Direct Drive Stator Segmentation for Wear-Free Torque Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional direct drives for container treatment machines suffer from wear, noise, energy inefficiency, and high manufacturing costs due to mechanical connections and complex setups, particularly with large turntables, and require additional braking systems for safety.
Innovation Solution
A direct drive design featuring a 360° stator ring with integrated stop elements and a scanning sensor for position measurement, using permanent magnets and copper windings, which eliminates mechanical connections and allows for efficient torque transmission and precise position control, while being sealed to prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional servo motor with pinion and reduction gear is used to drive the rotating machine part, then the drive can transmit mechanical torque, but wear occurs, grease must be regularly applied, noise is generated, energy efficiency decreases, and additional mechanical brakes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical pinion-gear drive system with an electromagnetic direct drive system. A stator with copper windings generates a rotating magnetic field that directly interacts with permanent magnets on the rotating machine part, eliminating mechanical teeth, pinions, and associated wear-prone components. This substitution achieves wear-free operation while reducing noise and improving energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the mechanical transmission elements (pinion, gear teeth, reduction gear) from the drive system. By eliminating these mechanical components entirely, the system achieves wear-free operation and removes the need for grease application, while the electromagnetic field provides direct torque transmission.
2Reliability
If a direct drive with torque motor is used to eliminate mechanical connections, then wear is avoided and noise is reduced, but manufacturing costs increase due to large turntable diameters and high torque requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the stator into multiple independent stator ring segments that can be manufactured separately and assembled around the rotating machine part. Each segment contains copper windings and can be produced using standard manufacturing processes, reducing the overall manufacturing cost compared to producing a single large torque motor component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the parameters of the electromagnetic direct drive system, including the arrangement of permanent magnets on the rotating machine part and the configuration of copper windings in the stator segments. By carefully selecting magnetic material properties, coil winding patterns, and air gap dimensions, the system achieves the required torque with more cost-effective components.
3Power
If a full ring stator of 360° is used to completely cover all magnets, then torque transmission is optimized, but the structure becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the 360° stator into multiple modular stator ring segments that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each segment covers a portion of the magnets on the rotating machine part, and the segments are connected to form a complete circular stator. This segmentation reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining full 360° coverage for optimized torque transmission.
4Reliability
If additional mechanical brakes are installed for emergency stopping, then safety is improved, but expenditure and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical braking systems with electromagnetic braking capability inherent in the direct drive system. The same stator and copper windings that provide motor function can be controlled to generate braking torque by reversing the current direction or adjusting the magnetic field phase, eliminating the need for separate mechanical brakes and reducing overall system complexity.
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 reduces wear, noise, and manufacturing costs, enhances position control accuracy, and enables energy-efficient operation with reduced environmental contamination, while allowing for cost-effective maintenance and improved reliability through integrated sensors and condition monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic field generated when the stator is energized in cooperation with the magnets
Implementation Method 2
electromagnetic field generated when the stator is energized in cooperation with the magnets, the rotating machine part can be set into a defined rotational movement
Implementation Method 3
a scanning sensor, which, with an incremental or absolute, magnetic or inductive angular division on the rotating machine part, forms a measuring system for determining the position of the rotating machine part
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a direct drive for a rotation machine, particularly for a container treatment machine, said drive consisting substantially of a fixed machine part (1) and a machine part (2) rotating around a vertical machine axis, wherein the rotating machine part (2) is rotationally connected to the fixed machine part (1) by means of a roller bearing (3) arranged between the two machine parts (1, 2) and consisting of an outer bearing ring (4), an inner bearing ring (5) and a plurality of rolling elements rolling between said bearing rings (4, 5), and can be driven by a torque motor (7). On the rotating machine part (1), a plurality of magnets (8) is provided, surrounding said rotating machine part, while on the fixed machine part (1), a stator (12) consisting of a plurality of electric coils (9, 10, 11) is arranged, such that the rotating machine part (2) can be set in a defined rotational motion through an electromagnetic field generated when the stator (12) is energised in cooperation with the magnets (8). According to the invention, the stator (12) on the fixed machine part (1) is formed as a full ring of 360° covering, without gaps, all magnets (8) on the rotating machine part (2), said full ring being composed of a number of stator ring segments (13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5) adjacent to one another and connected to one another by an electrical series connection and also composed of a number of stop elements (14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5) arranged between the stator ring segments (13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5) for fixing the stator ring segments (13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5) in a circumferential and radial direction.