Building Chain Actuator Drive Bracket and Radial Damping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing building chain actuator drive arrangements face issues with reduced service life due to vibrations from electric motors, which cause deformation, noise, and increased maintenance requirements, leading to power loss and alignment challenges during assembly.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of radial damping elements that absorb and distribute motor vibrations, allowing for tension-free interconnections and alignment between components, reducing wear on motor bearings and enhancing assembly reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If components are assembled with tight fit and fixed attachment to achieve stiffness and prevent displacement, then alignment and stability are improved, but manufacturing and assembly complexity increase due to high tolerance demands

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive arrangement stabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a bracket as an intermediary component between the motor and worm drive. This bracket serves as a mediator that provides a common reference frame for both components, eliminating the need for tight direct fits. The bracket's reference surfaces ensure precise alignment while simplifying assembly, as components can be mounted independently on the bracket rather than requiring precise mutual alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If tight fit and fixed attachment are used to prevent component displacement, then alignment is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent alignmentVSAvoidtolerance requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket acts as a reference frame intermediary that carries reference surfaces for both the motor and worm drive mounting. This allows each component to be aligned relative to the bracket's precise reference surfaces rather than requiring tight alignment between components themselves, significantly reducing tolerance demands on the assembly process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical approach of achieving alignment through tight fits and precise component tolerances with a reference frame-based system. The bracket provides geometric reference surfaces that define the alignment, substituting complex mechanical tolerance control with simpler reference surface geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Stability of the object's composition

If motor vibrations are absorbed by internal bearings to maintain drive arrangement integrity, then structural stability is improved, but motor service life decreases due to increased wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive arrangement integrityVSAvoidmotor service life
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the vibration absorption function from the motor's internal bearings and relocates it to dedicated damping elements. These damping elements are specifically designed to absorb motor vibrations while being replaceable and not affecting the motor's primary function. This separation allows the motor bearings to focus on their primary support function while vibrations are handled by the specialized damping components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The damping elements serve as intermediaries between the motor and the rest of the drive arrangement. They absorb and isolate motor vibrations, preventing these vibrations from being transmitted to the motor bearings and other components. This intermediary layer protects the motor bearings from vibrational wear while maintaining overall drive arrangement integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution extends the service life of the drive arrangement, simplifies manufacturing and assembly, and reduces the risk of human error while maintaining operational reliability and flexibility under various loads.

Implementation Method 1

at least one radial damping element configured to reduce transmission of vibrations from the motor to the remainder of the building chain actuator drive arrangement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

DE 20,2012,001206 U1 shows a solution wherein elastic elements are arranged between motor and actuator housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4080004B1Chain actuator drive with bracket and damping elements
Publication Date: 2024.08.07 VKR HOLDING AS
  • EP4080004B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4080004B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4080004B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A building chain actuator drive arrangement (1) comprising a worm screw (2) having a center axis (C) and a worm wheel (3) configured to engage the worm screw (2). A motor (5) is operatively connected to the worm screw (2) and configured to rotate the worm screw (2) around the center axis (C). An at least partially tubular bracket element (7) is configured to at least partially accommodate the worm screw (2) and is connected to the motor (5), as well as fixed to a center shaft (3a) of the worm wheel (3). At least one radial damping element (18) is configured to reduce transmission of vibrations from the motor (5) to the remainder of the building chain actuator drive arrangement (1), the radial damping element(s) (18) having center axes coaxial with the center axis (C) and the radial damping element(s) (18) being arranged concentrically with at least one of the bracket element (7) and the motor (5).