Modular intelligent motor

Abstract

The invention relates to a smart electric machine (10) comprising: an electromechanical transducer (12); an electrical filtering device (14); an electronic control unit (16); two separate housings (18, 20) having a hollow cylindrical shape and separated in the axial direction DA; and a cooling device (24). A first housing (18) comprises a first end (180) and encloses the electromechanical transducer, and a second housing (20) comprises a first end (200) and encloses the electrical filtering device and the electronic control unit. A cooling device surrounds the first housing and the second housing. The electric machine further includes a first cowl (182) surrounding the second end of the first housing (18) and a second cowl (202) surrounding the second end of the second housing (20), the first and second cowl facing each other and carrying plug-and-play connectors (40, 50), at least one of the first and second cowl being made of an insulating material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electric machines with integrated controller and mutual cooling, so-called smart machines, which are particularly suitable for aircraft, and more specifically to a modular smart machine allowing thermal isolation. Background Art

[0002] Today, these intelligent motors are well known. For example, one can cite the application number FR3089715A1 filed in the name of the applicant, which shows an axially configured motor provided with mutual air cooling, the power connection for the high-voltage signals being usually made by screw contacts via large terminals or particularly bulky power connectors.

[0003] Although this motor is generally satisfactory, it still has two major drawbacks. The first is that it cannot be installed blindly due to the above-mentioned connections, while the second is its lack of modular design, which prohibits the manufacture and repair of motor components on the one hand and electronic components on the other hand without access to the entire motor, making it impossible to reuse the same electronics with several motor variants (i.e., of greater or lesser power) in order to reduce maintenance costs and development expenses.

[0004] In such motors, the search for modularity is complicated because it is necessary to combine several issues, namely: thermal isolation of the motor area from the electronics area, the operating temperature of the motor being much higher than that to which the integrated monitoring electronics can withstand; and shaft system optimization to allow gains in quality and service life. Summary of the invention

[0005] Therefore, the main purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks with an intelligent motor whose modularity increases its reusability in a product line. Another purpose is to optimally distribute the forces on the shaft and the bearings ensuring the rotation of the motor.

[0006] These objects are achieved by an intelligent motor, which includes: an electromechanical converter, which is provided with a rotating part defining an axial direction DA and a radial direction DR; an electric filtering device; an electronic control unit; two independent shells having a hollow cylindrical shape and separated along the axial direction; and a cooling device; wherein the first shell includes a first end and surrounds the electromechanical converter, and the second shell includes a first end and surrounds the electric filtering device and the electronic control unit, and the cooling device surrounds the first shell and the second shell, and the intelligent motor is characterized in that it also includes: a first fairing, which surrounds the second end of the first shell opposite to the first end; and a second fairing, which surrounds the second end of the second shell opposite to the first end, the second fairings of the first fairing face each other and carry a plug-and-play connector, and at least one of the first fairing and the second fairing is made of insulating material.

[0007] The plug-and-play connector thus allows "blind" installation in a single operation, and the thermal barrier constituted by the two fairings ensures perfect thermal insulation between the two housings respectively enclosing the electric machine and its control and monitoring electronics.

[0008] Preferably, the plug-and-play connector includes at least one connector for low current signals, which is mounted on a movable plate supported by one of the first fairing and the second fairing, and mates with associated contacts present on the other of the first fairing and the second fairing.

[0009] Advantageously, the movable plate comprises at least two centering guides which ensure automatic mutual alignment between the connector comprising at least two centering pins and its contacts.

[0010] Preferably, the plug-and-play connector includes at least one connector for a power signal, which uses layered contacts fixed to a plate mounted on one of the first fairing and the second fairing, and cooperates with corresponding contacts present on the other of the first fairing and the second fairing.

[0011] According to a variant of the embodiment envisaged, the first housing surrounding the electromechanical converter is mounted upstream of the second housing surrounding the electric filtering device and the electronic control unit, the transmission shaft passing through the first housing and the second housing, or the second housing surrounding the electric filtering device and the electronic control unit is mounted upstream of the first housing surrounding the electromechanical converter, the transmission shaft passing through the first housing and the second housing. The transmission shaft is then supported by a first bearing mounted on the first housing and a second bearing mounted on the second housing.

[0012] According to another embodiment variant, the second housing surrounding the electric filtering device and the electronic control unit is mounted upstream of the first housing surrounding the electromechanical converter, and vice versa, the transmission shaft passes only through the first housing. The transmission shaft is then supported by a first bearing mounted on the first housing and a second bearing mounted on the first fairing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, without any limitation, an exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 A first exemplary embodiment of a modular intelligent motor according to the present invention is shown;

[0015] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 Details of the low power signal connections for the motor;

[0016] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 Details of the high power signal connections for the motor;

[0017] Figure 4 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a modular intelligent motor according to the present invention; and

[0018] Figure 5 A third exemplary embodiment of a modular intelligent motor according to the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The principle of the invention is based on producing the motor in two separate blocks which are thermally insulated from each other and which can be installed separately and then assembled together blindly. That is, when the motor is switched off, the electrical connections between the motor and its electronic monitoring components may not be visible and no visual inspection is possible.

[0020] Figure 1 A first embodiment of a modular intelligent motor according to the invention is shown in cross section. If the motor is designed for the aeronautical sector, it is understood that the above architecture is not limited to this sector, but can also be applied, for example, in the automotive, railway or marine sectors and concerns all motors that associate a rotating part with control and monitoring electronics (e.g. a fan, pump or exchanger).

[0021] This smart motor, called an axially configured smart motor, comprises an electric motor 12, which acts as an electromechanical converter and is provided with a rotating part defining an axial direction DA and a radial direction DR in section. The smart motor also comprises an electric filtering device 14, an electronic control unit 16 and two separate blocks or housings or casings 18, 20, which are separated in the axial direction and house drive components including the electric motor 12 on the one hand and the electronic control unit 16 and the filtering device 14 on the other hand.

[0022] The first housing 18 and the second housing 20 have a hollow cylindrical shape, wherein in the embodiment shown, the shape has a circular cross section, and each of the first housing and the second housing comprises a cooling device 22, 24 mounted on the outer radial surface of these housings (the terms "inner" and "outer" and "inner" and "outer" used here refer to the radial direction DR in the intelligent motor), and comprises a set of fins extending radially outwards so as to form a heat sink, thereby allowing heat exchange between the fins and the airflow passing through the fins of the cooling device 22, 24. The cooling airflow is usually generated externally by the rotor of the aircraft, but of course it can also be generated internally by an impeller, and liquid cooling is also possible as an alternative or supplement to air cooling.

[0023] The common axis of rotation of these housings coincides with the axis of rotation DA of the electric machine 12, which coincides with the axis of rotation of its drive shaft 26, which passes through the first and second housings and is supported in the first housing 18 at a first end by a first bearing 28 and in the second housing 20 at a second end opposite to the first end in the axial direction DA by a second bearing 30. By passing completely through these two blocks, the drive shaft benefits from a wide span between the bearings, thereby minimizing the forces on the shaft, the housings 18 and 20 and the bearings at the same time.

[0024] The first bearing 28 is mounted on a first end 180 of the first housing 18, which first end extends in a radial plane including the radial direction DR and perpendicular to the axial direction DA and closes the first housing 18, while the second bearing 30 is mounted on a first end 200 of the second housing 20, which first end also extends in a radial plane including the radial direction DR and perpendicular to the axial direction DA. Extend and seal in the plane The first end 180 of the first housing 18 advantageously constitutes a modular smart motor. 10 , while the first end 200 of the second housing 20 advantageously constitutes the second end of the motor 10 .

[0025] It should be noted that in a variant of embodiment, the ends may be separated from the housings and form two separate covers for the housings.

[0026] Each of the first shell 18 and the second shell 20 also includes a second end opposite to the first end, so that in the axial direction DA, the two shells 18, 20 are also respectively closed by a first fairing 182 and a second fairing 202 facing each other, and the two fairings are mechanically connected by screwing the motor block to the electronic device block using screws 32 evenly distributed around the two shells.

[0027] Thus, according to the invention, two independent blocks are formed that are physically separable from each other and each block comprises its own thermal barrier (however, depending on the operating conditions, a single thermal barrier may be sufficient and is advantageously located on the motor fairing) by inserting the two fairings (each of which is advantageously made of insulating material) between the motor block 12 and the electronic monitoring block 14, 16. This makes the two blocks independent of each other and reinforces the thermal insulation and allows them to be protected during the transport and installation phases by this enclosure. These walls, in addition to this insulation function, have the function of housing plug-and-play electrical connectors, that is to say pluggable and removable, and which must allow the required blind installation involving low installation precision.

[0028] For this reason and Figure 2 As shown in FIG, a low-current signal connector 40 including centering pins 40A, 40B is mounted on a movable plate 42 capable of self-alignment between the wall forming the fairing 202 and the fairing 182 on the motor block side (however, it is also possible to support the plate by the fairing 182), the wall forming the fairing 202 being present on the electronics block side and advantageously supporting the plate. This automatic alignment is achieved by at least two centering guides 44A, 44B of the plate, which connect the connector with its associated contacts before the connector's own centering guides 40A, 40B come into play.

[0029] For the connector 50 of the power signal, such as Figure 3 As shown in The laminar contacts of the type 500 or equivalent are fixed to a plate 52 mounted on one of the two walls forming the fairing (preferably the fairing 182 of the electronics block) (but could also be supported by the wall 202) and located within the wide range of contacts present on the other wall (not shown). The tolerances and spring function of these contacts ensure the required operating range.

[0030] The architecture thus constituted and described above allows the motor to be mounted "blind" on its power electronics in a single operation to obtain the finished product, and the thermal barrier is sandwiched between the two blocks thanks to the mechanical coupling means that screw the motor block to the electronics block. The power connections are mutually supported, wherein the laminar contact system naturally occupies the assembly gap and performs the centering. The low-power electrical connections formed by conventional connectors (SubD or other) are aligned thanks to the mobility of the centering guides and the plates and the mobility of the connectors and their associated contacts. The cooling by the air is shared thanks to the fins located all around the housing, allowing the cooling air to pass through the fins of the motor block and then the same cooling flow is provided to the fins of the electronics block.

[0031] It should be noted that if in the above architecture the electronics block is positioned upstream of the motor block with respect to the air circulation direction, thereby taking advantage of the coolest cooling air, then in aircraft installation the option Figure 4 , in which the motor block 18 is positioned upstream of the electronics block 20 so that air circulates first through the electronics components and then reaches the motor components.

[0032] Likewise Figure 5 As shown in , the first bearing 28 and the second bearing 30 can also be mounted only in the motor block. This is traditionally the case when the motor is separated from its electronics. In this configuration, the transmission shaft 26 is limited to passing through the motor block 12, the first bearing 28 is mounted on the first end 180 of the first housing 18 (forming or not forming a cover), and the second bearing 30 is mounted on the first fairing 182. Then, two arrangements of the housings are possible, in which the first housing is located upstream of the second housing and vice versa (the first housing is located downstream of the second housing).

Claims

1. A smart motor (10), comprising: An electromechanical converter (12) provided with a rotating part defining an axial direction DA and a radial direction DR; An electric filter device (14); an electronic control unit (16); two independent housings (18, 20) having a hollow cylindrical shape and separated along the axial direction; and a cooling device (24); wherein the first housing (18) includes a first end (180) and surrounds the electromechanical converter, and the second housing (20) includes a second end (200) and surrounds the electric filter device and the electronic control unit, and the cooling device surrounds the first housing and the second housing, and the intelligent motor is characterized in that it also includes: a first fairing (182), the first fairing surrounds the second end of the first housing (18) opposite to the first end of the first housing; and a second fairing (202), the second fairing surrounding a second end of the second shell (20) opposite to the first end of the second shell, the first fairing and the second fairing facing each other and carrying plug-and-play connectors (40, 50), at least one of the first fairing and the second fairing being made of a heat-insulating material.

2. The intelligent motor according to claim 1, wherein: The plug-and-play connector includes at least one connector (40) for low current signals, which is mounted on a movable plate (42) supported by one of the first fairing (182) and the second fairing (202) and mates with associated contacts present on the other of the first fairing (182) and the second fairing (202).

3. The intelligent motor according to claim 2, wherein: The movable plate comprises at least two centering guides (44A, 44B) which ensure automatic mutual alignment between the connector comprising at least two centering pins (40A, 40B) and its contacts.

4. The intelligent motor according to claim 1, wherein: The plug-and-play connector includes at least one connector (50) for a power signal, the connector using a layered contact (52) fixed on a plate (52) mounted on one of the first fairing (182) and the second fairing (202), and mating with a corresponding contact present on the other of the first fairing (182) and the second fairing (202).

5. The intelligent motor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The first housing (18) surrounding the electromechanical converter is installed upstream of the second housing (20) surrounding the electric filter device and the electronic control unit, and a transmission shaft (26) passes through the first housing and the second housing.

6. The intelligent motor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The second housing (20) surrounding the electric filter device and the electronic control unit is installed upstream of the first housing (18) surrounding the electromechanical converter, and a transmission shaft (26) passes through the first housing and the second housing.

7. The intelligent motor according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: The transmission shaft (26) is supported by a first bearing (28) mounted on the first housing (18) and a second bearing (30) mounted on the second housing (20).

8. The intelligent motor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The second housing (20) surrounding the electric filter device and the electronic control unit is mounted upstream of the first housing (18) surrounding the electromechanical converter, and vice versa, the transmission shaft (26) passes only through the first housing.

9. The intelligent motor according to claim 8, wherein: The transmission shaft (26) is supported by a first bearing (28) mounted on the first housing (18) and a second bearing (30) mounted on the first fairing (182).

10. An aircraft propulsion system comprising at least one intelligent motor according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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