Dual Servo Motor Drive for Container Treatment Gyroscope

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container treatment machines with oversized servo motors suffer from excessive heat production due to constant accelerations and decelerations, leading to inefficiency and wear, as they require significant power to counteract the inertia of rotating components.

Innovation Solution

The use of two smaller servo motors with a unique drive configuration, where both motors interact with the ring gear at different points, allowing for reduced drive power and eliminating the need for low-backlash gearboxes, along with energy recovery during regular operation, minimizes heat production and wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single oversized servomotor is used to drive the rotor, then sufficient synchronous operation and inertia counteraction are achieved, but the motor produces excessive heat and consumes excessive energy due to constant acceleration and deceleration cycles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesynchronous operationVSAvoidmotor heat
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The single oversized servomotor is segmented into two smaller servomotors that work together to drive the rotor. Each motor handles half of the drive task, reducing the power requirements and heat generation of individual motors while maintaining the overall driving capability needed for synchronous operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Two smaller servomotors are merged in their functional output to collectively drive the rotor through a common gear ring. The motors operate in coordination, with their combined torque providing the necessary driving force, thereby achieving the effect of a single larger motor with reduced individual heat production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If a single oversized servomotor is used to counteract the inertia of the rotating gyroscope, then sufficient control is achieved, but the motor must be oversized converting excess power into heat

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control function previously handled by a single oversized motor is segmented between two smaller motors. Each motor contributes to the overall control capability through coordinated operation, reducing the excess power conversion to heat while maintaining adequate control authority.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes from using one motor with high power parameters to two motors with lower individual power parameters. The combined effect maintains the necessary control capability while reducing energy waste through parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Power

If two drive pinions mesh with the ring gear at different circumferential points, then smaller motors with lower drive power can be used, but the drive configuration becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive powerVSAvoiddrive configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive system is segmented into two separate drive pinions positioned at different circumferential points on the ring gear. This segmentation allows each pinion to be driven by a smaller motor, reducing individual drive power requirements while distributing the mechanical load across two contact points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ring gear acts as an intermediary element that receives input from two separate drive pinions at different locations and transmits the combined rotational force to the rotor. This intermediary structure enables the use of smaller motors while maintaining effective power transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 configuration enables more efficient operation with smaller motors, reducing energy consumption and extending the lifespan of components by avoiding constant polarity reversals and heat generation, while maintaining precise control over the rotating movement of the gyroscope.

Implementation Method 1

The two motors can be servomotors... each of the two motors is a servomotor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic conversion: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

two drive pinions of the two motors, or to which the motors are connected, each mesh with the teeth of the ring gear of the rotor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGear meshing: Gear

Implementation Method 3

The gear ring (9) is rotatably mounted in a bearing device (8)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBall bearing: Ball Bearing

Data Source

PatentEP3630628B1Container treatment machine and method for operating a container treatment machine
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 KHS GMBH
  • EP3630628B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3630628B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3630628B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a drive device for a container treatment machine (1), having a first servo motor (4) and a second motor (6), wherein: the first motor (4) has a first drive pinion (5) and the second motor (6) has a second drive pinion (7), or said motors are connected to said pinions in a force-transmitting manner; the two motors (4, 6) are stationary relative to a bearing device (8); a ring gear (9) which has a circular toothing and is part of a gyroscope (2) on which containers (3) can be held is mounted rotatably about a rotation axis (R) in the bearing device (8); each of the two drive pinions (5, 7) of the motors (4, 6) meshes with the toothing of the ring gear (9) of the gyroscope (2) or force is transmitted in another way, and the two drive pinions (5, 7) of the motors (4, 6) are spaced from each other in the circumferential direction of the toothing.