Braced Coolant Guide Ring for Consistent Motor Cooling Gaps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coolant guide elements for electrical machines have high manufacturing tolerances, leading to variable gap sizes and inconsistent cooling effects, and fail to compensate for stator tolerances.

Innovation Solution

A coolant guide element with a base body and a bracing element that allows for resilient connection, using materials like spring steel or elastic plastics to maintain a constant flow gap despite geometric and physical variations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If coolant guide elements are manufactured by casting or welding, then manufacturing is simplified, but manufacturing tolerances are high causing variable gap sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing processVSAvoidgap size consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The coolant guide element incorporates a resilient base body that can dynamically adapt its shape to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and stator variations, transforming a static rigid structure into a dynamic one that self-adjusts to maintain consistent gap sizes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient base body changes its physical parameters (shape, position) in response to manufacturing variations, allowing the coolant guide element to maintain optimal gap dimensions despite variations in casting or welding processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If rigid coolant guide elements are used, then structural stability is maintained, but manufacturing tolerances cause significant cooling effect fluctuations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcooling effect consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The base body is designed as a flexible resilient structure that can deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and stator variations, replacing rigid shells with flexible ones that adapt to dimensional variations while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient base body introduces dynamic adaptability to the coolant guide element, allowing it to self-adjust its position and shape to compensate for manufacturing variations, thereby ensuring consistent cooling performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional coolant guide elements are used, then manufacturing is straightforward, but tolerance compensation for stator variations is not possible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidtolerance compensation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The resilient base body acts as a flexible element that can deform to accommodate stator dimensional variations, providing automatic tolerance compensation without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or precise manufacturing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Ensures a consistent coolant flow gap, compensating for manufacturing and stator tolerances, thereby maintaining uniform cooling efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a bracing element (16) which, in a state fastened to the base body (10), extends along a radially outward-facing circumferential surface (17) of the base body and is fastened to the base body (10) in such a way that the first end section (14) and the second end section (15) are held braced relative to one another

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3928418B1Coolant conducting element, cooling system and electrical machine
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3928418B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3928418B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3928418B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a coolant conducting element (100) for a cooling system (300) for cooling an electrical machine (400), said element comprising a main body (10), on which at least one guide element (12) for guiding a coolant is provided on a radially-inwards facing peripheral surface (11) of the main body (10), said main body (10) having a first end section (14) and a second end section (15). When the first end section (14) is connected to the second end section (15), the main body (10) has an annular form, and comprising a bracing element (16) which extends when secured to the main body (10) along a radially-outwards facing peripheral surface (17) of the main body (10) and is secured to the main body (10) in such a manner that the first end section (14) and the second end section (15) are braced against each other.