Armature and motor

1 . An armature comprising:

an armature core having an annular shape; and

a plurality of coils arranged along the armature core, each of the coils being a wound conductive winding,

each of the coils comprising:

a pair of first and second facing portions disposed to be aligned in a circumferential direction with a predetermined interval therebetween, the first and second facing portions of each of the coils constituting intermediate portions of the corresponding one of the coils; and

a pair of first and second coil end portions that link the first and second facing portions to each other; and

an insulator arranged between the armature core and the coils,

the insulator comprising:

a base comprised of an insulating material;

one or more soft-magnetic members each being comprised of a soft-magnetic material, the one or more soft-magnetic members being contained in the base; and

a facing-portion intervention member arranged between the armature core and the first and second facing portions of the coils,

wherein:

the one or more soft-magnetic members are contained at least in the facing-portion intervention member of the insulator;

the insulator further comprises at least one intervening protrusion that protrudes from the facing-portion intervention member toward a side of the coils, the at least one intervening protrusion being disposed to intervene between a corresponding selected adjacent pair of the first and second facing portions of adjacent coils of the plurality of coils; and

the one or more soft-magnetic members are contained in the at least one intervening protrusion.

2 . An armature comprising:

an armature core having an annular shape; and

a plurality of coils arranged along the armature core, each of the coils being a wound conductive winding,

each of the coils comprising:

a pair of first and second facing portions disposed to be aligned in a circumferential direction with a predetermined interval therebetween, the first and second facing portions of each of the coils constituting intermediate portions of the corresponding one of the coils; and

a pair of first and second coil end portions that link the first and second facing portions to each other; and

an insulator arranged between the armature core and the coils,

the insulator comprising:

a base comprised of an insulating material;

one or more soft-magnetic members each being comprised of a soft-magnetic material, the one or more soft-magnetic members being contained in the base; and

first and second coil-end intervention members,

the first coil-end intervention member being arranged between the first coil end portion and the armature core,

the second coil-end intervention member being arranged between the second coil end portion and the armature core,

the one or more soft-magnetic members being contained at least in each of the first and second coil-end cover members,

wherein:

each of the first and second coil-end intervention members has a facing surface facing the armature core;

the insulator further comprises:

a first void formed along the facing surface of the first coil-end intervention member, so that the first coil-end intervention member is separated from the armature core; and

a second void formed along the facing surface of the second coil-end intervention member, so that the second coil-end intervention member is separated from the armature core;

the facing surface of each of the first and second coil-end intervention members has formed thereon a first edge defined as an inner periphery of the first void, the first edge being disposed to be in contact with the armature core; and

the facing surface of each of the first and second coil-end intervention members has formed thereon a second edge defined as an outer periphery of the second void, the second edge being disposed to be in contact with the armature core.

3 . The armature according to claim 1 , wherein:

the insulator comprises first and second coil-end intervention members, each of the first and second coil-end intervention members having a coil-facing surface that faces at least one of the coils;

the coil-facing surface of each of the first and second coil-end intervention members is convexly curved outward to form a curved surface; and

each of the coils is disposed along the curved surface of the coil-facing surface of each of the first and second coil-end intervention members.

4 . The armature according to claim 2 , wherein:

each of the first and second coil-end intervention members has a coil-facing surface that faces at least one of the coils; and

the coil-facing surface of each of the first and second coil-end intervention members is convexly curved outward to form a curved surface; and

each of the coils is disposed along the curved surface of the coil-facing surface of each of the first and second coil-end intervention members.

5 . The armature according to claim 1 , wherein:

the insulator includes a plurality of bobbin members, each of the coils being wound around the corresponding one of the bobbin members; and

the one or more soft-magnetic members are contained in each of the bobbin members.

6 . The armature according to claim 2 , wherein:

the insulator includes a plurality of bobbin members, each of the coils being wound around the corresponding one of the bobbin members; and

the one or more soft-magnetic members are contained in each of the bobbin members.

7 . A motor comprising:

one of a stator and a rotor, the one of the stator and rotor comprising the armature according to claim 1 ; and

the other of the stator and the rotor comprising a plurality of magnets arranged to radially or axially face the first and second facing portions of each of the coils.

8 . A motor comprising:

one of a stator and a rotor, the one of the stator and rotor comprising the armature according to claim 2 ; and

the other of the stator and the rotor comprising a plurality of magnets arranged to radially or axially face the first and second facing portions of each of the coils.