Compact Brushless Motoreducer with Nested Gears

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing geared motor solutions fail to achieve sufficient compactness, particularly in applications like automotive thermoregulation flaps, where a reduced footprint and better integration of motor and reducer are required, as they do not allow for a single, flat, and narrow box configuration with compact reduction assemblies.

Innovation Solution

A brushless electric motor is combined with a motion-reducing gear system where the first shaft carrying a pinion/toothed wheel assembly is placed between the electric coils, allowing for a compact design by grouping two sprocket/pinion assemblies on a single common axis, achieving high reduction ratios such as over 1:200.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional separate motor and reducer assemblies are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but device compactness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidfootprint
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the motor and reducer into a single integrated geared motor assembly, where the motor shaft directly drives the pinion gear. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate motor and reducer components, reducing the overall footprint while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular design of the integrated unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent nests the gear train components within the motor housing structure, placing the pinion, idler, and output gears in a compact arrangement inside the motor assembly. This nesting approach allows multiple functional components to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, significantly reducing the external footprint of the overall device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Power

If compact reduction assemblies with multiple pinion/toothed wheel assemblies per carrier shaft are used, then reduction ratio is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereduction ratioVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the gear train into distinct functional stages: a pinion gear on the motor shaft, an idler gear for direction change, and an output gear on the output shaft. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall compactness, achieving high reduction ratios without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement of gears, positioning the idler gear to mesh with both the pinion and output gear in a compact configuration. By exploiting vertical and radial dimensions rather than only linear arrangement, the design achieves complex reduction ratios within a small footprint without proportionally increasing device complexity.

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

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 very compact geared motor assembly with high reduction ratios, achieving a smaller footprint and improved integration of motor and reducer, meeting the demands of specific applications like automotive thermoregulation flaps.

Implementation Method 1

a brushless-type electric motor (100) consisting of a wound stator assembly (1) which cooperates magnetically with a rotor (9)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

an input pinion (3) which meshes with a train of gears forming a mechanical motion reducer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical advantage through gear transmission: Gear

Data Source

PatentEP3326263B1Compact motoreducer
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 MMT SA
  • EP3326263B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP3326263B1 patent drawingFigure 2b~3a
  • EP3326263B1 patent drawingFigure 3b~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a motoreducer consisting of a casing (16) comprising a brushless motor having at least two electrical phases, a rotor (9) rotating on an axle (2), and composed of a stator assembly (1) having at least two poles each bearing coils the winding axes of which are spaced apart by a mechanical angle smaller than 180° and extend radially, and a gear train, the gear train comprising: a first axle (4) placed in the angular space formed between the two poles, said first axle (4) bearing a first assembly formed by a coupled pinion (Pe1, Pe1h) and toothed wheel (Re1, Re1h), the toothed wheel (Re1, Re1h) being placed above the pinion (Pe1, Pe1h) and having a radius larger than the pinion (Pe1, Pe1h), the toothed wheel (Re1, Re1h) meshing with an input pinion (3) rotating on the axle (2) of the rotor (9), the toothed wheel (Re1, Re1h) being placed above said poles (14) bearing the coils, all the axles (4, 5, 6, 7) of the gear train being parallel to one another and parallel to the axle (2) of the rotor (9), characterised in that the gear train has at least one axle (4, 5) bearing two toothed wheels/pinion assemblies rotating on said axle (4,5).