DC Motor Brush Holder Assembly Heat Dissipation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for positioning and supporting DC motor brushes in vehicles, such as windscreen wiper motors, face issues with maintaining precise and constant positioning, heat dissipation, and mechanical stability, leading to wear and potential detachment of the spring blade-support connection, which can cause vibrations and deterioration of the motor components.

Innovation Solution

A DC motor brush axial support assembly featuring a stair-step profiled, electrically conductive spring blade with a carbon fixing zone, seat zone, and connection zone, utilizing positioning and centering orifices and tabs to secure the blade in place, and a planar seat area for effective heat dissipation through a cooling fin configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the leaf spring is overmolded in a plastic support, then the positioning is simplified, but the elasticity of the leaf spring is reduced and heat dissipation is impaired

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning complexityVSAvoidelasticity of leaf spring
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support is divided into a plastic support structure and a separate metal leaf spring component. The leaf spring is not overmolded but rather integrated through positioning orifices and tabs that engage with the support, maintaining its elastic properties while achieving simplified positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The leaf spring is extracted from the plastic support structure as a separate component. Instead of being embedded in the plastic, it is positioned using dedicated orifices and tabs, allowing it to maintain its full elasticity while still achieving simplified positioning through the integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If the leaf spring is overmolded in a plastic support, then the positioning is simplified, but heat dissipation from friction is impaired

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning complexityVSAvoidheat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure is segmented into plastic and metal components, with the metal leaf spring serving as a thermal pathway. This segmentation allows heat to conduct through the metal leaf spring to the support structure, improving heat dissipation while maintaining simplified positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The leaf spring is extracted from the plastic support as a separate metal component, creating a thermal pathway for heat dissipation. The metal material provides superior thermal conductivity compared to plastic, enabling effective heat transfer from the friction zone to the support structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If the conductive blade is directly welded on the power supply circuit, then electrical connection is simplified, but mechanical vibrations are not transmitted to the power supply circuit

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connection complexityVSAvoidvibration transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The connection structure is segmented into the conductive blade, positioning tabs, and support components. The tabs provide mechanical engagement that transmits vibrations to the support structure, while the conductive blade maintains electrical connection, separating these two functions into distinct structural elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The vibration transmission function is extracted from the electrical connection structure. The positioning tabs and support structure provide the mechanical pathway for vibration transmission, while the conductive blade focuses on electrical connection, allowing both functions to be optimized independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Strength

If the leaf spring is fixed to the support by a screw, then the connection is secure, but vibrations cause play and potential screw detachment over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidconnection reliability under vibration
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connection system is segmented into multiple engagement points: positioning orifices that align components, tabs that provide mechanical interlocking, and retention features that prevent detachment. This segmentation distributes the connection function across multiple elements, reducing stress on any single connection point and preventing vibration-induced failure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The screw connection is extracted and replaced with an integrated tab-and-orifice connection system. The positioning orifices and tabs provide secure mechanical engagement that is inherently resistant to vibration, eliminating the risk of screw detachment while maintaining strong connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

5Reliability

If positioning orifices and tabs are used to secure the blade, then mechanical stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical stabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning orifices and tabs are merged into the plastic support structure as integrated features rather than separate components. This merging achieves mechanical stability through the orifice-tab connection system while avoiding the complexity of additional separate parts, as the support structure itself provides the positioning and retention functionality.

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

This solution ensures precise and constant positioning of the brushes, minimizes wear, enhances heat dissipation, and eliminates the risk of spring blade-support connection deterioration, maintaining mechanical stability and reducing the risk of vibrations and motor component deterioration.

Implementation Method 1

the thermal link between the support and the circuit power supply is improved, making it possible to ensure good dissipation of the heat generated by the friction of the brush on the commutator sectors

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The direct welding of the electrically conductive blade on the electric power supply circuit of the carbons has the disadvantage of a useless transmission, and ultimately negative, of the mechanical vibrations, generated by the friction of the carbon on the sectors of the collector, to the circuit power supply

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical vibration transmission: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP2751885B1Brush holder assembly
Publication Date: 2020.03.18 VALEO SYST DESSUYAGE SAS
  • EP2751885B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2751885B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to an assembly for axially holding the brush of a DC motor, comprising at least one electrically conductive blade (1) forming a spring that includes an area (1a) for attaching the brush (C), an area (1b) for seating the blade on a mounting, and an area (1c) for connecting the blade, and a blade mounting (2) including at least one blade seat (2a) onto which the blade forming a spring is inserted and held in position. The area (1a) for attaching the brush and the brush are held in position in a direction that is substantially parallel to the rotational axis (ZZ) of the motor collector. The invention can be used in the production of motors for wipers for automobiles.