Perimeter Labyrinth Drain Plug for Water-Resistant Motor Casings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drainage solutions for rotating electrical machines fail to effectively prevent fluid penetration under adverse conditions, such as high-pressure water jets, and often require design adaptations or occupy unnecessary space, limiting their applicability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A drain plug with a perimeter labyrinth comprising a head and body, featuring a through-bore and alternating fluid-conducting channels, bulkheads, and tumbling zones that reduce fluid speed and prevent penetration, while allowing efficient drainage through a double-pass labyrinth design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a simple drain hole is used, then drainage efficiency is improved, but fluid penetration protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drain plug is segmented into multiple functional zones: a head portion with through-bore for drainage, a body portion with alternating fluid-conducting channels and perimeter platforms, and bulkheads that create tumbling zones. This segmentation allows the drain to simultaneously achieve efficient drainage through the head while preventing fluid penetration through the complex labyrinthine path in the body.
Solution Approach 2:
The alternating fluid-conducting channels and perimeter platforms act as intermediary structures between the drainage function and the protection function. These intermediaries create a double-pass labyrinth that forces fluid to follow a complex path with tumbling zones, thereby preventing direct penetration while maintaining drainage capability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a complex labyrinth structure is used, then fluid penetration protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into a single integrated drain plug structure. The head portion with through-bore combines drainage function, while the body portion integrates alternating fluid-conducting channels and perimeter platforms to create the labyrinthine path. This merging achieves fluid penetration protection without requiring separate protective components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain plug structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: the through-bore provides drainage, the alternating channels and platforms create the double-pass labyrinth for protection, and the bulkheads create tumbling zones to reduce fluid speed. This multi-functionality allows a single component to achieve both drainage efficiency and fluid penetration protection.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a long labyrinth path is used, then fluid penetration protection is improved, but fluid speed reduction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The bulkheads create tumbling zones that induce mechanical motion and turbulence in the fluid path. This tumbling action mechanically disrupts the fluid flow, reducing its speed and kinetic energy more effectively than a simple long path would, while maintaining the protective labyrinthine structure.
4Productivity
If design adaptations are made for specific casings, then drainage performance is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized drain plug design with its integrated head and body portions serves multiple casing types without requiring design adaptations. The universal structure combines drainage function in the head with protection function in the body, making it applicable to various casing configurations while maintaining effective drainage performance.
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 provides effective double protection against fluid penetration and efficient drainage, even under high-pressure conditions, by reducing fluid speed and pressure, and preventing unwanted fluid entry into the casing, thus enhancing the reliability and safety of rotating electrical machines.
Implementation Method 1
at least one set of alternating fluid-conducting channels formed by the alternation of annular channels, of perimeter platforms, of walls and openings, providing a plug capable of draining the casings interior and concomitantly preventing fluids or dirt from entering the casings interior
Implementation Method 2
bulkheads, and tumbling zones that reduce fluid speed and prevent penetration
Implementation Method 3
double-pass labyrinth design... reducing fluid speed and pressure
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a drain plug (100) with a head (200) comprising at least one transversal through-bore (210) and at least one contact surface (220) concentric to the drain plug (100) longitudinal axis, and by a body (300) comprising at least one through-bore (310) adjacent and complementary to the through-bore (210) of the head (200), at least one annular through-channel (320) of perimeter platform (330) and limited by the surface (220). The body (300) also has one or more sets of alternating fluid-conducting channels, formed by the alternation of annular channels (340, 360, 380), of perimeter platforms (330, 350, 370, 390), of longitudinal walls (331, 351, 371), and of longitudinal openings (332, 352, 372, 382). This invention also relates to a corresponding casing for rotating electrical machine.