Dual-Chamber Coil Spring Cassette for Data and Power Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coil spring cassettes face challenges in accommodating high-speed data transmission and large electrical currents due to the limitations of the U-turn principle, which requires small bending radii and rigid cables, while the clockspring principle allows larger radii but sacrifices other advantages.

Innovation Solution

The coil spring cassette design incorporates two parallel chambers: one with a U-turn arrangement for flexible, thin first flat cables and another with a clockspring arrangement for thicker, more rigid second flat cables, allowing for both high-speed data transmission and efficient use of the U-turn principle for other functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If flat cables are arranged according to the U-turn principle, then the number of electrical connections and compactness are improved, but the ability to transmit high-speed data and large currents deteriorates due to small bending radii requiring thin, flexible cables

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of electrical connectionsVSAvoidhigh-speed data transmission capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The winding gap is divided into multiple chambers (first chamber for U-turn arrangement, second chamber for clockspring arrangement), allowing different cable types to be accommodated in separate segments. This segmentation enables the system to simultaneously support both thin flexible cables for high-speed data and thicker rigid cables for high current transmission without interference between the two cable types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If flat cables are arranged according to the clockspring principle, then high-speed data transmission is enabled with larger bending radii, but the compactness and number of independent cables are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehigh-speed data transmission capabilityVSAvoidnumber of independent flat cables
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions from a single-plane winding gap to a multi-chamber three-dimensional structure. By stacking chambers vertically or radially within the winding gap, the system can accommodate multiple independent cable arrangements (both U-turn and clockspring types) without increasing the overall footprint, thus maintaining compactness while increasing cable capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the winding gap accommodates thicker flat cables for large currents, then current transmission is improved, but the bending radius increases and U-turn arrangement becomes problematic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical current transmission capabilityVSAvoidflexibility for U-turn arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions (chambers) of the winding gap are assigned different cable types based on local requirements. The first chamber contains thin flexible cables optimized for U-turn arrangements and high-speed data, while the second chamber contains thicker rigid cables optimized for high current transmission. Each chamber's cable arrangement is locally optimized for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3928398B1Coil spring cassette
Publication Date: 2023.12.13 KOSTAL AUTOMOBIL ELECTRIC GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3928398B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention describes a coil spring cassette having a stationary cylindrical stator housing part and a cylindrical rotor housing part which is arranged coaxially in relation to said stator housing part and can be rotated about its longitudinal axis, wherein a chamber is formed which is delimited by the outer lateral surface of the internal housing part and the inner lateral surface of the external housing part and in which at least one flexible flat cable which has electrical conductors is arranged, wherein the coil spring cassette forms a first and a second chamber, which chambers are closed off in relation to one another and are arranged parallel in relation to one another along their longitudinal axis, wherein at least one first flat cable is arranged with reversal of the winding direction in the first chamber, and wherein at least one second flat cable is arranged with a uniform winding direction in the second chamber.