Border Winder Direct Drive for Compact High-Rigidity Torque Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional winders in metalworking have a large installation space due to complex drive trains, leading to torsional flexibility issues, control accuracy problems, high maintenance costs, and power losses, as well as a non-optimal interface between the winding mandrel and the electric drive.

Innovation Solution

A winder design featuring a direct drive system with a compact electric motor and a stator directly connected to the housing, eliminating the need for complex mechanical components like gears and clutches, and utilizing a torque motor for high torsional rigidity and efficient power transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a conventional drive train with gearbox and couplings is used, then the winder can transmit torque to the winding mandrel, but the footprint and installation space become large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetorque transmissionVSAvoidfootprint
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The electric motor is integrated directly with the winding mandrel to form a unified direct drive system, eliminating the need for separate gearbox and coupling components. This merging of drive functions into a single compact unit reduces the overall footprint while maintaining full torque transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical gearbox and coupling system with a direct electromagnetic drive system. The electric motor's rotor is directly coupled to the winding mandrel, substituting complex mechanical transmission components with a streamlined electromagnetic-mechanical integration that achieves the same torque transmission in a compact form.

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

2Power

If a complex drive train with multiple moving components is used, then torque can be transmitted to the winding mandrel, but reliability decreases due to more moving parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetorque transmissionVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes all unnecessary intermediate components (gearbox, couplings, driveshafts) from the torque transmission path. By eliminating these moving parts that are prone to failure, the system achieves higher reliability while the electric motor directly provides the required torque transmission to the winding mandrel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The direct drive system replaces complex, maintenance-prone mechanical components with a simpler electric motor design that has fewer wearing parts. While electric motors require maintenance, the elimination of gearboxes and couplings removes multiple failure points, effectively reducing the number of 'short-living' components that need frequent replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Power

If conventional couplings and gearboxes are used, then torque transmission is achieved, but control accuracy decreases due to torsional compliance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetorque transmissionVSAvoidcontrol accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes flexible mechanical couplings and gearboxes with a rigid direct-drive connection between the electric motor rotor and the winding mandrel. This eliminates torsional compliance and flexibility in the torque transmission path, ensuring that motor control commands are directly and accurately translated to mandrel rotation without phase lag or oscillation.

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

Solution Approach 2:

By merging the motor rotor and winding mandrel into a directly coupled system, the patent creates a unified mass moment of inertia that responds precisely to control signals. This integration eliminates the compliance issues inherent in separate drive components, achieving superior control accuracy for winding operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Power

If a complex drive train with numerous components is used, then torque can be transmitted to the winding mandrel, but the interface between mandrel and drive is not optimal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetorque transmissionVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the drive system and winding mandrel into a single integrated unit where the motor rotor directly becomes part of the mandrel assembly. This eliminates complex mechanical interfaces between separate components, creating a simple, direct connection that optimizes power transmission while minimizing interface complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 achieves a compact, reliable, and efficient drive system with improved control accuracy, reduced maintenance, and lower costs, while allowing for easier expansion of drive power and integration of cooling and media passage, resulting in a more efficient and space-saving design.

Implementation Method 1

a drive with an electric motor... comprising an electric motor with a stator and a rotor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic interaction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3668808B1Direct drive for border winder in metalworking
Publication Date: 2021.01.20 SMS GROUP GMBH
  • EP3668808B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3668808B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2c
  • EP3668808B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a winder for a strip-type material, preferably a metal strip, in metalworking, said winder comprising: at least one winding spindle (101, 300a, 300b) provided for winding the strip-type material, and a drive (200a, 200b) comprising an electric motor, preferably a torque motor or a synchronous motor, with a stator and a rotor (3, 201a, 201b). According to the invention, the winder also comprises a housing (103, 302), the rotor (3, 201a, 201b) is connected to the winding spindle (101, 300a, 300b), whereby the rotation of the rotor (3, 201a, 201b) is transmitted to the winding spindle (101, 300a, 300b), and the stator is directly mounted on the housing (103, 302) and/or the rotor (3, 201a, 201b) is directly connected to the winding spindle (101, 300a, 300b) or a shaft of the winding spindle (101, 300a, 300b).