Electrostatic Motor Vacuum Insulator Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrostatic motors fail to generate a strong electric field in a vacuum due to dielectric breakdown, creeping discharge, and spark discharge, limiting their driving force and practical application, especially in vacuum environments and strong magnetic fields.
Innovation Solution
The electrostatic motor design includes a vacuum container with disc-shaped stator and rotor, featuring insulatively supported electrodes with creepage distances and alternating arrangements to prevent dielectric breakdown, using nonmagnetic materials and inorganic insulators to generate high electric fields, and applying voltages of different polarities to achieve sufficient driving force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If electrodes are closely spaced on an insulator to increase electric field strength, then driving force is improved, but dielectric breakdown and creeping discharge occur
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator surface is segmented into multiple regions by forming grooves that divide the surface into separate paths. This segmentation prevents continuous discharge paths (creeping discharge) across the insulator surface while maintaining the necessary electric field strength between closely spaced electrodes, thereby resolving the contradiction between driving force and dielectric breakdown resistance
Solution Approach 2:
Grooves are introduced as intermediary structures on the insulator surface between the electrodes. These grooves act as discharge barriers that interrupt potential discharge paths without interfering with the electric field generation between electrodes, allowing both high electric field strength and protection against dielectric breakdown to coexist
2Power
If a large number of electrode pairs are placed on an insulator to increase electric field, then driving force is improved, but spark discharge and dielectric breakdown increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator surface is divided into multiple isolated regions by grooves, creating separate discharge zones. This segmentation prevents spark discharge from propagating across the entire insulator surface, allowing multiple electrode pairs to be placed closely without increasing overall discharge risk, thus maintaining high driving force while reducing spark discharge harm
3Power
If conventional electromagnetic motors are used in vacuum, then driving force is achieved, but gas is produced breaking the vacuum
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electromagnetic motor system with an electrostatic motor system that operates in vacuum. By using electrostatic force between electrodes instead of electromagnetic induction, the motor achieves driving force without requiring coils that would generate gas, thus maintaining vacuum integrity while providing necessary propulsion
4Weight of moving object
If conventional electrostatic motors operate in vacuum, then lightweight design is achieved, but insufficient driving force is produced due to dielectric breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves on the insulator surface segment the electric field distribution and prevent dielectric breakdown by creating discrete discharge zones. This allows the motor to operate at higher voltages and generate sufficient driving force in vacuum without the weight penalty of electromagnetic components, resolving the contradiction between lightweight design and driving force
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 design effectively prevents dielectric breakdown and generates a strong electric field, achieving driving force comparable to electromagnetic motors while being lightweight and suitable for clean vacuum environments, such as semiconductor manufacturing, with improved efficiency and reduced windage loss.
Implementation Method 1
the first electrode support and the second electrode support are insulatively supported by a first insulator to provide a creepage distance between the first and second electrode supports
Implementation Method 2
an electrostatic motor that rotationally drives by generating a high electric field in a vacuum
Implementation Method 3
a vacuum container or a container containing insulation gas, the container having a main body
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5(A)~7
AI summary
Provided is an electrostatic motor, in which a disc-shaped stator (S) and a disc-shaped rotor (R) are opposed to each other in a vacuum container (11). In the stator (S), first electrodes (34A) and second electrodes (34B), which are attached to electrode supports (31, 32), respectively, and which are electrically insulated from each other by an insulator (33), are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. In the rotor (R), first electrodes (44A) and second electrodes (44B), which are attached to electrode supports (41, 42), respectively, and which are electrically insulated from each other by an insulator (43), are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. The first electrodes (34A) and the second electrodes (34B) on the side of the stator (S) are arranged at a spacing of two or more rows at a predetermined distance from the center of a rotating shaft (1). The first electrodes (44A) and the second electrodes (44B) on the side of the rotor (R) are arranged at a predetermined distance from the center of the rotating shaft (1) and at an intermediate position between the rows of the first electrodes (34A) and the second electrodes (34B) on the side of the stator (S). As a result, the electrostatic motor can establish a high electric field in the vacuum so that it can rotationally drive with a sufficient driving force.