Square Cross-Section Terminal for Electric Motor
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric motors with terminals formed by electric swaging often experience interference between terminals due to their elongated flat shape, leading to increased costs when connectors or terminal boards are designed to prevent this interference.
Innovation Solution
The electric motor incorporates a terminal with a tube portion that has equal lengths in two perpendicular directions, allowing it to be compact and preventing interference without specific orientation, achieved through an electric swaging method using a pair of electrodes and guides to clamp and pressurize the terminal while supplying current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If terminals are formed by conventional electric swaging with a single pair of electrodes, then the terminal takes an elongated flat shape, but this causes interference between multiple terminals when connected to a connector
Solution Approach 1:
The electric swaging process is segmented into two independent stages: first, a pair of electrodes performs electric swaging in the vertical direction to attach the terminal to the wire; second, a pair of guides performs electric swaging in the horizontal direction to control the terminal's width. This segmentation allows independent control of the terminal's dimensional characteristics, producing a nearly square cross-section that prevents interference between adjacent terminals in the connector.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the connector is designed with specific shape to prevent terminal interference, then interference is avoided, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of modifying the connector design to accommodate elongated terminals, the invention inverts the approach by modifying the terminal shape itself through dual-directional electric swaging. The terminal is made nearly square with controlled dimensions, allowing it to fit into a standard connector without requiring special shaping of the connector, thereby avoiding increased device complexity and cost.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the terminal is made compact with equal lengths in perpendicular directions, then interference is prevented and insulation distance is ensured, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The electric swaging apparatus is designed with multi-functionality, where the same basic structure (electrodes and guides) performs dual purposes: the electrodes attach the terminal to the wire, while the guides simultaneously control the terminal's width and shape. This universal design achieves compact terminal dimensions and prevents interference without requiring entirely separate manufacturing processes, thereby limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design ensures sufficient insulation distance between terminals, reduces the risk of interference, and allows for a more compact connector unit, facilitating easier soldering and automatic swaging, while maintaining low costs.
Implementation Method 1
While supplying a current to the pair of electrodes, at least one of the pair of electrodes is moved in the first direction and at least one of the pair of pressing units is moved in the second direction so as to make the length of the interspace in the first direction nearly equal to the length of the interspace in the second direction, thereby pressing the tube portion and attaching the terminal to the end of the winding wire
Data Source
AI summary
An electric motor includes a connector unit connected to a terminal attached to the end of a winding wire by electric swaging. The terminal includes a tube portion in which the end of the winding wire is inserted and which is formed by electric swaging. The length of the tube portion in a first direction within a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the winding wire is inserted is nearly equal to the length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.