Circulating Airflow Gear Motor Housing for Contactless Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gear motors lack effective heat dissipation solutions suitable for use in the food industry, where traditional cooling methods are inadequate and may contaminate food products.
Innovation Solution
A gear motor design featuring a laminated stator core with a tubular or cup-shaped housing that generates a circulating airflow to dissipate heat from the stator housing to the surrounding housing, allowing for the use of poorer heat conductors like steel and enabling effective cooling without direct contact, combined with optional fan-driven airflow for enhanced cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional cooling methods are used in gear motors, then heat dissipation is achieved, but contamination risk to food products increases and cooling effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into functionally separate regions: a first housing part containing the motor and gear unit, and a second housing part forming a sealed enclosure. This segmentation allows the motor housing to be cooled effectively while the sealed second housing part prevents contamination of the food industry environment.
2Temperature
If direct contact cooling is used, then heat dissipation is effective, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
A sealed second housing part acts as an intermediary barrier between the cooled motor components and the food industry environment. This intermediary structure allows heat to be dissipated through the first housing part while preventing direct contact and potential contamination through the sealed enclosure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If steel housing is used, then contamination resistance is improved, but heat dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into two parts with different material optimizations: the first housing part can be made of steel for contamination resistance, while the second housing part is sealed to prevent contamination. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.
4Temperature
If aluminum stator housing is used, then heat conduction is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to continuous casting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The stator housing is segmented as a separate first housing part that can be optimized for heat conduction using aluminum with continuous casting. This segmentation isolates the manufacturing complexity to only the stator housing component, while the main housing structure can use simpler manufacturing processes.
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 design achieves effective heat dissipation and cooling of both the motor and gear unit, allowing for the use of less expensive materials and ensuring the separation of airflow from sensitive components like angle sensors, thus preventing contamination and ensuring reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
the airflow, especially a circulating airflow, is able to be generated within the housing, the recesses in particular guiding the airflow through in the axial direction, and the airflow being returned in the opposite direction in the set-apart region between the stator housing part and the housing
Implementation Method 2
The airflow absorbs the heat generated by the motor and outputs it on the inner side of the housing to the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A drive device includes an electric motor and a gear unit that is driven by the electric motor. The electric motor has a laminated stator core which includes stator windings and is accommodated in a stator housing. The stator housing has recesses that are axially uninterrupted, i.e. in particular in the direction of the rotor shaft axis, and the stator housing is surrounded, especially radially surrounded, by a housing of the drive device, in particular a tubular housing and/or a cup-shaped housing, and the housing is set apart from the stator housing, in particular such that an especially circulating airflow is able to be provided within the housing, the recesses in particular guiding the airflow through in the axial direction, and the airflow being returned in the opposite direction in the set-apart region between the stator housing part and the housing.