Direct-current electric actuator, in particular for household appliances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing direct current electric actuators for devices like washing machines and dishwashers require multiple complex processes for manufacturing, including cutting and bending operations, which are time-consuming and costly, and do not efficiently utilize the force exerted on the movable core.
Innovation Solution
A direct current electric actuator with a U-shaped body made from a single ferromagnetic strip, featuring a blind frustoconical formation that is easily stamped or drawn, eliminating the need for cutting and allowing for improved core centring and increased force intensity, with a coil and movable ferromagnetic core that translates axially within the coil.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cutting operations are performed to create the terminal opening of the frustoconical formation, then the core becomes accessible from the outside, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the core from the frustoconical formation by creating an opening in the distal end of the formation, allowing the core to be accessible from the outside. This extraction principle resolves the contradiction by enabling core accessibility without requiring complex cutting operations throughout the body, as only a terminal opening is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The frustoconical formation is designed with a predetermined geometry that facilitates easy opening creation. The formation is preliminarily shaped during the stamping or drawing process to include features that simplify subsequent opening creation, reducing the complexity of the overall manufacturing process.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple cutting and bending operations are used to form the frustoconical formation, then the desired shape is achieved, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The frustoconical formation is preliminarily shaped during the stamping or drawing process to include features that simplify subsequent opening creation, reducing the complexity of the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the manufacturing parameters by using stamping or drawing operations instead of multiple cutting and bending operations. This parameter change achieves the desired frustoconical shape with fewer steps, reducing both manufacturing time and cost while maintaining shape accuracy through the controlled deformation characteristics of stamping and drawing processes.
3Force
If the frustoconical formation has a standard geometry, then manufacturing is simplified, but the force intensity on the core is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by optimizing the specific geometry of the frustoconical formation in the region where the core interacts with the magnetic field. The formation features a distal end with a smaller diameter than the proximal end, creating a concentrated magnetic field structure that increases force intensity on the core while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The frustoconical formation uses curved surfaces instead of flat planes, creating a tapered geometry that concentrates magnetic flux. The curved profile of the formation enhances the magnetic field concentration at the distal end, increasing the force exerted on the core while the smooth curvature facilitates easy formation through stamping or drawing operations.
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 simplified manufacturing process results in a more economical and efficient actuator with significantly increased force exertion on the movable core, capable of twice the intensity over a larger stroke compared to prior art designs.
Implementation Method 1
a coil of insulated electrically conducting wire, fixed in said body such that the axis thereof extends in a direction essentially orthogonal to the lateral branches of said body, and a ferromagnetic core mounted so as to be movable with respect to said body in an axially translatable manner inside the coil, from a rest position to a working position, as an effect of the energising of the coil
Implementation Method 2
the frustoconical formation of the body of ferromagnetic material has its distal end provided with an opening through which the corresponding frustoconical end of the core is accessible from the outside... the solution according to the present invention can considerably increase the intensity of the force exerted on the movable core
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The actuator (10) comprises a body (12) formed by a single strip of ferromagnetic material, U-shaped and including a first and a second lateral branch (14, 16) facing each other and interconnected by an intermediate branch or portion (8). A first lateral branch (14) of the body (12) has a frustoconical formation (30) which extends in the region outside the body (12). A coil (22) is fixed in the body (12), and its axis (A- A) extends in a direction essentially orthogonal to the lateral branches (14, 16) of this body (12). A ferromagnetic core (28) is mounted so as to be translatable inside the coil (22), from a rest position to a working position, as an effect of the energising of the coil (22). One end (32) of the core (28), facing towards the first branch (14) of said body (12), has a frustoconical shape essentially complementary to the internal shape (30b) of the formation (30). The frustoconical formation (30) of the first branch (14) of said body (12) is blind and has a planar distal bottom wall (30a).