Compact Gear Rack Linear Drive With Integrated Mounting Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric linear drives for gear racks are not compact, robust, or easily mountable, and often require individualization for specific tasks, making them unsuitable for diverse applications and complex to connect to devices and control systems.
Innovation Solution
A compact electric linear drive unit is designed with a stepping motor and gearing attached to a flat holding plate, which forms part of the overall housing, allowing for easy assembly and integration of drive electronics, enabling the drive unit to be preassembled and connected to devices with minimal components and steps, and accommodating a gear rack with a counter-bearing for alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional electric linear drive is used for a gear rack, then the drive can perform basic actuation functions, but the drive unit is not compact and requires complex assembly and mounting procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the motor, gearing, and holding plate into a single integrated drive unit that functions as a complete assembly. The motor is mounted directly on the holding plate, and the gearing is attached to both the motor and the holding plate, creating a unified compact structure that reduces both volume and assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive unit is designed with universal mounting capabilities that allow it to be adapted to various devices and applications. The holding plate serves multiple functions including structural support, motor mounting, and gearing attachment, making the drive unit versatile and easily mountable on different gear rack configurations.
2Ease of manufacture
If the drive unit is designed for easy mounting, then assembly is simplified, but the drive may lack robustness or positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The drive unit is segmented into distinct functional components (motor, gearing, holding plate) that are pre-assembled and then mounted as a complete unit. This segmentation allows for simplified mounting procedures while maintaining internal precision through dedicated component interfaces and mounting features.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding plate serves as an intermediary component that provides a stable mounting surface for both the motor and the gearing. It acts as a rigid platform that ensures precise relative positioning between components while facilitating easy installation and removal of the entire drive unit.
3Volume of moving object
If the drive unit is made compact, then space is saved, but the torque and power transmission capabilities may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gearing is nested within the compact drive unit structure, with gear wheels arranged to maximize space utilization. The motor output gear wheel meshes with intermediate gear wheels that are integrated into the holding plate assembly, allowing effective torque transmission within a minimized volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor axle is positioned parallel to the holding plate rather than perpendicular to it, creating a different spatial arrangement that optimizes the distribution of mechanical components in three-dimensional space. This dimensional reconfiguration allows for compact packaging while maintaining adequate torque transmission paths.
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 provides a compact, robust, and easily mountable electric linear drive that can be connected to various devices, offering high positioning accuracy and adequate torque, while simplifying assembly and allowing for efficient exchange and alignment of linear drives in applications like hydraulic valves.
Implementation Method 1
stepping motor (4) having a rotor axle (5) and a motor output gear wheel (7) fastened to the rotor axle
Implementation Method 2
gearing (9) attached to the holding plate (8). The gearing (9) is engaged with the motor output gear wheel (7)
Data Source
AI summary
An electric linear drive for a gear rack including a stepping motor, a holding plate, a motor output gear, and a gearing. The holding plate, the stepping motor, the motor output gear, and the gearing form a drive unit that, together with a basic housing, form an overall housing. The overall housing has an opening for the insertion of the gear rack. Drive electronics are fixed to the holding plate such that electrical connections are present on the outside of the overall housing. The stepping motor has a rotor axis arranged parallel to the holding plate. During assembly, a rack belonging to a device to be driven can be pushed into a lateral opening of the overall housing, and the device to be driven can be connected to the overall housing. The electric linear drive is compact, allowing devices to be driven to be located close to one another.