Stator, apparatus and method for peparing a pre-shaped insulator
The invention relates to a stator ( 1 ) which may be used within an electric rotating machine, an apparatus for preparing pre-shaped insulators and a method for preparing a pre-shaped insulator. The stator ( 1 ) comprises a stator core ( 10 ) which has a plurality of axially extending slots ( 11 ) arranged in a circumferential direction (C) of the stator core ( 10 ) and at least two conductors ( 20, 21 ) arranged along a radial direction (R) of the same slot ( 11 ). Each conductor ( 20, 21 ) is peripherally wrapped by an individual insulator ( 30 ) which extends around the outer circumference ( 22 ) of the conductor ( 20, 21 ), such that in circumferential direction the insulator ( 30 ) comprises a one-layer-section ( 37 ) and an overlapping section ( 31 ) which extend along the complete axial length ( 29 ) of the insulator ( 30 ).
1. An apparatus for preparing at least one pre-shaped insulator from an insulator sheet, the apparatus comprising:
a bending station, the bending station comprising:
a base station comprising a recess with a contact surface defining a first part of an outer circumference of the at least one pre-shaped insulator;
a stamp member laterally moveable with respect to the recess from an open to a closed position, the stamp member comprising:
an inner contact surface for pressing a middle part of the insulator sheet against the contact surface of the recess and defining a first part of the inner circumference of the pre-shaped insulator, and
an outer contact surface defining a second part of the inner circumference of the pre-shaped insulator;
a first bending operator moveable with respect to the base station from an open position to a closed position, comprising a first bending surface for bending a first tail of the insulator sheet against the outer contact surface of the stamp member; and
a second bending operator moveable with respect to the base station from an open position to a closed position, comprising a second bending surface for bending a second tail of the insulator sheet against one or more of the first tail or the outer contact surface of the stamp member.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is an apparatus for preparing pre-shaped insulators for a stator, the stator comprising:
a stator core which has a plurality of axially extending slots arranged in a circumferential direction of the stator core;
at least two conductors each arranged along a radial direction of at least one slot of the axially extending slots, wherein:
each conductor of the at least two conductors is peripherally wrapped by an individual insulator which extends around an outer circumference of each conductor, such that in a circumferential direction the insulator comprises a one layer section and an overlapping section which extend along the complete axial length of the insulator.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first bending operator or the second bending operator is rotatably mounted at the base station.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sum of the width of the first bending surface and the width the second bending surface corresponds to the width of the outer contact surface of the stamp member.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second bending surface has a larger width than the first bending surface.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outer contact surface of the stamp member comprises a depression for receiving the first tail of the insulator sheet.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the stamp member comprises at least one groove running in a direction parallel to a bending line of the insulator and the base station comprises at least one groove running in a direction parallel to a bending line of the insulator, said grooves being open in a direction opposite to each other when the stamp member is in the closed position and which allow introducing a removing tool for removing the shaped insulator from the bending station of the apparatus.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the stamp member comprises at least one groove running in a direction parallel to a bending line of the insulator; and
the second bending surface comprises at least one groove running in a direction parallel to a bending line of the insulator, said at least one groove being open in a direction opposite to each other when the second bending operator is in the closed position, wherein the at least one groove allows introducing a removing tool for removing the shaped insulator from the bending station of the apparatus.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a transfer station for inserting at least two pre-shaped insulators into a slot of a stator core.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a feed station, the feed station comprising one or more of:
a cutter for cutting flat sheets of insulating material from a continuously supplied sheet of insulating material;
an embossing unit for applying longitudinal embossings into the flat sheets or into the continuously supplied sheet of insulating material; or
a supply unit for supplying the cut sheets to the bending station or for supplying the continuously supplied sheet of insulating material to the bending station prior to cutting.