U.S. patent application number 09/928600 was filed with the patent office on 2003-02-13 for system and method for manufacturing an ignition coil.
Invention is credited to Perry, Stuart W., Smith, Ronald D..
Application Number | 20030029957 09/928600 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25456509 |
Filed Date | 2003-02-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030029957 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Smith, Ronald D. ; et
al. |
February 13, 2003 |
System and method for manufacturing an ignition coil
Abstract
A coil winding system includes a scale configured to determine a
weight of new spool of wire destined for inclusion in the system.
The scale is electrically coupled to a controller portion of the
system to automatically provide the determined weight. The
controller is configured to automatically receive the weight
information and associate it with a particular spindle. The
controller calculates the maximum number of complete winding cycles
possible, based on the weight, and stops winding after such maximum
number has been completed.
Inventors: |
Smith, Ronald D.; (Anderson,
IN) ; Perry, Stuart W.; (Anderson, IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARGARET A. DOBROWITSKY
DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Legal Staff, Mail Code: 480-414-420
P.O. Box 5052
Troy
MI
48007-5052
US
|
Family ID: |
25456509 |
Appl. No.: |
09/928600 |
Filed: |
August 13, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/430 ;
242/431 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01F 41/064 20160101;
H01F 38/12 20130101; H01F 41/082 20160101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/430 ;
242/431 |
International
Class: |
B65H 054/00 |
Claims
1. A method of winding a bobbin to form a coil comprising the step
of determining a weight of a spool containing wire and electrically
providing said determined weight to a winding system configured to
use said determined weight to control winding of said bobbin.
2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of determining
a number of complete winding cycles that can be performed based on
said determined weight.
3. The method of claim 2 further including the step of
discontinuing a sequence of complete winding cycles when said spool
of wire has been used to wind one or more bobbins over said
determined number of complete winding cycles.
4. The method of claim 2 further including the step of generating
an alarm a predetermined number of cycles prior to completing said
determined number of complete winding cycles.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining said
weight is performed by the substeps of placing the spool on an
electronic scale that is electrically coupled to said winding
system.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said winding system includes a
plurality of spindles configured to receive a corresponding
plurality of bobbins for winding, said method further including the
step of identifying one of said spindles for an operator and
soliciting an acceptance of said one identified spindle.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of determining said
number of complete winding cycles is performed in accordance with
said determined weight and a unit weight corresponding to an amount
of wire wound on a fully wound bobbin.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said coil is selected from the
group comprising an ignition coil, a stator winding, a motor
winding, an insertion winding, a layered winding, a progressive
winding, a segment winding, a yoke winding, a bobbin type winding,
a paper sectioned winding, a toroidal winding, and a bondable wire
type winding.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said selected coil is an ignition
coil comprising at least one of a primary ignition coil and a
secondary ignition coil.
10. A system for winding a bobbin to form a coil comprising: a
scale for generating a weight signal indicative of a weight of a
wire spool; a winding system having an input configured to receive
said weight signal, said winding system responsive to said weight
signal to control winding of said bobbin using wire from said wire
spool.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein said winding system includes a
plurality of spindles configured to receive a plurality of bobbins
for winding, said winding system having a controller configured to
determine a maximum number of complete winding cycles that can be
performed using the wire on the wire spool based on said weight
signal.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein said controller is further
configured to discontinue a sequence of complete winding cycles
when said wire spool of wire has been used to wind one or more
coils over said maximum number of complete winding cycles.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein said controller is further
configured to generate an alarm a predetermined number of cycles
prior to said maximum number of complete winding cycles.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein said coil is selected from the
group comprising an ignition coil, a stator winding, a motor
winding, an insertion winding, a layered winding, a progressive
winding, a segment winding, a yoke winding, a bobbin type winding,
a paper sectioned winding, a toroidal winding, and a bondable wire
type winding.
15. A method of winding a bobbin to form a coil comprising the
steps of: automatically determining a weight of a wire spool
containing wire and electronically providing said determined weight
to a winding system configured to use said determined weight to
control winding of a corresponding bobbin; associating said
determined weight with one of a plurality of spindles of said
winding system on which said bobbin is received; determining a
maximum number of complete winding cycles that can be performed
based on said determined weight, each cycle corresponding to a full
winding of a bobbin with wire; and discontinuing a sequence of
complete winding cycles when the maximum number of complete winding
cycles has been completed for associated spindle.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
engine ignition coils, and, more particularly, to a system and
method for manufacturing an ignition coil.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] It is known to use an automated winding system for the
manufacture of ignition coils wherein the system has a plurality of
spindles for receiving empty coil spools or bobbins, as seen by
reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,956 issued to Yukitake. Yukitake
discloses an ignition coil winding machine capable of
simultaneously forming a plurality of engine ignition coils. The
machine has a driver for rotating a shaft on which a coil bobbin is
disposed, all under the control of a controller. The machine
further includes a tensioning device in between a wire spool
(containing wire destined for being wound on the bobbins) and a
nozzle. The nozzle reciprocates in the coil winding direction,
thereby laying out the wire on the bobbin according to a method
specified in the Yukitake.
[0005] Generally, in the operation of the machine of the type
disclosed in Yukitake, when a wire spool runs out of wire, the
machine will decelerate the rotation of the corresponding spindle
to a stop. An operator removes the incompletely wound ignition coil
and restarts the machine in order to complete the winding cycle on
the other spindles. At the conclusion of the cycle, the operator
will rethread a new spool of wire through the machine to replace
the spool that ran out of wire. There are several problems,
however, with the foregoing process.
[0006] First, the part (i.e., the incompletely wound ignition coil)
must be scrapped since it is incompletely wound.
[0007] Second, pieces of wire can contaminate other coils. During
deceleration, the free end of the wire is thrown around the machine
until the machine stops and pieces thereof may fall on or into the
surrounding coils that are in the process of being made. If the
pieces are not detected by the operator and removed (e.g., vacuumed
out), the affected ignition coil may fail.
[0008] Third, the operator must perform work on the machine twice
for each wire spool change, namely, (i) stopping the machine to
remove the incompletely wound coil, and then, after the winding
cycle has been completed, (ii) stopping the machine again to
rethread the machine, as described above. Alternatively, the
operator can let the machine continue running even after the wire
spool has run out of wire; however, this permits the spindle to
whip the wire end around and greatly increases the probability that
pieces of wire will break off and be cast around, causing the
problems noted above.
[0009] One approach taken in the art to improve on the foregoing
process involves weighing a new wire spool destined for replacement
of the spool that just ran out of wire, and manually (i.e., via the
operator) inputting both the weight and the corresponding spindle
number into the winding machine controller. The "new" wire is tied
to the remaining wire and is pulled through the machine to thread
it. The controller calculates the number of empty ignition coil
spools that can be wound from the wire on the wire spool based on
the entered weight. The winding machine controller in this approach
is configured to: (i) give an alarm a predetermined number of
cycles before the wire spool is expected to run out of wire to
notify the operator that the wire spool was low on wire, and (ii)
shut down the winding operation when the calculated number of
winding cycles has been completed. Improvements include eliminating
free wire pieces, reducing part scrap, and reducing the number of
times an operator is involved per-spool-change to one. However, the
foregoing improvements are achieved only if the operator correctly
enters both the accurate weight, and the correct spindle number.
Operator error thus continues to be a problem.
[0010] There is therefore a need for an improved winding system
that minimizes or eliminates one or more of the problems as set
forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] One advantage of the present invention derives from directly
providing the weight of the wire spool, and the correct spindle
number to the winding system, thereby substantially eliminating the
likelihood of operator error. Elimination of free wire pieces, part
scrap, and reducing the number of times an operator has to work on
the machine per spool-change are all achieved.
[0012] In accordance with the present invention, a method is
provided for winding a bobbin to form a coil. The method includes
the step of determining a weight of a spool containing wire and
electronically providing the determined weight to a winding system
configured to use the determined weight to control winding of the
bobbin. Accordingly, operator involvement in the transfer of such
information (i.e., weight and spindle number) is eliminated,
thereby eliminating the likelihood of operator error.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, optionally, the method further
includes associating the determined weight with one of a plurality
of spindles of the winding system. Next, determining a number of
complete winding cycles that can be performed based on the
determined weight, each winding cycle corresponding to a fall
winding of a coil bobbin with wire from the wire spool. Finally,
discontinuing the sequence of complete winding cycles when the
number of completed winding cycles equals the determined number
that was calculated based on weight.
[0014] In another embodiment, a system for winding a bobbin is also
presented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Additional objects and advantages of the present invention
will be more readily apparent from the following detailed
description of preferred embodiments thereof, when taken together
with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram view of a winding
system having an electrically connected weight scale according to
the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a partial, perspective view showing the winding
system of FIG. 1 in a multi-spindle configuration; and
[0018] FIG. 3 is a flowchart diagram corresponding to the
methodology of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference
numerals are used to identify identical components in the various
views, FIG. 1 shows a winding system 10 in accordance with the
present invention. Winding system 10 includes a main controller 12,
a dereeler assembly 14, and a drive portion 16 that includes one or
more spindles 18 and corresponding number of nozzles 20. The basic
winding system 10 (exclusive of a scale 30 to be described below)
is generally of a conventional nature and may be any one of a
number of commercially available systems. For example, a
multi-spindle coil winding machine (exclusive of scale 30 and the
accompanying connection, and interface software functionality to be
described in detail hereinafter), may be obtained from Prosys
Industries, Inc., Plymouth, Mich., USA. FIG. 1 further illustrates
an ignition coil bobbin 22, a wire feed assembly 24 comprising wire
26 contained on spool 28. In alternate embodiments, the winding
system 10 may comprise a single-spindle winder, a fly type winder
(i.e., post for receiving bobbin does not move but winding head
does), an insertion type winder, an armature type winder, and a
yolk type winder.
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates the drive portion 16 of machine winding
system 10 in greater detail. As shown in FIG. 2, winding system 10
is of the type that is capable of simultaneously winding a
plurality of bobbins 22.sub.1, 22.sub.2, . . . , 22.sub.i
respectively mounted to spindles 18.sub.1, 18.sub.2, . . . ,
18.sub.i. Corresponding parallel structure such as nozzles
20.sub.i, 20.sub.2, . . . , 20.sub.i, and dereeler assemblies
14.sub.1, 14.sub.2, . . . , 14.sub.i are operative to feed
respective runs of wire 26.sub.1, 26.sub.2 . . . 26.sub.i for
winding ignition coils.
[0021] With continued reference to FIG. 1, generally, wire 26 is
drawn from spool 28 and is fed through dereeler 14, which may
provide a tensioning and/or take-up function relative to the wire
26. Drive portion 16 is configured, generally, to rotate spindle 18
containing bobbin 22, and, further, to reciprocate nozzle 20 over a
preprogrammed axial length over bobbin 22. There are a plurality of
winding schemes known to those of ordinary skill in the art, which
will not be described herein in any detail. Drive portion 16
operates in accordance with control signals received from and
generated by controller 12. Nozzle 20 can be moved by drive portion
16 axially with respect to spindle 18, as well as being rotated,
all as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Through the
foregoing, a variety of coils having desired winding patterns may
be made. In a preferred embodiment, the coil may be a primary or
secondary coil of an ignition coil for an engine, such as an
automotive engine. In alternate embodiments, the coil may be
windings used in motors such as windshield wiper motors, solenoids,
generators, alternators, speedometer dials, high-voltage yokes
(i.e., for picture tubes), and inducators. Types of windings
include layered, progressive (wedge, bank, pilgrim), segment, yoke,
bobbin, paper (paper sectioned), toroidal, motor, insertion
winding, stator winding, and bondable wire type winding. The wound
element defining the coil may also include thread, string or nylon
cord, in addition to wire.
[0022] Digital scale 30 is configured to determine a weight of a
spool 28 containing wire 26 and generate a weight indicative signal
representative of the determined weight, and provide such signal
automatically to winding system 10, in particular, controller 12.
The scale 30 includes an interface that is compatible with
controller 12. The weight information is transferred through this
interface. Digital scale 30 may comprise conventional components
well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and may be, for
example, a Digimatix, Inc. Model No. D.C. 130. It should be
understood, however, that other scales may be used and remain
within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a simplified flowchart diagram illustrating a
method in accordance with the present invention. As used herein, a
"cycle" is the process of completely winding one bobbin, or, if
simultaneously winding multiple bobbins (a multi-spindle system),
then completely winding the several bobbins. It should be
appreciated that the process to be described hereinafter in
connection with FIG. 3, applicable to the control of one spindle,
may occur in parallel for each one of a plurality of spindles
included in winding system 10. Thus, while the process for one
spindle may not require the machine to stop (i.e., there is still
wire left on the spool), the same process, occurring in parallel
for another spindle may nonetheless cause the machine to stop after
a cycle to accomplish a spool change
[0024] With continued reference to FIG. 3, the method begins in
step 32, wherein a new spool of wire is needed for winding system
10 (or, at the beginning of a work day or the like where new wire
spools are put on for all of the spindles of the winding system
10). In the case where winding system 10 has been operating, and an
existing spool 28 has been used to complete as many cycles as
possible, an operator obtains a new wire spool and places it on
scale 30, which automatically determines its weight. In a preferred
embodiment, controller 12 has been configured to recognize when a
particular spool associated with a spindle is out of wire (or, when
the wire spool has been used for as many winding cycles as possible
without actually running out of wire, which is undesirable as
described above). In such an embodiment, controller 12 generates a
prompt to the operator, in order to confirm the spindle number in
connection with which the new wire spool 28 is needed (e.g., "Is
spindle #1 the correct spindle that is out of wire? If yes, then
press ENTER."). The controller 12 carries forward the knowledge it
has regarding what spool/spindle is low on wire from the previous
iteration of the process (steps 32-44), which determine the maximum
number of cycles, and a running counter of the number of completed
cycles since the last wire spool was installed.
[0025] In step 34, the scale 30, in electrical communication with
controller 12, electronically, automatically, provides the
determined weight thereto via a compatible interface for subsequent
use. As indicated above, the controller 12, via the preceding
dialogue with the operator, is configured with the identity of the
spindle number.
[0026] In step 36, controller 12 is configured to associate the
weight provided from scale 30 (determined in step 32) with the
selected one of the plurality of spindles on the winding system 10.
The process proceeds to step 38.
[0027] In step 38, the controller 12 determines the number of
complete winding cycles that can be performed using the wire 26 on
the new winding spool 28, based on the weight determined in step
32. Performance of this step may further include using
predetermined data corresponding to a unit weight required for
fully winding one bobbin 22 to form a coil. The process then
proceeds to step 40.
[0028] In step 40, the winding system 10 begins (or continues)
winding. The process then proceeds to step 42.
[0029] In step 42, the controller 12 determines whether the number
of completed cycles is equal to the calculated maximum number of
winding cycles possible, based on the weight determined in step 32.
If the answer is "NO," then control of the process loops and
another winding cycle is performed.
[0030] In an alternate embodiment, controller 12 is configured to
generate an alarm a predetermined number of cycles before the
maximum number of cycles has been completed (i.e., before the wire
runs out) in order to notify the operator that the spindle is low
on wire.
[0031] When the maximum number of winding cycles has been completed
for that particular spool/spindle, then control of the method
passes to step 44.
[0032] In step 44, controller 12 causes the remainder of winding
system 10 to discontinue cycling/winding in order to prevent, for
example, the whipping of loose ends were a spool of wire to run out
in the middle of a winding cycle. At this point, the operator
obtains (or perhaps has already obtained, based on an optional
alarm) another spool of wire, weighs the spool in accordance with
procedure described above, and rethreads the new spool of wire.
Rethreading may involve tying the "new" wire to the remaining "old"
wire (i.e., on the spool side of the dereeler) and pulling the end
of the new wire through the winding system in order to fully thread
the machine 10.
[0033] The invention eliminates the disadvantages of running out of
wire in the middle of a winding cycle described above in
Background. The use of scale 30 having an interface compatible with
controller 12 of winding system 10 removes the opportunity for
operator error in entering the weight and the spindle number. The
operator need only perform work on the machine 10 once for each
change of spool (i.e., for each spindle), which is an improvement
over various, conventional winding systems.
* * * * *