Motor manufacturing method, motor manufacturing device, and motor manufacturing system

Abstract

The present invention provides a motor manufacturing method, a motor manufacturing device, and a motor manufacturing system which are capable of contributing to improvement of productivity in a motor core manufacturing process. The motor manufacturing method includes: conveying a plurality of cores respectively placed on a plurality of first plates into a mold by a conveyance mechanism; placing each of the plurality of cores on each of a plurality of second plates provided at predetermined positions in the mold by a holding mechanism via the corresponding first plate; and filling a resin filling part formed in each of the plurality of cores with resin in a state in which the plurality of cores are arranged along the axial direction via an intermediate plate including the first plate and the second plate.

Description

Motor manufacturing method, motor manufacturing device, and motor manufacturing system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a motor manufacturing method, a motor manufacturing apparatus, and a motor manufacturing system.

[0002] A rotating electric machine is provided with a motor core (e.g., including a rotor core (rotor iron core) and a stator core (stator iron core). Hereinafter, the rotor core and stator core will be collectively referred to simply as the core). The core has a plurality of slots arranged in a circular ring at predetermined intervals, each of which has a permanent magnet attached to it. One known method for attaching the permanent magnet to the core is to insert the permanent magnet into the slot, then fill the surrounding area with resin and allow it to harden (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 5681027).

[0003] In the technology described in Japanese Patent No. 5681027, when the cores are lined up in the axial direction and filled with resin, the cores are integrated with an intermediate plate sandwiched between them before being set in a mold. This requires two steps: one to integrate the cores and the other to set them in the mold. This increases the number of steps, resulting in a decrease in productivity in the motor core manufacturing process.

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a motor manufacturing method, a motor manufacturing apparatus, and a motor manufacturing system that can contribute to improving productivity in the motor core manufacturing process.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the technology disclosed herein is a motor manufacturing method that includes transporting a plurality of cores placed on each of a plurality of first plates into a mold by a transport mechanism, placing each of the plurality of cores via the first plate on each of a plurality of second plates that are provided at predetermined positions in the mold by a holding mechanism, and filling resin into the resin filling portions formed in each of the plurality of cores while arranging the plurality of cores along the axial direction via an intermediate plate that includes the first plate and the second plate.

[0006] A second aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a motor manufacturing method according to the first aspect, in which the holding mechanism is capable of lowering the second plate with the core placed thereon via the first plate.

[0007] A third aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a motor manufacturing method according to the first aspect, in which the engagement between the cores and the second plate by the holding mechanism can be released when multiple cores are arranged in the axial direction via an intermediate plate.

[0008] A fourth aspect of the technique of the present disclosure is the motor manufacturing method according to the first aspect, in which the second plate is movable up and down within the mold via a holding mechanism.

[0009] A fifth aspect of the technique of the present disclosure is the motor manufacturing method according to the fourth aspect, in which each of the plurality of second plates is capable of moving up and down freely within the mold independently of one another.

[0010] A sixth aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a motor manufacturing method according to the first aspect, in which the holding mechanism includes a plurality of shaft members that are extendable and retractable along the axial direction, and when the plurality of shaft members are extended, each of the plurality of shaft members is capable of engaging with a corresponding engaging portion of the second plate.

[0011] A seventh aspect of the technique of the present disclosure is the motor manufacturing method according to the sixth aspect, in which the plurality of shaft members have a telescopic structure.

[0012] An eighth aspect of the technique of the present disclosure is a motor manufacturing method according to the first aspect, in which the conveying mechanism is configured to include a plurality of support portions on which each of the plurality of cores is placed via a first plate.

[0013] A ninth aspect according to the technique of the present disclosure is the motor manufacturing method according to the eighth aspect, in which the support portions are arranged along the axial direction of the plurality of cores.

[0014] A tenth aspect of the technology disclosed herein is a motor manufacturing method according to the first aspect, in which the first plate and the second plate each have a through hole formed at a position corresponding to the resin filling portion, and the opening area of ​​the through hole in a direction perpendicular to the penetration direction becomes smaller as it moves toward the side facing the core in the penetration direction.

[0015] An eleventh aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a motor manufacturing method according to the tenth aspect, in which, when the through hole is viewed in cross section along the penetration direction, the taper angle formed by a pair of imaginary straight lines along the outer edge of the through hole is defined as the taper angle, and the taper angle of the through hole formed in the first plate is larger than the taper angle of the through hole formed in the second plate.

[0016] A twelfth aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a motor manufacturing method according to the first aspect, in which the first plate and / or the second plate are provided with a positioning portion that positions the first plate and / or the second plate in a predetermined positional relationship when the first plate is placed on the second plate.

[0017] A thirteenth aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a motor manufacturing apparatus that includes a holding mechanism that holds a plurality of second plates in a predetermined position within the mold, on which a plurality of cores can be placed via the first plates, the second plates being placed on each of a plurality of first plates and transported into the mold, and a resin filling mechanism that fills resin into the resin filling portions formed in each of the plurality of cores, with the plurality of cores lined up in the axial direction via an intermediate plate that includes the first and second plates.

[0018] A fourteenth aspect of the technology of the present disclosure is a motor manufacturing system including a transport mechanism that transports multiple cores placed on each of multiple first plates into a mold, a holding mechanism that holds multiple second plates, on which each of the multiple cores can be placed via the first plates, at predetermined positions within the mold, and a resin filling mechanism that fills resin into resin filling portions formed in each of the multiple cores while arranging the multiple cores in the axial direction via an intermediate plate composed of the first plate and the second plate.

[0019] According to the present disclosure, a motor manufacturing method, a motor manufacturing apparatus, and a motor manufacturing system are provided that can contribute to improving productivity in the motor core manufacturing process.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a rotor manufacturing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a rotor core and an upper plate according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a plurality of rotor cores are transported by a robot arm according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a plurality of rotor cores are transported by a robot arm according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a rotor core according to an embodiment is placed on a lower plate via an upper plate. FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a rotor core according to an embodiment is placed on a lower mold via an upper plate. FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a robot arm according to an embodiment retracts from a mold forming apparatus. FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a plurality of rotor cores according to an embodiment are stacked in the axial direction. FIG. 9 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a mold is formed and a manner in which a plurality of rotor cores are separated according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a rotor core manufacturing process according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a lower plate according to an embodiment is preheated. FIG. 12 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a plurality of rotor cores according to an embodiment are transported by a robot arm according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which a plurality of rotor cores according to an embodiment are stacked in the axial direction. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a rotor manufacturing system according to an embodiment.

[0021] Hereinafter, each embodiment for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope necessary for the explanation to achieve the object of the present disclosure will be schematically shown below, and the scope necessary for explaining the relevant parts of the present disclosure will be mainly explained, and the parts for which explanation is omitted will be referred to as publicly known technologies. Furthermore, identical or corresponding components in the drawings will be given the same or similar reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, when a single drawing includes multiple identical or corresponding components, only some of them may be given reference numerals to make the drawing easier to understand.

[0022] First Embodiment Overview of Rotor Manufacturing System First, an overview of a rotor manufacturing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an overview of the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the general configuration of a rotor core 2 and an upper plate 22 according to this embodiment.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1 , the rotor manufacturing system 1 is a manufacturing system that can be used to manufacture a rotor core 2. The rotor manufacturing system 1 is an example of a "motor manufacturing system" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The rotor manufacturing system 1 includes a robot arm 10 and a molding device 30. The robot arm 10 is an arm capable of transporting the rotor core 2. The robot arm 10 includes an arm body 11 and an end effector 12. The arm body 11 moves the rotor core 2 to a predetermined position under the control of a control device 14. The end effector 12 is attached to the tip of the arm body 11. The link portion 11B of the arm body 11 rotates via multiple joints 11A, thereby realizing movement of the end effector 12. The rotor core 2 is an example of a "core" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The robot arm 10 is an example of a "transport mechanism" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0024] The end effector 12 has a shelf-like structure capable of supporting multiple rotor cores 2. Specifically, the end effector 12 includes a main body 12A and a support 12B. The main body 12A is a member extending in the vertical direction, and multiple support parts 12B are attached to the main body 12A at intervals in the vertical direction. In other words, the support parts 12B are arranged along the axial direction of the multiple rotor cores 2 (i.e., the central axial direction of the cylindrical rotor cores 2). The support part 12B is an example of a "support part" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0025] The support portions 12B are portions that support the upper plate 22 on which the rotor core 2 is placed. In other words, the plurality of rotor cores 2 are placed on the plurality of support portions 12B via the upper plate 22. The support portions 12B support the upper plate 22 from below. The structure of the support portions 12B will be described later. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , four support portions 12B are provided, and the end effector 12 has a four-tiered shelf-like structure.

[0026] The rotor core 2 is placed on the upper plate 22 and transported by the robot arm 10. The robot arm 10 is capable of transporting a plurality of rotor cores 2. In the example shown in Fig. 1, four rotor cores 2 are transported by the robot arm 10, each placed on its own upper plate 22. Note that this is merely an example, and it goes without saying that two or three rotor cores 2, or five or more rotor cores 2, may be transported.

[0027] Note that, although an example in which multiple rotor cores 2 have the same shape (here, the same core height (i.e., axial length)) has been described here, this is merely one example. Multiple rotor cores 2 may have different shapes (for example, core heights). Furthermore, in addition to differences in core height, differences may also exist in the arrangement and number of magnet insertion holes 4 and / or core diameter, etc.

[0028] Furthermore, multiple rotor cores 2 manufactured by rotor manufacturing system 1 according to this embodiment may be stacked and used in the same motor core, or may be used in separate motor cores. Furthermore, the term "motor" as used in this specification also includes a semi-finished product in which some parts are attached to a motor core (rotor core or stator core).

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2 , the rotor core 2 is formed by laminating multiple thin electromagnetic steel sheets. The rotor core 2 has a cylindrical shape, and a through-hole 5 is provided in the center of the rotor core 2 (i.e., the region including the central axis of the cylindrical shape). When the rotor core 2 is assembled into a motor, a shaft constituting a rotating shaft is inserted into the through-hole 5. The rotor core 2 also has multiple (four in FIG. 2 ) magnet insertion holes 4 arranged circumferentially and extending along the axial direction of the rotor core 2, surrounding the through-hole 5. The magnet insertion holes 4 can be configured in a shape that allows insertion of permanent magnets 3, such as a rectangular parallelepiped or arc-shaped through-hole that penetrates the rotor core 2 in the thickness direction, but the specific shape is not particularly limited. Similarly, the number of magnet insertion holes 4 can be arbitrarily changed and can be more than the four shown in FIG. 2 , for example, approximately 10 to 40. The magnet insertion holes 4 are an example of a "resin-filled portion" according to the technology disclosed herein.

[0030] The permanent magnets 3 are inserted into and fixed in the magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2. The permanent magnets 3 may be formed, for example, as rectangular parallelepiped or arc-shaped blocks slightly smaller than the magnet insertion holes 4. The permanent magnets 3 may be magnetized or not when inserted into the magnet insertion holes 4. Furthermore, the permanent magnets 3 may be divided in the stacking direction or in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction. When the permanent magnets 3 are inserted into the magnet insertion holes 4, at least partial gaps are formed between the outer circumferential surface of the permanent magnets 3 and the inner circumferential surface of the magnet insertion holes 4. The gaps formed in the magnet insertion holes 4 function as spaces to be filled with resin. These multiple spaces communicate with the upper through-holes 22A provided in the upper plate 22.

[0031] In this embodiment, the magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2 are exemplified as being rectangular parallelepiped-shaped holes that are open in the vertical direction and have substantially no gaps in the front-to-back or left-to-right directions. Therefore, the upper and lower dies 31 and 32 have substantially flat contact surfaces, but the shapes of the contact surfaces of the upper and lower dies 31 and 32 can be changed as appropriate to match the shape of the rotor core 2 to be held. For example, when the molding apparatus 30 according to this embodiment is used for resin molding an inner rotor type stator core, it is preferable to use upper and lower dies 31 and 32 that include protrusions that are inserted into spaces formed in the center of the stator core.

[0032] 2 , the upper plate 22 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The rotor core 2 is placed on the upper surface of the upper plate 22. The rotor core 2 is placed on the upper plate 22 with the central axis of the upper plate 22 and the central axis of the rotor core 2 approximately aligned. The upper plate 22 also has a shape that allows the rotor core 2 to be placed thereon (for example, a width that is larger than the outer diameter of the rotor core 2, and a plate thickness that can exert sufficient rigidity to support the rotor core 2, etc.). The upper plate 22 is an example of a "first plate" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0033] Upper through holes 22A are formed in the upper plate 22, penetrating in the plate thickness direction. The upper through holes 22A are formed in positions facing the magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2. In other words, when the rotor core 2 is placed on the upper plate 22, the upper through holes 22A communicate with the magnet insertion holes 4. The number and arrangement of the upper through holes 22A are determined according to the number and arrangement of the magnet insertion holes 4 in the rotor core 2. The upper through holes 22A are an example of a "through hole" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0034] The upper plate 22 also has a protruding portion 22B that protrudes from the surface (here, the upper surface) on which the rotor core 2 is placed. The protruding portion 22B has a cylindrical shape and is insertable into a through hole formed in the rotor core 2. The rotor core 2 is positioned relative to the upper plate 22 by inserting the protruding portion 22B into the through hole 5. Furthermore, the engagement between the protruding portion 22B and the through hole 5 prevents the rotor core 2 from falling off the placement surface of the upper plate 22. The protruding length of the protruding portion 22B (i.e., the height from the placement surface to the tip) is set appropriately depending on the positioning accuracy, etc.

[0035] Note that the cylindrical protrusion 22B is merely one example, and may be columnar. Furthermore, the protrusion 22B may be a pin-shaped member provided in plurality along the circumferential direction of the rotor core 2. In this case, the pin-shaped members serving as the protrusion 22B are inserted into holes formed in the rotor core 2 (for example, through holes provided in the rotor core 2 for weight reduction or through holes that serve as flow paths for cooling the core).

[0036] 1, the molding device 30 is an apparatus that can fill resin into the magnet insertion holes 4 of a plurality of rotor cores 2 (i.e., perform molding). Specifically, the molding device 30 is an apparatus that fills resin into the magnet insertion holes 4 formed in each of a plurality of rotor cores 2 that are aligned along the axial direction.

[0037] The mold forming apparatus 30 includes an upper die 31, a lower die 32, and a plunger 34. The mold forming apparatus 30 is provided with a holding mechanism 40. The holding mechanism 40 is a mechanism that holds the lower plates 24A to 24C at predetermined positions in the mold forming apparatus 30. In other words, the lower plates 24A to 24C are provided at predetermined positions between the upper die 31 and the lower die 32 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "inside the die") by the holding mechanism 40. Each of the plurality of rotor cores 2 is placed on the lower plates 24A to 24C via the upper plate 22. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the lower plates 24A to 24C, they will be simply referred to as "lower plates 24."

[0038] The holding mechanism 40 is an example of a "holding mechanism" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The lower plate 24 is an example of a "second plate" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The molding device 30 is an example of a "motor manufacturing device" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The plunger 34 is an example of a "resin filling mechanism" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0039] A lower through-hole 26 is formed in the lower plate 24, penetrating the plate in the thickness direction. The lower through-hole 26 is formed in a position opposite the upper through-hole 22A of the upper plate 22. In other words, when the upper plate 22 is placed on the lower plate 24, the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 are in communication with each other. The lower through-hole 26 is an example of a "through-hole" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0040] Furthermore, the holding mechanism 40 holds the lower plate 24 so that it can be raised and lowered within the mold. In other words, the lower plate 24 is capable of being raised and lowered within the mold. More specifically, each of the lower plates 24A to 24C is capable of being raised and lowered within the mold independently of one another.

[0041] 1, the holding mechanism 40 includes a plurality of shaft members 42A to 42D. The shaft members 42A to 42D are extendable and retractable along their axial directions. Specifically, each of the shaft members 42A to 42D receives power from a drive source (e.g., an actuator) (not shown) and is movable in the vertical direction.

[0042] The multiple shaft members 42A to 42D have a telescopic structure. Specifically, the multiple shaft members 42A to 42D are arranged coaxially and are capable of extending and retracting in the up-down direction. The multiple shaft members 42A to 42D have diameters that decrease in order, with smaller diameter supports inserted into larger diameter supports. Specifically, the shaft member 42B is inserted inside the shaft member 42A, the shaft member 42C is inserted inside the shaft member 42B, and the shaft member 42D is inserted inside the shaft member 42C. The shaft members 42A to 42D are an example of "multiple shaft members" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0043] The lower plates 24A to 24C are provided with engagement portions 44A to 44C, respectively. The engagement portions 44A to 44C are portions that extend from the ends of the lower plates 24A to 24C. The engagement portions 44A to 44C are an example of an "engagement portion" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0044] Each of the multiple shaft members 42A-42C is capable of engaging with a corresponding one of the engaging portions 44A-44C when extended. Specifically, the upper surface of the shaft member 42A abuts against the lower surface of the engaging portion 44A as the shaft member 42A extends. The upper surface of the shaft member 42B abuts against the lower surface of the engaging portion 44B as the shaft member 42B extends. The upper surface of the shaft member 42C abuts against the lower surface of the engaging portion 44C as the shaft member 42C extends. This causes the lower plate 24 to rise to a predetermined position in the molding apparatus 30. Furthermore, as the multiple shaft members 42A-42C contract, the position of the corresponding lower plate 24 also descends. In this way, the lower plate 24 is capable of moving up and down freely within the mold.

[0045] Furthermore, through holes 46A to 46C are formed in the engaging portions 44A to 44C, respectively. Shaft members 42B to 42D are inserted through the through holes 46A to 46C, respectively. The diameters of the through holes 46A to 46C are set according to the diameters of the shaft members 42B to 42D inserted therethrough. This allows the engaging portions 44A to 44C to selectively engage with the shaft members 42A to 42C, respectively, allowing the lower plates 24A to 24C to move up and down independently.

[0046] The mold forming device 30 operates under the control of a control device 35. The mold forming device 30 and the robot arm 10 may be controlled by a common control device.

[0047] Next, the manner in which a plurality of rotor cores 2 are transported by the robot arm 10 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figures 3 and 4 are schematic explanatory diagrams showing an example of the manner in which a plurality of rotor cores 2 are transported by the robot arm 10 according to this embodiment.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3 , the plurality of rotor cores 2 are preheated in a heating facility 50. The heating facility 50 is a facility for heating the plurality of rotor cores 2. The heating facility 50 includes a furnace body 52 and a conveying section 54. The plurality of rotor cores 2 are preheated inside the furnace body 52 while placed on the upper plate 22. An example of a heating method is a hot air circulation furnace method, but this is merely one example. Of course, the heating facility 50 may also use a heating method using a lamp heater, a high-frequency heater, a block heater, and / or an infrared heater, etc. Furthermore, instead of a batch-type heating facility 50, a continuous heating facility may also be used.

[0049] The preheated rotor core 2 is removed from the furnace body 52 via the transport unit 54. Specifically, the rotor core 2 placed on the upper plate 22 is removed by the rolling of hearth rollers 54A provided on the transport unit 54. The robot arm 10 moves the end effector 12 close to the heating equipment 50. The robot arm 10 then picks up the rotor core 2 removed from the heating equipment 50 via the support unit 12B. Specifically, the robot arm 10 places the rotor core 2 on the support unit 12B via the upper plate 22. In FIG. 3 , the rotor core 2 is placed on the top support unit 12B, but rotor cores 2 are similarly placed on the remaining support units 12B.

[0050] 4, the robot arm 10 transports a plurality of rotor cores 2 to the molding device 30. Each of the plurality of rotor cores 2 is placed on a corresponding one of the plurality of upper plates 22, and the plurality of rotor cores 2 in this state are transported by the robot arm 10 into the mold.

[0051] The multiple rotor cores 2 are then placed in a mold of the molding device 30. Specifically, each of the multiple rotor cores 2 is placed on lower plates 24A to 24C in the molding device 30 via an upper plate 22. The lowest rotor core 2 of the multiple rotor cores 2 is placed on a lower mold 32 via the upper plate 22. When the rotor core 2 is placed in the mold, there is a gap between the rotor core 2 and the lower plate 24 located above the rotor core 2. This prevents the rotor core 2 and the upper plate 22 from interfering with the lower plate 24 when the rotor core 2 is placed.

[0052] Furthermore, when multiple rotor cores 2 are placed in a mold, a tablet T (i.e., a resin material solidified into a predetermined shape) is placed inside the lower mold 32 and above the plunger 34 .

[0053] Next, a manner in which the rotor core 2 is placed in a mold via the upper plate 22 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which the rotor core 2 according to this embodiment is placed on the lower plate 24 via the upper plate 22. Figure 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a manner in which the rotor core 2 according to this embodiment is placed on the lower mold 32 via the upper plate 22.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 5 , the rotor core 2 is transported while being placed on the support portion 12B via the upper plate 22. The support portion 12B has a pair of protrusions 12B1. The pair of protrusions 12B1 support both ends of the upper plate 22 in the width direction (here, the up-down direction as viewed from the front side of the paper) from below. The distance between the pair of protrusions 12B1 is longer than the distance between the lower plate 24 in the width direction. This allows the lower plate 24 to fit between the pair of protrusions 12B1 when the rotor core 2 and the upper plate 22 are positioned above the lower plate 24. In other words, the pair of protrusions 12B1 and the lower plate 24 do not interfere with each other.

[0055] After the rotor core 2 and the upper plate 22 are moved above the lower plate 24, the rotor core 2 and the upper plate 22 are lowered toward the lower plate 24. As a result, the rotor core 2 is placed on the lower plate 24 via the upper plate 22. In this case, the upper plate 22 is positioned with respect to the lower plate 24. Specifically, when the upper plate 22 is placed on the lower plate 24, the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 are provided with positioning portions 33 that position the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 in a predetermined positional relationship. The positioning portions 33 are an example of a "positioning portion" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0056] The positioning portion 33 includes a recess 33A provided in the upper plate 22 and a protrusion 33B provided in the lower plate 24. When the upper plate 22 descends toward the lower plate 24, the recess 33A fits into the protrusion 33B. This places the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 in a predetermined positional relationship. After the rotor core 2 and the upper plate 22 are placed on the lower plate 24, the support portion 12B retreats from within the mold.

[0057] 5 shows an example in which convex portions 33B are provided at the four corners of the lower plate 24, and concave portions 33A are provided in the upper plate 22 at positions corresponding to the convex portions 33B, but this is merely an example. The number and arrangement of the concave portions 33A and the convex portions 33B can be appropriately set depending on the positioning accuracy, etc. Also, while an example in which the concave portions 33A are provided in the upper plate 22 and the convex portions 33B are provided in the lower plate 24 has been shown, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. Convex portions 33B may be provided in the upper plate 22, and concave portions 33A may be provided in the lower plate 24.

[0058] As shown in Figure 6, the lowest rotor core 2 of the multiple rotor cores 2 is transported while being placed on the support portion 12B via the upper plate 22. A pair of grooves 32A is formed in the lower mold 32 on which the lowest rotor core 2 is placed. The pair of grooves 32A are provided at positions corresponding to the pair of protrusions 12B1. When the rotor core 2 is placed on the lower mold 32 via the upper plate 22, the pair of protrusions 12B1 are accommodated in the pair of grooves 32A. After the rotor core 2 and the upper plate 22 are placed on the lower mold 32, the support portion 12B is retracted from within the mold.

[0059] A through hole 32B is formed in the center of the lower mold 32. The through hole 32B is provided in a position facing the injection port of the resin filling path 23 provided in the lowermost upper plate 22. The above-mentioned tablet T is placed inside the through hole 32B. As will be described in detail later, the through hole 32B communicates with the resin filling path 23, causing the softened tablet T to flow through the resin filling path 23 and enter the magnet insertion hole 4 via the upper through hole 22A.

[0060] Next, the manner in which resin is filled into the magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2 will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 9. Figure 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the manner in which the robot arm 10 according to this embodiment retracts from the molding device 30. Figure 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the manner in which multiple rotor cores 2 according to this embodiment are stacked along the axial direction. Figure 9 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the manner in which molding according to this embodiment is performed and the manner in which the multiple rotor cores 2 are separated.

[0061] 7, after the plurality of rotor cores 2 have been placed in the mold, the robot arm 10 retreats from the molding device 30. Specifically, the plurality of rotor cores 2 are placed on the lower plate 24 via the upper plate 22, and the lowest rotor core 2 is placed on the lower die 32. Then, the robot arm 10 moves in a direction away from the molding device 30, whereby the support portion 12B is pulled out from within the mold.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 8 , the rotor core 2 is placed on the lower plate 24 via the upper plate 22. Here, by placing the upper plate 22 on the lower plate 24, the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 function as an intermediate plate 29. The intermediate plate 29 is an example of the "intermediate plate" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0063] Furthermore, lower plate 24 is lowered by holding mechanism 40. Specifically, shaft members 42A to 42D of holding mechanism 40 are sequentially contracted, thereby lowering lower plates 24A to 24C. In this manner, holding mechanism 40 enables lower plate 24, on which rotor core 2 is placed via upper plate 22, to be lowered.

[0064] As a result, the plurality of rotor cores 2 are lined up in the axial direction within the mold with the intermediate plates 29 interposed therebetween. In other words, the plurality of rotor cores 2 are stacked in the axial direction with the intermediate plates 29 interposed therebetween. In this way, the rotor cores 2 and the intermediate plates 29 are stacked without any gaps between them before the resin is filled.

[0065] 8 , when multiple rotor cores 2 are lined up in the axial direction, lower plate 24 is not supported by holding mechanism 40. In other words, when multiple rotor cores 2 are lined up in the axial direction via intermediate plate 29, holding mechanism 40 can be disengaged from lower plate 24. This prevents force from being transmitted from lower plate 24 to holding mechanism 40.

[0066] Even when the engagement by the holding mechanism 40 is released, the shaft members 42B to 42D are inserted through the through holes 46A to 46C, respectively, in the lower plate 24. This allows the positioning of the lower plate 24 to be determined without applying an axial load to the shaft members 42A to 42D.

[0067] A plurality of rotor cores 2 are arranged in the molding device 30. The plurality of rotor cores 2 are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the rotor core 2 (i.e., the central axial direction of the cylindrical rotor core 2). In other words, the plurality of rotor cores 2 are arranged in multiple stages.

[0068] Furthermore, when multiple rotor cores 2 are arranged side by side in the axial direction, the magnet insertion holes 4 of each of the multiple rotor cores 2 are connected via the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 of the intermediate plate 29. In other words, the upper through-hole 22A is formed at a position corresponding to the magnet insertion hole 4 of the rotor core 2 placed on the intermediate plate 29. Furthermore, the lower through-hole 26 is formed at a position corresponding to the magnet insertion hole 4 of the rotor core 2 in the next lower row.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 9 , multiple rotor cores 2 are held by a molding device 30 in a lined-up state in the axial direction via an intermediate plate 29. The molding device 30 includes an upper die 31 and a lower die 32. The upper die 31 abuts against the upper portion of the top rotor core 2, specifically its upper surface, to support it. The lower die 32 abuts against the upper plate 22 on which the bottom rotor core 2 is placed to support it. A support column (not shown) is provided between the upper die 31 and the lower die 32, and the support column may be able to raise and lower the upper die 31 in the vertical direction using an actuator (not shown). The raising and lowering operation of the upper die 31 is mainly performed when the rotor core 2 is held in the molding device 30 or when the rotor core 2 is removed and carried out from the molding device 30.

[0070] As described above, the upper die 31 may be movable in the vertical direction. The upper die 31 descends and presses the upper surface of the rotor core 2 with a predetermined pressing force, thereby holding multiple rotor cores 2 sandwiched between the upper die 31 and the lower die 32. The shapes, materials, etc. of the surfaces of the upper die 31 and the lower die 32 that face the rotor core 2 can be adjusted so that the filled resin does not leak out of the rotor core 2 when the resin is filled into the magnet insertion holes 4. Specifically, the contact surfaces can be adjusted so that they are sealed when the rotor core 2 is sandwiched between the upper die 31 and the lower die 32.

[0071] In this embodiment, as described above, a structure is adopted in which the upper mold 31 is directly moved up and down, but other structures can be adopted as long as they are structures that allow the relative vertical positions of the upper mold 31 and the lower mold 32 to be changed. Specifically, for example, instead of moving the upper mold 31 up and down, a structure may be adopted in which the lower mold 32 is moved up and down, or both the upper mold 31 and the lower mold 32 are moved up and down.

[0072] A resin filling path 23 is formed between the lower mold 32 and the upper plate 22 to supply softened resin R to the multiple magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2. The path structure of the resin filling path 23 is set appropriately according to the number and shape of the magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2, the shape of the pots, etc.

[0073] Because the rotor core 2, in which the magnet insertion holes 4 are filled with resin, can often be changed to a different shape, it is advisable to prepare a plurality of lowermost upper plates 22 having resin filling passages 23 with different structures in advance, and replace them as appropriate to match the rotor core 2 held by the upper mold 31 and the lower mold 32. The lower mold 32 may further include a lifter that can raise and lower the lower mold 32 to insert tablets into the pot, perform cleaning, etc. Furthermore, a plurality of other upper plates 22 with different arrangements and sizes of upper through holes 22A may also be prepared, and be replaced as appropriate to match the rotor core 2.

[0074] The molding device 30 further has a plunger 34. The plunger 34 presses the resin R that has been softened by heating the tablet T with a heater (not shown). In the example shown in Fig. 9, the resin R is pressed by the cylindrical plunger 34 provided in the center of the lower mold 32. This causes the softened resin R to flow, and after passing through the resin filling path 23, the resin R is filled into the magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2.

[0075] The flowing resin R first enters the magnet insertion holes 4 of the bottom-most rotor core 2, then enters the magnet insertion holes 4 of the second and third rotor cores 2, and finally enters the magnet insertion holes 4 of the top-most rotor core 2. In this way, the resin R is filled into each of the magnet insertion holes 4 of the multiple rotor cores 2.

[0076] The resin R mainly contains a thermosetting resin material. Specifically, the resin R may contain a thermosetting resin material such as an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, an unsaturated polyester resin, or a cyanate resin. In addition to the thermosetting resin material, a curing agent, a filler, etc. may be added to the resin R.

[0077] After the magnet insertion holes 4 have been filled with resin, the rotor cores 2 are removed from the mold. In this case, the upper plates 22 are separated from the lower plates 24, and the rotor cores 2 are removed together with the separated upper plates 22.

[0078] As described above, the upper plate 22 is formed with an upper through-hole 22A. The lower plate 24 is formed with a lower through-hole 26. The upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 have opening areas S along a direction perpendicular to the penetration direction that become smaller toward the side facing the rotor core 2 in the penetration direction. In other words, the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 have a tapered shape.

[0079] Furthermore, the taper angle α of the upper through hole 22A formed in the upper plate 22 is larger than the taper angle β of the lower through hole 26 formed in the lower plate 24. Here, the taper angle is the angle formed by a pair of imaginary lines along the outer edge of the through hole when the through hole is viewed in a cross section that includes the central axis and is along the penetration direction. Specifically, the taper angle α is the angle formed by a pair of imaginary lines A1 and A2 along the outer edge of the upper through hole 22A. Furthermore, the taper angle β is the angle formed by a pair of imaginary lines A3 and A4 along the outer edge of the lower through hole 26.

[0080] Because the taper angle α of the upper through-hole 22A is larger than the taper angle β of the lower through-hole 26, the resin R that has hardened in the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 is more likely to remain on the upper plate 22 side. Specifically, a large contact area is ensured between the inner circumferential surface of the upper through-hole 22A and the resin R, so that the adhesive force is increased and the resin R comes off the lower plate 24 while adhering to the upper plate 22.

[0081] Furthermore, the opening width L1 of the upper through-hole 22A on the rotor core 2 side and the opening width L2 of the lower through-hole 26 on the rotor core 2 side are set to be the same length. Note that in this embodiment, "same" refers not only to being completely the same, but also to being the same in the sense of including an error that is generally acceptable in the technical field to which the technology of the present disclosure belongs and that does not go against the spirit of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0082] Although the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 are shown here as an example in which they have a truncated cone shape, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 may also have a truncated polygonal pyramid shape (for example, a truncated quadrangular pyramid shape).

[0083] The rotor core 2 is removed from the lower plate 24 together with the upper plate 22. The multiple rotor cores 2 are then removed from the molding device 30. The upper plate 22 removed from the molding device 30 is subjected to removal of hardened resin R (hereinafter referred to as "cull") remaining in the upper through-holes 22A. Methods for removing the cull include pushing the cull down with a pin from above, removing it with a cleaner, or sucking the cull with air from below or blowing it away with air from above. The removal process described above may be performed while the upper plate 22 remains supported by the robot arm 10, or may be performed with the upper plate 22 placed in a removal area. The multiple rotor cores 2 are then transported to the next process.

[0084] <Rotor Manufacturing Method> Next, a rotor manufacturing method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a rotor core manufacturing process according to this embodiment.

[0085] 10 , in the manufacturing method of the rotor core 2 according to the present embodiment, first, the rotor core 2 is placed on the upper plate 22 (step S01). In this case, the protrusions 22B are inserted into the through holes 5 of the rotor core 2, thereby positioning the rotor core 2 with respect to the upper plate 22.

[0086] Next, the permanent magnets 3 and the rotor core 2 to which the permanent magnets 3 are to be attached are prepared, and the permanent magnets 3 are inserted into the magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2 (step S02). The rotor core 2 is then transported to a preheating step while placed on the upper plate 22, where the rotor core 2 is preheated (step S03). The rotor core 2 is preheated using heating equipment 50 shown in Fig. 3. That is, in the heating equipment 50, the rotor core 2 while placed on the upper plate 22 is heated.

[0087] The preheated rotor core 2 is placed on the upper plate 22 and transported to the molding process (step S04). Specifically, the rotor core 2 and the upper plate 22 are supported by the support portion 12B of the robot arm 10. Then, the robot arm 10 moves to transport the multiple rotor cores 2 to the molding device 30.

[0088] In the molding device 30, the lower plate 24 is held at a predetermined position by the holding mechanism 40. The plurality of rotor cores 2 are placed in the mold via the upper plate 22 (step S05). Specifically, the plurality of rotor cores 2 are placed on the lower plate 24 in the mold via the upper plate 22. Then, the lower plate 24 is lowered via the holding mechanism 40, and the plurality of rotor cores 2 are arranged in a state lined up in the axial direction via the intermediate plate 29 (step S06).

[0089] A heater (not shown) is operated on the tablet T that has been inserted into the lower mold 32 through the gap between the bottom upper plate 22 and the lower mold 32 to soften the resin R (step S07). Specifically, the viscosity of the resin forming the tablet T is reduced by heating in a pot within the molding device 30, resulting in softened resin R (hereinafter referred to as "softened resin"). The heater used for this heating is preferably controlled so as not to cause local temperature differences in the tablet T. The tablet T melts as a result of this heating, reducing its viscosity and turning into softened resin R with high fluidity.

[0090] The rotor core 2 is held within the upper mold 31 and the lower mold 32 (i.e., the metal mold) by moving the upper mold 31 downward (step S08). At this time, the upper mold 31 is adjusted to press the upper surface of the rotor core 2 with a predetermined pressure, thereby bringing the upper mold 31 and the upper surface of the rotor core 2, and the lower mold 32 and the lower surface of the upper plate 22 into close contact with each other.

[0091] Once the tablets T have turned into softened resin R, the softened resin R is filled into the magnet insertion holes 4 via the plunger 34 (step S09). Specifically, the plunger 34 is moved upward to press the resin R, and the softened resin R is injected into the resin filling path 23. The softened resin R that has flowed through the resin filling path 23 is then filled into each of the magnet insertion holes 4 of the multiple rotor cores 2 that are lined up along the axial direction. Note that, to smoothly fill the magnet insertion holes 4 with the softened resin R in step S09, air holes (not shown) for venting air from inside the magnet insertion holes 4 may be provided in appropriate locations on the upper mold 31 and the upper plate 22, for example.

[0092] A mold heater (not shown) is operated to harden the softened resin R in the magnet insertion holes 4 (step S10). For example, the mold heater may be operated before, during, and / or after the resin is filled, so that the resin is hardened while being filled. That is, steps S09 and S10 may be performed simultaneously. When hardening the softened resin R, it is advisable to heat it, for example, at 100 to 180°C for several minutes. As the softened resin R hardens through heating, the permanent magnets 3 are fixed in the magnet insertion holes 4 of the rotor core 2 by the resin mold. The heating time in step S10 may be adjusted as appropriate depending on the specific composition of the resin used in the tablet T.

[0093] When the series of resin molding processes described above is completed, the upper mold 31 is raised and the resin-molded rotor core 2 is removed from the apparatus using the robot arm 10 (step S11). The removed rotor core 2 can be transferred to another apparatus, for example, for attachment of a shaft. Then, when removal of the rotor core 2 is complete, the molding apparatus 30 is cleaned (step S12). Cleaning the molding apparatus 30 may include using a cleaning member such as a brush to clean the inside of the lower through-hole 26 of the lower plate 24, the surfaces of the upper mold 31 and lower mold 32, the inside of the pot, etc.

[0094] As described above, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, by placing the plurality of rotor cores 2 placed on the upper plate 22 on the lower plate 24 inside the mold, the plurality of rotor cores 2 are lined up in the axial direction within the mold via the intermediate plate 29. Furthermore, in this state, resin is filled into the magnet insertion holes 4 of each of the plurality of rotor cores 2. This allows the operation of stacking the plurality of rotor cores 2 via the intermediate plate 29 and the operation of setting them within the mold to be combined into one operation, which contributes to improving the productivity of the motor core manufacturing process.

[0095] For example, consider a case where multiple rotor cores 2 are stacked outside the mold and then transported into the mold for molding. In this case, the work of stacking the multiple rotor cores 2 outside the mold and the work of installing the stacked multiple rotor cores 2 into the mold occur separately. This reduces work efficiency in the rotor manufacturing process. With this configuration, when the multiple rotor cores 2 are installed in the mold, the multiple rotor cores 2 are lined up in the axial direction via the intermediate plate 29, thereby improving work efficiency compared to when the stacking work and the installation work are separated.

[0096] Furthermore, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the holding mechanism 40 is capable of lowering the lower plate 24 on which the rotor core 2 is placed via the upper plate 22. This allows the rotor cores 2 to be stacked before being held in the mold, compared to when the lower plate 24 is always held at the same height. In other words, the stacked state of the rotor cores 2 can be confirmed before clamping the mold. Furthermore, compared to when the lower mold 32 is raised to stack the rotor cores 2, it is only necessary to move the holding mechanism 40, making it easier to stack the rotor cores 2 in the mold.

[0097] Furthermore, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the engagement of the holding mechanism 40 with the lower plate 24 can be released when the multiple rotor cores 2 are lined up in the axial direction via the intermediate plate 29. This prevents the load applied when the multiple rotor cores 2 are clamped (held by the mold) after being stacked in the mold from being transmitted to the holding mechanism 40 via the lower plate 24.

[0098] Furthermore, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the lower plates 24 can be freely raised and lowered within the mold via the holding mechanism 40. This makes it possible to adjust the distance between the lower plates 24 in accordance with the height of the rotor core 2.

[0099] Furthermore, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, each of the plurality of lower plates 24 can be raised and lowered independently within the mold. This allows the rotor cores 2 of different heights to be molded using the same mold by adjusting the distance between the lower plates 24, even if the rotor cores 2 are of different heights.

[0100] Furthermore, in the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the holding mechanism 40 includes shaft members 42A-42D that are extendable and retractable along the axial direction. When the shaft members 42A-42D are extended, the shaft members 42A-42C are each engageable with the corresponding engaging portions 44A-44C of the lower plate 24. This allows the lower plate 24 to be held by the shaft members 42A-42C. This simplifies the molding apparatus 30 compared to, for example, using the robot arm 10 to hold the lower plate 24 within the mold.

[0101] Furthermore, in the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the shaft members 42A to 42D have a telescopic structure in the holding mechanism 40. This allows the holding mechanism 40 to be made smaller than when the shaft members 42A to 42D are provided in separate positions.

[0102] Furthermore, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the robot arm 10 is configured to include a plurality of support portions 12B. Each of the plurality of rotor cores 2 is placed on the plurality of support portions 12B via the upper plate 22. This simplifies the configuration of the robot arm 10 compared to, for example, a case in which the robot arm 10 directly grips the upper plate 22.

[0103] Furthermore, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, in the robot arm 10, the support portions 12B are arranged along the axial direction of the plurality of rotor cores 2. As a result, when the plurality of rotor cores 2 are transported into the mold, the rotor cores 2 can be lined up along the axial direction.

[0104] Furthermore, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, an upper through-hole 22A is formed in the upper plate 22, and a lower through-hole 26 is formed in the lower plate 24. When viewed in cross section along the penetration direction, the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 have opening areas S that become smaller the closer they are to the side facing the rotor core 2 in the penetration direction. This causes stress to concentrate on narrow portions of the hardened resin in the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26, making it easier to separate the rotor core 2 from the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24.

[0105] Furthermore, in the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the taper angle α of the upper through-hole 22A formed in the upper plate 22 is set to be larger than the taper angle β of the lower through-hole 26 formed in the lower plate 24. This increases the contact area between the upper through-hole 22A of the upper plate 22 and the cured resin, making it easier for the cured resin remaining in the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26 to remain on the upper plate 22. As a result, the burden of cleaning the lower plate 24 in the molding device 30 is reduced.

[0106] Furthermore, according to the rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 are provided with positioning units 33 that position the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 in a predetermined positional relationship with each other when the upper plate 22 is placed on the lower plate 24. This allows the positional relationship between the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 to be determined with high precision, thereby suppressing resin leakage and the like due to misalignment between the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24.

[0107] (First Modification) In addition to the first embodiment, in this first modification, the lower plate 24 is preheated in the molding apparatus 30. As shown in FIG. 11 , the shaft members 42A-42D are contracted in the holding mechanism 40. This causes the lower plates 24A-24C to be stacked. In this state, the lower plates 24A-24C are preheated. Specifically, the lower mold 32 is heated by a mold heater (not shown) provided within the lower mold 32, and the lower plates 24A-24C are heated by heat conduction from the lower mold 32.

[0108] Preheating of the lower plates 24A-24C may be performed, for example, during spare time before the molding apparatus 30 is put into operation (e.g., before work begins). After preheating is complete, the lower plates 24A-24C are held in a predetermined position within the mold. Specifically, in the holding mechanism 40, the shaft members 42A-42D extend, causing the lower plates 24A-24C to rise. Then, when the shaft members 42A-42D extend to a predetermined length, the lower plates 24A-24C are held in the predetermined position.

[0109] According to this first modified example, the lower plates 24A to 24C can be preheated. When filling the magnet insertion holes 4 with resin, if the lower plates 24A to 24C are at a low temperature, the resin cools and its fluidity decreases. As a result, the magnet insertion holes 4 may not be filled with resin to an adequate degree. In this configuration, the lower plates 24A to 24C are sufficiently heated, making it easier to fill the resin after preheating.

[0110] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the upper plate 22 on which the rotor core 2 is placed is supported by the support portion 12B. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. In the second embodiment, the upper plate 22 is directly supported by the end effector 12 of the robot arm 10.

[0111] As shown in Figure 12, in the robot arm 10, an upper plate 22 is directly attached to the main body 12A of the end effector 12. Here, the upper plate 22 is detachably attached to the main body 12A. For example, an end of the upper plate 22 is gripped by a chucking structure provided in the main body 12A. In this way, the upper plate 22 is directly attached to the main body 12A. The rotor core 2 is transported by the robot arm 10 while placed on the upper plate 22.

[0112] Although the embodiment in which the upper plate 22 is supported by physical gripping has been described above, this is merely one example. For example, the magnetized member of the upper plate 22 may be magnetically attached and detached by switching an electromagnet on and off.

[0113] 13 , the robot arm 10 places a plurality of rotor cores 2 in a mold. The plurality of rotor cores 2 are placed on the lower plate 24 via the upper plate 22, and the lower plate 24 is lowered by the holding mechanism 40. Here, the upper plate 22 is movable up and down relative to the main body 12A of the end effector 12. This allows the upper plate 22 to move up and down as the lower plate 24 moves down.

[0114] Although the example shown here is one in which the upper plate 22 moves up and down relative to the main body 12A during molding, this is merely an example. For example, the upper plate 22 may be detached from the main body 12A after being placed in the mold.

[0115] The multiple rotor cores 2 are held by the molding device 30 in a state lined up in the axial direction via the intermediate plate 29. Then, the resin R is caused to flow by the plunger 34, passes through the resin filling path 23, and then is filled into the magnet insertion holes 4 of the multiple rotor cores 2. The rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the second embodiment also achieves the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

[0116] <<Third Embodiment>> In the first embodiment, an example in which the holding mechanism 40 includes the shaft members 42A to 42D has been described. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. In the third embodiment, the holding mechanism 60 includes a rail mechanism 62.

[0117] As shown in Figure 14, the molding device 30 includes a holding mechanism 60. The holding mechanism 60 includes a rail mechanism 62. The rail mechanism 62 supports the lower plates 24A to 24C via guide rails extending in the vertical direction. The rail mechanism 62 also allows the lower plates 24A to 24C to move up and down freely. The rail mechanism 62 is, for example, a feed screw mechanism, and operates by receiving power generated by a drive source (not shown).

[0118] The robot arm 10 places multiple rotor cores 2 in a mold. The multiple rotor cores 2 are placed on the lower plate 24 via the upper plate 22, and after the robot arm 10 retracts, the lower plate 24 is lowered by the holding mechanism 60. The multiple rotor cores 2 are held by the molding device 30 in a state lined up in the axial direction via the intermediate plate 29. Then, the resin R is caused to flow by the plunger 34, and after passing through the resin filling path 23, the resin R is filled into the magnet insertion holes 4 of the multiple rotor cores 2. The rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the third embodiment also achieves the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above.

[0119] It goes without saying that the configuration of the end effector 12 according to the second embodiment described above may also be applied to the third embodiment.

[0120] <<Fourth Embodiment>> In the above-described first embodiment, an example has been described in which the holding mechanism 40 is provided in the mold forming apparatus 30 in the rotor manufacturing system 1. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The holding mechanism 60 is separate from the mold forming apparatus 30.

[0121] As shown in Figure 15, the rotor manufacturing system 1 includes a robot arm 10, a mold forming apparatus 30, and a holding mechanism 70. The holding mechanism 70 is a mechanism that holds the lower plates 24A-24C at predetermined positions in the mold forming apparatus 30. In other words, the lower plates 24A-24C are provided at predetermined positions between the upper mold 31 and the lower mold 32 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "inside the mold") by the holding mechanism 70. The configuration of the holding mechanism 70 is the same as that of the holding mechanism 40 described above, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The holding mechanism 70 is an example of a "holding mechanism" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0122] The holding mechanism 70 operates under the control of a control device 78. The holding mechanism 70, the mold forming device 30, and / or the robot arm 10 may be controlled by a common control device. The rotor manufacturing system 1 according to the fourth embodiment also provides the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above.

[0123] (Other Modifications) In the above embodiments, the intermediate plate 29 is configured by the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24. However, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. Another plate may be sandwiched between the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24. In this case, the plate between the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 has through holes that communicate with the upper through-hole 22A and the lower through-hole 26.

[0124] In addition, although the above-described embodiments have been described with reference to examples in which multiple rotor cores 2 are transported simultaneously, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the top three rotor cores 2 of the four rotor cores 2 may be transported simultaneously, and the bottom rotor core 2 may be transported at a different time.

[0125] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the positioning portion 33 is described as including the recessed portion 33A and the protruding portion 33B, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The positioning portion 33 may be an L-shaped guide structure provided on the upper plate 22 or the lower plate 24. The L-shaped guide structure positions the corner of the upper plate 22 or the lower plate 24 at a predetermined position, thereby achieving positioning.

[0126] The positioning portion 33 may also be a contact sensor (for example, a photoelectric sensor or a mechanical switch) provided on the upper plate 22 or the lower plate 24. The contact sensor detects the position of a corner of the upper plate 22 or the lower plate 24, thereby performing positioning.

[0127] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, an example in which the resin R is filled from the side of the lower die 32 in the molding device 30 has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the resin R may be filled from the side of the upper die 31, or the resin R may be filled from both the upper die 31 and the lower die 32.

[0128] In addition, while the above embodiments have been described with reference to examples in which resin is filled by the plunger 34 provided in the center of the lower mold 32, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, resin may be filled by an annular plunger that presses an annular resin tablet. Alternatively, a multi-plunger including multiple plungers may press tablets arranged in positions facing the magnet insertion holes 4 along the circumferential direction of the lower mold 32.

[0129] In addition, in the above-described embodiments, the upper plate 22 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. The upper plate 22 may have another polygonal shape or may be circular.

[0130] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, an example in which multiple rotor cores 2 are transported by the articulated robot arm 10 has been described, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, multiple rotor cores 2 may be transported by a linear transport robot that is movable in three dimensions, or multiple rotor cores 2 may be transported by a robot cart. Also, multiple rotor cores 2 supported by a hanging mechanism such as a crane may be transported by a worker.

[0131] The above-described description and illustrations are a detailed explanation of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure and are merely an example of the technology of the present disclosure. For example, the above description of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects is an explanation of an example of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, it goes without saying that unnecessary parts may be deleted, new elements may be added, or replacements may be made to the above-described description and illustrations within the scope of the gist of the technology of the present disclosure. Furthermore, to avoid confusion and facilitate understanding of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure, the above-described description and illustrations omit explanations of common technical knowledge that do not require particular explanation to enable the implementation of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0132] In this specification, "A and / or B" is synonymous with "at least one of A and B." In other words, "A and / or B" means that it may be only A, only B, or a combination of A and B. Furthermore, in this specification, the same concept as "A and / or B" is also applied when three or more things are expressed by connecting them with "and / or."

[0133] All publications, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, or technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0134] The following supplementary notes are further provided with respect to the above-described embodiments. <Supplementary Note 1> A motor manufacturing method including: transporting a plurality of cores placed on a plurality of first plates, respectively, into a mold by a transport mechanism; mounting each of the plurality of cores via the first plates onto a plurality of second plates, respectively, provided at predetermined positions in the mold by a holding mechanism; and, with the plurality of cores lined up in the axial direction via an intermediate plate including the first plate and the second plate, filling magnet insertion holes formed in each of the plurality of cores with resin. <Supplementary Note 2> The motor manufacturing method according to Supplementary Note 1, in which the holding mechanism is capable of lowering the second plate with the cores placed thereon via the first plate. <Supplementary Note 3> The motor manufacturing method according to Supplementary Note 1 or Supplementary Note 2, in which, with the plurality of cores lined up in the axial direction via the intermediate plate, the holding mechanism is capable of disengaging from the second plate. <Supplementary Note 4> The motor manufacturing method according to any one of Supplements 1 to 3, in which the second plate is capable of being raised and lowered within the mold via the holding mechanism. <Supplementary Note 5> The motor manufacturing method according to Supplementary Note 4, wherein each of the plurality of second plates is capable of moving up and down independently of one another within the mold. <Supplementary Note 6> The motor manufacturing method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 5, wherein the holding mechanism includes a plurality of shaft members that are extendable and retractable along the axial direction, and wherein, when the plurality of shaft members are extended, each of the plurality of shaft members is capable of engaging with an engaging portion of a corresponding one of the second plates. <Supplementary Note 7> The motor manufacturing method according to Supplementary Note 6, wherein the plurality of shaft members have a telescopic structure. <Supplementary Note 8> The motor manufacturing method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 7, wherein the transport mechanism includes a plurality of support portions on which each of the plurality of cores is placed via the first plate. <Supplementary Note 9> The motor manufacturing method according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the support portions are arranged along the axial direction of the plurality of cores.<Supplementary Note 10> The motor manufacturing method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 9, wherein through holes are formed in the first plate and the second plate at positions corresponding to the resin filling portions, and an opening area of ​​the through holes along a direction perpendicular to the penetration direction decreases toward the side facing the core in the penetration direction. <Supplementary Note 11> The motor manufacturing method according to Supplementary Note 10, wherein, when the angle formed by a pair of imaginary straight lines along an outer edge of the through hole in a cross section of the through hole along the penetration direction is defined as a taper angle, the taper angle of the through hole formed in the first plate is larger than the taper angle of the through hole formed in the second plate. <Supplementary Note 12> The motor manufacturing method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 11, wherein a positioning portion is provided in the first plate and / or the second plate to set the first plate and the second plate in a predetermined positional relationship when the first plate is placed on the second plate.

[0135] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-058081, filed on March 29, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A motor manufacturing method comprising: transporting a plurality of cores placed on a plurality of first plates into a mold using a transport mechanism; placing each of the plurality of cores, via the first plates, on a plurality of second plates provided at predetermined positions in the mold using a holding mechanism; and filling resin into resin-filled portions formed in each of the plurality of cores while arranging the plurality of cores in the axial direction via an intermediate plate constituted by the first plate and the second plate.

2. The motor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the holding mechanism is capable of lowering the second plate with the core placed thereon via the first plate.

3. The motor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the engagement between the second plate and the retaining mechanism can be released when the plurality of cores are aligned in the axial direction via the intermediate plate.

4. The motor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the second plate is movable up and down within the mold via the holding mechanism.

5. The motor manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of second plates is capable of moving up and down independently within the mold.

6. The motor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the holding mechanism comprises a plurality of shaft members that are extendable and retractable along the axial direction, and when the shaft members are extended, each of the shaft members can engage with a corresponding engaging portion of the second plate.

7. The motor manufacturing method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of shaft members have a telescopic structure.

8. The motor manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism includes a plurality of support portions on which each of the plurality of cores is placed via the first plate.

9. The motor manufacturing method according to claim 8, wherein the support portions are arranged along the axial direction of the cores.

10. A motor manufacturing method as described in claim 1, wherein the first plate and the second plate each have a through hole formed at a position corresponding to the resin filling portion, and the opening area of ​​the through hole along a direction perpendicular to the penetration direction becomes smaller as it goes toward the side facing the core in the penetration direction.

11. A motor manufacturing method as set forth in claim 10, wherein, when the through hole is viewed in cross section along the penetration direction, the taper angle formed by a pair of imaginary straight lines along the outer edge of the through hole is defined as the taper angle, and the taper angle of the through hole formed in the first plate is larger than the taper angle of the through hole formed in the second plate.

12. A motor manufacturing method as described in claim 1, wherein the first plate and / or the second plate are provided with a positioning portion that positions the first plate and / or the second plate in a predetermined positional relationship when the first plate is placed on the second plate.

13. A motor manufacturing device comprising: a holding mechanism that holds a plurality of second plates in predetermined positions within the mold, on which a plurality of cores placed on each of a plurality of first plates and transported into the mold can be placed via the first plates; and a resin filling mechanism that fills resin into resin filling portions formed in each of the plurality of cores, with the plurality of cores lined up in the axial direction via an intermediate plate comprising the first and second plates.

14. A motor manufacturing system comprising: a transport mechanism that transports a plurality of cores placed on each of a plurality of first plates into a mold; a holding mechanism that holds a plurality of second plates, on which each of the plurality of cores can be placed via the first plates, at predetermined positions within the mold; and a resin filling mechanism that fills resin into resin filling portions formed in each of the plurality of cores, with the plurality of cores lined up in the axial direction via an intermediate plate constituted by the first plate and the second plate.

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