Electric Machine Pressure Relief via Translatory Venting Duct
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sealed starters for internal combustion engines experience overpressure issues due to thermal expansion, leading to pinion disengagement from the ring gear and increased wear, as existing solutions like external valves are susceptible to environmental damage and require active control.
Innovation Solution
An electric machine with a moveable pressure reduction device integrated into the housing, forming a venting duct to alleviate overpressure through translatory movement relative to the sealing device, ensuring partial pressure reduction without compromising the seal or requiring external control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the housing is sealed to protect against environmental influences, then reliability is improved, but overpressure builds up during operation causing pinion disengagement and increased wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a relief groove pre-formed in the output shaft, positioned to automatically align with the sealing device during axial movement. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that when overpressure occurs during operation, the pressure is automatically relieved through the pre-positioned groove without requiring additional active components or control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The relief groove in the output shaft works passively with the sealing device to automatically relieve overpressure. The system uses its own operational movements (axial displacement of the output shaft) to activate the pressure relief function, eliminating the need for external control systems, valves, or additional energy input. The structure serves itself by utilizing its inherent movement to prevent the harmful overpressure effect.
2Stress or pressure
If external valves are used to reduce overpressure, then pressure control is improved, but the valve is exposed to environmental damage and requires active control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure relief function from external valves and environmental exposure, relocating it internally to the output shaft. The relief groove is formed directly in the output shaft, removing the need for separate external pressure control valves that would be susceptible to environmental damage and require complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure relief function is merged with the output shaft structure itself through the integrated relief groove. Instead of using separate external valves and control systems, the output shaft combines its structural role with the pressure relief function, eliminating device complexity and the need for active control while protecting the pressure relief mechanism from environmental exposure.
3Force
If spring force is increased to counteract overpressure, then pinion engagement stability is improved, but pull-in behavior of the relay deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing spring force to counteract the harmful overpressure effect, the patent converts the overpressure into a beneficial or neutral effect by providing a relief path. The relief groove allows overpressure to be safely discharged, eliminating the need to increase spring force and thereby preserving the relay's pull-in behavior while maintaining pinion engagement stability.
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 effectively reduces overpressure within the housing, preventing pinion engagement issues and wear, while maintaining a sealed environment and self-cleaning capabilities, allowing for reliable operation and reduced maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a housing (10) having at least one sealing device (14) which seals an interior (10a) of the housing (10) with respect to the surroundings of the housing (10)
Implementation Method 2
If the starter is put into operation and in the process the starter heats up, the air in the housing also expands. Owing to the sealing of the housing, this air cannot escape, with the result that an overpressure comes about in the housing.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric machine for starting an internal combustion engine, comprising a housing (10) having at least one sealing device (14) which seals an interior (10a) of the housing with respect to the surroundings of the housing (10), and at least one pressure reduction device (1), wherein the at least one pressure reduction device (1) is embodied so as to be moveable in a translatory fashion relative to the at least one sealing device (14) in order to form, in the case of an overpressure in the interior (10a) of the housing, at least one venting duct via which an at least partial reduction in pressure is ensured.