Laminate manufacturing apparatus and laminate manufacturing method

Abstract

A laminate manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a squeeze part capable of conveying an iron core member in a downward direction; a conveyor that has a placement surface supporting a portion of one surface of the iron core member fed from the squeeze part, and can convey, in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction of the iron core member in the squeeze part, an iron core member placed on the placement surface and another iron core member stacked on that iron core member; and a first positioning mechanism including a movable member capable of moving between a restriction position protruding further to the side where the iron core member is placed than the placement surface of the conveyor, and a release position set back from the placement surface toward the side opposite the side at which the iron core member is placed. The movable member is disposed in a non-support area in which the conveyor does not support the iron core member.

Description

LAMINATE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS AND LAMINATE MANUFACTURING METHOD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a laminate manufacturing apparatus and a laminate manufacturing method.

[0002] BACKGROUND ART In order to obtain a motor core (a general term for a rotor core or a stator core) used in a motor mounted on an electric vehicle or the like, it has been conventional to manufacture a laminated body by stacking a plurality of core members.

[0003] JP 2019-118169 A describes the use of a plate stacking device to manufacture laminations that form stator cores. This plate stacking device is equipped with a sensor that detects the passage of plates conveyed from a cylinder serving as a conveying path, and a cutting mechanism that supports the plates, which are located near the exit of the cylinder. Based on the detection results of this sensor, the cutting mechanism is caused to protrude onto the plate conveying path at the appropriate time to stop the conveyance of the plates, thereby controlling the number and timing of plates supplied to the jig.

[0004] As in JP 2019-118169 A, if the timing of the protrusion of the separating mechanism is determined solely based on the detection results of a sensor that detects the passage of a plate discharged from the cylinder, the time from detecting the passage of the plate to completing the operation of the separating mechanism becomes extremely short when the plate discharge speed from the cylinder is relatively fast. Therefore, the actuators and sensors of the separating mechanism, as well as their control devices, require fast response speeds, making their control more difficult. Furthermore, if the operating speed of the separating mechanism decreases due to, for example, aging of the actuator of the separating mechanism, the plate whose transport should be stopped may arrive before the operation of the separating mechanism is completed. This phenomenon can cause problems such as the inability to stop the transport of the plate. Furthermore, in order to operate the separating mechanism accurately, it becomes necessary to frequently check the aging of the actuator of the separating mechanism, which increases the frequency of maintenance.

[0005] In addition, the device disclosed in JP 2019-118169 A employs a structure in which a jig receives the plate being conveyed out of the cylinder. Such jigs generally have different shapes to match the shape of the plate being conveyed out. Furthermore, when it is desired to continuously manufacture the same laminate, it is preferable to prepare multiple jigs of the same shape to facilitate jig replacement work, etc. Therefore, when using the device disclosed in JP 2019-118169 A to manufacture various laminates, it may be necessary to prepare multiple types of jigs with different shapes.

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure relates to providing a laminate manufacturing apparatus and a laminate manufacturing method that can accurately and efficiently stack iron core members without requiring special equipment, multiple jigs, etc.

[0007] A laminate manufacturing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present disclosure comprises a squeezer capable of transporting an iron core member downward, a conveyor having a loading surface that supports a portion of one side of the iron core member emerging from the squeezer, and capable of transporting the iron core member placed on the loading surface and the iron core members stacked on top of the iron core member in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the iron core member in the squeezer, and a first positioning mechanism including a movable member that can move between a restricting position that protrudes beyond the loading surface of the conveyor on the side where the iron core member is placed, and a release position that retracts from the loading surface to the side opposite the side where the iron core member is placed, the movable member being positioned in a non-support area where the conveyor does not support the iron core member.

[0008] With this configuration, the movable member protruding to the limiting position can align the stacked core members supported by the conveyor in the circumferential direction of the core members.

[0009] Furthermore, as a laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to a second aspect of the present disclosure, in the laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the movable members may be arranged on both sides of the conveyor in the width direction.

[0010] With this configuration, the stacked core members supported by the conveyor can be aligned more accurately in the circumferential direction of the core members by the use of the plurality of movable members spaced apart in the width direction.

[0011] Furthermore, as a laminate manufacturing apparatus according to a third aspect of the present disclosure, in the laminate manufacturing apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the present disclosure, the conveyor may have a first conveyor and a second conveyor that are spaced apart in the width direction of the conveyor and move synchronously with each other, and the movable member may include a first movable member and a second movable member that are arranged at an interval in the conveying direction of the conveyor between the first conveyor and the second conveyor.

[0012] With this configuration, the movable member is disposed between the two conveyors, so that the size of the device in the width direction can be prevented from increasing.

[0013] Furthermore, as a laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in a laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to any one of the first to third aspects of the present disclosure, the movable member may be positioned upstream of the conveyor in the conveying direction of the conveyor.

[0014] With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the width of the device from increasing without dividing the conveyor.

[0015] Furthermore, as a laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, in a laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present disclosure, the movable member may pass through a through hole formed inside the iron core member supported by the conveyor when in the restricted position.

[0016] With this configuration, the through holes formed inside the core members can be used to align the stacked core members in the circumferential direction.

[0017] Furthermore, as a laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, in the laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present disclosure, the core member may be a stator core member, and the movable member, when in the restricted position, may pass through a slot formed between adjacent teeth of the stator core member supported by the conveyor.

[0018] With this configuration, the slots formed inside the stator core members can be used to align the stacked stator core members in the circumferential direction.

[0019] Furthermore, as a laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, in the laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present disclosure, the iron core member may be a rotor core member, and the movable member, when in the restricted position, may extend along a key formed on the rotor core member supported by the conveyor.

[0020] With this configuration, the keys formed on the rotor core members can be used to align the stacked rotor core members in the circumferential direction.

[0021] Furthermore, as a laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, in the laminate manufacturing apparatus relating to any one of the first to seventh aspects of the present disclosure, a second positioning mechanism may be provided that positions the outer periphery of the iron core member supported by the conveyor.

[0022] With this configuration, the planar positions of the stacked core members supported by the conveyor can be aligned more accurately.

[0023] Furthermore, a method for manufacturing a laminate according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a laminate in which a plurality of the iron core members are stacked using a laminate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of the first to eighth aspects of the present disclosure, and includes the steps of: moving the movable member to the limiting position; supplying the iron core members coming out of the squeeze onto the loading surface of the conveyor while passing the movable member through a through hole formed inside the iron core members; stacking the iron core members coming out of the squeeze onto the iron core members supported on the loading surface while passing the movable member through the through hole; moving the movable member to the release position after a predetermined number of the iron core members have been stacked on the conveyor; and moving the conveyor after moving the movable member to the release position.

[0024] With this configuration, a laminate can be obtained in which a plurality of core members are stacked and aligned in the circumferential direction.

[0025] According to the present disclosure, the movable member in the protruding state at the limiting position can align the stacked core members supported by the conveyor in the circumferential direction of the core members.

[0026] 1. A longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a laminate manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment. A plan view showing an example of a locking core member supplied to the laminate manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment. A plan view showing an example of a non-locking core member supplied to the laminate manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment. A schematic sectional view taken along line D-D in FIG. 1. A schematic sectional view taken along line G-G in FIG. 1. A plan view of the periphery of a conveyor provided in the laminate manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment. A flowchart showing an example of a laminate manufacturing procedure. A plan view of the periphery of a conveyor provided in the laminate manufacturing apparatus according to a modified example of the first embodiment. A longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a laminate manufacturing apparatus according to a second embodiment. A plan view of the periphery of a conveyor provided in the laminate manufacturing apparatus according to the second embodiment. A plan view showing pins according to a first modified example that can be substituted for pins provided in the laminate manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment. A plan view showing pins according to a second modified example. A plan view showing pins according to a third modified example that are suitable for application to rotor core members.

[0027] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-135062, filed on August 22, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description. Further scope of application of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. However, the detailed description and specific examples are preferred embodiments of the present invention and are described for illustrative purposes only. From this detailed description, various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The applicant does not intend to dedicate any of the described embodiments to the public, and disclosed modifications and alternatives that may not literally fall within the scope of the claims are considered part of the invention under the doctrine of equivalents.

[0028] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or similar reference numerals are used to designate identical or corresponding components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0029] First Embodiment First, a laminate manufacturing apparatus 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "manufacturing apparatus 1") according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 1. The manufacturing apparatus 1 is an apparatus that punches out iron core members from a strip-shaped steel plate 5 to manufacture a laminate in which a plurality of iron core members are stacked. Here, prior to describing the manufacturing apparatus 1, a brief description will be given of the iron core members that make up the laminate.

[0030] In this embodiment, the laminated core members may be stacked in multiple layers to form a block core. This block core may be used alone or in multiple layers to form a motor core (or iron core), such as a stator core (or stator core) for an inner rotor type rotating electric machine. In this disclosure, the term "laminated body" refers to a body made up of multiple iron core members simply stacked together. A "motor core" is a combination of these laminated bodies joined by welding or other techniques, distinguishing between the two. The motor core described above may be either a segmented stator core or a non-segmented stator core, or may form a rotor core (or rotor core) instead of a stator core. In this embodiment, there are two types of core members: a locking core member 10 and a non-locking core member 20. The locking core member 10 is a core member having locking pieces at multiple locations on its outer circumferential surface. The non-locking core member 20 is a core member that does not have the locking pieces that the locking core member 10 has. The configurations of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 will be described below.

[0031] 2 is a plan view showing an example of locking core member 10. Locking core member 10 can include an annular yoke 11 having a through hole formed in its center in which a rotor core can be disposed, teeth 12 that are generally T-shaped in plan view and provided on the inner periphery of yoke 11 so as to protrude toward the center of yoke 11, and locking pieces 13 that are protrusions protruding outward from the outer periphery of yoke 11. Furthermore, locking core member 10 can be formed from a single plate-shaped electromagnetic steel sheet (sometimes referred to as a "core piece") having a predetermined thickness.

[0032] The locking core member 10 may have a plurality of teeth 12, for example, eight, provided at substantially equal intervals along the inner peripheral surface. Slots 15, which are spaces, are formed between adjacent teeth 12. The slots 15 penetrate the front and back surfaces of the locking core member 10 and are a form of through-hole formed inside the core member. When assembled into a stator core, armature coils can be wound around the teeth 12 so as to pass through the slots 15. The specific shape and arrangement of the teeth 12 can be changed as appropriate.

[0033] The locking pieces 13 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the locking core member 10 may be multiple, for example, four, provided at substantially equal intervals along the outer periphery of the locking core member 10. In addition, the four locking pieces 13 are preferably provided radially outside any of the eight teeth 12 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the locking core member 10, as shown in FIG. 2 . Typically, the density of magnetic flux generated when the locking core member 10 is operated as part of the motor core tends to be lower radially outside the teeth 12 compared to other positions. Therefore, by arranging the locking pieces 13 radially outside the teeth 12 as described above, it is possible to suppress deterioration of the magnetic characteristics of the motor core due to the provision of the locking pieces 13.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of the non-locking core member 20. The non-locking core member 20 may include an annular yoke 21 having a through hole formed in its center through which a rotor core can be disposed, and teeth 22 that are generally T-shaped in plan view and are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the yoke 21 so as to protrude toward the center of the yoke 21. Slots 25 are formed between adjacent teeth 22. The non-locking core member 20 may also be formed from a single plate-shaped electromagnetic steel sheet having a predetermined thickness. In other words, the non-locking core member 20 can be said to have the same configuration as the locking core member 10, except that it does not have the locking pieces 13 included in the locking core member 10 described above. Therefore, the yoke 11, teeth 12, and slots 15 of the locking core member 10 and the yoke 21, teeth 22, and slots 25 of the non-locking core member 20 may have the same dimensions, arrangement, and number.

[0035] Referring again primarily to FIG. 1 , a manufacturing apparatus 1 for manufacturing a laminate using the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 configured as described above will be described. In the following description of the manufacturing apparatus 1, reference will be made to FIG. 2 when referring to the configuration of the locking core member 10, and to FIG. 3 when referring to the configuration of the non-locking core member 20, as appropriate. The specific structures of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 are not limited to those described above and can be modified in various ways. In FIG. 1 , the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 are shown as cross-sectional views taken along line A-A in FIG. 2 . Furthermore, in FIG. 1 , only the dimensions of the locking piece 13 are shown larger than their actual dimensions to make the state of the locking piece 13 easier to understand, and the through holes and teeth 12, 22 formed in the centers of the core members 10, 20 are omitted from the illustration. Furthermore, in FIG. 1, the core members are shown with small gaps between them so that the boundaries between the core members transported in a stacked state within the squeeze box 40 can be seen.

[0036] The manufacturing apparatus 1 includes at least a supply mechanism 30 capable of supplying the above-mentioned locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20, a squeezer 40 capable of transporting the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 supplied from the supply mechanism 30 downward while supporting them from the side, a conveyor 60 capable of receiving the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 supplied from the downstream end of the squeezer 40 in the transport direction, and a first positioning device 50 that aligns the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 received by the conveyor 60. Note that in the following description, the direction indicated by arrow X in Figure 1 is the left-right direction, and similarly, the direction indicated by arrow Y is the front-rear direction, and the direction indicated by arrow Z is the up-down direction.

[0037] The supply mechanism 30 can include a press machine capable of selectively punching out and forming the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 from the steel strip 5 being transported in the direction of arrow A1 in Fig. 1. This supply mechanism 30 can include a die (lower die) 31 that supports a portion of the steel strip 5 together with a support stand 33 that supports the transported steel strip 5, and a punch (upper die) 32 arranged above the die 31. The punch 32 operates in the direction of arrow A2 in Fig. 1 to punch out and form the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 from the steel strip 5.

[0038] The squeezer 40 is disposed downstream of the supply mechanism 30 in the core material conveyance direction and is capable of conveying the locked core materials 10 and the unlocked core materials 20 supplied from the supply mechanism 30 along the conveyance direction while supporting them from the side. The squeezer 40 may be configured as a substantially cylindrical member with one end connected to the downstream end of the die 31 in the core material conveyance direction, and may be attached to a support base 33 together with the die 31. The squeezer 40 can convey the locked core materials 10 and the unlocked core materials 20 punched and extruded below the die 31 in a stacked state. Note that FIG. 1 illustrates a squeezer 40 conveying a relatively small number of core materials for ease of understanding, but the number of core materials that can be conveyed through the squeezer 40 may be in the tens to hundreds. The total number of core materials constituting the stack may also be in the tens to hundreds.

[0039] In this embodiment, the squeeze 40 includes an upstream squeeze section 41 located upstream in the transport direction of the core material, and a downstream squeeze section 42 located downstream in the transport direction of the core material. The upstream squeeze section 41 supports both the locking core material 10 and the non-locking core material 20 from the sides as they pass through the squeeze 40. The downstream squeeze section 42 supports the locking pieces 13 of the locking core material 10 as they pass through the squeeze 40 from the sides.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in FIG. 1 , showing a cross section of the upstream squeeze section 41. The inner circumferential surface 48 of the upstream squeeze section 41 may be adjusted in size to match the shapes of the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 being transported. This allows the sides (i.e., outer peripheries) of the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 passing through the upstream squeeze section 41 to be supported by abutting against the inner circumferential surface 48 of the upstream squeeze section 41. Note that although the inner circumferential surface 48 of the upstream squeeze section 41 in this embodiment is shaped to match the outer periphery of the locking core members 10, other structures can be used as long as they can support the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 from the sides. For example, the inner circumferential surface 48 may be shaped to abut only a portion of the outer periphery of each core member.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line G-G in FIG. 1 , showing the cross-section of the downstream squeeze section 42. The downstream squeeze section 42 has a locking section 43 on its inner circumferential surface, facing the locking piece 13 of the locking core member 10, which laterally abuts against the locking piece 13 to support the locking core member 10. It should be noted that the inner circumferential surface of the downstream squeeze section 42 does not support either the locking core member 10 or the non-locking core member 20, except for the portion where the locking section 43 is formed. In the manufacturing apparatus 1, a gap 44 is formed between the inner circumferential surface of the downstream squeeze section 42, excluding the portion where the locking section 43 is formed, and the outer circumferential surface of each core member. The shape of the inner circumferential surface of the downstream squeeze section 42 can be appropriately changed to match the shapes of the locking core member 10 and non-locking core member 20 being transported.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 1 , the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 continuously supplied from the supply mechanism 30 are sequentially carried into the upper end of the squeeze chamber 40 and are first supported in the squeeze chamber upstream section 41. Therefore, each time a new locking core member 10 or non-locking core member 20 is carried into the squeeze chamber upstream section 41, the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 already held in the squeeze chamber upstream section 41 are pressed against the newly transported locking core member 10 or non-locking core member 20 and transported downward within the squeeze chamber upstream section 41 by the amount of their wall thickness. As mentioned above, FIG. 1 shows slight gaps between the core members to make the boundaries between them easier to see, but in reality, no gaps are formed. In other words, in this embodiment, adjacent locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 in the squeeze chamber upstream section 41 are transported in a stacked state, in other words, in contact with each other.

[0043] The locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 pushed downward from the squeeze upstream section 41 enter the squeeze downstream section 42. In the squeeze downstream section 42, only the locking core members 10 are supported and transported. The non-locking core members 20 are not supported at their sides by the squeeze downstream section 42, and move along the transport path while placed on the upper surface of the locking core member 10 located downstream. The non-locking core member 20 is then transported out of the squeeze downstream section 42 at the same time that the locking core member 10 located downstream is transported out of the lower end of the squeeze downstream section 42.

[0044] The conveyor 60 is capable of receiving on its upper surface the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 that are carried out from the downstream end of the squeezer 40 in the conveying direction. The upper surface of the conveyor 60 that receives the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 is referred to as the "loading surface 66." As described above, in this embodiment, when the non-locking core members 20 are carried out from the squeezer 40, they are not carried out alone but are carried out together with the locking core members 10 while placed on the locking core members 10, and therefore it is the locking core members 10 that come into contact with the loading surface 66 of the conveyor 60. When the conveyor 60 is operated, the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 that have been supplied and placed on the loading surface 66 can be transported in a direction that intersects the conveying direction, for example, the front-to-rear direction (hereinafter referred to as the "conveyor transport direction"). The direction of the conveyor 60 that is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor in a plan view, i.e., the left-right direction, corresponds to the width direction of the conveyor 60. The specific structure of the conveyor 60 is not particularly limited, but for example, a well-known belt conveyor can be adopted.

[0045] 6 , in this embodiment, the locking core member 10 placed on the placement surface 66 of the conveyor 60 does not have the entire lower surface in contact with the placement surface 66, but rather both left and right sides do not come into contact with the placement surface 66. In other words, the conveyor 60 is configured so that the placement surface 66 supports part of the lower surface of the locking core member 10. In this embodiment, on each of the left and right sides of the locking core member 10 placed on the placement surface 66, at least the portion of one tooth 12 that protrudes toward the center of the yoke 11 and the slots 15 on both sides of that portion do not come into contact with the placement surface 66. In a plan view, the area occupied by the iron core member (in this embodiment, the locking iron core member 10) placed on the loading surface 66 (typically a closed area defined by a relatively simple shape such as a circle, ellipse, polygon, etc. to include the entire iron core member) that is not supported by the loading surface 66 (conveyor 60) is referred to as the ``non-support area DS.''

[0046] As shown in FIG. 1 , the first positioning device 50 in this embodiment includes a plurality of pins 51 and a movable body 53 for moving the plurality of pins 51 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the pins 51 are elongated, rod-shaped members having a thickness sufficient to pass through the slots 15 of the locking core member 10 and the slots 25 of the non-locking core member 20. Each pin 51 extends vertically and is disposed in a non-support region DS (see FIG. 6 ), corresponding to a movable member. In this embodiment, the pins 51 are disposed on both sides of the width of the conveyor 60 (both left and right). The movable body 53 supports the plurality of pins 51 and moves the supported pins 51 in the vertical direction. The movable body 53 is formed in a block shape and disposed below the conveyor 60. The movable body 53 can be linearly moved up and down by a linearly moving device 55, such as a single-axis robot.

[0047] When the movable body 53 is positioned at the top, the pin 51 has its upper end protruding above the top surfaces of the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 stacked on the conveyor 60, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 . The position of the pin 51 at this time is referred to as the "limit position." The number of locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 stacked on the conveyor 60 is the number that constitutes a unit transported by the conveyor 60. On the other hand, when the movable body 53 is positioned at the bottom, the pin 51 has its upper end retracted below the loading surface 66, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 . The position of the pin 51 at this time is referred to as the "release position." The first positioning device 50 configured as described above can move the pin 51 between the limit position and the release position by the operation of the reciprocating linear movement device 55, and corresponds to the first positioning mechanism.

[0048] To control the above-described components, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment may further include a control device 100. The control device 100 may be communicatively connected to the components via wired or wireless communication, as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1 . The control device 100 may be a computer including a programmable logic controller (PLC). The control device 100 may include at least one physical configuration of a processor 102, a memory 104 (RAM and / or ROM), and a storage 106. Furthermore, the control device 100 may include, for example, a program stored in the memory 104 and / or the storage 106 for properly operating the above-described devices, and the program may be executed using the processor 102. The components of the control device 100 (including at least one of the processor 102, the memory 104, and the storage 106) are typically connected to each other via a bus, such as a system bus or a control bus, and can communicate with each other.

[0049] Next, with reference to FIG. 7 , a method for manufacturing a laminate using the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a manufacturing procedure for a laminate. The following description of the laminate manufacturing method also includes a description of the operation of the manufacturing apparatus 1. Furthermore, in the following description, when referring to the configurations of the manufacturing apparatus 1, the locking core member 10, and the non-locking core member 20, reference will be made to FIGS. 1 to 6 as appropriate. In the following laminate manufacturing method, the operation of each device and instrument constituting the manufacturing apparatus 1 is typically performed based on commands from the control device 100. The laminate manufacturing method according to this embodiment can be provided in the form of a program (including a program product) for causing the processor 102 of the control device 100, which controls each component of the manufacturing apparatus 1, to execute a predetermined operation, or in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing this program.

[0050] When the production of the laminate begins, first, a punching operation using the punch 32 and die 31 in the supply mechanism 30 is started to supply the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 to the squeeze 40 (S1). This punching operation can be performed by lowering the punch 32 at a predetermined timing relative to the strip steel plate 5 being fed in one direction, for example, left and right. The locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 formed by this punching are pressed by the punch 32 to move below the die 31, and are forced into the squeeze 40 from the upper end connected to the die 31.

[0051] In this embodiment, each time a core member group consisting of four core members is carried out from the squeezer 40, it is cut into pieces and transported by the conveyor 60. In this regard, with regard to the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 punched out in the above step (S1), it is preferable that of the multiple core members (four in this embodiment) that make up one core member group, one or more core members located downstream are locking core members 10, and the remaining core members located upstream are non-locking core members 20. In other words, of the multiple core members that make up one core member group, at least the first core member to be punched out is locking core member 10, and the others are non-locking core members 20. This is because it is necessary to support the core member located furthest downstream in the core member group when the supply of each core member to the conveyor 60 is temporarily stopped for cutting.

[0052] The locked core members 10 and unlocked core members 20 pushed into the squeeze chamber 40 have at least a portion of their outer circumferential surfaces supported laterally by the inner circumferential surface 48 of the squeeze chamber upstream section 41. The locked core members 10 and unlocked core members 20 supported laterally are transported downward through the squeeze chamber 40 in a stacked state (S2). The transport of core members by the squeeze chamber 40 may be performed by bringing a new core member from the supply mechanism 30 into the upper end of the squeeze chamber 40 and having this core member push down other core members previously supplied from the supply mechanism 30 and held within the squeeze chamber 40. Therefore, the core members held within the squeeze chamber 40 are transported in the transport direction while maintaining their stacked state. The operations shown in the above-mentioned steps (S1) and (S2) can be started substantially simultaneously in conjunction with the start of operation of the punch 32.

[0053] In addition, in this embodiment, two locking core members 10 and two non-locking core members 20 are punched out alternately, so that two locking core members 10 and two non-locking core members 20 are alternately transported through the squeezer 40. In this regard, one core member group is formed by stacking two locking core members 10 and two non-locking core members 20 in order from the downstream side.

[0054] When the squeezer 40 starts transporting the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20, the pin 51 is moved to the limiting position (S3) shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 1 in order to position the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 to be transported next from the squeezer 40. Note that, for convenience of explanation, Fig. 7 shows step (S3) as being performed after step (S2), but the pin 51 can be moved to the limiting position (S3) as long as it is performed before the group of core members is supplied to the conveyor 60. Therefore, the movement of the pin 51 to the limiting position (S3) may be performed simultaneously with step (S1) and / or step (S2), or may be performed earlier, for example, after the production of the previous laminate has been completed.

[0055] After pin 51 moves to the limiting position, the transport of each core member within squeeze 40 progresses, and when some of the core members reach squeeze downstream section 42, locking core member 10 of each core member maintains lateral support as locking piece 13 comes into contact with locking section 43. On the other hand, non-locking core member 20 loses lateral support and is supported by the upper surface of locking core member 10 or non-locking core member 20 located downstream.

[0056] As the conveyance of the core members by the squeezer 40 continues, first, of the core members constituting one core member group, the locking core member 10 located furthest downstream is carried out from the lower end of the squeezer 40. Next, the locking core member 10 (hereinafter, for ease of understanding, this locking core member 10 will be referred to as the "second locking core member 10") that has been conveyed through the squeezer downstream section 42 in a stacked state with its underside abutting the upper surface of the locking core member 10 located furthest downstream is carried out from the lower end of the squeezer 40. Here, in this embodiment, the second locking core member 10 has two non-locking core members 20 that are included in the same core member group placed on its upper surface. Because the non-locking core members 20 are not supported laterally at the downstream squeeze section 42, when the second locking core member 10 is carried out from the lower end of the squeeze section 40, these two non-locking core members 20 are also carried out from the lower end of the squeeze section 40 at the same time. At this time, the locking core members 10 stacked upstream of the two carried-out non-locking core members 20 are transported at a position away from the lower end of the squeeze section 40. The locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 carried out from the lower end of the squeeze section 40 fall toward the conveyor 60 and are supplied to the conveyor 60 (S4). At this time, in this embodiment, the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 are placed on the placement surface 66 of the conveyor 60 with pins 51 provided on both sides of the conveyor 60 in the left-right direction (width direction) passed through slots 15 and 25. As a result, the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 are aligned in the left-right and front-rear directions, and the circumferential positions of the yokes 11 and 21 are also aligned.

[0057] As described above, if the configuration is such that the unlocked core material 20 and the locked core material 10 are carried out simultaneously, the time interval between when the unlocked core material 20 is carried out and when the next locked core material 10 is carried out from the lower end of the squeeze downstream section 42 becomes longer. Therefore, transport by the conveyor 60 can be performed at this timing, and the stacking of core materials can be carried out continuously and accurately without stopping the equipment for transport or using special equipment for controlling the timing of supply of the core materials.

[0058] When the second locking core member 10 and the two unlocking core members 20 supported on its top surface are placed on the conveyor 60, it is detected whether the number of locking core members 10 and unlocking core members 20 placed on the conveyor 60 has reached a predetermined number (S5). The predetermined number is typically the number of core members planned to be transported by the conveyor 60 at one time. Whether the predetermined number has been reached can be detected by installing a weight sensor (not shown) on the conveyor 60 to measure the weight of the stacked core members, or by installing a photoelectric sensor (not shown) near the stack on the conveyor 60 to detect the predetermined number of core members. If the number of locking core members 10 and unlocking core members 20 on the conveyor 60 has not reached the predetermined number (NO in step S5), the process waits until the predetermined number is reached. On the other hand, if it is detected that the predetermined number has been reached (YES in step S5), the pin 51 is moved to the release position (S6). When the pins 51 are moved to the release position, the pins 51 are no longer present in the slots 15 and 25, and the locked core members 10 and the unlocked core members 20 are simply stacked on the conveyor 60.

[0059] Once the pin 51 has been moved to the release position, the conveyor 60 is operated to transport a predetermined number of core members placed on the placement surface 66 as a stack to a predetermined position, for example, a position where a subsequent process will be carried out (S7). Here, at the timing of transporting the stack, the next locking core member 10 to be transported to the conveyor 60 is transported to a position away from the lower end of the squeezer 40, as described above. Therefore, a relatively long time is ensured before the locking core member 10 being transported within the squeezer 40 is carried out from the lower end of the squeezer 40. This essentially eliminates the need to temporarily stop the device when transporting the stack.

[0060] Once a stack consisting of a predetermined number of core members has been transferred to a predetermined position, it is determined whether or not to terminate the production of the stack (S8). The determination of whether or not to terminate the production of the stack may typically be based on whether or not the production of the planned number of stacks has been completed or whether or not the planned operating time has elapsed. If the production of the stack is not to be terminated (NO in step S8), the process returns to step S3 of moving the pin 51 to the limiting position, and the above-described steps are subsequently performed. On the other hand, if the production of the stack is to be terminated (YES in step S8), the supply mechanism 30 is operated (S9). This stops the supply of the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 from the supply mechanism 30 to the squeezer 40, prevents new core members from being delivered to the upper end of the squeezer 40, and also stops the transport of core members by the squeezer 40. In this way, the production of the stack is terminated.

[0061] As described above, according to the manufacturing apparatus 1 and the method for manufacturing a laminate of this embodiment, the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 are transported from the squeeze 40 and placed on the conveyor 60, and are stacked with the pins 51 passed through the slots 15, 25, so that the circumferential positions of the yokes 11, 21 can be aligned in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions as well as in the circumferential direction.

[0062] [Modification of the First Embodiment] Next, a modification of the manufacturing apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1) will be described with reference to FIG. 8. The modification described here differs from the manufacturing apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1) described so far in the configuration around the conveyor 60. The following mainly describes the configuration around the conveyor 60 that differs from the manufacturing apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1). Note that in this modification, the configuration other than the configuration around the conveyor 60 shown in FIG. 8 is the same as the aforementioned manufacturing apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, when referring to the configuration other than the configuration around the conveyor 60 in the following description of this modification, reference will be made to FIG. 1 etc. as appropriate.

[0063] In this modified example, the conveyor 60 is divided in the left-right direction and includes a first conveyor 61 and a second conveyor 62. The first conveyor 61 and the second conveyor 62 operate synchronously and can transport core materials in the front-rear direction together. The first conveyor 61 and the second conveyor 62 are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart in the left-right direction, with a non-support area DS between them. Note that the non-support area DS may also be located outside the first conveyor 61 and the second conveyor 62 (for example, on the outside of the first conveyor 61, opposite the side where the second conveyor 62 is located). A plurality of pins 51 are provided in the non-support area DS between the first conveyor 61 and the second conveyor 62. The pins 51 are arranged spaced apart in the front-rear direction (i.e., the conveyor transport direction), with one pin 51 corresponding to a first movable member and another pin 51 corresponding to a second movable member. The installation position of each pin 51 is such that, when in the restricting position, it passes through the slots 15, 25 of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 that have been carried out from the squeeze 40. In other words, when the pin 51 passes through the slots 15 of the locking core member 10, it is positioned so that it passes through one slot 15 and the slot 15 on the radially opposite side beyond the center of the yoke 11 relative to that slot.

[0064] According to the manufacturing apparatus of this modified example configured as described above, since the multiple pins 51 are arranged between the first conveyor 61 and the second conveyor 62, it is possible to prevent the dimension in the width direction (left-right direction) around the conveyor 60 from becoming large. Yet, similar to the manufacturing apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1), it is possible to align the positions of the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 carried out from the squeezer 40 and placed on the conveyor 60 in the front-rear and left-right directions, as well as the circumferential direction of the yokes 11, 21. Note that, similar to the manufacturing apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1) described above, the manufacturing apparatus having the conveyor 60 of this modified example can also manufacture a laminate according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7.

[0065] Second Embodiment Next, a laminate manufacturing apparatus 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "manufacturing apparatus 2") according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 2. Figure 10 is a plan view of the periphery of a conveyor 60 provided in the manufacturing apparatus 2. The manufacturing apparatus 2 differs from the manufacturing apparatus 1 (see Figures 1 and 6) in the arrangement of the pins 51 and in the inclusion of a second positioning device 70. Below, differences between the manufacturing apparatus 2 and the manufacturing apparatus 1 (see Figure 1) will be mainly described.

[0066] In the manufacturing apparatus 2, as shown in Fig. 10, a non-support area DS is present upstream of the conveyor 60 in the conveying direction of the conveyor 60. The pins 51 are arranged in the non-support area DS upstream of the most upstream end of the conveyor 60 in the conveying direction. In this embodiment, a plurality of pins 51 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, but only one pin 51 may be arranged. In the manufacturing apparatus 2, as in the manufacturing apparatus 1 (see Fig. 1), the pins 51 are supported by a block-shaped movable body 53, and the movable body 53 can be moved linearly back and forth in the vertical direction by a reciprocating linear movement device 55.

[0067] The second positioning device 70 is disposed between the downstream end of the squeezer 40 in the conveyor direction and the conveyor 60 in order to position the locked core members 10 and the unlocked core members 20 supplied on the conveyor 60 in the left-right and front-rear directions. The second positioning device 70 is movable in directions approaching and moving away from the side of the core members supplied from the downstream end of the squeezer 40 in the conveyor direction. Note that Figure 9 shows the second positioning device 70 in cross section, with the positioning piece 71 on the right side of the figure cut at a position facing the locking piece 13, and the positioning piece 71 on the left side of the figure cut at a position that forms the abutment surface 72.

[0068] The second positioning device 70 can be composed of multiple, for example, two, positioning pieces 71 arranged around the outer periphery of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 placed on the conveyor 60. The multiple positioning pieces 71 include abutment surfaces 72 that face the side surfaces of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 placed on the conveyor 60. The abutment surfaces 72 in this embodiment may be curved in plan view to conform to the side shapes of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 so that they can abut against the side surfaces of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20. Note that the shape of the abutment surface 72 is not limited to the above shape as long as it can position the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20. For example, the abutment surface 72 may have a shape that abuts only a portion of the outer periphery of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20. The two positioning pieces 71 are typically arranged so that the contact surfaces 72 face each other across the conveyor 60 in a plan view.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 are positioned by abutting the abutment surfaces 72 of the multiple positioning pieces 71 against the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. Specifically, as long as the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 are positioned in the area between the abutment surfaces 72, positioning can be achieved even if the abutment surfaces 72 do not abut the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20. Therefore, the side surfaces of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 may abut only a portion of the abutment surfaces 72, or the abutment surfaces 72 may simply face all of the side surfaces of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 with a predetermined gap between them.

[0070] As described above, the abutment surface 72 is configured as a curved surface that follows the side shapes of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20, so that the core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 placed on the conveyor 60 can be supported from various different directions. Therefore, the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 positioned on this abutment surface 72 are stably positioned horizontally. It is preferable that a recess be formed in the center of the abutment surface 72 in the front-to-rear direction, facing the locking piece 13 of the positioning piece 71, so that movement to the positioning position is not hindered by contact between the abutment surface 72 and the locking piece 13 when the positioning piece 71 moves. In this case, when the positioning piece 71 is moved to the positioning position, the locking piece 13 of the locking core member 10 placed on the conveyor 60 is accommodated in the recess of the abutment surface 72. The above-mentioned positioning can be reliably performed by avoiding contact between the locking pieces 13 of the locking core members 10 placed on the conveyor 60 and the abutment surfaces 72. If the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 have protrusions, then recesses can be provided on the abutment surfaces 72 as described above, and if the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 have recesses, then protrusions can also be provided on the abutment surfaces 72.

[0071] In the above-described embodiment, a recess is provided in the positioning piece 71 to prevent contact between the abutment surface 72 and the locking piece 13, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, a part of the recess in the positioning piece 71 may be made to abut against the locking piece 13 when the positioning piece 71 is in the positioning position, thereby assisting positioning by the abutment surface 72. In this case, improved stability in positioning the stack by the positioning piece 71 can be expected.

[0072] The multiple positioning pieces 71 may be movable between a positioning position and a positioning release position. The positioning position is a position where the abutment surface 72 abuts against the side of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 placed on the conveyor 60, or where the abutment surface 72 faces the side of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 with a small gap between them. The positioning release position is a position where the side of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 placed on the conveyor 60 is separated from the abutment surface 72. A well-known driving device (not shown) can be used to move the multiple positioning pieces 71. By setting the multiple positioning pieces 71 to the above-mentioned positioning positions, the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 carried out from the squeezer 40 can be positioned at the desired position on the conveyor 60. Furthermore, if the multiple positioning pieces 71 are set to the above-mentioned positioning release position, the positioning pieces 71 will not hinder the movement of the locking iron core members 10 and non-locking iron core members 20 placed on the conveyor 60 when they are moved in the conveyor transport direction.

[0073] The contact surface 72 may include a tapered surface 73 that approaches the side of the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 placed on the conveyor 60 as it moves downstream in the conveying direction. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the entire upper part of the contact surface 72 is made into the tapered surface 73. By forming the tapered surface 73 on the contact surface 72 in this way, even if the posture or horizontal position of the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 carried out from the squeezer 40 is misaligned, the locking core members 10 and non-locking core members 20 can be guided to the desired position on the conveyor 60.

[0074] The height positions of the positioning pieces 71 are preferably adjusted to ensure reliable positioning of the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 placed on the conveyor 60. Specifically, the downstream end of the contact surface 72 of each of the positioning pieces 71 in the conveying direction, i.e., the lower end, is preferably adjusted to be lower than the top surface of the core members directly placed on the conveyor 60, specifically the lowest locking core member 10. Adjusting the contact surface 72 to this height enables reliable positioning of the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 placed on the conveyor 60. The lower end of the positioning piece 71 may be positioned lower than the top surface of the conveyor 60. In this case, the width of the conveyor 60 should be narrowed to a degree that does not contact the positioning piece 71 in the positioning position. The upstream end of the positioning piece 71 in the conveying direction, i.e., the upper end, is preferably adjusted to be lower than the top end of the pin 51 in the limiting position. If the upper end of the pin 51, which is in the restricting position, is higher than the upper end of the positioning piece 71, the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20 carried out from the squeeze 40 will be guided by the pin 51 first, thereby suppressing circumferential positional deviation.

[0075] In the method for manufacturing a laminate using the manufacturing apparatus 2 configured as described above, a laminate can be manufactured in a procedure generally following the flowchart shown in Fig. 7, but there is a difference in the following respects. That is, in manufacturing a laminate using the manufacturing apparatus 2, the positioning piece 71 is moved to the positioning position at the same time as the pin 51 is moved to the limiting position (S3), and the positioning piece 71 is moved to the positioning release position at the same time as the pin 51 is moved to the release position (S6). Other than this, even when the manufacturing apparatus 2 is used, a laminate can be manufactured in the procedure of the flowchart shown in Fig. 7.

[0076] According to the manufacturing apparatus 2 of this embodiment, the locking core members 10 and the non-locking core members 20 supplied to the conveyor 60 can be positioned in the circumferential direction of the yokes 11, 21 by the pins 51 of the first positioning device 50, and can be positioned in the left-right and front-rear directions by the second positioning device 70. If the outer periphery of the core members has relatively large irregularities, circumferential positioning can be performed without the pins 51 by providing the positioning pieces 71 of the second positioning device 70 with irregularities that fit into the irregularities of the core members. However, in the manufacturing apparatus 2, the first positioning device 50 is provided, so that circumferential positioning can be performed by the pins 51 in the limiting position even if the core members have no irregularities or only small irregularities.

[0077] [Other Modifications] Figures 11A to 11C show various configuration examples of the pin 51 that can be replaced. The cross-sectional shape of the pin 51 perpendicular to its axis may be circular as shown in Figure 11A or elliptical (not shown), or may be rectangular (i.e., square or oblong) as shown in Figure 11B, or another polygonal shape (not shown). Figures 11A and 11B show an example applied to the locking core member 10, but it goes without saying that the pin 51 can also be applied to the non-locking core member 20 in the same way. In the above explanation, the pin 51 is passed through the slots 15, 25 of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20, which are the stator core members. However, as shown in Figure 11C, the pin 51 may be formed with a C-shaped cross section so as to fit into the key 91 of the rotor core member 90. Alternatively, although not shown, a pin 51 having a C-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 11C may be configured to sandwich the teeth 12, 22 of the locking core member 10 and the non-locking core member 20.

[0078] In the above explanation, the locations through which pin 51 is passed when positioning using pin 51 are slots 15 and 25 in the case of the stator core members (locking core member 10 and non-locking core member 20 in this embodiment), but they may also be uneven portions provided on the outer periphery of the core members, or through holes in yokes 11 and 12. Also, in the case of rotor core member 90, in addition to keys 91, they may also be magnet holes, through holes other than magnet holes, or uneven portions on the outer periphery.

[0079] In the above description, the first positioning device 50 has two pins 51, but this can be changed as appropriate depending on the shape of the iron core member, and it may be three or more pins, or it may be just one pin.

[0080] In the above description, the manufacturing apparatus 2 is described as including the second positioning device 70. However, the manufacturing apparatus 2 may not include (omit) the second positioning device 70, as in the manufacturing apparatus 1. Even if the second positioning device 70 is omitted, the yokes 11 and 21 can be positioned not only in the circumferential direction but also in the left-right and front-rear directions by the multiple pins 51 arranged upstream of the most upstream end of the conveyor 60 and spaced apart in the left-right direction. However, in the manufacturing apparatus 2 in which the pins 51 are arranged upstream of the most upstream end of the conveyor 60, it is preferable to include the second positioning device 70 in order to more effectively perform left-right and front-rear positioning. On the other hand, the manufacturing apparatus 1 (including modified examples) may also include the second positioning device 70 to improve the accuracy of positioning in the left-right and front-rear directions.

[0081] In the above embodiments, the term "processor" refers to a processor in a broad sense, and includes general-purpose processors (e.g., CPU: Central Processing Unit, etc.) and dedicated processors (e.g., GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit, FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array, programmable logic device, etc.). Furthermore, the operations of the processor in the above embodiments may be performed not only by a single processor, but also by multiple processors located in physically separate locations working together. Furthermore, the order of the operations of the processor is not limited to the order described in the above embodiments, and may be changed as appropriate. The program may be provided by a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory, a flexible disk, or a Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), or may be provided online via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the program recorded on the computer-readable non-transitory recording medium is typically transferred and stored in a memory or storage device. The program may be provided, for example, as standalone application software, or may be incorporated into the software of each device as a function of that device. The program of the present application may be provided as a program product. The program product includes any type of product for providing the program. For example, the program product includes a program provided via a network such as the Internet, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD on which the program is stored.

[0082] In addition, the present disclosure can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist thereof, and all such modifications are included in the technical concept of the present disclosure.

[0083] All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference was individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and set forth herein in its entirety.

[0084] The use of nouns and similar referents in connection with the description of the present invention (particularly in connection with the claims that follow) shall be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The words "comprises," "has," "includes," and "comprises" shall be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to"), unless otherwise noted. The recitation of numerical ranges herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method for referring individually to each value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Any examples or exemplary language used herein (e.g., "etc.") are intended merely to better describe the invention and do not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention, unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

[0085] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of these preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor contemplates that skilled persons will apply such variations as appropriate, and intends to practice the invention otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, this invention includes any combination of the above-described elements in all variations thereof unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a laminate comprising: a squeezer capable of transporting an iron core member downward; a conveyor having a mounting surface supporting a portion of one side of the iron core member emerging from the squeezer, the conveyor being capable of transporting the iron core member placed on the mounting surface and the iron core members stacked on top of the iron core member in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the iron core member in the squeezer; and a first positioning mechanism including a movable member movable between a limiting position which protrudes beyond the mounting surface of the conveyor on the side where the iron core member is placed, and a release position which retracts from the mounting surface to the side opposite the side where the iron core member is placed, the movable member being positioned in a non-supporting area where the conveyor does not support the iron core member.

2. The laminate manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable members are disposed on both sides in the width direction of the conveyor.

3. A laminate manufacturing apparatus as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the conveyor has a first conveyor and a second conveyor which are spaced apart in the width direction of the conveyor and move synchronously with each other, and the movable member includes a first movable member and a second movable member which are arranged at an interval in the conveying direction of the conveyor between the first conveyor and the second conveyor.

4. The laminate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movable member is disposed upstream of the conveyor in the conveying direction of the conveyor.

5. A laminate manufacturing apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the movable member, when in the limiting position, passes through a through hole formed inside the iron core member supported by the conveyor.

6. A laminate manufacturing apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the core member is a stator core member, and when the movable member is in the limiting position, the movable member passes through a slot formed between adjacent teeth of the stator core member supported by the conveyor.

7. A laminate manufacturing apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the core member is a rotor core member, and the movable member, when in the limit position, extends along a key formed in the rotor core member supported by the conveyor.

8. The laminate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a second positioning mechanism for positioning the outer periphery of the core member supported by the conveyor.

9. A method for manufacturing a laminate in which a plurality of the iron core members are stacked using the laminate manufacturing apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the steps of: moving the movable member to the limiting position; supplying the iron core member ejected from the squeeze onto the loading surface of the conveyor while passing the movable member through a through hole formed inside the iron core member; stacking the iron core member ejected from the squeeze onto the iron core member supported on the loading surface while passing the movable member through the through hole; moving the movable member to the release position after a predetermined number of the iron core members have been stacked on the conveyor; and moving the conveyor after moving the movable member to the release position.

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