WINDING MAT AND COIL MAT COMPRISING THE SAME AS WELL AS ELECTRIC MACHINE COMPONENT FORMED THEREWITH AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

Abstract

A winding mat for forming a coil winding of a component of an electric machine has a first wave winding wire and a second wave winding wire. Each wave winding wire has two straight wire sections and two winding heads bent in opposite directions. The first wave winding wire is plugged to a second wave winding wire to join the first and second wave winding wires. A first section of the first wave winding wire crosses a first section of the second wave winding wire at a first cross point. A second section of the first wave winding wire crosses a second section of the second wave winding wire at a second cross point on the first wave winding wire. The first and second cross points are located between ends of respective first winding heads of a first wave section and a second wave section.

Claims

1. A winding mat for forming a coil winding of a component of an electric machine, comprising several wave winding wires extending in a longitudinal direction and bent in a wave shape, each wave winding wire having four straight wire sections spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and extending in a transverse direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction, and two intermediate roof-shaped winding heads, such that adjacent straight wire sections of the four straight wire sections are connected to each other by a winding head of the two intermediate roof-shaped winding heads bent in a roof-shaped manner to form a half-wave section, such that first half-wave sections with first winding heads bent in a first direction and second half-wave sections with second winding heads bent in an opposite second direction are alternately provided and a first half-wave section and an adjacent second half-wave section respectively form a wave section, wherein the wave winding wires are not twisted about one another, but are joined together by plugging the wave winding wires together in the transverse direction to each other without twisting the wave winding wires about one another, in such a way that, in at least one insertion region of the winding mat, a first and an adjacent second sub-section of a first wave winding wire and a first and an adjacent second sub-section of a second wave winding wire are plugged into each other in such a way that the first sub-section of the first wave winding wire is plugged-in under the first sub-section of the second wave winding wire and the second sub-section of the first wave winding wire is plugged-in over the second sub-section of the second wave winding wire.

2. The winding mat according to claim 1, wherein the winding heads each have a central roof bend and a transition bend in a transition region to associated straight wire sections and a counter-bend between the transition bends and the roof bend.

3. The winding mat according to claim 1, wherein the winding mat is configured to be flat with a uniform extension in a height direction over an entire length, or stepped in a stair-like manner with at least one transition region forming a step in the height direction, the transition region forming an insertion region.

4. The winding mat according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following features: at least one of a start region or an end region of the winding mat form the at least one insertion region in which at least two of the wave winding wires are plugged into each other; or at least two of the wave winding wires are plugged into each other at at least one of a start region of the winding mat or an end region of the winding mat and are stacked in at least one intermediate region; or a pair or group of wave winding wires are respectively plugged into another pair or group of wave winding wires; or only one sub-group of wave winding wires are plugged into each other in the winding mat and the remaining wave winding wires are stacked.

5. A winding mat for forming a coil winding of a component of an electric machine, comprising: a plurality of wave winding wires, each wave winding wire extending in a longitudinal direction and bent in a wave shape forming a plurality of wave sections, each wave section comprising: a first straight wire section having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first straight wire section extending in a transverse direction, a second straight wire section having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second straight wire section extending in the transverse direction, a first winding head bent in a first direction and connecting the first end of the first straight wire section with the first end of the second straight wire section, and a second winding head bent in a second direction which is opposite the first direction, the second winding head connecting the second end of the second straight wire section to the second end of a first straight wire section of an adjacent wave section, wherein a first wave winding wire in the plurality of wave winding wires is plugged to a second wave winding wire in the plurality of wave winding wires to join the first wave winding wire and the second wave winding wire without twisting the first wave winding wire and the second wave winding wire about one another, wherein along respective lengths of the first and second wave winding wires: a first section of the first wave winding wire crosses a first section of the second wave winding wire at a first cross point on the first wave winding wire such that the first section of the first wave winding wire is in an upper position and the first section of the second wave wire is in a lower position, and a second section of the first wave winding wire adjacent the first section of the first wave winding wire crosses a second section of the second wave winding wire adjacent the first section of the second wave winding wire at a second cross point on the first wave winding wire such that the second section of the first wave winding wire is in the lower position and the second section of the second wave winding wire is in the upper position, wherein the first and second cross points are located between ends of respective first winding heads of a first wave section of the plurality of wave sections and a second wave section of the plurality of wave sections or between ends of respective second winding heads of a first wave section of the plurality of wave sections and a second wave section of the plurality of wave sections.

6. The winding mat according to claim 5, wherein respective first and second straight wire sections of the first and second wave winding wires lie in a common plane.

7. The winding mat according to claim 6, wherein the first and second winding heads are roof-shaped.

8. The winding mat according to claim 7, wherein each roof-shaped winding head has a first offset which positions a first segment of each wave winding wire in each roof-shaped winding head in a first plane different than the common plane.

9. The winding mat according to claim 8, wherein each roof-shaped winding head has a second offset which positions a second segment of each wave winding wire in each roof-shaped winding head in a second plane different than the first plane and the common plane.

10. The winding mat according to claim 9, wherein first and second offsets are separated by a bend.

11. The winding mat according to claim 10, wherein the first and second segments in the first roof-shaped winding head have a first counter-bend bent in a direction opposite the first direction.

12. The winding mat according to claim 11, wherein the first and second segments in the second roof-shaped winding head have a second counter-bend bent in a direction opposite the second direction.

13. The winding mat according to claim 5, wherein each wave winding wire in the plurality of wave winding wires has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, wherein a front-facing orientation of a first side wall remains constant in each wave section.

14. The winding mat according to claim 13, wherein a rear-facing orientation of a side wall parallel with the first side wall remains constant in each wave section.

15. The winding mat according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of wave winding wires further comprises a third wave winding wire that is parallel with the first wave winding wire.

16. The winding mat according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of wave winding wires further comprises a third wave winding wire that is parallel with the first or second wave winding wire.

17. A winding mat for forming a coil winding of a component of an electric machine, comprising: a plurality of wave winding wires, each wave winding wire extending in a longitudinal direction and bent in a wave shape forming a plurality of wave sections, and a plurality of layers comprising an upper layer and a lower layer formed by the plurality of wires, wherein each wave section comprises: a first straight wire section having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first straight wire section extending in a transverse direction, a second straight wire section having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second straight wire section extending in the transverse direction, a first winding head bent in a first direction and connecting the first end of the first straight wire section with the first end of the second straight wire section, and a second winding head bent in a second direction which is opposite the first direction, the second winding head connecting the second end of the second straight wire section to the second end of a first straight wire section of an adjacent wave section, wherein a first wave winding wire in the plurality of wave winding wires is plugged to a second wave winding wire in the plurality of wave winding wires to join the first wave winding wire and the second wave winding wire without twisting the first wave winding wire and the second wave winding wire about one another, wherein one of the first wave winding wire or the second wave winding wire forms the upper layer and the other of the first wave winding wire or the second wave winding wire forms the lower layer, and the first wave winding wire and the second wave winding wire swap between forming the upper layer and the lower layer at cross points along the longitudinal direction of the winding mat, wherein along respective lengths of the first and second wave winding wires: a first section of the first wave winding wire crosses a first section of the second wave winding wire at a first cross point on the first wave winding wire such that the first section of the first wave winding wire forms the upper layer, and a second section of the first wave winding wire adjacent the first section of the first wave winding wire crosses a second section of the second wave winding wire adjacent the first section of the second wave winding wire at a second cross point on the first wave winding wire such that the second section of the first wave winding wire forms the lower layer, wherein the first and second cross points are located between ends of respective first winding heads of a first wave section of the plurality of wave sections and a second wave section of the plurality of wave sections or between ends of respective second winding heads of a first wave section of the plurality of wave sections and a second wave section of the plurality of wave sections.

18. The winding mat according to claim 17, wherein each winding head has a first offset which positions a first segment of each wave winding wire in each winding head in a first plane different than a common plane in which each of the first and second straight wire sections reside.

19. The winding mat according to claim 18, wherein each winding head has a second offset which positions a second segment of each wave winding wire in each winding head in a second plane different than the first plane and the common plane.

20. The winding mat according to claim 17, wherein each wave winding wire in the plurality of wave winding wires has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, wherein an upwardly-facing orientation of a first side wall remains constant in each wave section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0237] Embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to the attached drawings in which it is shown by:

[0238] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two parallel wave winding wires for the production of a winding mat;

[0239] FIG. 2 is a cross-section through a component of an electrical machine, in particular a stator, preferably of an electric motor, with a coil winding inserted into slots of a housing, which coil winding is formed from a coil mat formed from several winding mats;

[0240] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a first variant of a coil mat or winding mat designed as a flat mat;

[0241] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation, similar to FIG. 3, of a second variant of a coil mat or winding mat designed as a stair-like mat;

[0242] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a coil mat, seen in Z-direction (height direction) corresponding to the radial direction in the component according to FIG. 2;

[0243] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a winding head of the two wave winding wires of FIG. 1;

[0244] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one winding head of the two wave winding wires of FIG. 1;

[0245] FIG. 8 is a plan view of clamping surfaces of a bending device for bending the winding head shape as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7;

[0246] FIG. 9 is a view of the bending device seen in an X-direction of the wave winding wires (longitudinal direction) corresponding to the circumferential direction in the component;

[0247] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bending device;

[0248] FIG. 11 is an overall perspective view of a wave winding wire supply device comprising the bending device;

[0249] FIG. 12 is a plan view in a Z-direction of the wave winding wires corresponding to the later radial direction in the component, looking at clamping and bending units of the bending device;

[0250] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a bending jaw of one of the clamping units;

[0251] FIG. 14 is a flow chart of a bending process for bending the winding heads; i.e., for introducing height offsets into the winding heads;

[0252] FIGS. 15a to 15f are sectional views through a half-wave shape of one of the wave winding wires as viewed in a y-direction (transverse direction) corresponding to the later axial direction in the component, showing corresponding height offsets in the Z-direction of a first to sixth winding head shape;

[0253] FIGS. 16 to 18 are plan views of a first and a second wave winding wire at different stages of plugging the wave winding wires in the course of manufacturing a winding mat;

[0254] FIGS. 19 and 20 are plan views of an arrangement of wave winding wires at different stages of plugging for forming the winding mat;

[0255] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an arrangement of wave winding wires to illustrate pairwise plugging;

[0256] FIG. 22 is a first and a second winding mat as individual mats plugged together to form a coil mat, in a first stage of a coil mat manufacturing process;

[0257] FIGS. 23 to 24 are perspective views of the first and second winding mats during different stages of the coil mat manufacturing process;

[0258] FIGS. 25a to 25d are plan views of two pairs of wave winding wires during different stages of a variant of the plugging process for producing a coil mat-cross-plugging;

[0259] FIG. 26 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a coil mat with wire routes, as well as a first individual mat and a second individual mat of this coil mat with the winding head shapes provided in the individual mats;

[0260] FIG. 27 is a schematic representation of a second type of a coil mat with wire routes, as well as a first individual mat and a second individual mat of this coil mat with the winding head shapes provided in the individual mats;

[0261] FIG. 28 is a schematic representation of a third type of coil mat with wire routes, as well as a first individual mat and a second individual mat of this coil mat with the winding head shapes provided in the individual mats;

[0262] FIG. 29 is a representation of an end region of a wave winding wire of the coil mat with indicated variants of wire outlets;

[0263] FIG. 30 is a first perspective view of a connected coil winding formed from a coil mat with a uniform coil step;

[0264] FIG. 31 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 30, of a connected coil winding formed from a coil mat with an alternating coil step;

[0265] FIG. 32 is a second perspective view of the interconnected coil winding formed from a coil mat with a uniform coil step;

[0266] FIG. 33 is a second perspective view, similar to FIG. 32, of the interconnected coil winding formed from the coil mat with an alternating coil step;

[0267] FIG. 34 is a simplified representation of a segment of an explanatory component of an electrical machine, e.g., a stator, comprising a housing provided with slots, with a coil winding which is inserted into the slots and designed as a single-layer winding; and

[0268] FIG. 35 is a representation, similar to FIG. 34, of the housing of the explanatory component, with the coil winding shown as a two-layer winding with a jump in the winding heads.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0269] FIG. 1 shows a sub-section of a pair of wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b in a perspective view, which wave winding wires can be combined into a winding mat for creating a coil winding 20. FIG. 1 shows, in particular, a wave section 26 of the pair of wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b. Each wave winding wire 24 extends in its longitudinal direction pointing in the X-direction in FIG. 1 and comprises a series of straight wire sections 28 spaced apart in this longitudinal direction and extending in a transverse directionY-direction, with adjacent straight wire sections 28 being connected to each other by a winding head 30.

[0270] The straight wire sections 28 are used to be inserted into the slots 16 of a component 12, e.g., a stator 14. The length of the straight wire section 28 thus essentially corresponds to the axial construction length of the housing 10 which, for example, is formed from a core stack.

[0271] Accordingly, in the later intended use of a coil winding 20 formed from the wave winding wires 24, the Y-directiontransverse directioncorresponds to the axial direction in the component 12; the longitudinal directionX-directioncorresponds to the circumferential direction in the component 12, and the Z-direction, referred to here as the height direction, corresponds to the radial direction when the coil winding 20 formed from the wave winding wires 24 is used as intended.

[0272] The wave winding wires 24 are designed as a flat winding and are wave-shaped, with a first winding head 30a bent in a first bending direction and a second winding head 30d having an opposite second bending direction being alternately provided in the longitudinal direction of the wave winding wire 24. Thus, the first winding head 30a is provided at one end of a straight wire section 28 and the second winding head 30b at the second end of the straight wire section. A straight wire section 28 and a first winding head 30a form a first half-wave section 32a and another straight wire section 28 and a second winding head 30a form a second half-wave section 32b, and a wave section 26 is formed of a first half-wave section 32a and a second half-wave section 32b. The distance between adjacent straight wire sections 28 of a wave winding wire 24, which are respectively connected to each another by a winding head 30, corresponds to the shift dimension.

[0273] Each winding head 30 is respectively bent at a first bend point 34a, a second bend point 34b and a third bend point 34c, the bend points 34a, 34b and 34c being spaced apart from one another and connected to one another by connecting sections 36. These connecting sections 36 are essentially straight, except for a counter-bend which is explained in more detail below.

[0274] At the bend points 34a, 34b, 34c, the wave winding wire 24 is bent in the Y-X plane. Furthermore, this winding head 30 has a jump 22 in the height direction at each of the first to third bend points 34a, 34b, 34c. Depending on the orientation of the jumps 22 at the bend points 34a to 34c, different winding head shapes 1 to 6 are produced as a result, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0275] Each winding head 30 is bent at a total of the three bend points 34a, 34b, 34c, whereby both the Z-directionup or downand the bending height of all bend points 34a-34b in the Z-direction can vary in each winding head 30.

[0276] The jump 22 in the first bend point 34a forms a first height offset 38a; the jump 22 in the second bend point 34b forms a second height offset 38b; and the jump 22 in the third bend point 34c forms a third height offset 38c.

[0277] The length of the straight wire sections 28 substantially corresponds to the length of the laminated core in the axial direction of the housing 10 formed as a core stack. Accordingly, the length of the straight wire sections 28 is chosen in accordance with the axial construction length of the housing 10; altogether, the wave winding wires 24 are produced in each case corresponding to the housing 10, with straight wire sections 28 adapted thereto and with a shift dimension adapted thereto. A supply device for supplying the wave winding wires 24, which will be explained later, is designed in such a way that the wave winding wires 24 can be manufactured with shift dimensions adapted to different core stack lengths and shift dimensions. The shift dimension describes the average distance a winding wire 24 bridges in the X-directionlongitudinal directionin the winding head 30. The shift dimension can also vary within a wave winding wire 24.

[0278] From such winding wires 24, as shown in FIG. 1, winding mats 40 are produced from which the coil winding 20 of a component 12, in particular a stator 14, can be formed, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0279] FIG. 2 shows, for example, a housing 10, which is formed from a core stack, of a component 12 designed in particular as the stator 14 of an electric motor, the coil winding 20 formed from one or more winding mats 40 being inserted into radially inwardly open slots 16 in the housing 10 by winding up the winding mat 40. The straight wire sections 28 are inserted into the slots 16, with the first winding heads 30a protruding on one axial side of the housing 10 and the second winding heads 30b protruding on the other axial side of the housing 10.

[0280] If a single-layer coil winding 20 is to be formed, this can be achieved with a single winding mat 40. For forming a two-layer coil winding, a coil mat 42 composed of a first winding mat 40 and a second winding mat 40 as individual mats 44a, 44b can be used. A coil mat 40 consists of several individual wave winding wires 24. These are combined into a first individual mat 44a and a second individual mat 44b, each of which is designed as one layer. The individual mats 44a, 44b can then be joined together to form the coil mat 42 in such a way that a straight wire section 28 of the first individual mat 44a and a straight wire section of the second individual mat 44b always lie on one another. Exceptions are a start region 46 and an end region 48 of the coil mat 42.

[0281] As shown in FIG. 3, the respective winding mat 40 and the coil mat 42 formed from it can be designed as a flat mat 50. In the case of a flat mat 50, all straight wire sections 28 in each winding mat 40 are on a common plane when not yet wound together, i.e., there is no height offset in the Z-direction between straight wire sections 28 within a winding mat 40. If such a flat mat 50 is wound up several times to insert it into the component 12, a tension is produced in a transition region 52 within the wave winding wires 24, since the straight wire sections 28 change their radial position in this transition region 52.

[0282] In order to avoid these tensions, it is also possible to provide a stair-shaped mat 54, as shown in FIG. 3, where a height offset between straight wire sections 28 is provided in those areas of the stair-shaped mat 54 which come to lie in the transition region 52. Thus, in a stair-shaped mat 54, there is a step in the transition regions 52, whereas in the standard regions 56, which lie between the start region 46 and the transition region 52 or between two transition regions 52 or between the transition region 52 and the end region 48, the straight wire sections 28 in each winding mat 40 are all in the same plane when not yet wound up, which means that there is no height offset between the straight wire sections 28 in the standard regions 56.

[0283] FIG. 5 shows a plan view (in Z-direction) of one embodiment of a coil mat 42 which is composed of a first individual mat 44a designed as a winding mat 40 and a second individual mat 44b designed as a winding mat 40. The first individual mat 44a is made of three n1 individual wave winding wires 24, and the second individual mat 44b is made of three n2 wave winding wires 24, n1 and n2 being natural numbers0. In the following examples, n1=n2=2. Accordingly, the first individual mat 44y comprises six wave winding wires 24 for example, which are designated aa, ab, ac, ad, ae and af in the following tables. Accordingly, the second individual mat 44b also comprises six wave winding wires 24, which are designated by, bb, bc, bd, be and bf in the following tables.

[0284] Each winding mat 40 can be produced by stacking STP the wave winding wires 24 (simply putting them on top of each other) or, in particular, by plugging STK the individual wave winding wires 24, which is explained in more detail below. The coil mat 42 can be produced by stacking STP the individual mats 44a, 44b or by plugging STK the individual mats 44a, 44b, which is explained in more detail below.

[0285] By using these methods, which are explained in more detail below, different winding schemes can be created for the coil mat 42, which are shown in the following tables 1 to 4. The respective winding scheme can be understood if the coil mat 42 is cut in the middle, as shown in FIG. 5, and then viewed in the X-direction from one side.

[0286] In the examples of winding schemes shown in tables 1 to 4, the first individual mat 44a has six wave winding wires 24a-24f designated aa, ab, ac, ad, ae, af in the tables. The six wave winding wires 24a-24f of the second single mat 44b are designated bg, bh, bi, bj, bk, bl. The a or b in the top row of each table thus designate the position a or b (single mat 44a or single mat 44b), and the letters a to 1 at the bottom of each row in the table designate the respective wave winding wire.

[0287] Table 1 shows the wire arrangement in the respective slot 16 for a coil mat 42 without conductor swap and without layer swap. For a coil mat 42 of this type without conductor swap and without layer swap and with the same number of individual wires n1=n2, the zone width corresponds to 0.5*n1 =0.5*n2 and thus to half the number of individual wires. In the case of such a coil mat 42 without conductor swap and without layer swap, a flat mat 50 is produced by simple stacking. If a stair-shaped mat 54 is to be produced, the individual wave winding wires 24 in the individual mats 44a, 44b are plugged. Accordingly, the individual mats 44a, 44b are produced by plugging.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Wire arrangement in the slot-without conductor swap and without layer swap ab ac ad ae af aa ab ac ad ae af bg b bi b bk bl bg b bi b bk bl indicates data missing or illegible when filed

[0288] In the following table 2, a winding scheme for a coil mat 42 with conductor swap and without layer swap is explained.

[0289] For the coil mat 42 with conductor swap and without layer swap, the zone width corresponds to the number n.sub.1=n.sub.2 of the individual wires. A flat mat 50 having this winding scheme can be produced by stacking. A stair-shaped mat 54 having this winding scheme can be produced by plugging the individual wires.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Wire arrangement in the slot-with conductor swap and without layer swap 1. ab ac ad ae af ab aa ad .ac .af .ae .aa .ab .ac .ad .ae .af .ab .aa .ad .ac .af .ae .bg .bh .bi .bj .bk .bl .bh .bg .bj .bi .bl .bk .bg .bh .bi .bj .bk .bl .bh .bg .bj .bi bi .bk

[0290] The following table 3 shows the winding scheme of a coil mat 42 without conductor swap and with layer swap. The zone width of a coil mat 42 having this winding scheme corresponds to twice the number 2n1=2n2 of the individual wires. A flat mat 50 is possible by plugging the individual mats 44a, 44b. A stair-shaped mat 54 can be produced by plugging the individual mats 44a, 44b and cross-plugging of the individual wave winding wires 24.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Wire arrangement in the slot-without conductor swap and with layer swap 48 .ab .ac .ad .ae .af .aa .ab .ac .ad .ae .af .bg .bh .bi .bj .bk .bl .bg .bh .bi .bj .bk .bl .bg .bh .bi .bj .bk .bl .bg .bh .bi .bj .bk .bl .aa .ab .ac .ad .ae .af .aa .ab .ac .ad ae .af

[0291] The following table 4 shows the winding scheme of a coil mat 42 with conductor swap and with layer swap. The zone width corresponds to twice the number 2n.sub.1=2n.sub.2 of the individual wave winding wires. A flat mat 50 can be produced with this winding scheme by plugging the individual mats 44a, 44b. A stair-shaped mat 54 can be produced with this winding scheme by plugging the individual mats 44a, 44b and cross-plugging of individual wave winding wires 24.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Wire arrangement in the slot-with conductor swap and with layer swap 95 .ab .ac .ad .ae 0.f 1.b 2.a 3.d 4.c 5.f 6.e 7.g 8.h 9.i 0.j 1.k 2.l 3.h 4.g 5.j 6.i 7.l 8.k 9.g 0.h 1.i 2.j 3.k 4.l 5.h 6.g 7.j 8.i 9.l 0.k 1.a 2.b 3.c 4.d 5.e 6.f 7.b 8.a 9.d 0.c af 1.e

[0292] Methods for manufacturing the coil mats 42 in accordance with the above-explained winding schemes are described in more detail in the following. With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the design of the individual wave winding wires 24 is first described in more detail, then a device and a method for providing such wave winding wires are explained with reference to FIGS. 8 to 14, and then different winding head shapes 1 to 6 to be created using these devices and methods are explained with reference to FIGS. 15a to 15f. FIGS. 16 to 21 are then used to explain the manufacture of a winding mat 40 representing one of the individual mats 44a, 44b by plugging the wave winding wires 24. FIGS. 22 to 24 are then used to explain how to make a coil mat 42 by plugging the individual mats 44a, 44b. Then the process of cross-plugging is explained with reference to FIGS. 25a to 25d. FIGS. 26 to 28 then show three specific embodiments of the coil mat 42; a manufacture of the coil winding 20 and its connection are then explained with reference to FIGS. 29 to 33.

[0293] FIG. 6 shows a plan view of first winding heads 30a of a pair of wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b, and FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of second winding heads 30b of the pair of wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b. The first winding head 30a of the first wave winding wire 24a is designed in such a way that a coil step of 7 is obtained, whereas the first winding head 30a provides for a coil step of 5 for the second wave winding wire 24b. Accordingly, a coil step of 5 is provided for the second winding head 30b of the first wave winding wire 24a, whereas a coil step of 7 is provided for the second winding head 30b of the second wave winding wire 24b. Thus, a coil step of 5-7 and a total coil width of 6 are achieved.

[0294] The winding heads 30 have a central roof bend 58 at the second bend point 34b and a transition bend 60a, 60b at the first bend point 34a and at the third bend point 34c. Between the transition bend 60a, 60b and the roof bend 58, the respective connecting section 36 is provided. The region of the first transition bend 60a forms a first winding head section 62a, the region of the roof bend 58 forms a second winding head section 62b, and the region of the second transition bend 60b forms a third winding head section 62c. Each connecting section 36 also has a counter-bend 64.

[0295] The individual wave winding wires 24 are basically the same for all variants of winding mats 40 and also for coil mats 42. They are each formed from a profile wire and in particular from a rectangular profile wire. The Z-height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c, which will be explained in more detail below, can differ in the individual wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b. Both the direction and height of the height offset 38a, 38b, 38c can vary. Each height offset 38a, 38b, 38c can be directed in a first height direction HR1 or in a second height direction HR2. The first height direction HR1 can, for example, extend in the Z-direction so that it corresponds to the direction radially outwards when the coil mat 42 is used as intended in the component 12; the second height direction HR2 is directed opposite to the first height direction HR1 and can, for example, extend in the Z-direction so that it corresponds to the direction radially inwards when the coil mat 42 is used as intended in the component 12. The amount of the height of the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c corresponds in particular to a half or a whole height extension dimension HM. The height extension dimension HM corresponds to the extension of each straight wire section 28 in the Z-direction (height direction) plus a predetermined tolerance value. The tolerance value takes into account a play/room between adjacent wires and any other distances selected for design reasons.

[0296] With regard to the winding head shape, which can be characterized by the respective direction and the respective height of the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c in the winding head 30, each wave winding wire 24 can differ within a coil mat 42 and a winding mat 40. Each individual wave winding wire 24 can also have different winding head shapes at different winding heads 30.

[0297] The winding head 30 of the wave winding wires 24 has a roof shape with a slight counter-bend 64, as explained above. The height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c are bent into the wave winding wire 24 at the three bending points 34a, 34b, 34c. FIGS. 15a to 15f show that these differ in height and direction. The counter-bending 64 allows more space for bending the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c without increasing the winding head height WKH (extension of the winding head 30 in the Y-direction). Furthermore, no wave winding wire 24 is twisted at any point of time. The orientation of the upper surface OF and the lower surface UF remains the same along the neutral fiber.

[0298] In the following, reference is made to FIGS. 8 to 14 for a more detailed description of a wave winding wire supply device 66 for supplying the wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b. The wave winding wire supply device 66 comprises a wave winding wire manufacturing device 68 and a winding head shaping device 70 for shaping the winding heads 30, 30a, 30b.

[0299] The wave winding wire manufacturing device 68 is merely indicated by an arrow in FIG. 11 and is not shown in detail. The wave winding wire manufacturing device 68 is designed as described and shown in German patent application DE 10 2017 127 634.3 to which reference is expressly made for further details. The wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b are accordingly produced as a flat winding in one plane, with the transition bends 60a, 60b and roof bends 58 as well as the counter-bends 64 being created in the winding heads 30, 30a, 30b at the bend points 34a, 34b, 34c. This bending operation is carried out with appropriately selected bending elements in such a way that the winding heads 30, 30a, 30b provide the respectively desired shift dimensions and thus coil steps between the straight wire sections 28 plus an amount in the X direction which corresponds to the change in the extension of the winding head 30 in the X direction when the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c are introduced. In this still flat state, the wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b are fed to the winding head shaping device 70 individually or as a group, in particular as a pair of wave winding wires 24a, 24b, as shown in the exemplary embodiment.

[0300] The winding head shaping device 70 comprises a clamping device 72 shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 and 12 and having a first to fifth clamping unit 74-1, 74-2, 74-3, 74-4, 74-5.

[0301] The first clamping unit 74-1 is a central clamping unit for holding the straight wire sections 28, between which the winding heads 30, 30a, 30b are located which are to be provided with the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c in the winding head shaping device 70. In the embodiment shown, the first and second winding heads 30a, 30b of a wave section 26 can be shaped simultaneously. For this purpose, the first clamping unit 74-1 has a first clamping jaw 76a and a second clamping jaw 76b, which are designed for simultaneously clamping and holding three adjacent straight wire sections 28 of the wave winding wires 24a, 24b to be shaped simultaneously. For this purpose, the clamping jaws 76a, 76b have flat clamping surfaces 92-1 which are pressed against the upper surface OF or the lower surface UF of the straight wire sections 28 and thus hold the straight wire sections 28 on one plane.

[0302] The second to fifth clamping units 74-2, 74-3, 74-4, 74-5 each have a first bending jaw 78a and a second bending jaw 78b, one of which is individually shown in FIG. 13. Each bending jaw 78a, 78b has a fixing portion 80 and a shaping portion 82. Flat clamping surfaces 92-2 and 92-3 for clamping the connecting sections 36, and bending dies 84 having bending radii 86 are provided on the shaping section 82 formed on a cantilever in order to gently shape the bending points 34a, 34b, 34c, i.e., to provide them with the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c. This causes the wire to be bent at the bend points 38a, 38b, 38c. The wave head shaping device 70 is thus designed as an offsetting device.

[0303] Each clamping jaw 76a, 76b and each bending jaw 78a, 78b of each of the clamping units 74-1, 74-2, 74-3, 74-4, 74-5 can be moved in the Z-direction by its own actuator 88-1a, 88-1b, 88-2a, 88-2b, 88-3a, 88-3b, 88-4a, 88-4b, 88-5a, 88-5b. Each actuator 88-1a, 88-1b, 88-2a, 88-2b, 88-3a, 88-3b, 88-4a, 88-4b, 88-5a, 88-5b can be individually controlled by a control unit 90. Movement patterns for the actuators 88-1a, 88-1b, 88-2a, 88-2b, 88-3a, 88-3b, 88-4a, 88-4b, 88-5a, 88-5b for creating one of six winding head shapes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (shown in FIGS. 15a to 15f) are stored in the control unit 90. Which of the winding head shapes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is to be created, results from the selected winding scheme and is explained in more detail below using three design examples 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 for the coil mat 42 shown in the FIGS. 26-28.

[0304] The winding head shaping device 70 shown in FIGS. 8 to 13 is a device for bending the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c. One function of the winding head shaping device 70 is to clamp individual sections 28, 62a, 62c of the individual wave winding wires 24a, 24b individually and to move them individually in the Z-direction. In this manner, all height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c are bent simultaneously. The jump height can be adjusted in a variable manner. In order to cover all possible winding head shapes 1to 6 described in the following, clamping at three points is provided at the three clamping surfaces 92-1, 92-2, 92-3 at the same time-especially at the straight wire sections 28, the first winding head section 62a and the third winding head section 62cfor each winding head 30, 30a, 30b. The clamping force or even a specific clearance can be adjusted.

[0305] FIG. 8 shows an arrangement of a first clamping surface 92-1, a second clamping surface 92-2 and a third clamping surface 92-3, using the shaping of the first winding head 30a as an example. The first clamping surface 92-1 is arranged on one of the clamping jaws 76a, 76b of the first clamping unit 74-1, the second clamping surface 92-2 is arranged on a bending jaw 78a, 78b of the second clamping unit 74-2, and the third clamping surface 92-3 is arranged on a bending jaw 78a, 78b of the third clamping unit 74-3. It can be seen that it is possible to bend one wave winding wire or several parallel wave winding wires 24a, 24b at a time.

[0306] In order to avoid a change in cross-section, the wire is free in space at the bending points 34a, 34b, 34c between the clamping surfaces 92-1, 92-2, 92-3. This prevents the theoretical elongation of the neutral fiber by a change of the radius at the point of the height offset 38a, 38b, 38c.

[0307] A respective winding head 30, 30a, 30b is shaped by a bending unit 86. Each bending unit 86 has two opposite linear actuators, e.g., the actuators 88-2a, 88-2b, 88-3a and 88-3b for shaping the first winding head 30a using mirrored clamping jawse.g., the first bending jaw 78a of the second clamping unit 74-2 and the first bending jaw 78a of the third clamping unit 74-3 as well as the second bending jaw 78b of the second clamping unit 74-2 and the second bending jaw 78b of the third clamping unit 74-3for shaping the first winding head 30a, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

[0308] Therefore, for bending a winding head 30a, only three clamping units 74-1, 74-2, 74-3 are used at each time. After each bending operation, the wave winding wire or, as here, the group of winding wires 24a, 24b is clocked to move on around a winding head on a carriage 88. If the winding head shaping device 70 is designed with several bending units 86 arranged side by side, any number of winding heads 30, 30a, 30b can be shaped simultaneously, up to simultaneously bending all winding heads 30.

[0309] FIG. 13 shows the design of the bending jaws 78a, 78b of the second to fifth clamping units 74-2 to 74-5 using the first bending jaw 78a of the second clamping unit 74-2 as an example. The bending jaw 78a has a flat clamping surfacehere, e.g., the second clamping surface 92-2used for clamping the wire. In addition, at the edges which cross the wire, the bending jaw 78a has bending radii 86 for creating the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c. FIG. 13 shows one of the bending jaws 78a having the clamping surface 92-2 and two bending radii 86.

[0310] FIGS. 11 and 12 show how the basic structure of the winding head shaping device 70 for bending the height offsets in the winding heads can look like. Here five clamping units 74-1, 74-2, 74-3, 74-4, 74-5 are arranged in such a way that two clamping units 74-2, 74-3 and 74-4, 74-5 on each side bend the first winding head 30a or the second winding head 30b, and a clamping unit 74-1 in the middle serves to hold down the straight wire sections.

[0311] FIG. 14 shows the flow chart for introducing the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c into the first and second winding heads 30a, 30b of a wave section 26 of the wave winding wires 24a, 24b using the winding head shaping device 70 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. For example, the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c are introduced in accordance with one of the winding head shapes shown in FIGS. 15a to 15f. In a method for introducing the height offsets in accordance with a first winding head shape 1 shown in FIG. 15a or a second winding head shape 2 shown in FIG. 15b, the steps are as follows: [0312] S1 Clamping [0313] S1a first clamping unit 74-1 clamps straight wire sections [0314] S1b second to fifth clamping units 74-2 to 74-5 clamp the flat

[0315] connecting sections 36 at the winding head sections 62a, 62c [0316] S2 Offsetting [0317] S2a the bending jaws 78a, 78b of the second to fifth clamping units 74-2 to 74-5 move in the Z-direction in the clamped state, whereby height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c are created [0318] S3 Releasing [0319] S3a releasing the first clamping unit 74-1 [0320] S3b releasing the second to fifth clamping unit 74-2 to 74-5

[0321] An alternative procedure is carried out on introducing height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c in accordance with a third to sixth winding head shape 3 to 6 (FIGS. 15c to 15f). For this alternative procedure, the steps in FIG. 14 are: [0322] S1 Clamping [0323] S1 a first tensioning unit 74-1 clamps straight wire sections [0324] S1b second to fifth clamping units 74-2 to 74-5 clamp the flat connecting sections 36 at the winding head sections 62a, 62c [0325] S2 Offsetting [0326] S2a the bending jaws 78a, 78b of the second to fifth clamping units 74-2 to 74-5 move in the Z-direction in the clamped state, whereby height offsets 38a, 38b are created [0327] S2b releasing the first clamping unit 74-1, and the bending jaws 78a, 78b of the second to fifth clamping units 74-2 to 74-5 move in the Z-direction, thereby creating the height offset 38b [0328] S3 Releasing [0329] S3b releasing the second to fifth clamping unit 74-2 to 74-5.

[0330] Accordingly, step S2b described in this alternative is optional, which is indicated by the brackets in FIG. 14. In this alternative, step S3a is carried out as a part of step S2b.

[0331] Then the wave winding wires 24a, 24b are moved on in the longitudinal direction of the wave winding wires 24a, 24b, i.e., the X-direction, by the length of a wave section 26 on the carriage 96, and the sequence illustrated in FIG. 14 is repeated for the next wave section 26 until all winding heads 30, 30a, 30b are shaped corresponding to a specification. Examples of such specifications are still explained in more detail below.

[0332] During bending of the winding heads 30, 30a, 30b as described above, the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c are formed in such a way that one of the winding head shapes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 shown in FIGS. 15a to 15f is created. FIGS. 15a to 15f schematically show a section through the corresponding wave winding wire 24, similar to FIG. 5, with the straight wire sections 28 and the intermediate wave winding head 30 having the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c being shown.

[0333] In order to produce the above-described coil mats 42 with different winding schemes, six different winding head shapes 1 to 6 are provided in the configuration shown in FIGS. 15a to 15f. FIGS. 15a to 15f show the plan view of different winding head shapes 1 to 6 of the winding head 30 (in the y-direction of FIG. 7). The viewing direction is such that the left straight wire section 28 comes first when tracing the conductor. Using the first winding head shape 1 as an example: if you trace the conductor, you first proceed radially inwards (example for the second height direction HR2) along a height offset by half a jump (half the height extension dimension HM), then radially outwards (example for the first height direction HR1) by a full jump (full height extension dimension HM) and then again radially inwards by half a jump (half the height extension dimension HM).

[0334] Each wave winding wire 24, 24a, 24b has a wire thickness in the straight wire sections 28 which, measured in a height direction (Z-direction) running transversely to the longitudinal direction (X direction) and transversely to the transverse direction (Y direction), extends almost over the height extension dimension HM, i.e., the height extension dimension HM corresponds to the wire thickness of the straight wire sections 28, measured in the height direction, plus a predetermined tolerance.

[0335] In each winding head 30, the first height offset 38a extends over half a height extension dimension HM and is provided at the first winding head section 62a which connects to the first straight wire section 28a. In particular, the first height offset 38a is provided in the first transition bend 60a. In addition, in each winding head 30, the second height offset 38b extends over an entire height extension dimension HM at each winding head 30 and is provided at the second winding head section 62b which connects to the first winding head section 62a. In particular, the second height offset 38b is provided in the roof bend 58. For each winding head 30, the third height offset 38c extends over half a height extension dimension HM and is provided at the third winding head section 62c which extends between the second winding head section 62b and a second straight wire section 28b. In particular, the third height offset 38c is provided in the second transition bend 60b. Accordingly, the height of the first and the third height offsets 38a, 38c is equal to half a height extension dimension HM for all winding head shapes 1 to 6, and the height of the second height offset 38b is equal to a full height extension dimension HM for all winding head shapes 1 to 6. However, the height direction is different for the individual height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c of the first to sixth winding head shapes 1 to 6.

[0336] Each of the height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c is directed either in the first height direction HR1 or in the second height direction HR2. The first height direction HR1 corresponds to either the radially outward or the radially inward direction when the winding mat 40 or the coil mat 42 are used as intended, and the second height direction HR2 is correspondingly directed in the other direction. In the embodiment shown here, the first height direction HR1 corresponds to the direction radially outwards and the second height direction HR2 corresponds to the direction radially inwards.

[0337] FIG. 15a shows a first winding head shape 1 in which the first height offset 38a is directed in the second height direction HR2, the second height offset 38b is directed in the first height direction HR1, and the third height offset 38c is directed in the second height direction HR2.

[0338] In FIG. 15b, a second winding head shape 2 is shown in which the first height offset 38a is directed in the first height direction HR1, the second height offset 38b is directed in the second height direction HR2, and the third height offset 38c is directed in the first height direction HR1.

[0339] As shown in FIGS. 15a and 15b, the first and second straight wire sections 28a, 28b are in the same plane for the first and the second winding head shapes 1, 2. The first and the second winding head shape 1, 2 shall be provided in particular for the standard regions 56.

[0340] FIG. 15c shows a third winding head shape 3 in which the first height offset 38a is directed in the first height direction HR1, the second height offset 38b is directed in the first height direction HR1, and the third height offset 38c is directed in the second height direction HR2.

[0341] In FIG. 15d a fourth winding head shape 4 is shown in which the first height offset 38a is directed in the first height direction HR1, the second height offset 38b is directed in the second height direction HR2, and the third height offset 38c is directed in the second height direction HR2.

[0342] In FIG. 15e a fifth winding head shape 5 is shown in which the first height offset 38a is directed in the second height direction HR2, the second height offset 38b is directed in the first height direction HR1, and the third height offset 38c is directed in the first height direction HR1.

[0343] In FIG. 15f a sixth winding head shape 6 is shown in which the first height offset 38a is directed in the second height direction HR2, the second height offset 38b is directed in the second height direction HR2, and the third height offset 38c is directed in the first height direction HR1.

[0344] As can be seen in the FIGS. 15c to 15f, the left and right straight wire sections 28 are offset by a height offset dimension HM in either the first height direction HR1 or the second height direction HR2 in the third to sixth winding head shapes 3 to 6. The third to sixth winding head shapes 3 to 6 shall therefore be provided in those areas where such an offset of adjacent straight wire sections 28 is to be provided, which may be the case in particular in the start region 46, the end region 48 or the transition region 52.

[0345] After the wave winding wires 24, 24a, 24b have been manufactured and supplied accordingly by the wave winding wire supply device 66, they are joined together to form a winding mat 40 to form the first individual mat 44a and the second individual mat 44b. Depending on the winding scheme, the wave winding wires 24 are joined together by stacking STP or plugging STK or by cross-plugging.

[0346] For stacking the coil mat 42, the individual mats 44a, 44b are laid on top of each other one after the other. It is provided in this case that always two Z-height offsets formed downwards (in the second height direction HR2) lie one above the other, because otherwise the winding head 30 builds up radially. The same applies to the stacking of the individual wave winding wires 24. The height offsets 38a, 38b, 38c of the individual wave winding wires 24 are formed in such a way that the same individual wire is always on top at all crossing points.

[0347] In the following, plugging of the wave winding wires 24 is explained in more detail with reference to the illustrations in FIGS. 16 to 21. FIGS. 16 to 18 show different stages in plugging a first wave winding wire 24a and a second wave winding wire 24b. FIG. 19 illustrates plugging of further wave winding wires 24c, 24d, 24e and 24f in addition to the already plugged pair of wave winding wires 24a, 24b. FIG. 20 shows the winding mat 40 obtained by plugging in accordance with FIGS. 16 to 19.

[0348] The plugging of the individual wave winding wires 24a to 24f takes place in several steps. This serves to produce individual mats 44a, 44b in which the same wire does not necessarily have to be on top at the crossing points. First, a sub-section of the individual wave winding wires 24a, 24b is always pushed up or down as shown in FIG. 16. The sub-section that is pushed down is shown as a dashed line, the sub-section that is pushed up is shown as a solid line.

[0349] As shown in FIG. 16, a first sub-section 98-1a of the first wave winding wire 24a is pushed up and an adjacent second sub-section 98-2a of the first wave winding wire 24a is pushed down. At the second wave winding wire 24b, a first sub-section 98-1b of the first wave winding wire 24a is pushed down and an adjacent second sub-section of the second wave winding wire 24b is pushed up, respectively. The extension of the sub-sections 98-1a, 98-2a over the wave winding wire 24a may be different and may be between a half-wave section 32a and the full length of the wave winding wire 24a minus a half-wave section 32a. In the example shown, the first and second sub-sections 98-1a, 98-2a, 98-1b, 98-2b each comprise a wave section 26 and are alternately provided over the length of the respective wave winding wire 24a, 24b.

[0350] The two wave winding wires 24a, 24b are then plugged into one another as shown in FIG. 17.

[0351] With the sub-sections 98-1a, 98-2a, 98-1b, 98-2b pushed up and down accordingly, the first and the second wave winding wires 24a, 24b are pushed into each other in the transverse direction as indicated by arrows in FIG. 16 so that, as shown in FIG. 17, the respective first sub-section 98-1a of the first wave winding wire 24a is pushed over the respective first sub-section 98-1b of the second wave winding wire 24b while the respective second sub-section 98-2a of the first wave winding wire 24a is pushed under the second sub-section 98-2b of the first wave winding wire 24b.

[0352] Once the wires are completely plugged into each other, all sections of the wave winding wires 24a, 24b jump back to their original plane, resulting in all straight wire sections 28 being on one plane. This is illustrated in FIG. 18. It can be seen that the winding heads 30, 30a, 30b form crossing points 100 in different planes and all straight wire sections 28 are in one plane, as can be seen from the line styles. Double dotted lines are used to show wire sections that lie in the plane 0, in which all straight wire sections 28 lie. The solid lines show wire sections that lie in an upper plane offset upwards (i.e., in the first height direction HR1) from the plane 0 by half a height extension dimension HM, and the dashed lines show wire sections that lie in a lower plane downwardly offset from the plane 0 by half a height extension dimension HM in the second height direction HR2.

[0353] In the finished plugged position as shown in FIG. 18, the wave winding wires 24a and 24b are aligned with each other so that their longitudinal center lines are on top of each other. This layer is also referred to as the alignment layer.

[0354] This plugging process, which is explained using a first and a second wave winding wire 24a, 24b, is repeated until the entire winding mat 40 and thus one of the individual mats 44a, 44b is achieved. In FIG. 19, this is illustrated using the example of six wave winding wires 24a to 24f. FIG. 20 then shows in a diagram corresponding to FIG. 18 the winding mat 40 thus produced, with the crossing points 100 and the straight wire sections 28 in a common plane.

[0355] FIGS. 16 to 20 show the plugging of wave winding wires 24 with the same coil step.

[0356] As explained in FIGS. 1 and 6 to 14, the wave winding wires 24 can also be produced in pairs with different coil steps (here 5-7).

[0357] As shown in FIG. 21, the wave winding wires 24a, 24b can also always be plugged pairwise with different coil steps using the same principle as explained in FIGS. 16 to 20 for individual wave winding wires 24a-24f with the same coil step.

[0358] It can be readily seen that such a plugging of wave winding wires 24a to 24f can be easily automated. A plugging device of a winding mat manufacturing device not shown in detail only requires a movement device for moving the wave winding wires 24a and 24b towards each other, whereby the sub-sections 98-1a, 98-1b, 98-2a and 98-2b are to be pushed upwards or downwards, for example, by means of corresponding sliding guides or grippers.

[0359] When the individual mats 44a, 44b have been produced in this way, the coil mat 42 can be made from them. For this purpose, the individual mats 44a, 44b can be stacked or also plugged, as shown in FIGS. 22 to 24.

[0360] When plugging the individual mats 44a, 44b, again a first sub-section 102-1a of the first individual mat 44a is pushed up and an adjacent second sub-section 102-2a of the first individual mat 44a is pushed down. For the second individual mat 44b, a corresponding first sub-section 102-1b is pushed down and a corresponding second sub-section 102-2b is pushed up. Then the individual mats 44a, 44b are pushed into each other so that the first sub-section 102-1a of the first individual mat 44a is pushed over the first sub-section 102-1b of the second individual mat 44b and the second sub-section 102-2a of the first individual mat 44a is pushed under the second sub-section 102-2b of the second individual mat 44b.

[0361] In order that the individual mats 44a, 44b can be plugged into each other in this way, they cannot have any layer swap on the plug-in side (the respective side to be pushed into the other individual mat). As shown in FIG. 21, when plugging the coil mat 42, the layer swap must therefore always take place on the same side of the individual mats 44a or 44b. This means that the wave winding wires 24a to 24f can change their position in every second winding head 30 at maximum. Accordingly, in one individual mat 44a, a layer swap can only take place in the first winding heads 30a, and in the other individual mat 44b, a layer swap can only take place in the second winding heads 30b.

[0362] As shown in FIG. 22, the winding heads 30 are offset downwards and upwards in relation to each other to facilitate plugging. FIG. 22 shows the individual mats 44a, 44b before plugging.

[0363] FIG. 23 shows the step of pushing the sub-sections 102-1a, 102-1b, 102-2a and 102-2b into each other. In particular, FIG. 23 shows the two individual mats 44a, 44b in a half-inserted state.

[0364] The two individual mats 44a, 44b can be plugged into each other on both sides so that the number of individual wires required for an individual mat 44a, 44b is always alternately located in the upper or lower layer of the coil mat 42 at least twice. This results in the layer swap in the coil mat 42.

[0365] FIG. 24 shows the finished plugged coil mat 42. In FIG. 24, plugging of the individual mats 44a, 44b is completed. The longitudinal center lines of the individual mats 44a, 44b lie on top of each other; this layer is also called the alignment layer.

[0366] It is readily apparent that this type of plugging individual mats 44a, 44b can also be easily automated. A plugging device (not further illustrated) of a coil mat manufacturing device only requires a movement device for moving the individual mats 44a, 44b towards each other, wherein the sub-sections 102-1a, 102-1b, 102-2a and 102-2b are to be pushed upwards or downwards, for example, by means of corresponding sliding guides or grippers.

[0367] In the following, cross-plugging is described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 25a to 25d, using two pairs of wave winding wires 24a, 24b and 24c, 24d.

[0368] Cross-plugging is intended if a layer swap is to take place on both sides of the individual mat 44a, 44b. Cross-plugging is suitable for both individual mats 44a, 44b and individual wires-wave winding wires 24, 24a-f. Cross-plugging is carried out in four steps that are explained in FIGS. 25a to 25d below.

[0369] FIG. 25a shows as a first step straight plugging. In this first step, plugging is carried out as described above. At the point K2 where cross-plugging is to be carried out, a central winding head K2 and the adjacent winding head K1 and K3 respectively preceding and following said central winding head K2, are in one plane. If cross-plugging is desired at the position of winding head K2 in FIGS. 25a to 25d, the respective winding head at the positions K1, K2 and K3 of the respective individual mat 44a is positioned in one plane (solid at the top, dashed at the bottom), as shown in FIG. 25a.

[0370] FIG. 25b shows the second step-overplugging. In contrast to plugging, the wave winding wires 24a, 24b on the one hand and 24c, 24d on the other hand are pushed into each other until the winding heads 30a, 30b are at the stop. Accordingly, the wave winding wires 24a, 24b are thus pushed beyond their alignment position until the winding heads 30a, 30b stop.

[0371] As shown in FIGS. 25b and 25c, thereafter, the third stepswaptakes place. The two central winding heads at position K2 are pushed upwards until the winding head previously positioned on the lower plane is now positioned on the upper plane. Thus a layer swap takes place at position K2.

[0372] Then, as shown in FIGS. 25c and 25d, the fourth step-reverse pluggingtakes place. The wave winding wires 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d are pushed together again until the straight wire sections 28 of the winding mat 40 again lie exactly side by side, as shown in FIG. 25dalignment position.

[0373] Embodiments of the coil mats 42mat designs:

[0374] In the following, different exemplary embodiments 42-1, 42-2 and 42-3 of coil mats 42 are explained in more detail with reference to the illustrations in FIGS. 26, 27 and 28. In this case, different exemplary embodiments 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 of the coil mat 42 manufactured according to the criteria and processes outlined above are described in greater detail. Three exemplary coil mats 42 are shown in FIGS. 26, 27 and 28. The individual mats 44a, 44b are shown in black and white. The x indicates that the conductors enter into the drawing plane, the point indicates that the conductors exit from the plane. SA designates the outside of the stator 14, and SI designates the inside of the stator. In addition, each array corresponds to the width of the average coil step. Therefore, each conductorwave winding wires 24a-24fof an individual mat 44a, 44b is exactly once in each array of an individual mat 44a, 44b. Both individual mats 44a, 44b are formed from wave winding wires 24 that are manufactured with different winding head shapes 1 to 6 shown in FIGS. 15a to 15f. The arrays above and below the individual mats 44a, 44b represent the winding heads 30 that connect the straight wire sections 28 in the individual mats 44a, 44b to each other. The arrays present the winding head shapes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 of FIGS. 15a to 15f which are respectively provided and which develop when tracing a conductor from the start region 46 to the end region 48. These are lined up in such a way that the winding head 30 builds up radially by a maximum of one wire thickness. Both individual mats 44a, 44b can be designed with a regular coil step as well as with an alternating coil step (for example of 5-7).

[0375] Each coil mat 42, 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 has a start region 46, at least one standard region 56 and an end region 48. Furthermore, the coil mat 42, 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 can have any number of standard regions 56, each of which can be connected to a transition region 52. The different embodiments 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 of the coil mat 42 have a first individual mat 44a and a second individual mat 44b and are designed in such a way that the same individual mat 44a, 44b never lies on top of itself when wound up.

[0376] The exemplary embodiments 42-1 and 42-2 of the coil mat 42 shown in FIGS. 26 and 27 represent different versions of a coil mat 42 without layer swap.

[0377] The first exemplary embodiment 42-1 of the coil mat 42 shown in FIG. 26 is designed in such a way that in each region always the same individual mat is on topfirst individual mat 44aor bottomsecond individual mat 44b. This makes it possible to stack the two individual mats 44a, 44b. The coil mat 42 of the first exemplary embodiment 42-1 is thus produced by stacking the individual mats 44a, 44b. The first individual mat 44a is designed in such a way that it can be produced by stacking STP. The second individual mat 1.1.2 only needs to be plugged in the transition region 52 and in the end region 48as indicated by plugging STKand can otherwise be assembled by stacking.

[0378] In the second exemplary embodiment 42-2 of the coil mat 42 shown in FIG. 27, all winding heads 30 are radially further out in order to gain more space in the rotor compartment for the connection. The second exemplary embodiment 42-2 of the coil mat 42 is also designed in such a way that in each region always the same individual mat is on topfirst individual mat 44aor bottomsecond individual mat 44b. This makes it possible to stack the two individual mats 44a, 44b. In this exemplary embodiment 42-2 of the coil mat 42, the first individual mat 44a only needs to be plugged in the transition region 52 and in the end region 48 and can otherwise be assembled by stacking. The second individual mat 44b is designed in such a way that it can be produced by stacking STP.

[0379] FIG. 28 shows one exemplary embodiment 42-3 of a coil mat 42 with layer swap. In particular, in the currently preferred third exemplary embodiment 42-3 of the coil mat 42, in each standard region 56 and in each transition region 52, it can be freely selected which individual mat 44a, 44b is on top. In this case, both the first individual mat 44a and the second individual mat 44b are produced by plugging STK. The entire coil mat 42 is also of the plugged design by plugging the first and second individual mats 44a, 44b into each other.

[0380] All exemplary embodiments 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 of the coil mat 42 shown are independent of the direction of rotation when winding the coil mat 42 into the stator. They can be wound up clockwise and also counterclockwise.

[0381] The illustrated exemplary embodiments 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 of the coil mat 42 can also be produced in a mirrored fashion. For the mirrored versions on the stator outer side SA or the stator inner side SI, there is the translation key of the winding head shapes 1 to 6 from FIGS. 15a to 15f shown in the following Table 5, which translation key applies to all versions.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Translation key for winding head shapes when mirroring the exemplary embodiments 42-1, 42-2, 42-3: Becomes the winding Winding head head shape shape of the in the mirrored exemplary version of the embodiment exemplary shown: embodiment: 1 2 2 1 3 6 4 5 5 4 6 3

[0382] In the following, examples for the interconnection of the coil mats 42 for forming the coil winding 20 are explained in more detail with reference to the illustration in FIGS. 29 to 32.

[0383] FIG. 29 shows the end region 48 of a wave winding wire 24. An exit for connection is normally formed by the last winding head 30 being accomplished only half at the end region 48. The first winding head section 62a then forms the regular exit 104. Instead of this regular exit 104, a mirrored exit 106 is provided by providing the last half winding head 30first winding head section 62acorrespondingly mirrored.

[0384] The connection of the first individual mat 44a and the second individual mat 44b can be carried out in the same way in all three exemplary embodiments 42-1, 42-2, 42-3 of the coil mat 42 and applies to both three-phase and multi-phase electric machines. If the two individual mats 44a, 44b are connected in series, the connection effort can be clearly minimized by the mirrored design of the last half winding head 30, which has just been explained with reference to FIG. 29. FIGS. 30 to 33 show that the conductor ends thus exit in pairs and can be connected to each other without additional connection elements. FIG. 30 shows the rear view of the wound coil mat 42, which is formed from wave winding wires 24a-24f using the same coil step (see FIGS. 16 to 20), and shows in particular the interconnected coil winding 20 with uniform coil step formed from it. The series connection 108 is shown, with the exits 106 of a single mat 44b mirrored. Phase exits 110 and star points 112 are also shown.

[0385] FIG. 31 shows the rear view of the coil mat 42 with alternating coil step (see FIGS. 1, 5 to 12 and 21) and in particular the connected coil winding 20 with alternating coil step formed from it. The series connection 108, the phase outlets 110 and the star points 112 are also shown here.

[0386] FIG. 32 shows the front view of the connected coil winding 20 with uniform coil step and FIG. 33 shows the front view of the connected coil winding 20 with alternating coil step.

[0387] With an alternating coil step, coil winding 20 can be connected in alternating coil step, or an even coil step can be performed at the connection point. The respective other ends of the conductors can be connected to the star point (or several star points) and/or the phase outlets, depending on the star or delta connection. Potential equalization is achieved by connecting the two individual mats 44a, 44b in series.

[0388] Preferred configurations of the invention relate to a winding mat designed as a flat winding and to a coil mat formed from it for producing a coil winding for an electric machine. In order to be able to produce different coil mats automatically in large series with high reliability even with layer and conductor swap, it is proposed that wave winding wires be combined into the wave mat by a plugging. For manufacturing the coil mat, it is proposed among other things that two individual mats be joined by plugging.

[0389] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms comprise or comprising do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms a or one do not exclude a plural number, and the term or means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0390] 1 first winding head shape [0391] 2 second winding head shape [0392] 3 third winding head shape [0393] 4 fourth winding head shape [0394] 5 fifth winding head shape [0395] 6 sixth winding head shape [0396] 10 housing [0397] 12 component [0398] 14 stator [0399] 16 slot [0400] 20 coil winding [0401] 22 jump [0402] 24 wave winding wire [0403] 24a first wave winding wire [0404] 24b second wave winding wire [0405] 24c third wave winding wire [0406] 24d fourth wave winding wire [0407] 24e fifth wave winding wire [0408] 24f sixth wave winding wire [0409] 26 wave section [0410] 28 straight wire section [0411] 30 winding head [0412] 30a first winding head [0413] 30b second winding head [0414] 32a first half-wave section [0415] 32b second half-wave section [0416] 34a first bend point [0417] 35b second bend point [0418] 34c third bend point [0419] 36 connecting section [0420] 38a first height offset [0421] 38b second height offset [0422] 38c third height offset [0423] 40 winding mat [0424] 42 coil mat [0425] 42-1 first exemplary embodiment of coil mat [0426] 42-2 second exemplary embodiment of coil mat [0427] 42-3 third exemplary embodiment of coil mat [0428] 44a first individual mat [0429] 44b second individual mat [0430] 46 start region [0431] 48 end region [0432] 50 flat mat [0433] 52 transition region [0434] 54 stair-shaped mat [0435] 56 standard region [0436] 58 roof bend [0437] 60a first transition bend [0438] 60b second transition bend [0439] 62a first winding head section [0440] 62b second winding head section [0441] 62c third winding head section [0442] 64 counter-bend [0443] 66 wave winding wire supply device [0444] 68 wave winding wire manufacturing device [0445] 70 winding head shaping device [0446] 72 clamping device [0447] 74-1 first clamping unit [0448] 74-2 second clamping unit [0449] 74-3 third clamping unit [0450] 74-4 fourth clamping unit [0451] 74-5 fifth clamping unit [0452] 76a first clamping jaw [0453] 76b second clamping jaw [0454] 78a first bending jaw [0455] 78b second bending jaw [0456] 80 fixing section [0457] 82 shaping portion [0458] 84 bending die [0459] 86 bending radius [0460] 88-1a actuator for first clamping jaw of first clamping unit [0461] 88-1b actuator for second clamping jaw of first clamping unit [0462] 88-2a actuator for first clamping jaw of second clamping unit [0463] 88-2b actuator for second clamping jaw of second clamping unit [0464] 88-3a actuator for first clamping jaw of third clamping unit [0465] 88-3b actuator for second clamping jaw of third clamping unit [0466] 88-4a actuator for first clamping jaw of fourth clamping unit [0467] 88-4b actuator for second clamping jaw of fourth clamping unit [0468] 88-5a actuator for first clamping jaw of fifth clamping unit [0469] 88-5b actuator for second clamping jaw of fifth clamping unit [0470] 90 control system [0471] 92-1 first clamping surface [0472] 92-2 second clamping surface [0473] 92-3 third clamping surface [0474] 94 bending unit [0475] 96 carriage [0476] 98-1a first sub-section of first wave winding wire [0477] 98-2a second sub-section of first wave winding wire [0478] 98-1b first sub-section of second wave winding wire [0479] 98-2b second sub-section of second wave winding wire [0480] 100 crossover point [0481] 102-1a first sub-section of first individual mat [0482] 102-2a second sub-section of first individual mat [0483] 102-1b first sub-section of second individual mat [0484] 102-2b second sub-section of second individual mat [0485] 104 regular exit [0486] 106 mirrored exit [0487] 108 series connection [0488] 110 phase exits [0489] 112 star points [0490] A first conductor [0491] B second conductor [0492] HM height extension dimension [0493] HR1 first height direction [0494] HR2 second height direction [0495] K1 position adjacent to cross-plugging position [0496] K2 cross-plugging position [0497] K3 position adjacent to cross-plugging position [0498] KLM no layer swap possible [0499] LM layer swap possible [0500] OF upper surface [0501] UF lower surface [0502] SA stator outer side [0503] SI stator inner side [0504] SPS coil step [0505] STP stacking [0506] STK plugging [0507] WKH winding head height