth portions that protrude from the yoke portion and are arranged radially, the space between the yoke portion and adjacent teeth portions is formed as a slot continuous in the direction of thin sheet lamination, the surface of the yoke portion and teeth portion facing the slot is the area to be arranged for the insulating portion, and the masking mechanism is in contact with both end faces of the iron core body in the direction of thin sheet lamination and the slot The mask mechanism comprises at least two end face mask portions that can close the opening in the thin sheet stacking direction of the slot, and a radial mask portion that contacts one radial end face of the iron core body and can close the radial opening of the slot. The portion of the end face mask portion that contacts the end face of the iron core body, and the portion of the radial mask portion that contacts one radial end face of the iron core body, are made of elastically deformable elastic material. In the painting process, the end face mask portion of the mask mechanism closes the opening in the thin sheet stacking direction of the slot, the radial mask portion closes the radial opening of the slot, and the elastic material of the end face mask portion and the elastic material of the radial mask portion come into contact to isolate the slot from the outside. Then, electrodeposited paint is injected into the slot, and electrodeposition painting is performed by energizing through the iron core body to form a coating that will serve as the insulating portion at the planned installation location.

[0014] As described above, according to the disclosure of the present invention, the elastic bodies of the end face mask portion and the radial mask portion, which form the mask mechanism, are brought into contact with the iron core body that forms the core of the rotating electric machine, closing the openings in each direction of the slots, and bringing the elastic body of the end face mask portion and the elastic body of the radial mask portion into contact so that there are no gaps between the elastic bodies that lead to the slots, thereby completely closing the slots, and isolating the surface of the iron core body facing the slots, which is the planned location for the insulating portion, from the outside along with the slots, so that the electrodeposited paint introduced into the slots is held in the slots without leaking out and electrodeposited coating can be performed, thereby preventing paint from adhering to areas that do not need to be painted, allowing for efficient use of electrodeposited paint without waste, reducing the cost associated with the use of electrodeposited paint, and preventing increased post-treatment effort and maintenance costs due to paint adhering to areas other than the areas to be painted. Furthermore, the masking mechanism allows for easy and rapid isolation of the areas of the iron core to be painted from other parts, enabling the automation of masking work without problems and easily improving productivity. In addition, the masking mechanism can be reused, reducing running costs and environmental impact. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a core manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional diagram illustrating a core manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic plan view of the upper end face mask portion and the pressure jig removed from the core manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the slot closing state by the radial mask portion in a core manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the upper and lower end face mask portion in the core manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged explanatory diagram illustrating the pressing state of the upper end surface of the iron core body by the mask body of the upper end surface mask portion in the core manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]It is an enlarged explanatory view of the pressing state of the inner peripheral surface of the core body by the mask body of the radial mask portion in the core portion manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(a) is a plan view of a core portion obtained by the core portion manufacturing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8(b) is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 8(a). [Figure 9] It is an enlarged explanatory view of the pressing state of the upper end surface of the core body by the mask body of the upper end surface mask portion in the core portion manufacturing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a schematic cross-sectional explanatory view of the core portion manufacturing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is an explanatory view of the slot closing state by the radial mask portion in the core portion manufacturing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] (The First Embodiment of the Present Invention) Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a core portion of a rotating electric machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 8. In this embodiment, an example of a method for manufacturing a core portion that forms a part of a stator in an electric motor as a rotating electric machine will be described.

[0017] In each figure, the core portion manufacturing method according to this embodiment includes at least a painting step of isolating a planned location for disposing the insulating portion 15 in the core body 11 from portions other than the planned location by a predetermined mask mechanism 30 and then painting the planned location. In this painting step, after isolating the slot 13 of the core body 11 from the outside by the mask mechanism 30, an electrodeposition paint is injected into the slot 13, and electrodeposition painting is performed by energization through the core body 11 to form a paint film 81 serving as the insulating portion 15 at the planned location facing the slot 13.

[0018] The core manufacturing apparatus 1 to which the core manufacturing method according to this embodiment is applied performs a painting process in which electrodeposition coating is applied to the surface of the iron core body 11 facing each slot 13 of the iron core body 11, which is in a pressurized state by a pressurizing jig 20, where the insulating portion 15 is to be installed. In detail, the core manufacturing apparatus 1 is configured to include a mask mechanism 30 that isolates the area where the insulating portion 15 is to be installed on the iron core body 11, which is in a pressurized state with the pressurizing jig 20 attached, from other areas, so that the electrodeposition paint 80 can be guided only to this area, and an energizing mechanism 40 that energizes the electrodeposition paint 80 for electrodeposition coating.

[0019] The core portion 10 manufactured by the core portion manufacturing method according to this embodiment comprises an iron core body 11 formed by laminating a plurality of thin plates 11a made of magnetic metal material, and a resin insulating portion 15 provided on a part of the surface of the iron core body 11 (see Figure 8). This core portion 10 has a known structure that forms the stator of a rotating electric machine (motor or generator) by arranging a coil in a wound state, and a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0020] The core body 11 is a laminated core formed by stacking multiple thin sheets 11a made of magnetic metal material. The thin sheets 11a that make up this core body 11 are formed by punching out thin sheet materials made of electromagnetic steel, amorphous alloy, etc.

[0021] The core body 11 comprises an annular yoke portion 11b and a plurality of teeth portions 11c that protrude radially from the inner circumference of the yoke portion 11b. The space between the yoke portion 11b and adjacent teeth portions 11c in the core body 11 is a slot 13 that is continuous in the direction of sheet metal lamination. A central hole 14 is provided in the center of the core body 11, which penetrates in the direction of sheet metal lamination and connects to the slot 13.

[0022] The slots 13 in the iron core body 11 are gaps for installing coils, and are provided at multiple equal intervals, leading to the central hole 14, which is the space where the rotor in the center of the iron core body 11 is installed. It should be noted that not all slots in the iron core body need to be at equal intervals; some may be at different intervals.

[0023] The surfaces of the core body 11 facing each of these slots 13, that is, the inner circumferential surface of the yoke portion 11b and the side surfaces of the teeth portion 11c facing the slots 13, are designated as the locations where the insulating portion 15 will be installed, and the insulating portion 15 will be installed after going through a painting process or the like.

[0024] The insulating portion 15 is an insulating resin film formed by heating and curing a coating film 81 created by electrodeposition coating of electrodeposited paint 80, and is arranged to be tightly and integrally attached to the surface of each slot 13 facing the iron core body 11.

[0025] The electrodeposited coating 80 is a conductive coating liquid for electrodeposition coating, and has a known composition that allows for the deposition of coating film-forming components on the surface of the object to be coated, which forms one of the electrodes, by applying an electric current, thereby forming an insoluble coating film. A detailed explanation is omitted.

[0026] The insulating portion 15 is positioned to fill all the recessed areas between the thin plates 11a that make up the iron core body 11 on the surfaces of the yoke portion 11b and the teeth portion 11c facing the slot 13, and to cover the ends of the thin plates 11a. As a result, the insulating portion 15 ensures the insulation of the surface of the iron core body 11 facing the slot 13 and contributes to strengthening the connection between adjacent laminated thin plates 11a. In addition, the insulating portion 15 also has a rust-preventive effect on the surface of the iron core body 1 that it covers.

[0027] The pressurizing jig 20 comprises two jig plates 21 that contact and press against both end faces of the iron core body 11 in the thin plate lamination direction, and a connecting portion 22 that connects these jig plates 21 and biases the jig plates 21 toward each other, thereby generating a pressing force from the jig plates 21 toward the end faces of the iron core body 11. The pressurizing jig 20 makes it possible to eliminate gaps between the thin plates 11a that make up the iron core body 11 into which the electrodeposited paint 80 can penetrate, by having each jig plate 21 contact both end faces of the iron core body 11 in the thin plate lamination direction, and by clamping and pressing the iron core body 11 with the two jig plates 21 biased by the connecting portion 22.

[0028] The jig plate 21 of this pressurizing jig 20 is provided with a hole 21a through which a part of the mask mechanism 30 penetrates, allowing this part to contact the end face of the thin-plate lamination direction of the iron core body 11, so that the mask mechanism 30 can properly isolate the iron core body 11 from the mask mechanism 30.

[0029] The mask mechanism 30 of the core manufacturing apparatus 1 isolates the surfaces of the core body 11 facing each slot 13, which are the planned locations for the insulating portion 15 in the core body 11, from other parts, so that painting can be performed only on the planned locations.

[0030] Specifically, the mask mechanism 30 comprises an upper end mask portion 31 that contacts the upper end surface of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet stacking direction and can close the upper opening of the slot 13 in the thin sheet stacking direction; a lower end mask portion 32 that contacts the lower end surface of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet stacking direction and can close the lower opening of the slot 13 in the thin sheet stacking direction; and a radial mask portion 33 that contacts one radial end surface of the iron core body 11 and can close the radial opening of the slot 13.

[0031] The upper end mask portion 31, lower end mask portion 32, and radial mask portion 33, which constitute the mask mechanism 30, hold the iron core body 11 and close each slot 13 to the outside, allowing electrodeposited paint 80 to be injected into these slots 13. This ensures that only the surfaces of the iron core body 11 facing each slot 13, where the insulating portion 15 is to be installed, become the target of electrodeposited coating (the object to be coated). As a result, when current is applied to the electrodeposited paint 80 by the energizing mechanism 40, electrodeposited coating can be carried out only on the surfaces of the iron core body 11 facing each slot 13.

[0032] The upper end mask portion 31 and the lower end mask portion 32 clamp the iron core body 11 from both sides in the thin sheet stacking direction, while closing the opening of the slot 13 in the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet stacking direction.

[0033] The upper end face mask portion 31 and the lower end face mask portion 32 are provided with holes of the same diameter as the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11, at positions that overlap with the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11 when the iron core body 11 is being held between them, and the radial mask portion 33 can be placed in these holes.

[0034] In the state where the iron core body 11 is held by these upper end face mask portions 31 and lower end face mask portions 32, the pressing force applied to the upper and lower end faces of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet lamination direction should be smaller than the pressing force applied by the pressurizing jig 20 and of an appropriate size that does not deform any part of the iron core body 11, for example, about the same as the pressure applied when winding the coil onto the teeth portion 11c in a later process.

[0035] The upper end face mask portion 31 is positioned above the core body 11, which has been moved between the upper and lower end face mask portions with the pressurizing jig 20 attached, and together with the lower end face mask portion 32, it clamps the core body 11 together with the pressurizing jig 20, while closing the upper opening of the slot 13 in the core body 11. The upper end face mask portion 31 is configured to include an elastic mask body 31a that abuts the upper end surface of the core body 11 in the thin plate lamination direction, and a hard base plate portion 31b that supports the mask body 31a. The upper end face mask portion 31 is also configured to have liquid passages 31c that communicate with each slot 13 of the core body 11 and allow electrodeposition paint 80 or the like to flow through them.

[0036] The mask body 31a of the upper end surface mask portion 31 is an elastic body made of silicone resin. However, the mask body 31a may also be made of other elastic materials that have excellent shape conformability to minute irregularities and high solvent and chemical resistance, such as fluororesins or urethane resins. The mask body 31a has a downward-facing projection 31d that can be inserted from above into the hole 21a of the pressurizing jig 20, and the projection 31d of the mask body 31a can contact the upper end surface of the iron core body 11 through the hole 21a.

[0037] The protruding portion 31d of the mask body 31a is wider than the slot 13, and can close the upper opening of the slot 13 while contacting the upper end surface of the iron core body 11 around the slot 13. The mask body 31a, including the downward-facing projection 31d, has an inner circumferential surface whose diameter is the same as the inner circumferential surface facing the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11.

[0038] The liquid passage 31c of the upper end face mask portion 31 is provided as a passage that branches into multiple locations within the upper end face mask portion 31. One opening of the passage is provided on the side surface of the upper end face mask portion 31, and the other openings are provided at locations in the upper end face mask portion 31 corresponding to each slot 13 of the iron core body 11, so as to communicate with each slot 13 of the iron core body 11.

[0039] In detail, when the iron core body 11 is sandwiched between the upper end mask portion 31 and the lower end mask portion 32, the other opening of the liquid passage 31c is provided at the portion of each protrusion 31d of the mask body 31a that faces the slot 13. One opening of the liquid passage 31c provided on the side surface of the upper end mask portion 31 serves as a supply port or discharge port for the liquid agent to flow into the slot 13, such as the electrodeposition paint 80.

[0040] The lower end face mask portion 32 is located below the core body 11, which is transported between the upper and lower end face mask portions, and together with the upper end face mask portion 31, it sandwiches the core body 11 and closes the lower opening of the slot 13. The lower end face mask portion 32 is configured to include an elastic mask body 32a that abuts the lower end surface of the core body 11 in the thin plate lamination direction, and a hard substrate portion 32b that supports the mask body 32a. The lower end face mask portion 32 is also configured to be provided with liquid passages 32c that communicate with each slot 13 of the core body 11 and allow electrodeposition paint 80 or the like to flow through them.

[0041] The mask body 32a of the lower end face mask portion 32 is an elastic body made of silicone resin, similar to the upper mask body 31a, but it can also be constructed using other elastic materials. The mask body 32a has an upward-facing projection 32d that can be inserted from below into the hole 21a of the pressurizing jig 20, and this projection 32d of the mask body 32a can contact the lower end surface of the iron core body 11 through the hole 21a.

[0042] The protruding portion 32d of the mask body 32a is wider than the slot 13, and can close the lower opening of the slot 13 while contacting the lower end surface of the iron core body 11 around the slot 13. The mask body 32a, including the upward-facing projection 32d, has an inner circumferential surface whose diameter is the same as the inner circumferential surface facing the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11.

[0043] The liquid passage 32c of the lower end face mask portion 32 is provided as a passage that branches into multiple locations within the lower end face mask portion 32. One opening of the passage is provided on the side surface of the lower end face mask portion 32, and the other openings are provided at locations in the lower end face mask portion 32 corresponding to each slot 13 of the iron core body 11, so as to communicate with each slot 13 of the iron core body 11.

[0044] In detail, when the iron core body 11 is sandwiched between the upper end mask portion 31 and the lower end mask portion 32, the other opening of the liquid passage 32c is provided at the portion of each protrusion 32d of the mask body 32a that faces the slot 13. One opening of the liquid passage 32c provided on the side surface of the lower end mask portion 32 serves as an outlet or supply port for the liquid agent to flow into the slot 13, such as the electrodeposition paint 80.

[0045] The upper and lower end face masks are provided with positioning bodies 35 that, if necessary, engage with protrusions or recesses on the sides to restrain the movement of the iron core body 11 in directions other than the thin-plate lamination direction at each end face mask, and prevent unwanted movements such as lateral displacement of one end face mask relative to the other end face mask.

[0046] The radial mask portion 33 is positioned so that the core body 11 is in contact with the lower end face mask portion 32 and is inserted into the central hole 14 of the core body 11, allowing the radial opening of the slot 13, that is, the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13, to be closed.

[0047] More specifically, the radial mask portion 33 comprises a lifting post portion 33a having a tapered outer peripheral surface and being provided to be vertically movable; a plurality of expandable and contractible moving portions 33b arranged in an annular pattern around the lifting post portion 33a and having inclined surfaces that contact the outer peripheral surface of the lifting post portion 33a; a mask body 33c as an elastic body attached to the side of each expandable and contractible moving portion 33b opposite to the side that contacts the lifting post portion 33a, and capable of contacting the inner peripheral surface of the core body 11 as one radial end surface; and an annular biasing means 33d that biases each expandable and contractible moving portion 33b toward the lifting post portion 33a.

[0048] The lifting post section 33a is made of a rigid material that does not easily deform, such as metal, and is formed with a tapered outer surface. It is configured to be able to move up and down with the tapered side of the outer surface facing downwards.

[0049] The expanding and contracting moving part 33b is made of a hard material, such as hard plastic, that has excellent sliding properties with respect to the material forming the lifting post part 33a, and has an inclined surface formed as a flat or curved surface with the same gradient as the outer surface of the lifting post part 33a. This inclined surface is arranged in an annular pattern on the outside of the lifting post part 33a so as to be in contact with the tapered outer surface of the lifting post part 33a, and in this arrangement, a plurality of mask bodies 33c can be attached to the cylindrical surface portion that is on the outer surface.

[0050] As shown in Figure 3, four expansion / contraction sections 33b are provided on the outside of the lifting post section 33a, but the number of expansion / contraction sections 33b is not limited to this. The more expansion / contraction sections 33b there are, and the fewer slots 13 each expansion / contraction section 33b faces, the more precisely the mask body 33c attached to the expansion / contraction section 33b can be pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11 sandwiching the slots 13, allowing the mask body 33c to close the slots 13 more appropriately. Conversely, reducing the number of expansion / contraction sections 33b simplifies the configuration of the radial mask section 33. For example, considering the balance between the closing performance of the mask body 33c and the simplification of the radial mask section 33, the number of expansion / contraction sections 33b may be set so that each expansion / contraction section 33b corresponds to one to five slots.

[0051] Although the expanding / contracting section 33b is made of a different material from the lifting post section 33a in order to facilitate sliding relative to the lifting post section 33a, it may be made of the same material as the lifting post section 33a as long as appropriate sliding properties can be ensured.

[0052] The expanding / contracting section 33b is made larger than the dimensions of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet lamination direction, and when the radial mask section 33 closes the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13 during the painting process, it is designed to protrude on both sides of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet lamination direction.

[0053] Furthermore, the expanding / contracting section 33b is constrained to move only in the radial direction of the lifting post section 33a, and is biased by the annular biasing means 33d to move toward the lifting post section 33c, maintaining contact with the lifting post section 33c. As a result, when the lifting post section 33a rises or falls, the expanding / contracting section 33b is made movable in either the radial direction of the lifting post section 33a by the amount by which the inclined surface of the expanding / contracting section 33b that is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the lifting post section 33a shifts laterally.

[0054] The mask body 33c is an elastic body made of silicone resin, similar to the mask bodies 31a and 32a of the upper and lower end face mask sections. However, the mask body 33c may also be made of other elastic materials, such as fluororesin or urethane resin. The elastic body forming the mask body 33c is made of a material that is more elastically deformable than the mask bodies 31a and 32a of the upper and lower end face mask sections. For example, the mask body 33c is made of an elastic body made of a material that is more elastically deformable than the mask bodies 31a and 32a. In this case, when the mask body 33c comes into contact with the mask bodies 31a and 32a, they will elastically deform so that they relatively bite into the mask body 33c. It is also possible to make the mask body 33c have the same degree of elastic deformability as the mask bodies 31a and 32a.

[0055] The mask body 33c is attached in such a way that it engages with the portion of the expanding / contracting movement section 33b opposite to the side with the inclined surface, preventing it from easily coming off. It contacts one radial end face of the core body 11, enabling it to close the radial opening of the slot 13. Specifically, the mask body 33 contacts the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11 facing the central hole 14, that is, the inner circumferential surface that forms the tip of the teeth portion 11c that sandwiches the slot 13, enabling it to close the opening of the slot 13 on the central hole side. The portion of the mask body 33c that contacts the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11 is arranged to protrude by a predetermined amount from the outer surface of the expanding / contracting movement section 33b.

[0056] Furthermore, the mask body 33c is formed to be larger than the dimensions of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet lamination direction, and when the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13 is closed during the painting process, it is designed to come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the iron core body 11 and protrude on both sides in the thin sheet lamination direction relative to the iron core body 11 together with the expand / contract move part 33b.

[0057] By arranging the mask body 33c so that it protrudes in the direction of thin-plate lamination of the core body 11, even if there is variation in the lamination thickness of the core body and a slightly thicker-than-usual core body is introduced into the mask mechanism 30, the mask body 33c can be made to contact the inner circumferential surface of the core body over its entire length in the direction of thin-plate lamination without any problems, thereby ensuring that the slot 13 is closed.

[0058] The biasing means 33d is an annular body made of elastic material, which is pre-expanded in diameter and arranged to engage with grooves in the annularly arranged expandable / contractible moving parts 33b. Its elastic restoring force biases the expandable / contractible moving parts 33b toward the lifting / lowering post part 33a, pressing the inclined surface of the expandable / contractible moving parts 33b against the tapered outer surface of the lifting / lowering post part 33a, thereby maintaining this contact state.

[0059] During the painting process, the radial mask section 33 is inserted into the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11. The lifting post section 33a is moved to the tapered side of the outer surface, i.e., downwards, and each expanding / contracting movable section 33b that is in contact with the outer surface is simultaneously shifted toward the inner surface of the iron core body 11. This causes the mask body 33c attached to each expanding / contracting movable section 33b to come into contact with the inner surface of the iron core body 11, thereby closing the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13.

[0060] The mask body 33c and the expanding / contracting moving part 33b, which are larger than the dimensions of the thin plate lamination direction of the iron core body 11, face the inner circumference of the upper end face mask part 31 and the inner circumference of the lower end face mask part 32, respectively, while closing the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13. Of these, the mask body 33c will abut against the inner circumferential surfaces of the mask bodies 31a and 32a of the upper and lower end face mask parts 31 and 32. Furthermore, regarding the portions of these mask bodies 33c and expansion / contraction moving parts 33b that protrude in the direction of thin plate lamination of the iron core body 11, the innermost part of the jig plate 21 of the pressurizing jig 20 has the same diameter as the inner circumferential surface facing the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11, but is positioned so as not to come into contact with these mask bodies 33c and expansion / contraction moving parts 33b, and does not hinder the movement of the upper and lower end face mask portions 31 and 32 of the mask body 33c to come into contact with the respective mask bodies 31a and 32a.

[0061] On the other hand, when the lifting post portion 33a of the radial mask portion 33 is moved upward from the closed state, each expanding / contracting moving portion 33b that is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the lifting post portion 33a becomes able to move closer to the lifting post portion 33a. Each expanding / contracting moving portion 33b, which is biased by the biasing means 33d, simultaneously shifts away from the inner circumferential surface of the iron core body 11, thereby separating the mask body 33c from the inner circumferential surface and the upper and lower end face mask portions 31 and 32a of the iron core body 11, and opening the central hole side of the slot 13.

[0062] With the radial mask portion 33 closing the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13, the pressing force applied to the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11 is set to sufficiently elastically deform the mask body 33c in contact with the inner circumferential surface, so that the fine irregularities on the inner circumferential surface caused by the uneven shapes of the ends of each thin plate 11a forming the inner circumferential surface are filled without gaps, while at the same time not deforming the core body 11 toward the diameter expansion side and not generating residual stress inside the core body 11.

[0063] In this way, by structuring the radial mask section 33 so that each expansion / contraction section 33b moves simultaneously only by the vertical movement of the lifting post section 33a, the simultaneous closing state of the slots 13 by each mask body 33c can be easily and reliably achieved.

[0064] Furthermore, the mask body 33c of the radial mask portion 33 is positioned to protrude outward from the expanding / contracting portion 33b, and sufficient deformation allowance is provided to the mask body 33c before the expanding / contracting portion 33b reaches the position where it contacts the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11. This allows the deformation of the mask body 33c to absorb variations in diameter on the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11 and variations in shape based on geometric tolerances such as the straightness of the inner circumferential surface. This ensures that the mask body 33c is tightly fitted to the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11 without any gaps, and that the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13 is reliably closed.

[0065] In addition, even if there is some play between the lifting post section 33a and the expanding / contracting movement section 33b, this can be absorbed by the deformation of the outwardly protruding mask body 33c, allowing the expanding / contracting movement section 33b and the mask body 33c to move without any problems until the mask body 33c is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the iron core body 11, thereby ensuring that the slot 13 is closed. Furthermore, the radial mask portion is not limited to this configuration, and may be configured in other ways that allow switching between a closed state and an open state relative to the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13.

[0066] The energizing mechanism 40 comprises a connection terminal portion 41 that is electrically connected to the side surface of the iron core body 11 while it is sandwiched between the upper end face mask portion 31 and the lower end face mask portion 32, and an electrode portion 42 that is disposed in the liquid passage 32c of the lower end face mask portion 32 and is in contact with the electrodeposited paint 80 flowing through the liquid passage 32c, enabling it to be energized.

[0067] The connection terminal portion 41 and electrode portion 42, which constitute the energizing mechanism 40, are connected to an external power supply, respectively. By energizing the iron core body 11, which is electrically connected to the connection terminal portion 41, and the electrode portion 42 in the electrodeposition paint 80, electrodeposition painting can be performed on the surface of the iron core body facing the slot 13, which is the object to be painted with the electrodeposition paint 80.

[0068] Next, the painting process according to the core manufacturing method of this embodiment and the obtained core will be described. As a prerequisite, it is assumed that an iron core body 11 has been obtained in advance by laminating multiple thin sheets 11a punched out from thin sheet material using a known manufacturing method. The iron core body 11 is then transported to each process related to the manufacturing of the core part by a predetermined transport mechanism.

[0069] First, the core body 11 is fitted with a pressure jig 20 using a predetermined pressure jig mounting mechanism (not shown) as part of the pressure jig mounting process. The core body 11 is pressed from both sides in the thin sheet stacking direction by two jig plates 21 of the pressure jig 20, so that the thin sheets 11a that make up the core body 11 are in close contact with each other without any gaps.

[0070] When this pressurizing jig 20 is attached, each thin plate 11a that makes up the iron core body 11 is positioned in the circumferential direction. Positioning is performed by aligning the bolt holes, notches, and other positioning reference points provided on each thin plate 11a that makes up the iron core body 11 with positioning pins or other members on the jig side. As a positioning reference on the thin plate 11a side, slots may be used, and if temporary crimping of the thin plates is performed, protrusions that are crimped and then removed, or recesses that are created after these protrusions are removed, may be used. Thus, the iron core body 11, to which the pressure jig 20 has been attached in the pressure jig attachment process, is transferred together with the pressure jig 20 to the next degreasing and cleaning process.

[0071] In the degreasing and cleaning process, the iron core body 11 is injected with a liquid cleaning agent into each slot 13, and the surface facing the slot 13 is degreased and cleaned. Once the degreasing and cleaning is sufficiently complete, the cleaning agent is discharged from the slot 13 and the core is dried. Depending on the type of cleaning agent, after discharge, a rinse with water is performed to completely remove the cleaning agent, and if necessary, air is blown in to remove any remaining moisture.

[0072] Following the degreasing and cleaning process, a neutralizing agent is injected into slot 13 as a pretreatment step to neutralize the effect of the cleaning agent used in the degreasing and cleaning on the surface of the iron core. After the neutralizing agent is discharged from slot 13, a rinse is performed to remove the neutralizing agent and prepare the surface of the iron core for proper electrodeposition coating.

[0073] These degreasing and cleaning steps, as well as the pretreatment steps, are the same as the steps performed on the surface of the object to be coated in known electrodeposition coating, except that the cleaning agent and neutralizing agent used are injected into the slot 13 facing the area to be coated before proceeding with each step, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0074] After the iron core body 11 has undergone the pre-treatment process, the painting process is then carried out. In the painting process, first, the iron core body 11 is placed between the upper end face mask portion 31 and the lower end face mask portion 32 of the mask mechanism 30.

[0075] The core body 11, along with the pressurizing jig 20, is positioned between the upper and lower end face masks of the mask mechanism 30. The protruding portion 31d of the mask body 31a in the upper end face mask portion 31 is inserted through the hole 21a of the jig plate 21 on the upper side of the pressurizing jig 20, and brought into contact with the exposed portion around the slot 13 on the upper end face of the core body 11. Similarly, the protruding portion 32d of the mask body 32a in the lower end face mask portion 32 is inserted through the hole 21a of the jig plate 21 on the lower side of the pressurizing jig 20, and brought into contact with the exposed portion around the slot 13 on the lower end face of the core body 11. As a result, the core body 11 is sandwiched between the upper end face mask portion 31 and the lower end face mask portion 32, and together the openings in the slot 13 of the core body 11 in the thin plate stacking direction are completely closed.

[0076] The iron core body 11, along with the pressurizing jig 20 that pressurizes the iron core body 11, is placed between the upper end face mask portion 31 and the lower end face mask portion 32. When the iron core body 11 is held between these upper and lower end face mask portions, a state is obtained in which the radial mask portion 33 is inserted into the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11.

[0077] Next, the lifting post portion 33a of the radial mask portion 33 inserted into the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11 is lowered, and the expanding / contracting movement portion 33b is moved in a direction toward the inner circumferential surface facing the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11, causing each mask body 33c of the radial mask portion 33 to come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the iron core body 11, thereby closing the opening on the central hole side of the slot 13.

[0078] At this time, the portions of each mask body 33c of the radial mask section 33 that protrude on both sides in the thin-plate lamination direction of the iron core body 11 also come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the mask body 31a of the upper end face mask section 31 and the inner circumferential surface of the mask body 32a of the lower end face mask section 32, and become tightly fitted together without gaps, accompanied by elastic deformation. Here, by making the degree of elastic deformation of the mask body 33c of the radial mask section 33 and the mask body 31a of the upper end face mask section 31 and the mask body 32a of the lower end face mask section 32 different, a state is obtained in which each mask body 31a and 32a elastically deforms so that they relatively bite into the mask body 33c, thereby ensuring a tight fit between the mask bodies and preventing the occurrence of gaps that lead from the slot 13 to the outside.

[0079] Thus, when each mask portion of the mask mechanism is in contact with the surface of the iron core body and the slot 13 is closed, a non-contact portion 31f is created in the mask body 31a of the upper end face mask portion 31 and the mask body 32a of the lower end face mask portion 32, which is adjacent to the portion that contacts the end face in the thin plate lamination direction of the iron core body 11, but does not contact the end face and is positioned to protrude towards the slot 13. The elastic mask bodies 31a and 32a are elastically deformed by the pressing force applied from the mask bodies 31a and 32a to the end face of the iron core body 11, and the non-contact portion 31f of the mask bodies 31a and 32a that face the slot 13 and do not contact the end face of the iron core body 11 protrudes slightly into the slot 13.

[0080] Similarly, in each mask body 33c of the radial mask portion 33, a non-contact portion 33f is created that is adjacent to the portion that contacts the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11, but does not contact the inner circumferential surface and protrudes toward the slot 13 side. The elastic mask body 33c undergoes elastic deformation due to the pressing force applied from the mask body 33c to the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11, and the non-contact portion 33f of the mask body 33c that faces the slot 13 and does not contact the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11 protrudes slightly into the slot 13.

[0081] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, after the coating device 30 closes each slot 13 of the iron core body, the electrodeposited paint 80 is injected into the space closed by the upper end face mask portion 31, the lower end face mask portion 32, and the radial mask portion 33 of the coating device 30, i.e., into the slots 13 of the iron core body 11.

[0082] For injecting the electrodeposition paint 80, an electrodeposition paint supply unit (not shown) is provided outside the painting apparatus 30 and connected to an opening on the side of the upper end face mask portion 31 of the liquid passage 31c. By opening the paint outlet of the electrodeposition paint supply unit, the electrodeposition paint 80 contained in the electrodeposition paint supply unit flows from the electrodeposition paint supply unit through the liquid passage 31c of the upper end face mask portion 31 into the slot 13 of the iron core body 11.

[0083] At this time, the air inside the slot 13 may be drawn in through the liquid passage 32c of the lower end face mask portion 32 to facilitate the inflow of the electrodeposited paint 80 into the slot 13 through the liquid passage 31c of the upper end face mask portion 31, and the arrival of the electrodeposited paint 80 at the liquid passage 32c of the lower end face mask portion 32.

[0084] In addition to the injection of the electrodeposited paint 80 by gravity, the electrodeposited paint 80 contained in the electrodeposited paint supply section can also be forcibly pushed outwards and injected into the slot 13 of the iron core body 11 through the liquid passage 31c of the upper end face mask section 31.

[0085] When injecting the electrodeposited paint 80, a predetermined load is applied to the iron core body 11 in the direction of the thin plate stacking using the pressurizing jig 20, so that the electrodeposited paint 80 does not leak between each thin plate 11a that make up the iron core body 11.

[0086] Furthermore, the mask bodies 31a, 32a, and 33c of each mask section that closes the slot 13 are subjected to a pressing force that causes them to elastically deform while maintaining close contact with the surface of the iron core body 11, so that there is no gap between the iron core body 11 and each mask body 31a, 32a, and 33c, and the electrodeposited paint 80 does not leak out.

[0087] The slot 13 facing the surface of the iron core body 11, where the insulating section 15 is to be installed, is a sufficiently large space for the flow of the injected electrodeposition paint 80, so that the fluidity of the electrodeposition paint 80 is not impaired, and the electrodeposition paint 80 can be spread smoothly and uniformly throughout the entire slot 13.

[0088] Once the slot 13 is filled with the electrodeposition paint 80 and the electrodeposition paint 80 reaches the liquid passage 32c of the lower end face mask portion 32 where the electrode portion 42 is located, and the injection of the electrodeposition paint 80 is complete, a voltage is applied to the connection terminal portion 41 and the electrode portion 42 of the energizing mechanism 40 to energize the electrodeposition paint 80 in the slot 13 and perform electrodeposition coating.

[0089] In electrodeposition coating, when an electric current is passed through the electrodeposition paint 80, charged paint particles (pigments, resin components) are deposited on the surface of the iron core body 11 facing the slot 13, which forms one of the electrodes, and an insoluble coating film 81 is formed.

[0090] At the ends of the iron core body 11 facing the slot 13 in the thin sheet lamination direction, the non-contact portions 31f of each mask body 31a, 32a that are elastically deformed in contact with the end face of the iron core body 11 protrude slightly into the slot 13. As a result, the edges of the coating film 81 produced by electrodeposition coating have a roughly chamfered shape that follows the shape of the non-contact portions 31f of these mask bodies 31a, 32a (see Figure 6).

[0091] Similarly, at the end of the surface of the core body 11 facing the slot 13 that is on the side of the central hole 14, the non-contact portion 33f of the mask body 33c, which is elastically deformed in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the core body 11, protrudes slightly into the slot 13. As a result, the edges of the coating film 81 produced by electrodeposition coating take on a roughly chamfered shape that follows the shape of the non-contact portion 33f of the mask body 33c (see Figure 7).

[0092] Once the coating film 81 that will form the insulating portion 15 is sufficiently formed by this electrodeposition coating, the electrodeposited paint 80 remaining in the slot 13 is drained out through the liquid passage 32a of the lower end face mask portion 32. After draining the electrodeposited paint 80, water is injected into the slot 13 to wash it and remove any excess paint. The remaining electrodeposited paint removed from the slot 13 is subjected to post-processing such as separation and recovery of paint components and water as needed.

[0093] In the mask mechanism 30, the radial mask portion 33 is inserted into the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11 from below, but this is not the only configuration. For example, the radial mask portion can be positioned on the upper end face mask portion 31 side, and the radial mask portion can be inserted into the central hole 14 of the iron core body 11 from above. Furthermore, the injection direction of the electrodeposited paint 80 is not limited to injection from above; the electrodeposited paint 80 may also be injected into the slot 13 of the iron core body 11 from below.

[0094] After rinsing the slot 13 with water, the lifting post portion 33a of the radial mask portion 33 is raised and the expanding / contracting movement portion 33b is moved away from the inner circumferential surface of the iron core body, separating the mask body 33c of the radial mask portion 33 from the inner circumferential surface of the iron core body and opening the slot 13. Furthermore, by raising the upper end face mask portion 31 or lowering the lower end face mask portion 32, the slot 13 is also opened from the blockage in the thin plate lamination direction caused by the upper end face mask portion 31 and the lower end face mask portion 32, and the painting process is completed. The iron core body 11 with the painted film 81 is separated from the lower end face mask portion 32 and the radial mask portion 33 is removed from the central hole 14, and together with the pressurizing jig 20, it is transported from between the upper and lower end face mask portions and transferred to the next heat curing process.

[0095] In the heat curing process, the iron core body 11 is held in a heated furnace for a predetermined time to cure the coating film 81. Once the coating 81 has hardened and the insulating portion 15 is obtained, the core portion 10 is completed by integrating the insulating portion 15 with the surface of the iron core body 11 facing each slot 13.

[0096] After the heat curing process, once the core 10 and the pressure jig 20 have cooled sufficiently to a level where they can be handled, the pressure jig 20 is removed from the core 10. The core section 10, from which the pressurizing jig 20 has been removed, is supplied to subsequent processes such as coil placement.

[0097] Next, the core obtained by the core manufacturing method according to this embodiment will be described. In the core portion 10, an insulating portion 15 is formed on the surface facing the slot 13 of the iron core body 11 by electrodeposition coating during the painting process. The iron core body 11 that constitutes this core portion 10 is pressed in the direction of thin plate stacking by a pressure jig 20 during the painting process, so that there are no gaps between the stacked thin plates 11a. Therefore, even if electrodeposition paint 80 is introduced into the slot 13, the electrodeposition paint 80 does not leak between the thin plates 11a that make up the iron core body 11, and no coating film is formed between the thin plates 11a.

[0098] Therefore, even when the coating 81 is cured to obtain the insulating portion 15, no hardened coating material is formed between the thin plates 11a, thus avoiding an increase in the dimensions in the thin plate stacking direction in the core portion 10, as well as deterioration of the flatness and straightness of the iron core body 11.

[0099] Furthermore, in the painting process, the edges of the coating film 81 produced by electrodeposition coating in the thin sheet lamination direction have a roughly chamfered shape that follows the shape of the non-contact portion 31f in the mask bodies 31a and 32a of the upper and lower end face mask portions. In addition, the edge of the coating film 81 on the side of the central hole 14 has a roughly chamfered shape that follows the shape of the non-contact portion 33f in the mask body 33c of the radial mask portion 33.

[0100] As a result, the edges of the insulating portion 15 obtained by curing the coating film 81 also take on a similar roughly chamfered shape, and the corners facing the slot 13 have a gentle, chamfered angle, making it less likely for a part of it to chip off and fall off when subjected to external force. Consequently, it is possible to prevent such foreign matter from breaking off in a later process, adhering to the core portion 10 as foreign matter, and remaining attached until the core portion 10 is assembled into the rotating electric machine, which could cause bearing seizure or coil insulation failure in the rotating electric machine.

[0101] As described above, the manufacturing method for the core of the rotating electric machine according to this embodiment involves bringing the mask bodies 31a, 32a, and 33c of the upper and lower end face mask portions 31 and 32 and the radial mask portion 33, which form the mask mechanism 30, into contact with the iron core body 11, thereby closing the openings in each direction of the slot 13, and also bringing the mask bodies 31a, 32a of the upper and lower end face mask portions 31 and 32 into contact with the mask body 33c of the radial mask portion 33, so that there are no gaps between the mask bodies 31a, 32a, and 33c that lead to the slot 13, thereby completely closing the slot 13. By sealing the surface of the core body 11 facing the slot 13 where the insulating section 15 is to be installed, and isolating it from the outside along with the slot 13, the electrodeposition paint 80 introduced into the slot 13 is held in the slot 13 without leaking out, allowing electrodeposition coating to be performed. This prevents the electrodeposition paint 80 from adhering to areas that do not need to be painted, allowing the electrodeposition paint 80 to be used efficiently without waste, reducing the cost associated with using the electrodeposition paint 80, and preventing increased post-treatment effort and maintenance costs due to paint adhering to areas other than the target area. Furthermore, the mask mechanism 30 allows for easy and quick isolation of the area to be painted on the core body 11 from other areas, enabling automation of the masking process without problems and easily improving productivity. In addition, the mask mechanism 30 can be reused, reducing running costs and environmental impact.

[0102] In the manufacturing method for the core of a rotating electric machine according to this embodiment, the mask mechanism 30 is used only for masking in the painting process. However, the mask mechanism is not limited to this, and can also be used to introduce liquid agents only to desired locations in degreasing and cleaning processes or pretreatment processes prior to the painting process. In this case, separate mask mechanisms may be used for each of the degreasing and cleaning, water washing, and electrodeposition painting processes to perform the process only on the areas to be painted, or a single mask mechanism may be used to perform each process by changing the liquid agent.

[0103] Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine according to this embodiment, although the handling of the core body 11 obtained by laminating a plurality of thin plates 11a punched out from thin sheet material until the pressure jig 20 is attached in the pressure jig attachment process is not specifically described, the thin plates that make up the core body can also be connected by so-called temporary crimping, where the thin plates are connected to each other by crimping at a plurality of protrusions that protrude from the main body portion of the thin plate that makes up the core body, and supplied to the pressure jig attachment process in a state where it can be handled as a single unit.

[0104] In this case, after the pressure jig is attached to the core body during the pressure jig attachment process, the protruding parts can be detached and removed from the core body, and the core body will not be affected by deformation due to crimping. Although the removal of these protruding parts from the core body can also be done after the painting process, it is difficult to achieve high precision in the lamination of the thin sheets connected by temporary crimping, so if the laminated state of the thin sheets is fixed by the paint film after the painting process, there is a risk that the core body will be fixed in an undesirable laminated state. Therefore, it is preferable to remove the protruding parts from the core body after the pressure jig is attached to the core body during the pressure jig attachment process.

[0105] (Second embodiment of the present invention) In the core manufacturing method according to the first embodiment, the mask body 31a, which is the elastic body of the upper end face mask portion 31, and the mask body 32a, which is the elastic body of the lower end face mask portion 32, are formed so that when they are brought into contact with the end face of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet lamination direction during the painting process, the portions of the mask bodies 31a and 32a that come into contact with the end face of the iron core body 11 continue to make contact up to the corner facing the slot 13 on the end face. However, the method is not limited to this, and in the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, the mask body 31a, which is the elastic body of the upper end face mask portion 31, and the mask body 32a, which is the elastic body of the lower end face mask portion 32, have a contact portion 31g formed on the part facing the end face of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet lamination direction, located distal to the slot 13 and in contact with the end face, while the part proximal to the slot 13 is a non-contact region 31h that does not come into contact with the end face.

[0106] In this case, during the painting process, the contact portion 31g of the mask bodies 31a and 32a contacts the end face of the iron core body 11 in the thin sheet lamination direction, while the mask bodies 31a and 32a are separated from the end face in the non-contact region 31h. This allows the electrodeposited paint 80 to come into contact with the end face that overlaps with the non-contact region 31h, resulting in the end of the electrodeposited coating film 81 in the thin sheet lamination direction protruding by a predetermined amount along the end face that overlaps with the non-contact region 31h.

[0107] As a result, the coating 81 can be continuously formed on the surface facing the slot 13 from the end face side in the thin plate lamination direction of the iron core body 11, and the insulating film obtained by curing the coating 81 will have the same shape, making the bonding of the thin plates 11a forming the teeth portion 11c in the lamination direction stronger with the insulating film, preventing peeling in the teeth portion 11c in subsequent processes, thereby improving the quality stability of the core and reducing the frequency of defects.

[0108] (Third embodiment of the present invention) In the core manufacturing methods according to the first and second embodiments, the manufactured core 10 is configured to be part of the stator in an inner rotor structure where the central hole 14 in the center of the iron core body 11 is the rotor mounting position. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and can also be part of the stator in an outer rotor structure. In addition, the core can be configured to be the core of a wound-type rotor, not just a stator. Of these, the case of manufacturing the core portion, which is part of the stator in the outer rotor structure, will be described as a core portion manufacturing method according to the third embodiment, based on Figures 10 and 11.

[0109] The core manufacturing method according to this embodiment corresponds to a configuration in which the teeth portion 12c of the core body 12 protrudes outward and the opening of the slot 16 in the radial direction of the core body 12 is provided facing outward in the radial direction of the core body 12. In the painting process, the radial mask portion 38 of the mask mechanism 35 is brought into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the core body 12, which is one radial end face, thereby isolating the slot 16 from the outside and enabling electrodeposition painting.

[0110] The core manufacturing apparatus 1 to which the core manufacturing method according to this embodiment is applied includes a mask mechanism 35 having an upper end face mask portion 36, a lower end face mask portion 37, and a radial mask portion 38, similar to the first embodiment. However, it differs in that the radial mask portion 38 of the mask mechanism 35 is positioned radially outward from the core body 12.

[0111] The radial mask portion 38 comprises an annular lifting post portion 38a having a tapered inner circumferential surface and provided to be vertically movable; a plurality of expandable and contractible movable portions 38b arranged in an annular pattern along the inner circumference of the lifting post portion 38a and having inclined surfaces that contact the inner circumferential surface of the lifting post portion 38a; a mask body 38c attached to the side of each expandable and contractible movable portion 38b opposite to the side that contacts the lifting post portion 38a and capable of contacting the outer circumferential surface of the iron core body 11; and an annular biasing means 38d that biases each expandable and contractible movable portion 38b toward the lifting post portion 38a, thereby enabling the closing of the radial opening of the slot 16 in the iron core body 12.

[0112] The expanding and contracting portion 38b and the mask body 38c of the radial mask portion 38 are made larger than the dimensions of the iron core body 12 in the thin sheet lamination direction, so that when the radial mask portion 38 closes the radial opening of the slot 16 during the painting process, it protrudes from the iron core body 12 on both sides in the thin sheet lamination direction.

[0113] In the painting process, the lifting post portion 38a of the radial mask portion 38 surrounding the iron core body 12 is lowered, and the expanding and contracting movement portion 38b is moved in a direction that approaches the outer surface of the iron core body 12, so that each mask body 38c comes into contact with the outer surface of the iron core body 12 and closes the radial opening of the slot 16. In this case, the upper end face mask portion 36 and the lower end face mask portion 37 of the mask mechanism 35 have the same diameter as the outer surface of the core body 12 (see Figure 10). As a result, the portions of each mask body 38c of the radial mask portion 38 that protrude on both sides in the thin plate lamination direction of the core body 12 come into contact with the outer surface of the upper end face mask portion 36 and the outer surface of the lower end face mask portion 37, and are tightly fitted together without gaps with elastic deformation. This prevents the formation of gaps that lead from the slot 16 to the outside, similar to the first embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 1. Core manufacturing equipment 10 Core section 11, 12 Iron core body 11a thin plate 11b Yoke section 11c, 12c Teeth section 13, 16 slots 14 Center hole 15 Insulation part 20 Pressurizing fixture 21 Jig plate 21a hole 22 Connecting part 30, 35 Mask mechanism 31, 36 Upper end face mask portion 31a, 32a Mask body 31b, 32b board part 31c, 32c liquid passage 31d, 32d protrusion 31f, 33f Non-contact part 31g contact part 31h Non-contact area 32, 37 Lower end face mask section 33, 38 Radial mask section 33a, 38a Lifting post section 33b, 38b Expansion / contraction movement section 33c, 38c Mask Body 33d, 38d Biasing means 34 Positioning body 40 Energizing mechanism 41 Connection terminal section 42 Electrode section 80 Electrodeposition paint 81 Coating film

Claims

1. In a method for manufacturing a core, which forms part of the rotor or stator of a rotating electric machine, an insulating portion is provided on at least a portion of an iron core body formed by laminating multiple thin sheets of magnetic metal material, The process includes at least a painting step in which the area where the insulating portion is to be installed in the iron core body is isolated from the area other than the area where the insulating portion is to be installed using a predetermined masking mechanism, and then the area where the insulating portion is to be installed is painted. The iron core body comprises an annular yoke portion and a plurality of teeth portions that protrude from the yoke portion and are arranged radially, and the spaces between the yoke portion and adjacent teeth portions are continuous slots in the direction of thin plate lamination. The surfaces of the yoke portion and the teeth portion facing the slot are designated as the planned locations for the insulating portion. The mask mechanism comprises at least two end face mask portions that contact both end faces of the iron core body in the thin sheet stacking direction and can close the opening of the slot in the thin sheet stacking direction, and a radial mask portion that contacts one end face of the iron core body in the radial direction and can close the opening of the slot in the radial direction. The portion of the end face mask portion that contacts the end face of the core body, and the portion of the radial mask portion that contacts one radial end face of the core body, are made of an elastically deformable elastic body. In the painting process, the end face mask portion of the mask mechanism closes the opening of the slot in the thin sheet stacking direction, the radial mask portion closes the opening of the slot in the radial direction, and the elastic body of the end face mask portion and the elastic body of the radial mask portion come into contact to isolate the slot from the outside. Then, electrodeposition paint is injected into the slot, and electrodeposition painting is performed by energizing the iron core body to form a coating film that will serve as the insulating part at the planned installation location. A key feature is the manufacturing method of the core.

2. In the method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine according to claim 1, The iron core body is painted through the painting process while being pressed in the thin plate lamination direction by a predetermined pressure jig, The pressurizing jig is positioned such that it does not cover the contact points of the elastic body at least in the end face mask portion of the mask mechanism of the iron core body, and does not come into contact with the elastic body in the radial mask portion. A manufacturing method for the core of a rotating electric machine, which is a key feature.

3. In the method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine according to claim 1 or 2, In the mask mechanism, the elastic body of the end face mask portion and the elastic body of the radial mask portion are made of materials that have different degrees of elastic deformation. When the elastic body of the end face mask portion and the elastic body of the radial mask portion come into contact during the painting process, each elastic body undergoes elastic deformation such that it bites into the other relative to one another. A manufacturing method for the core of a rotating electric machine, which is a key feature.

4. In the method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The radial mask portion of the mask mechanism is formed to be larger than the dimension of the thin plate stacking direction of the iron core body. In the painting process, when the radial mask portion of the mask mechanism closes the radial opening of the slot, the elastic body of the radial mask portion is in contact with one radial end face of the core body while protruding from the core body on both sides in the thin sheet lamination direction. A manufacturing method for the core of a rotating electric machine, which is a key feature.

5. In the method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The radial mask portion of the mask mechanism is A lifting post section having a tapered outer or inner circumferential surface and provided to be vertically movable, A plurality of expanding and contracting moving parts are arranged in a ring shape along the outer or inner circumferential surface of the lifting post section, and each part has an inclined surface that is in contact with the outer or inner circumferential surface. The mask body, which is an elastic body, is attached to the side of the expanding / contracting moving part opposite to the side with the inclined surface, and is capable of contacting one end face in the radial direction of the iron core body, The system includes a biasing means that biases the expanding / contracting moving part toward the lifting post part, The mask body is arranged so as to protrude by a predetermined amount from the portion of the expanding / contracting movement section that faces one radial end face of the iron core body. In the painting process, the radial mask portion is positioned opposite one radial end face of the core body, the lifting post portion is moved toward the tapered side of the outer or inner circumferential surface, and the expanding / contracting moving portion in contact with the outer or inner circumferential surface is moved toward one radial end face of the core body, thereby bringing the mask body into contact with one radial end face of the core body and closing the radial opening of the slot. A manufacturing method for the core of a rotating electric machine, which is a key feature.

6. In the method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The elastic body in at least one of the end face mask portion and the radial mask portion of the mask mechanism has a non-contact portion that is adjacent to the portion that contacts the surface of the iron core body, but does not contact the surface of the iron core body and extends outwards towards the slot side. In the aforementioned painting process, when the elastic body comes into contact with the surface of the iron core body, the non-contact portion of the elastic body, which elastically deforms in response to the pressure on the surface of the iron core body, protrudes into the slot, and the edge of the electrodeposited coating film is formed into a substantially chamfered shape that conforms to the shape of the protruding non-contact portion. A manufacturing method for the core of a rotating electric machine, which is a key feature.

7. In the method for manufacturing the core of a rotating electric machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, In the end face mask portion of the mask mechanism, the elastic body has a contact portion formed on the part facing the end face in the thin plate lamination direction of the iron core body, located distal to the slot and in contact with the end face, while the proximal side to the slot is a non-contact region that does not contact the end face. In the aforementioned painting process, the contact portion of the elastic body contacts the end face of the iron core body in the thin sheet lamination direction, while in the non-contact region the elastic body is separated from the end face, allowing the electrodeposited paint to come into contact with the end face that overlaps with the non-contact region, and the end of the electrodeposited paint film in the thin sheet lamination direction protrudes by a predetermined amount along the end face that overlaps with the non-contact region. A manufacturing method for the core of a rotating electric machine, which is a key feature.

8. In a core manufacturing apparatus for producing a core that forms part of the rotor or stator of a rotating electric machine, an insulating portion is provided on at least a portion of an iron core body formed by laminating multiple thin sheets of magnetic metal material, The iron core body is equipped with a masking mechanism that isolates the planned location for the insulating portion from the portion other than the planned location. The iron core body comprises an annular yoke portion and a plurality of teeth portions that protrude from the yoke portion and are arranged radially, and the spaces between the yoke portion and adjacent teeth portions are continuous slots in the direction of thin plate lamination of the iron core body. The surfaces of the yoke portion and the teeth portion facing the slot are designated as the planned locations for the insulating portion. The mask mechanism comprises at least two end face mask portions that contact both end faces of the iron core body in the thin sheet stacking direction and can close the opening of the slot in the thin sheet stacking direction, and a radial mask portion that contacts one end face of the iron core body in the radial direction and can close the opening of the slot in the radial direction. The portion of the end face mask portion that contacts the end face of the core body, and the portion of the radial mask portion that contacts one radial end face of the core body, are made of an elastically deformable elastic body. The mask mechanism closes the opening of the slot in the thin sheet stacking direction with the end face mask portion, closes the radial opening of the slot with the radial mask portion, and isolates the slot and the planned placement location facing the slot from the outside by bringing the elastic body of the end face mask portion and the elastic body of the radial mask portion into contact. A manufacturing device for the core components of rotating electric machines.

9. In a core portion that forms part of the rotor or stator of a rotating electric machine, the core body is formed by laminating multiple thin sheets of magnetic metal material, and an insulating portion is provided on at least a part of the core body, The iron core body comprises an annular yoke portion and a plurality of teeth portions that protrude from the yoke portion and are arranged radially, and the spaces between the yoke portion and adjacent teeth portions are continuous slots in the direction of thin plate lamination. The surfaces of the yoke portion and the teeth portion facing the slot are designated as the planned locations for the insulating portion. The insulating portion is formed of a coating film provided by electrodeposition coating, The inner diameter end of the insulating portion is formed in a substantially chamfered shape. The aforementioned substantially chamfered shape is formed inside the slot. The core of the rotating electric machine is a distinctive feature.

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