Brushless Door Drive with Magnetic Encoder for Compact Installation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional door drives for automatic sliding and elevator doors are bulky, noisy, and costly due to the use of DC motors with gears, which lead to rapid wear and tear, and require significant installation space, making them unsuitable for compact and cost-effective solutions.

Innovation Solution

A compact door drive design utilizing a brushless electric motor with a magnetic absolute encoder for motor commutation and position control, eliminating the need for gears and reducing mechanical parts, noise, and wear, while providing high-resolution angle sensing for precise speed control and torque development without harmonics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If DC motors with gears are used, then driving force can be generated, but noise increases and wear accelerates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving forceVSAvoidnoise and wear
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical gear system with a direct drive configuration where the motor shaft directly connects to the belt drive mechanism. This eliminates gears entirely, substituting the mechanical transmission system with a simpler direct coupling that reduces noise and wear while maintaining the required driving force for door operation.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the gear components from the drive system. By taking out the gears and their associated meshing mechanisms, the design eliminates the source of noise and wear while preserving the essential function of transmitting rotational motion to the belt drive.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Power

If DC motors with gears are used, then driving force can be generated, but the number of moving mechanical parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving forceVSAvoidnumber of moving mechanical parts
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the complex mechanical gear transmission system with a direct drive configuration. This substitution eliminates multiple moving mechanical parts (gears, gear shafts, bearings) while maintaining the capability to generate and transmit the necessary driving force through a simpler direct coupling mechanism.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and removes the gear components from the drive system. By taking out the gears and their associated mechanical elements, the design reduces the number of moving parts from multiple components to essentially a direct connection between motor shaft and belt drive, simplifying the mechanical system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Power

If conventional DC motors are used, then driving force can be generated, but installation space increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriving forceVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the conventional DC motor with a brushless motor design that integrates the commutation function electronically. This substitution eliminates the need for commutators and brushes, reducing the motor's overall dimensions and allowing for more compact installation within the door drive assembly.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a brushless motor design where the control unit performs multiple functions including commutation, position sensing, and speed control. This multi-functionality integrates several subsystems into a single compact unit, reducing the overall installation space required compared to conventional separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Area of stationary object

If brushless motor with magnetic absolute encoder is used, then installation space is reduced, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation spaceVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a brushless motor design where the control unit performs multiple functions including commutation, position sensing, and speed control. This multi-functionality integrates several subsystems into a single compact unit, reducing the overall installation space required compared to conventional separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the angle sensor functionality directly into the motor assembly, combining the motor and sensor into an integrated unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate sensor mounting and wiring, reducing installation space while the cost is offset by the elimination of additional components and simplification of the overall system.

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 results in a compact, quiet, and cost-effective door drive with immediate rotor position availability, high temporal resolution at low speeds, and smooth operation, allowing for integration within limited spaces like door jambs or lintels without the need for additional installation space or synchronization, thus enhancing the overall efficiency and reliability of door control systems.

Implementation Method 1

the angle sensor works according to a magnetic principle, is designed as an absolute value sensor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field sensing: Magnetic Field

Implementation Method 2

an electronically commutated and/or brushless electric motor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP1894877B1Door drive for an automatic door
Publication Date: 2010.05.05 SIEMENS AG
  • EP1894877B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP1894877B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The drive has a brushless direct current motor (10) e.g. permanently-excited synchronous motor, generating drive power, and a belt drivewheel (12) controlling a tough toothed belt (16) that transmits the power to the door panels (2, 3). An actuation device controls the motor, and comprises a digital magnetic absolute value sensor for generating an angular signal proportional to an angle of rotation of the motor. A commutation circuit commutates the motor, to which the signal from the sensor is fed, where the signal from the sensor is fed to a door position controller as an input variable.