Plate member, motor manufacturing apparatus, and motor manufacturing method

Abstract

When filling a first core (10A) and a second core (10B) with resin, the first core (10A) and the second core (10B) having a resin filling gap and a flux barrier portion (31) that communicates with the resin filling gap and more easily allows resin to flow than the resin filling gap, an intermediate plate (50) is disposed between the first core (10A) and the second core (10B), which is aligned with the first core (10A) along the axial direction. The intermediate plate (50) comprises: an inflow port (51) that communicates with the flux barrier portion (31) of the first core (10A); a discharge port (52) that communicates with the resin filling gap of the second core (10B); and a resin flow path (53) that establishes communication between the inflow port (51) and the discharge port (52).

Description

Plate member, motor manufacturing apparatus, and method for manufacturing a motor

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

[0002] A rotating electric machine is provided with a motor core (for example, including a rotor core (rotor iron core) and a stator core (stator iron core). Hereinafter, the rotor core and the stator core are collectively referred to simply as a core). Permanent magnets are respectively attached in a plurality of slots arranged annularly at a predetermined interval in the core. As a method of attaching a permanent magnet to the core, a method of inserting a permanent magnet into a slot and then filling and curing resin around it is known (for example, see Japanese Patent No. 5681027).

[0003] However, in the configuration described in Japanese Patent No. 5681027, there are cases where resin cannot be easily filled in the resin filling portion.

[0004] In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present disclosure is to obtain a plate member, a motor manufacturing apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a motor that can easily fill resin in a resin filling portion.

[0005] The plate member according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is a plate member disposed between a first core and a second core that are arranged along the axial direction and each have a first resin filling portion and a second resin filling portion that communicates with the first resin filling portion and in which resin flows more easily than in the first resin filling portion, when filling resin into the first core and the second core. The plate member is provided with an inlet communicating with the second resin filling portion of the first core, an outlet communicating with the first resin filling portion of the second core, and a resin flow path that communicates the inlet and the outlet and guides the resin discharged from the second resin filling portion of the first core to the first resin filling portion of the second core.

[0006] In the above configuration, a resin channel is provided to guide the resin discharged from the second resin-filled section of the first core to the first resin-filled section of the second core. In this configuration, since the outlet of the resin channel is in communication with the first resin-filled section of the second core (i.e., the section where the resin is difficult to flow), the resin is first supplied to the first resin-filled section of the second core, which is difficult to flow, via the resin channel. Therefore, compared to the case where the outlet of the resin channel is in communication with the second resin-filled section of the second core (i.e., the section where the resin is easy to flow), the resin is more easily filled into the first resin-filled section. Consequently, the resin can be suitably filled into the section where the resin is difficult to flow (the first resin-filled section).

[0007] On the other hand, the first resin-filled section and the second resin-filled section are in communication with each other. Therefore, a portion of the resin supplied to the first resin-filled section flows into the second resin-filled section. Consequently, the second resin-filled section can also be adequately filled with resin.

[0008] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the inlet of the resin channel is in communication with the second resin-filled section of the first core (i.e., the section where the resin flows easily). This facilitates the discharge of resin from the first core into the resin channel. Therefore, resin can be suitably introduced into the resin channel.

[0009] Furthermore, the ease with which the resin flows in each filling section may be determined by the area of ​​the cross-section obtained by cutting with a plane perpendicular to the direction of resin inflow (for example, the direction normal to the surface formed by the inlet). In this case, the resin flows more easily in a filling section with a larger cross-sectional area, and it flows less easily in a filling section with a smaller cross-sectional area. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first resin filling section is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second resin filling section.

[0010] In the plate member according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, in the first aspect, the overlapping area between the discharge port and the first resin-filled portion of the second core, as viewed from the axial direction, is smaller than the overlapping area between the inlet and the second resin-filled portion of the first core, as viewed from the axial direction.

[0011] In the above configuration, the overlapping area between the discharge port and the first resin-filled section of the second core is smaller than the overlapping area between the inlet and the second resin-filled section of the first core. As a result, the resin is less likely to flow in the first resin-filled section of the second core than in the second resin-filled section of the first core. Therefore, the discharge port of the resin flow path communicates with the filling section where the resin is less likely to flow (i.e., the first resin-filled section). Thus, the resin can be suitably filled into the filling section where the resin is less likely to flow (the first resin-filled section).

[0012] A plate member according to a third aspect of the present disclosure, in the first or second aspect, the first core and the second core each include a magnet insertion hole and a magnet inserted into the magnet insertion hole, the first resin-filled portion includes a gap between the surface constituting the magnet insertion hole and the magnet in the magnetization direction of the magnet, the second resin-filled portion includes a space provided in a direction perpendicular to the magnetization direction with respect to the magnet, the inlet communicates with the space of the first core, and the outlet communicates with the gap of the second core.

[0013] In the above configuration, the inlet communicates with the space of the first core, and the outlet communicates with the gap between the surface constituting the magnet insertion hole and the magnet inserted into the magnet insertion hole. The space provided in a direction perpendicular to the magnetization direction relative to the magnet is a relatively large space, allowing the resin to flow easily. On the other hand, the gap between the surface constituting the magnet insertion hole and the magnet inserted into the magnet insertion hole in the magnetization direction is a relatively small space, making it difficult for the resin to flow. Therefore, the outlet of the resin flow path communicates with the filling section where the resin does not flow easily (i.e., the first resin filling section). Thus, the resin can be suitably filled into the filling section where the resin does not flow easily.

[0014] In the plate member according to the fourth aspect of this disclosure, in any one aspect of the first to third aspects described above, the inlet and outlet are provided so as not to overlap when viewed from the axial direction.

[0015] In the above configuration, the inlet and outlet are provided so as not to overlap when viewed from the axial direction. For example, if plate members are provided on both sides of a core in the axial direction, the core will have a side on which resin is supplied from the resin flow path (in other words, the side communicating with the outlet of the resin flow path; hereinafter referred to as the "supply side") and a side on which resin is discharged into the resin flow path (in other words, the side communicating with the inlet of the resin flow path; hereinafter referred to as the "discharge side"). After the resin filling of the resin filling section is completed and the contact with the plate members is released, traces of the opening and communication remain on the core in the parts that communicated with the outlet of the resin flow path and the parts that communicated with the inlet. As described above, in the above configuration, since the inlet and outlet are provided so as not to overlap when viewed from the axial direction, the traces of the outlet remaining on the supply side and the traces of the inlet remaining on the discharge side will be in different positions when viewed from the axial direction. Therefore, the supply side and the discharge side can be easily identified.

[0016] A plate member according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one aspect of the first to fourth aspects, comprises: a first plate having a first core contact surface that abuts the first core and is provided with an inlet, and a first back surface which is the surface opposite to the first core contact surface; a second plate having a second core contact surface that abuts the second core and is provided with an outlet, and a second back surface which is the surface opposite to the second core contact surface and abuts the first back surface, wherein the resin flow path comprises: an inlet-side flow path provided in the first plate, communicating with the inlet and extending along the axial direction; an outlet-side flow path provided in the second plate, communicating with the outlet and extending along the axial direction; and an intermediate flow path connecting the downstream end of the inlet-side flow path and the upstream end of the outlet-side flow path and extending along a crossing direction intersecting the axial direction, wherein the intermediate flow path is formed by a recess recessed from the second back surface and the first back surface.

[0017] After filling the first and second cores with resin via the resin channel, some resin remains in the resin channel. In the above configuration, the intermediate channel is formed by a recess extending from the second back surface and the first back surface. As a result, the intermediate channel is opened by releasing the contact between the first plate and the second plate. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove the resin remaining in the intermediate channel.

[0018] A plate member according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one aspect of the first to fourth aspects, comprises: a first plate having a first core contact surface that abuts the first core and is provided with an inlet, and a first back surface which is the surface opposite to the first core contact surface; a second plate having a second core contact surface that abuts the second core and is provided with an outlet, and a second back surface which is the surface opposite to the second core contact surface and abuts the first back surface; the resin flow path comprises: an inlet-side flow path provided in the first plate and communicating with the inlet, extending along the axial direction; an outlet-side flow path provided in the second plate and communicating with the outlet, extending along the axial direction; and an intermediate flow path connecting the downstream end of the inlet-side flow path and the upstream end of the outlet-side flow path, extending along a crossing direction which intersects the axial direction; the intermediate flow path is formed by a recess recessed from the first back surface and the second back surface.

[0019] In the above configuration, the intermediate channel is formed by a recess extending from the first back surface and a second back surface. This allows the intermediate channel to be opened by releasing the contact between the first plate and the second plate. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove any resin remaining in the intermediate channel.

[0020] A plate member according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, in any one aspect of the first to fourth aspects described above, comprises: a first plate having a first core contact surface that abuts the first core and is provided with an inlet, and a first back surface which is the surface opposite to the first core contact surface; a second plate having a second core contact surface that abuts the second core and is provided with an outlet, and a second back surface which is the surface opposite to the second core contact surface and is in contact with the first back surface, wherein a first back opening is provided on the first back surface and a second back opening is provided on the second back surface, the resin flow path has an inlet-side flow path provided on the first plate that communicates with the inlet and the first back opening and extends along the axial direction, and an outlet-side flow path provided on the second plate that communicates with the outlet and the second back opening and extends along the axial direction, wherein the first back opening and the second back opening are provided so as to overlap when viewed from the axial direction.

[0021] In the above configuration, the first rear opening and the second rear opening are provided so as to overlap when viewed from the axial direction. This allows the resin flow path to be formed using only the inlet and outlet flow paths. The inlet flow path extends axially from the inlet. Therefore, any resin remaining in the inlet flow path can be easily extracted axially from the inlet. Similarly, the outlet flow path also extends axially from the outlet, making it easy to extract any remaining resin axially from the outlet. In this way, the resin flow path is composed only of flow paths that make it easy to remove any remaining resin. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove resin from the resin flow path.

[0022] In the plate member according to the eighth aspect of this disclosure, in the fifth aspect, the inlet channel has a larger channel area from the upstream end to the downstream end, and the outlet channel has a smaller channel area from the upstream end to the downstream end. In the plate member according to the ninth aspect of this disclosure, in the sixth aspect, the inlet channel has a larger channel area from the upstream end to the downstream end, and the outlet channel has a smaller channel area from the upstream end to the downstream end. In the plate member according to the tenth aspect of this disclosure, in the seventh aspect, the inlet channel has a larger channel area from the upstream end to the downstream end, and the outlet channel has a smaller channel area from the upstream end to the downstream end.

[0023] In the plate members according to the eighth to tenth embodiments, the flow area of ​​the inlet side flow path and the outlet side flow path is changed. This creates a draft angle, making it easier to remove residual resin from the inlet side flow path and the outlet side flow path.

[0024] The motor manufacturing apparatus according to this disclosure comprises a plate member according to any one of the first to tenth embodiments described above, and a resin supply unit for supplying resin to the first resin filling portion of the first core.

[0025] In the above configuration, as described above, the discharge port of the resin flow path of the plate member is in communication with the first resin filling section of the second core (i.e., the filling section where the resin is difficult to flow), so that the first resin filling section of the second core where the resin is difficult to flow can be suitably filled with resin. Furthermore, in the above configuration, since the resin supply section supplies resin to the first resin filling section of the first core, the first resin filling section of the first core where the resin is difficult to flow can also be suitably filled with resin.

[0026] A motor manufacturing method according to the present disclosure includes the steps of: providing a first core and a second core, each having a first resin-filled section and a second resin-filled section communicating with the first resin-filled section and having a second resin-filled section through which the resin flows more easily than in the first resin-filled section, arranged in the axial direction, and arranging a plate member between the first core and the second core; filling the first resin-filled section of the first core with resin; and guiding the resin discharged from the second resin-filled section of the first core to the first resin-filled section of the second core via a resin channel provided in the plate member.

[0027] The above configuration includes a step of guiding the resin discharged from the second resin-filled section of the first core to the first resin-filled section of the second core via a resin channel provided in the plate member. This makes it possible to suitably fill the first resin-filled section of the second core, where the resin is difficult to flow.

[0028] As described above, the plate member, motor manufacturing apparatus, and motor manufacturing method relating to this disclosure have the excellent effect of making it easy to fill the resin-filled portion with resin.

[0029] This is a plan view showing a rotor core and an intermediate plate according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the state before the rotor core is filled with resin. This is an enlarged view of the main part of Figure 1. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 2. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 2. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a motor manufacturing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a flowchart showing a motor manufacturing method according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a cross-sectional view showing a rotor core according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the state after the rotor core has been filled with resin. This is a cross-sectional view showing an intermediate plate according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a cross-sectional view showing an intermediate plate according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a cross-sectional view showing an intermediate plate according to a modified example of the third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments for carrying out the intermediate plate (an example of a plate member relating to this disclosure), the motor manufacturing apparatus, and the motor manufacturing method will be described. In the following, only the extent necessary for explaining the objectives of this disclosure will be schematically shown, and only the extent necessary for explaining the relevant part of this disclosure will be explained. Any parts that are omitted from explanation will be based on publicly known technology. Furthermore, identical or equivalent members in the figures will be denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. In addition, if there are multiple identical or equivalent members in the figures, reference numerals may be assigned to only some of them in order to make the figures easier to understand. Furthermore, in the figures, the X direction may be described as the horizontal direction, and the Z direction as the vertical direction.

[0031] [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. The intermediate plate according to this embodiment is provided in a motor manufacturing apparatus 40 used when manufacturing motor cores (for example, rotor cores and stator cores) used in motors. In the following description, as an example, a case in which a rotor core 10 is manufactured in the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 will be described.

[0032] <Rotor Core> First, the rotor core 10 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the main part of Figure 1 (specifically, the part indicated by reference numeral 2).

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, the rotor core 10 is formed by laminating multiple thin electromagnetic steel sheets. The thickness of the electromagnetic steel sheets is, for example, about 0.25 mm. The rotor core 10 has a cylindrical shape. A central hole 11 is provided in the central part of the rotor core 10 (i.e., the region including the central axis of the cylinder). The central hole 11 extends along the direction in which the central axis of the rotor core 10 extends and penetrates the rotor core 10. When the rotor core 10 is assembled as a motor, a shaft that constitutes the rotating axis is inserted into the central hole 11. In this embodiment, the direction in which the central axis of the rotor core 10 extends and the direction in which the electromagnetic steel sheets are laminated are the same. Therefore, in the following description, this direction will be referred to as the "axial direction" or "lamination direction". Also, in this embodiment, this direction is the vertical direction, and is the Z direction in the figure. When simply referred to as "circumferential direction" and "radial direction," it means the "circumferential direction" and "radial direction" of the central axis of the rotor core 10.

[0034] Furthermore, the rotor core 10 is provided with a plurality of resin-filled hole groups 12 (eight in this embodiment as an example) on its outer circumference. The resin-filled hole groups 12 include a plurality of through holes that penetrate the rotor core 10 in the stacking direction. The plurality of resin-filled hole groups 12 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction so as to surround the central hole 11. Since each resin-filled hole group 12 has the same configuration, only one resin-filled hole group 12 will be described below, and the descriptions of the other resin-filled hole groups 12 will be omitted.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the resin-filled hole group 12 is configured to be symmetric with respect to a reference line B, which is a line that runs radially along the rotor core 10 in a plan view and passes through the circumferential center of the resin-filled hole group 12. For this reason, in the following description, mainly one side (the left side of Figure 2 in this embodiment) will be described, and the other side will be given the same reference numerals and its detailed description will be omitted. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the resin-filled hole group 12 is configured to be symmetric with respect to the reference line B, but this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the resin-filled hole group 12 may be configured to be asymmetric with respect to the reference line B.

[0036] The resin-filled hole group 12 includes a first through hole 20 provided along the outer peripheral edge of the rotor core 10, and a second through hole 30 extending from the radially inward side of the first through hole 20 toward the outer peripheral edge of the rotor core 10.

[0037] The first through-hole 20 penetrates the rotor core 10 in the stacking direction. The first through-hole 20 has a first magnet insertion portion 21 located at the circumferential center, a first adjacent portion 22 located adjacent to the first magnet insertion portion 21 on the side of the reference line B, and a second adjacent portion 23 located adjacent to the first magnet insertion portion 21 on the side opposite to the reference line B. The first magnet insertion portion 21, the first adjacent portion 22, and the second adjacent portion 23 are in communication with each other and form a single through-hole (specifically, the first through-hole 20).

[0038] A first permanent magnet 25 is inserted into the first magnet insertion section 21. The shape of the first permanent magnet 25 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set according to the dimensions of the first magnet insertion section 21, etc. In this embodiment, as an example, the first permanent magnet 25 is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped and is rectangular when viewed from the axial direction. The magnetization direction of the first permanent magnet 25 is in the shorter direction when viewed from the axial direction. It is not a matter of whether the first permanent magnet 25 is magnetized or not at the time it is inserted into the first magnet insertion section 21. Furthermore, the first permanent magnet 25 may be divided in the axial direction or in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0039] The first magnet insertion portion 21 is formed so that each horizontal length is slightly larger than that of the first permanent magnet 25. Therefore, when the first permanent magnet 25 is inserted into the first magnet insertion portion 21, a gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the first permanent magnet 25 and the surface constituting the first magnet insertion portion 21 (in other words, the inner circumferential surface of the first magnet insertion portion 21). Here, the gap is formed by making the width of the first magnet insertion portion 21 slightly larger than the length of the first permanent magnet 25 in the shorter direction. This gap functions as a space to be filled with resin (an example of the first resin-filled portion according to this disclosure). As the resin filled in the gap solidifies, the first permanent magnet 25 is fixed to the rotor core 10 (specifically, the first magnet insertion portion 21).

[0040] No permanent magnets are inserted in the first adjacent portion 22 and the second adjacent portion 23. Therefore, it is possible to fill the entire space of the first adjacent portion 22 and the second adjacent portion 23 with resin. Accordingly, the first adjacent portion 22 and the second adjacent portion 23 also function as spaces filled with resin (an example of the second resin-filled portion according to this disclosure). The first adjacent portion 22 and the second adjacent portion 23 also function as flux barriers. Since the flow area of ​​the first adjacent portion 22 and the second adjacent portion 23 is larger than the gap formed between the first permanent magnet 25 and the inner circumferential surface of the first magnet insertion portion 21, the resin flows easily. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the main direction of resin flow is along the vertical direction, so the flow path cross-section is defined as the area of ​​the cross-section when cut by a horizontal plane that intersects perpendicularly with the vertical direction.

[0041] The second through-hole 30 penetrates the rotor core 10 in the stacking direction. The second through-hole 30 has a substantially arc shape centered on the intersection of the reference line B and the outer edge of the rotor core 10, with one end in the circumferential direction relative to the intersection located near the outer edge of the rotor core 10 and the other end located near the reference line B. In other words, the second through-hole 30 extends in an arc shape from near the outer edge of the rotor core 10 to near the reference line B.

[0042] The second through-hole 30 has a flux barrier portion (second resin-filled portion) 31, a second magnet insertion portion (magnet insertion hole) 32, a connecting portion 33, a third magnet insertion portion 34, and a third adjacent portion 35, which are arranged in order from the outer peripheral edge of the rotor core 10. The flux barrier portion 31, the second magnet insertion portion 32, the connecting portion 33, the third magnet insertion portion 34, and the third adjacent portion 35 are in communication with each other and form a single through-hole (specifically, the second through-hole 30).

[0043] The flux barrier portion 31 is the region of the second through-hole 30 that is closest to the outer peripheral edge of the rotor core 10. No permanent magnet or the like is provided in the flux barrier portion 31. The flux barrier portion 31 is filled with resin throughout. Therefore, the flux barrier portion 31 functions as a space filled with resin (an example of the second resin filling portion according to the present disclosure). The flux barrier portion 31 has a larger flow path area than the gap formed between the second permanent magnet 37 and the inner peripheral surface of the second magnet insertion portion 32 (an example of the first resin filling portion according to the present disclosure), so that the resin easily flows. The flux barrier portion 31 communicates with an inlet 51 provided in an intermediate plate 50 described later.

[0044] A second permanent magnet (magnet) 36 is inserted into the second magnet insertion portion 32. The shape of the second permanent magnet 36 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set according to the dimensions of the second magnet insertion portion 32 and the like. In the present embodiment, as an example, the second permanent magnet 36 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is rectangular when viewed from the axial direction. The second permanent magnet 36 has a short side direction as the magnetization direction when viewed from the axial direction. Whether the second permanent magnet 36 is magnetized at the time of being inserted into the second magnet insertion portion 32 is not a concern. Further, the second permanent magnet 36 may be divided in the axial direction or a direction orthogonal to the axial direction.

[0045] The second magnet insertion portion 32 is formed so that each horizontal length is slightly larger than that of the second permanent magnet 36. Therefore, when the second permanent magnet 36 is inserted into the second magnet insertion portion 32, a gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the second permanent magnet 36 and the surface constituting the second magnet insertion portion 32 (in other words, the inner circumferential surface of the second magnet insertion portion 32) (see Figure 4). Here, the gap is formed by making the width of the second magnet insertion portion 36 slightly larger than the length of the second permanent magnet 36 in the shorter direction. This gap functions as a space to be filled with resin (an example of the first resin-filled portion according to this disclosure). In the following description, the gap formed between the outer circumferential surface of the second permanent magnet 36 and the surface constituting the second magnet insertion portion 32 (in other words, the inner circumferential surface of the second magnet insertion portion 32) will be referred to as the "resin-filled gap G". The resin filled into this resin-filled gap G solidifies, fixing the second permanent magnet 36 to the rotor core 10 (specifically, the second magnet insertion portion 32). Because the resin-filled gap G is narrow, the flow area is small, making it difficult for the resin to flow. Specifically, the resin flows less easily through it than through the flux barrier section 31. The resin-filled gap G is connected to an outlet 52 provided on the intermediate plate 50, which will be described later.

[0046] The connecting portion 33 is provided between the second magnet insertion portion 32 and the third magnet insertion portion 34, and connects the second magnet insertion portion 32 and the third magnet insertion portion 34. The connecting portion 33 and the third magnet insertion portion 34 are connected in a bent manner. The entire space of the connecting portion 33 can be filled with resin. Therefore, the connecting portion 33 functions as a space filled with resin (an example of the second resin-filled portion of this disclosure). The connecting portion 33 functions as a flux barrier. Since the connecting portion 33 does not have a permanent magnet, it has a relatively large flow area, and the resin flows easily.

[0047] In the third magnet insertion portion 34, a third permanent magnet 37 is inserted. The shape of the third permanent magnet 37 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set according to the dimensions of the third magnet insertion portion 34 and the like. In the present embodiment, as an example, the third permanent magnet 37 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is rectangular when viewed from the axial direction. The third permanent magnet 37 has its short side direction as the magnetization direction when viewed from the axial direction. The third permanent magnet 37 may or may not be magnetized at the time of being inserted into the third magnet insertion portion 34. Further, the third permanent magnet 37 may be divided in the axial direction or in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction.

[0048] Each length in the horizontal direction of the third magnet insertion portion 34 is formed to be slightly larger than that of the third permanent magnet 37. Therefore, when the third permanent magnet 37 is inserted into the third magnet insertion portion 34, a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the second permanent magnet 36 and the surface constituting the third magnet insertion portion 34 (in other words, the inner peripheral surface of the third magnet insertion portion 34). Here, the width of the third magnet insertion portion 34 is slightly larger than the length in the short side direction of the third permanent magnet 37, thereby forming a gap. This gap functions as a space filled with resin (an example of the first resin filling portion of the present disclosure). When the resin filled in the gap solidifies, the third permanent magnet 37 is fixed to the rotor core 10 (specifically, the third magnet insertion portion 34).

[0049] The third adjacent portion 35 is the region of the second through hole 30 that is closest to the reference line B side. No permanent magnet is inserted into the third adjacent portion 35. Resin can be relatively filled in the entire space of the third adjacent portion 35. Therefore, the third adjacent portion 35 also functions as a space filled with resin (an example of the second resin filling portion of the present disclosure). The third adjacent portion 35 also has a function as a flux barrier. The third adjacent portion 35 has a relatively large flow path area and the resin flows easily.

[0050] As shown in Figure 3, when filling the rotor cores 10 with resin in the motor manufacturing apparatus 40, multiple rotor cores 10 are arranged vertically (in the Z direction), and intermediate plates 50 are placed between the rotor cores 10. In the following description, the rotor core 10 located upstream (downward) of the resin flow will be referred to as the "first core 10A," and the rotor core 10 located downstream (upward) will be referred to as the "second core 10B." The first core 10A and the second core 10B have the same structure. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to explain the first core 10A and the second core 10B separately, they will simply be referred to as the rotor core 10.

[0051] <Motor Manufacturing Apparatus> Next, the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 5. Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a motor manufacturing apparatus according to the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 5, the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 according to this embodiment is a device capable of filling and curing a resin material P into the space for filling the resin of the rotor core 10, thereby fixing each permanent magnet in each magnet insertion part. In the motor manufacturing apparatus 40, the fixing of each permanent magnet to the rotor core 10 is achieved by a resin mold using the resin material P. In this specification, the term "motor" is used to include a semi-finished product in which some parts are attached to the motor core.

[0052] The motor manufacturing apparatus 40 can perform resin molding on a single rotor core 10, but it can also perform resin molding on multiple rotor cores 10 simultaneously. Therefore, the following description will illustrate the process of performing resin molding on multiple (for example, four) rotor cores 10 using the motor manufacturing apparatus 40.

[0053] As shown in Figure 5, the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 performs resin molding on a laminate S formed by stacking multiple rotor cores 10, etc. The laminate S may consist of a runner plate 65 located at the bottom, multiple rotor cores 10, an intermediate plate 50 sandwiched between the rotor cores 10, and a retaining plate 68 located at the top.

[0054] The runner plate 65 can be made of a rectangular plate having a predetermined thickness. The material of the runner plate 65 is not particularly limited. For example, the runner plate 65 can be made of a material with good thermal conductivity (e.g., metal). The surface of the runner plate 65 in this embodiment functions as a mounting surface on which the rotor core 1 is placed.

[0055] The surface of the runner plate 65 may be provided with support protrusions 66 for supporting the rotor core 10. Two of these support protrusions 66 are arranged approximately in the center of the surface of the runner plate 65. The two support protrusions 66 can position the rotor core 10 on the plate body by their sides contacting the inner circumferential surface of the central hole 11 (see Figure 1) of the rotor core 10. The number, arrangement, and shape of the support protrusions 66 are not particularly limited.

[0056] The intermediate plate 50 can be made of the same material as the runner plate 65, for example, a metal plate. The front and back surfaces of the intermediate plate 50 are provided with support protrusions 66 similar to those of the runner plate 65.

[0057] The retaining plate 68 closes the upper ends of the first through-hole 20 and the second through-hole 30 (see Figure 1) of the rotor core 10 installed at the top of the laminate S. The retaining plate 68 also integrally fixes the laminate S. A connecting shaft 67 may be attached to the retaining plate 68, which is inserted into connecting holes (not shown) formed in the runner plate 65 and the intermediate plate 50. When this connecting shaft 67 is inserted into the connecting holes (not shown) and fixed, the runner plate 65, the intermediate plate 50 and the multiple rotor cores 10 can be supported integrally. The retaining plate 68 may be omitted, or it may be attached to the lower surface of the upper mold 42, which will be described later, instead of at the top of the laminate S.

[0058] The motor manufacturing apparatus 40 includes at least a mold 41 that holds a laminate S including a rotor core 10 and a runner plate 65 from the axial direction, and a resin supply device (resin supply unit) 60 that supplies resin material P to the first through hole 20 and the second through hole 30 of the rotor core 10.

[0059] The mold 41 comprises an upper mold 42 and a lower mold 43. The upper mold 42 may be configured such that its lower surface can contact one end of the laminate S in the axial direction, more specifically, the upper surface of the retaining plate 68. The upper mold 42 may be fixed to a lifting device (not shown) so that it can move toward and away from the lower mold 43.

[0060] The lower mold 43 may be configured such that its upper surface abuts against the other end of the laminate S in the axial direction, more specifically, the lower surface of the runner plate 65. A support plate 44 for positioning the placed laminate S is provided on the upper surface of the lower mold 43.

[0061] The resin supply device 60 is a device for supplying resin material P, more specifically softened resin material P, to the first through-hole 20 and the second through-hole 30 of the rotor core 10. This resin supply device 60 may include, for example, a chamber 61 capable of accommodating the resin material P, and a plunger 62 for pressing the resin material P in the chamber 61 toward the rotor core 10.

[0062] The chamber (sometimes called a "pot") 61 is a space capable of containing the resin material P. The chamber 61 can be, for example, made up of a cylindrical through-hole provided in the lower mold 43. The upper end of this chamber 61 communicates with the first through-hole 20 and the second through-hole 30 when the laminate S is installed. The shape of the chamber 61 can be appropriately changed according to the shape of the resin material P to be introduced, the size of the first through-hole 20 and the second through-hole 30, etc.

[0063] The resin material P used in the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 can be made of a resin composition molded into a shape that can be accommodated in the chamber 61, for example, a cylindrical shape (sometimes called a tablet shape) having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the chamber 61. This resin material P may mainly contain thermosetting resins such as epoxy resin, phenolic resin, unsaturated polyester resin, or cyanate resin. In addition to the thermosetting resin, curing agents, fillers, etc. may be added to this resin material P.

[0064] The plunger 62 moves vertically within the chamber 61, and is capable of moving the resin material P introduced into the chamber 61 toward the resin injection port. In this embodiment, the plunger 62 has its upper surface closing off the bottom of the chamber 61, thereby forming the lower surface of the chamber 61. The plunger 62 is connected to an actuator (not shown) and moves vertically within the chamber 61. When the plunger 62 moves upward, the softened resin material P in the chamber 61 is pressed by the plunger 62 and filled into the resin filling holes 12 of the rotor core 10. The shape of the plunger head can be appropriately changed to match the shape of the chamber 61.

[0065] Furthermore, the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 according to this embodiment may include a heater 46 for heating the laminate S held in the mold 41. The heater 46 is a heat source used to soften or harden the resin material P. The heater 46 can be, for example, an infrared heater, a sheathed heater, or a heater using a heat transfer medium such as oil. In this embodiment, the heater 46 is positioned adjacent to the lower surface of the upper mold 42, adjacent to the upper surface of the lower mold, and surrounding the chamber 61.

[0066] The motor manufacturing apparatus 40 may further include a control device (not shown) for controlling each of the above-mentioned components. This control device may be a device that is electrically connected to each of the above-mentioned components and controls their operation, thereby enabling any manufacturing process. This control device may be communicated to each of the components of the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 via wired or wireless communication. This control device can be implemented using a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or a well-known computer. Furthermore, the control device may be composed of one or more of the above-mentioned computers, etc.

[0067] <Intermediate Plate> Next, the details of the intermediate plate 50 will be explained with reference to Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the intermediate plate 50 is placed between the first core 10A and the second core 10B, which are arranged side by side in the vertical direction when resin is filled into the first core 10A and the second core 10B.

[0068] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the intermediate plate 50 is provided with an inlet 51 on its lower surface that communicates with the flux barrier portion 31 of the first core 10A. The intermediate plate 50 is also provided with an outlet 52 on its upper surface that communicates with the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B.

[0069] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the inlet 51 and outlet 52 are provided so as not to overlap when viewed from the stacking direction (axial direction). In other words, the inlet 51 and outlet 52 are provided so as not to overlap when viewed from the stacking direction (axial direction). Also, as shown in Figure 2, the overlapping area between the outlet 52 and the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B when viewed from the stacking direction is smaller than the overlapping area between the inlet 51 and the flux barrier portion 31 of the first core 10A when viewed from the stacking direction.

[0070] Here, the opening areas of the inlet 51 and outlet 52 can be appropriately set according to the resin filling pressure, filling amount, etc. Also, although an example of a configuration in which the inlet 51 and outlet 52 are circular is shown here, this is merely one example. The inlet 51 and outlet 52 may also be rectangular openings. Furthermore, one of the inlet 51 and outlet 52 may be circular and the other rectangular.

[0071] Furthermore, the intermediate plate 50 includes an upstream plate (first plate) 54 that abuts against the first core 10A, and a downstream plate (second plate) 55 that is provided above the upstream plate 51 and abuts against the second core 10B. The upstream plate 54 and the downstream plate 55 are plate-shaped members and are substantially square in shape when viewed from above. The upstream plate 54 and the downstream plate 55 are provided so as to overlap.

[0072] The upstream plate 54 has a first core contact surface 54A that abuts against the first core 10A and is provided with an inlet 51, and a first back surface 54B which is the surface opposite to the first core contact surface 54A. The first back surface 54B abuts against the second back surface 55B of the downstream plate 55.

[0073] The downstream plate 55 has a second core contact surface 55A that abuts against the second core 10B and is provided with an outlet 52, and a second back surface 55B that is opposite to the second core contact surface 55A and abuts against the first back surface 54B.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the intermediate plate 50 is provided with a resin channel 53 that connects an inlet 51 and an outlet 52, and guides the resin discharged from the flux barrier portion 31 of the first core 10A to the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B.

[0075] The resin flow path 53 has an inlet-side flow path 53A that communicates with the inlet 51, an outlet-side flow path 53B that communicates with the outlet 52, and an intermediate flow path 53C that connects the downstream end of the inlet-side flow path 53A and the upstream end of the outlet-side flow path 53B.

[0076] The inlet channel 53A is provided in the upstream plate 54. The inlet channel 53A extends linearly along the vertical direction and penetrates the upstream plate 54. The channel area of ​​the inlet channel 53A increases from the upstream end to the downstream end. The upstream end of the inlet channel 53A communicates with the flux barrier section 31 via the inlet 51. The downstream end of the inlet channel 53A communicates with the lower end of the intermediate channel 53C.

[0077] The outlet channel 53B is provided on the downstream plate 55. The outlet channel 53B extends linearly along the vertical direction. The diameter of the outlet channel 53B decreases as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end. The upstream end of the outlet channel 53B communicates with the upper end of the intermediate channel 53C. The downstream end of the outlet channel 53C communicates with the resin-filled gap G via the discharge port 52.

[0078] The intermediate channel 53C extends linearly along the horizontal direction (intersecting direction), which is the direction that intersects the vertical direction. More specifically, the intermediate channel 53C extends along the first back surface 54B and the second back surface 55B. The intermediate channel 53C is formed by a recess that is recessed from the second back surface 55B of the downstream plate 55 and the first back surface 54B of the upstream plate 54. The inlet channel 53A is connected to the lower end of one end of the intermediate channel 53C in the direction of extension. The outlet channel 53B is connected to the upper end of the other end of the intermediate channel 53C in the direction of extension.

[0079] <Motor Manufacturing Method> Next, the motor manufacturing method will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 6. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a motor manufacturing method according to the embodiment of this disclosure. The motor manufacturing method described below can be realized using the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 described above. More specifically, it may be realized, for example, by operating various components of the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 based on signals from a control device included in the motor manufacturing apparatus 40.

[0080] The manufacturing method of the motor of this embodiment will now be described in detail. First, a first permanent magnet 25 is inserted into the first magnet insertion part 21 of the first through hole 20, a second permanent magnet 36 is inserted into the second magnet insertion part 32 of the second through hole 30, and a third permanent magnet 37 is inserted into the third magnet insertion part 34 of the second through hole 30. Next, four rotor cores 10 are prepared, each with a permanent magnet inserted into its respective magnet insertion part. Next, as shown in Figure 6, one rotor core 10 is placed on a runner plate 65 (step S01). Next, three intermediate plates 50 and three rotor cores 10 are alternately stacked on top of the rotor core 10 placed on the runner plate 65, and finally a retaining plate 68 is attached from above to manufacture a laminate S (step S02). In other words, as shown in Figure 3, a plurality of rotor cores 10 (for example, a first core 10A and a second core 10B) are arranged in a vertical direction, and intermediate plates 50 are placed between the rotor cores 10.

[0081] Furthermore, in parallel with the above-described process, the mold 41 and the laminate S are preheated (step S03). At this time, it is more preferable to operate the heater 46 to preheat the chamber 61 in addition to the mold 41 and the laminate S. The mold 41 and the laminate S may be preheated using the heater 46 or by other heating means not shown.

[0082] Next, a tablet-shaped resin material P is placed into the chamber 61 (step S05). After the resin material P is placed, the laminate S is placed on the lower mold 43 and the upper mold 42 is lowered to hold the laminate S in the mold 41. At this time, the upper mold 42 should be adjusted to press the upper surface of the retaining plate 68 with a predetermined pressure. This allows the contact surfaces between the retaining plate 68 and the rotor core 10, the contact surfaces between the intermediate plate 50 and the rotor core 10, and the contact surfaces between the runner plate 65 and the rotor core 10 to be held in close contact within the mold 41.

[0083] Next, the resin material P introduced into the chamber 61 is heated and softened by operating the heater 46 (step S06). The heating of the resin material P in the chamber 61 is performed to reduce the viscosity of the tablet-shaped resin material P and improve its fluidity. The resin material P heated to the softening temperature in the chamber 61 changes into a low-viscosity softened resin material P.

[0084] Once the softening of the resin material P is complete, the plunger 62 of the resin supply device 60 is operated to supply the softened resin material P to the rotor core 10 via the runner plate 65 (step S07). This supply operation is achieved by raising the plunger 62, which pushes the softened resin material P in the chamber 61 upwards and supplies it to the runner plate 65. The resin supplied to the runner plate 65 is introduced into the first through-hole 20 and the second through-hole 30 of the rotor core 10, which is placed on the runner plate 65.

[0085] In this manner, the resin supply device 60 supplies resin to the rotor core 10 via the supply channel 65A of the runner plate 65. The runner plate 65 has multiple supply channels 65A for supplying resin, and one of these supply channels 65A is in communication with the resin-filled gap G of the rotor core 10 (see Figure 3). Therefore, the resin supply device 60 supplies resin to the resin-filled gap G of the rotor core 10 via the supply channel 65A (see arrow A1 in Figure 3).

[0086] The softened resin material P continues until it fills all of the first through-holes 20 and second through-holes 30 of the four rotor cores 10. Details of the resin flow will be described later.

[0087] When the softened resin material P is filled into all of the first through holes 20 and second through holes 30 of the four rotor cores 10 contained in the laminate S, the heater 46 is operated to heat the laminate S to a high temperature and harden the softened resin material P in the first through holes 20 and second through holes 30 (step S08). Once the softened resin material P hardens, each permanent magnet is fixed in its respective magnet insertion part by the hardened resin.

[0088] Once the series of resin molding processes described above are complete, the upper mold 42 is raised to release the mold 41 from holding the laminate S. Then, the runner plate 65 is grasped by a transport means (not shown), such as a robot arm, and the laminate S is transported out of the apparatus (step S09). The transported laminate S is separated into the rotor core 10 alone, the rotor core 10 and runner plate 65 set, or the rotor core 10 and intermediate plate 50 set, and can be transported to another manufacturing apparatus for purposes such as installing a shaft into the through hole 11 (see Figure 1).

[0089] <Flow of Resin> Next, the flow of resin supplied to the rotor core 10 (specifically, the first core 10A) will be described. The resin supplied from the resin supply device 60 to the resin-filled gap G of the first core 10A fills the resin-filled gap G. The resin supplied to the resin-filled gap G of the first core 10A also flows into the flux barrier section 31 which is in communication with the resin-filled gap G (see arrow A2). The resin that flows into the flux barrier section 31 fills the flux barrier section 31. The resin is then discharged from the upper end of the flux barrier section 31. The resin discharged from the flux barrier section 31 flows into the resin channel 53 provided in the intermediate plate 50 via the inlet 51 (see arrow A3).

[0090] The resin flowing into the resin channel 53 first flows from bottom to top through the inlet channel 53A. The resin that has flowed through the inlet channel 53A flows into the intermediate channel 53C and flows through the intermediate channel 53C (see arrow A4). The resin that has flowed through the intermediate channel 53C flows into the outlet channel 53B and flows through the outlet channel 53B. The resin that has flowed through the outlet channel 53B is discharged from the resin channel 53. The resin discharged from the resin channel 53 flows into the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B via the discharge port 52 (see arrow A5).

[0091] The resin supplied to the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B fills the resin-filled gap G and flows into the flux barrier section 31 which is in communication with the resin-filled gap G (see arrow A6). The resin that flows into the flux barrier section 31 of the second core 10B fills the flux barrier section 31. The resin supplied to the flux barrier section 31 of the second core 10B is discharged from the upper end of the flux barrier section 31. The resin discharged from the flux barrier section 31 of the second core 10B flows into the resin flow path 53 via the inlet 51 of the intermediate plate 50 provided on the upper side of the second core 10B (see arrow A7). By repeating this process, multiple rotor cores 10 are filled with resin.

[0092] After filling multiple rotor cores 10 with resin, the resin is allowed to solidify. This causes the permanent magnets to adhere to the magnet insertion parts provided in each rotor core 10. After the resin has solidified, each rotor core 10 is removed from the motor manufacturing apparatus 40. As shown in Figure 7, the rotor cores 10 removed from the motor manufacturing apparatus 40 have traces of communication remaining on the part that was in communication with the discharge port 52 of the intermediate plate 50 (hereinafter referred to as the discharge port communication trace 14) and on the part that was in communication with the inlet 51 (hereinafter referred to as the inlet communication trace 15). The discharge port communication trace 14 is made of solidified resin and is provided so as to protrude slightly from the lower surface (supply surface 10C) of the rotor core 10. The inlet communication trace 15 is made of solidified resin and is provided so as to protrude slightly from the upper surface (discharge surface 10D) of the rotor core 10. The protruding lengths of the outlet communication mark 14 and the inlet communication mark 15 are preferably 1.5 mm or more, more preferably 0.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 0.2 mm or more.

[0093] In the above description, an example was given in which the discharge port communication mark 14 and the inlet communication mark 15 are provided so as to protrude from the lower or upper surface of the rotor core 10, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the discharge port communication mark and the inlet communication mark may be recesses that are recessed from the lower or upper surface of the rotor core 10. When the discharge port communication mark and the inlet communication mark are recesses, the depth of the discharge port communication mark and the inlet communication mark is preferably 1.5 mm or more, more preferably 0.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 0.2 mm or more. Also, for example, the discharge port communication mark and the inlet communication mark may be flat with respect to the lower or upper surface of the rotor core 10. In this case, the discharge port communication mark and the inlet communication mark are rougher than other resin-filled portions. Furthermore, when the rotor cores 10 are stacked together to form a motor, it is preferable that the discharge port communication marks and inlet communication marks be flat with respect to the lower or upper surface of the rotor core 10, or slightly recessed (specifically, recessed by about 0.2 mm) with respect to the lower or upper surface of the rotor core 10.

[0094] As described above, the rotor core 10 used in the motor is manufactured. As shown in Figure 7, resin is supplied to the rotor core 10 from the supply surface 10C side, so the second permanent magnet 36 provided in the second magnet insertion section 32 is lifted by the resin supply pressure. As a result, the second permanent magnet 36 of the rotor core 10 is fixed so as to be slightly biased towards the discharge surface 10D side.

[0095] <Effects and Effects> This embodiment provides the following effects and effects. For example, in order to fill multiple cores with resin, it is conceivable to fill the cores with resin while the multiple cores are arranged along the axial direction. In such a case, an intermediate plate is placed between the cores, with resin channels that connect the resin-filled portions of the cores, and resin is supplied to the resin-filled portion of one core with the intermediate plate sandwiched between the cores. In this way, resin is also supplied to the resin-filled portion of the other core via the resin channels, so that the resin-filled portions of each core can be filled with resin. However, the resin-filled portion of a core has parts where the resin flows easily and parts where the resin does not flow easily. If the resin channels provided in the intermediate plate connect parts where the resin flows easily, a large amount of resin may be filled into the parts where the resin flows easily, and the parts where the resin does not flow easily may be crushed by the magnets pushed by the resin, potentially resulting in the resin not being properly filled into the parts where the resin does not flow easily.

[0096] On the other hand, in this embodiment, a resin channel 53 is provided to guide the resin discharged from the flux barrier portion 31 of the first core 10A to the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B. Thus, in this embodiment, since the outlet 52 of the resin channel 53 is in communication with the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B (i.e., the resin-filled portion where the resin is difficult to flow), the resin is first supplied to the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B, where the resin is difficult to flow, via the resin channel 53. For this reason, the resin is more easily filled into the resin-filled gap G compared to the case where the outlet 52 of the resin channel 53 is in communication with the flux barrier portion 31 of the second core 10B (i.e., the filling portion where the resin is easy to flow). In other words, if the outlet 52 is in communication with the flux barrier portion 31 of the second core 10B, the filled resin will be discharged directly from the flux barrier portion 31 to the inlet 51. Therefore, there is a risk that the magnet may not be adequately fixed because the resin does not flow into the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B. On the other hand, in this configuration, as described above, the resin can be suitably filled into the filling section (resin-filled gap G) where the resin is difficult to flow. Meanwhile, the resin-filled gap G and the flux barrier section 31 are in communication. Therefore, some of the resin supplied to the resin-filled gap G flows into the flux barrier section 31. Consequently, the flux barrier section 31 can also be suitably filled with resin.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inlet 51 of the resin channel 53 is in communication with the flux barrier portion 31 of the first core 10A (i.e., the filling portion where the resin flows easily). This makes it easy to discharge the resin from the first core 10A into the resin channel 53. Therefore, the resin can be suitably introduced into the resin channel 53.

[0098] Furthermore, the ease with which the resin flows in each filling section may be determined by the area of ​​the cross-section obtained by cutting with a plane perpendicular to the direction of resin inflow. In this case, a larger cross-sectional area makes it easier for the resin to flow, and a smaller cross-sectional area makes it more difficult for the resin to flow. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the resin filling gap G is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the flux barrier section 31.

[0099] In this embodiment, the overlapping area between the discharge port 52 and the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B is smaller than the overlapping area between the inlet 51 and the flux barrier portion 31 of the first core 10A. As a result, resin is less likely to flow through the resin-filled gap G of the second core 10B than through the flux barrier portion 31 of the first core 10A. Therefore, the discharge port 52 of the resin flow path 53 communicates with the filling portion where resin is less likely to flow (i.e., the resin-filled gap G). Thus, resin can be suitably filled into the filling portion where resin is less likely to flow (the resin-filled gap G).

[0100] In this embodiment, the inlet 51 and the outlet 52 are provided so as not to overlap when viewed from the stacking direction (up and down direction). When intermediate plates 50 are provided on both sides of a single rotor core 10 in the stacking direction, the rotor core 10 has a side on which resin is supplied from the resin flow path 53 (in other words, the side on which communication is with the outlet 52 of the resin flow path 53; hereinafter referred to as the "supply side 10C") and a side on which resin is discharged to the resin flow path 53 (in other words, the side on which communication is with the inlet 51 of the resin flow path 53; hereinafter referred to as the "discharge side 10D").

[0101] Incidentally, after the resin filling is complete and contact with the intermediate plate 50 is released, traces of communication with the opening (discharge port communication trace 14 and inlet port communication trace 15) remain on the rotor core 10 in the portion that was in communication with the discharge port 52 and the portion that was in communication with the inlet port 51 of the resin flow path 53. As described above, in this embodiment, the inlet port 51 and the discharge port 52 are provided so as not to overlap when viewed from the stacking direction, so the discharge port communication trace 14 remaining on the supply surface 10C and the inlet port communication trace 15 remaining on the discharge surface are located in different positions when viewed from the stacking direction. Therefore, the supply surface 10C and the discharge surface 10D can be easily identified.

[0102] As described above, the manufactured rotor core 10 has the permanent magnets slightly shifted towards the discharge surface 10D. Therefore, by accurately determining the supply surface 10C and the discharge surface 10D, it is easy to determine which side the magnets are biased towards in the stacking direction. Furthermore, because the bias of the magnets can be determined, the position of the magnets can be set to the desired position when the rotor core 10 is incorporated into the motor. Thus, the performance of the motor can be improved.

[0103] After the resin is filled into the first core 10A and the second core 10B via the resin channel 53, some resin remains in the resin channel 53. In this embodiment, the intermediate channel 53C is formed by a recess that is recessed from the second back surface 55B of the downstream plate 55 and the first back surface 54B of the upstream plate 54. In other words, the intermediate channel 53C is provided between the upstream plate 54 and the downstream plate 55. As a result, the intermediate channel 53C is opened by releasing the contact between the upstream plate 54 and the downstream plate 55. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove the resin remaining in the intermediate channel 53C.

[0104] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inlet channel 53A and the outlet channel 53B are either widened or narrowed in diameter. Specifically, the inlet channel 53A widens as it approaches the downstream side, while the outlet channel 53B narrows as it approaches the downstream side. This creates a draft angle, making it easier to remove any hardened resin remaining in the inlet channel 53A and the outlet channel 53B.

[0105] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inlet channel 53A provided in the upstream plate 54 decreases in diameter as it approaches the first core 10A which is in contact with the upstream plate 54. Similarly, the outlet channel 53B provided in the downstream plate 55 decreases in diameter as it approaches the second core 10B which is in contact with the downstream plate 55. As a result, when the intermediate plate 50 is removed, resin tends to remain inside the intermediate plate 50 (specifically, inside the resin channel 53). Therefore, by removing the intermediate plate 50, the resin remaining inside the intermediate plate 50 (specifically, inside the resin channel 53) can be suitably removed from the motor manufacturing apparatus 40.

[0106] [Second Embodiment] Next, an intermediate plate according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 8. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the shape of the resin flow channel provided in the intermediate plate is different. For this reason, only the differences from the first embodiment will be described below, and the same reference numerals will be used for components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment, and their detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0107] As shown in Figure 8, the resin flow path 70 according to this embodiment has an inlet-side flow path 70A that communicates with the inlet 51, an outlet-side flow path 70B that communicates with the outlet 52, and an intermediate flow path 70C that connects the downstream end of the inlet-side flow path 70A and the upstream end of the outlet-side flow path 70B.

[0108] The inlet channel 70A is provided on the upstream plate 54. The inlet channel 70A extends linearly along the vertical direction. The diameter of the inlet channel 70A increases as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end, with the channel area becoming larger. The upstream end of the inlet channel 70A communicates with the flux barrier section 31 via the inlet 51. The downstream end of the inlet channel 70A communicates with the lower end of the intermediate channel 70C.

[0109] The outlet channel 70B is provided in the downstream plate 55. The outlet channel 70B extends linearly along the vertical direction and penetrates the downstream plate 55. The diameter of the outlet channel 70B decreases as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end. The upstream end of the outlet channel 70B communicates with the upper end of the intermediate channel 70C. The downstream end of the outlet channel 70B communicates with the resin-filled gap G via the discharge port 52.

[0110] The intermediate channel 70C extends linearly along the horizontal direction (intersecting direction), which is the direction that intersects the vertical direction. More specifically, the intermediate channel 70C extends along the first back surface 54B and the second back surface 55B. The intermediate channel 70C is formed by a recess that is recessed from the first back surface 54B of the upstream plate 54 and the second back surface 55B of the downstream plate 55. The inlet channel 70A is connected to the lower end of one end of the intermediate channel 70C in the direction of extension. The outlet channel 70B is connected to the upper end of the other end of the intermediate channel 70C in the direction of extension.

[0111] This embodiment provides the following advantages. Similar to the first embodiment, the intermediate flow path 70C is opened by releasing the contact between the upstream plate 54 and the downstream plate 55. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove the resin remaining in the intermediate flow path 70C.

[0112] [Third Embodiment] Next, an intermediate plate according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 9. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the shape of the resin flow channel provided in the intermediate plate is different. For this reason, only the differences from the first embodiment will be described below, and the same reference numerals will be used for components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment, and their detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0113] As shown in Figure 9, the first back surface 54B of the upstream plate 54 according to this embodiment is provided with a first back opening 57. The second back surface 55B of the downstream plate 55 is provided with a second back opening 58. The first back opening 57 and the second back opening 58 are provided so as to partially overlap when viewed from the stacking direction. The first back opening 57 and the second back opening 58 are in communication with each other.

[0114] Furthermore, the resin flow path 80 according to this embodiment includes an inlet-side flow path 80A provided on the upstream plate 54 and communicating with the inlet 51 and the first rear opening 57, and an outlet-side flow path 80B provided on the downstream plate 55 and communicating with the discharge port 52 and the second rear opening 58.

[0115] The inlet channel 80A extends linearly along the stacking direction. The inlet channel 80A widens in diameter so that the channel area increases from the upstream end to the downstream end.

[0116] The outlet channel 80B extends linearly along the stacking direction. The outlet channel 80B narrows in diameter as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end, with the channel area decreasing.

[0117] This embodiment provides the following advantages. In this embodiment, the first rear opening 57 and the second rear opening 58 are provided so as to overlap when viewed from the stacking direction. As a result, the resin channel 80 can be formed by only the inlet channel 80A and the outlet channel 80B. Since the inlet channel 80A and the outlet channel 80B extend in a straight line, it is easy to extract any remaining resin. Thus, the resin channel 80 is composed only of channels from which it is easy to remove any remaining resin. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove resin from the resin channel.

[0118] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since there are no horizontally extending channels, the resin channel 80 can be shortened.

[0119] [Modification] An intermediate plate relating to a modification of the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 10. The taper angles of the upstream and downstream flow paths can be set arbitrarily. Therefore, as shown in the resin flow path 90 in Figure 10, the taper angles of the upstream flow path 90A and the downstream flow path 90B may be increased. By doing so, the flow path area of ​​the portion where the upstream flow path 90A and the downstream flow path 90B communicate can be increased.

[0120] Furthermore, the inclination angles of the wall surfaces constituting the downstream flow path 90A are not uniform. Specifically, as shown in Figure 10, the inclination angle θ1 of the wall surface closer to the discharge port 52 is smaller than the inclination angle θ2 of the wall surface further from the discharge port 52. Similarly, the inclination angles of the wall surfaces constituting the upstream flow path 90B are not uniform. Specifically, the inclination angle θ3 of the wall surface closer to the inlet 51 is smaller than the inclination angle θ4 of the wall surface further from the inlet 51. This configuration makes it easier to increase the overlapping portion between the first rear opening 57 and the second rear opening 58.

[0121] Although the plate member, motor manufacturing apparatus, and motor manufacturing method according to the embodiment have been described above, the disclosure can be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence.

[0122] For example, in the above embodiments, an example was described in which the inlet 51 of the resin flow path 53 of the intermediate plate 50 communicates with the flux barrier portion 53 and the outlet 52 communicates with the resin filling gap G, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The inlet 51 only needs to communicate with a filling portion through which the resin flows more easily than the filling portion through which the outlet 52 communicates. Also, the outlet 52 only needs to communicate with a filling portion through which the resin flows less easily than the filling portion through which the inlet 51 communicates. Therefore, for example, in addition to the resin flow path 53 described in the above embodiments, a resin flow path may be provided in which the inlet communicates with the connection portion 33 or the third adjacent portion 35 and the outlet communicates with the gap formed between the inner circumferential surface of the third magnet insertion portion 34 and the third permanent magnet 37. In addition to the resin channel 53 described in each of the above embodiments, a resin channel may also be provided in which the inlet communicates with the first adjacent portion 22 or the second adjacent portion 23, and the outlet communicates with the gap formed between the inner circumferential surface of the first magnet insertion portion 21 and the first permanent magnet 25.

[0123] Furthermore, although the embodiments described above describe examples in which resin is supplied to the rotor core and intermediate plate from below, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, resin may be supplied to the rotor core and intermediate plate from above.

[0124] Furthermore, the disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-026020, filed on February 20, 2025, 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 were specifically and individually described as being incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A plate member disposed between a first core and a second core aligned axially with the first core when filling a first core and a second core, each having a first resin-filled section and a second resin-filled section communicating with the first resin-filled section and having a second resin-filled section through which the resin flows more easily than in the first resin-filled section, the plate member having an inlet communicating with the second resin-filled section of the first core, an outlet communicating with the first resin-filled section of the second core, and a resin flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet, and guiding the resin discharged from the second resin-filled section of the first core to the first resin-filled section of the second core.

2. The plate member according to claim 1, wherein the overlapping area of ​​the discharge port and the first resin-filled portion of the second core, as viewed from the axial direction, is smaller than the overlapping area of ​​the inlet and the second resin-filled portion of the first core, as viewed from the axial direction.

3. The plate member according to claim 1, wherein the first core and the second core each include a magnet insertion hole and a magnet inserted into the magnet insertion hole, the first resin-filled portion includes a gap between the surface constituting the magnet insertion hole and the magnet in the magnetization direction of the magnet, the second resin-filled portion includes a space provided in a direction perpendicular to the magnetization direction with respect to the magnet, the inlet communicates with the space of the first core, and the outlet communicates with the gap of the second core.

4. The plate member according to claim 1, wherein the inlet and outlet are provided so as not to overlap when viewed from the axial direction.

5. A plate member according to claim 1, comprising: a first plate having a first core contact surface that abuts the first core and is provided with an inlet, and a first back surface which is the surface opposite to the first core contact surface; a second plate having a second core contact surface that abuts the second core and is provided with an outlet, and a second back surface which is the surface opposite to the second core contact surface and abuts the first back surface, wherein the resin flow path comprises: an inlet-side flow path provided on the first plate, communicating with the inlet, and extending along the axial direction; an outlet-side flow path provided on the second plate, communicating with the outlet, and extending along the axial direction; and an intermediate flow path connecting the downstream end of the inlet-side flow path and the upstream end of the outlet-side flow path, and extending along an intersecting direction which intersects the axial direction, wherein the intermediate flow path is formed by a recess recessed from the second back surface and the first back surface.

6. The plate member according to claim 1, comprising: a first plate having a first core contact surface that abuts the first core and is provided with an inlet, and a first back surface which is the surface opposite to the first core contact surface; a second plate having a second core contact surface that abuts the second core and is provided with an outlet, and a second back surface which is the surface opposite to the second core contact surface and abuts the first back surface, wherein the resin flow path comprises: an inlet-side flow path provided on the first plate, communicating with the inlet, and extending along the axial direction; an outlet-side flow path provided on the second plate, communicating with the outlet, and extending along the axial direction; and an intermediate flow path connecting the downstream end of the inlet-side flow path and the upstream end of the outlet-side flow path, and extending along an intersecting direction which intersects the axial direction, wherein the intermediate flow path is formed by a recess recessed from the first back surface and the second back surface.

7. A plate member according to claim 1, comprising: a first plate having a first core contact surface that abuts the first core and is provided with an inlet, and a first back surface which is the surface opposite to the first core contact surface; a second plate having a second core contact surface that abuts the second core and is provided with an outlet, and a second back surface which is the surface opposite to the second core contact surface and is in contact with the first back surface, wherein a first back opening is provided on the first back surface, and a second back opening is provided on the second back surface, and the resin flow path has an inlet-side flow path provided on the first plate that communicates with the inlet and the first back opening and extends along the axial direction, and an outlet-side flow path provided on the second plate that communicates with the outlet and the second back opening and extends along the axial direction, wherein the first back opening and the second back opening are provided so as to overlap when viewed from the axial direction.

8. The plate member according to claim 5, wherein the inlet channel has a larger channel area as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end, and the outlet channel has a smaller channel area as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end.

9. The plate member according to claim 6, wherein the inlet channel has a larger channel area as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end, and the outlet channel has a smaller channel area as it moves from the upstream end to the downstream end.

10. The plate member according to claim 7, wherein the inlet channel has a channel area that increases from the upstream end to the downstream end, and the outlet channel has a channel area that decreases from the upstream end to the downstream end.

11. A motor manufacturing apparatus comprising a plate member according to any one of claims 1 to 10, and a resin supply unit for supplying resin to the first resin-filled portion of the first core.

12. A method for manufacturing a motor, comprising the steps of: providing a first core and a second core, each having a first resin-filled section and a second resin-filled section communicating with the first resin-filled section and having a second resin-filled section through which the resin flows more easily than in the first resin-filled section, so as to be aligned in the axial direction, and arranging a plate member between the first core and the second core; filling the first resin-filled section of the first core with resin; and guiding the resin discharged from the second resin-filled section of the first core to the first resin-filled section of the second core via a resin channel provided in the plate member.

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