Linear Motor Containing Space Assembly Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional single-shaft linear motors face challenges in achieving high-performance due to difficulties in aligning the stator, mover, and driving shaft during assembly, which complicates the production process and maintenance, leading to inefficiencies in assembly accuracy and maintenance serviceability.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a standing wall on the base plate to create a containing space with a perpendicular opening, allowing for easier assembly and disassembly of the stator and mover with a shorter stroke, improving alignment accuracy and facilitating maintenance by enabling the stator and mover to be treated as a single unit for disassembly and reassembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional linear motors use through-holes in housing walls to receive the driving shaft, then the structure is simple, but alignment accuracy between stator, mover, and driving shaft deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into a base and a cover that can be separated. The stator is fixed to the base, and the driving shaft passes through the base with precise positioning features. The cover is then mounted to complete the assembly. This segmentation allows for precise alignment of the stator and driving shaft during assembly while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Positioning pins or alignment features are introduced as intermediary elements between the base, stator, and driving shaft. These intermediaries ensure precise alignment during assembly without requiring complex direct fitting between all components, thus improving manufacturing precision while controlling assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If conventional linear motors require sequential assembly of housing walls and driving shaft, then structural integrity is maintained, but assembly time and maintenance difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly efficiencyVSAvoidmaintenance serviceability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into separable base and cover portions. The base contains the stator and positioning features, while the cover protects the internal components. This segmentation allows the driving shaft to be assembled first with the stator, then the cover is attached, enabling parallel assembly operations and reducing total assembly time. For maintenance, the cover can be removed quickly to access the driving shaft and stator.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stator is pre-fixed to the base with precise positioning features before the driving shaft is installed. This preliminary action ensures that when the driving shaft is inserted, alignment is already established, reducing assembly time and ensuring precision. For maintenance, this pre-arranged structure allows quick disassembly by removing the cover and driving shaft as a unit or separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If conventional linear motors align through-holes and coils with high precision in advance, then alignment accuracy is improved, but the assembly process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The base is designed with self-aligning features such as positioning pins, recesses, or tapered surfaces that automatically guide the driving shaft and stator into correct alignment during assembly. This self-service alignment mechanism eliminates the need for complex pre-alignment procedures or specialized alignment tools, achieving high manufacturing precision while simplifying the assembly process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 enhances the assembly accuracy and maintenance serviceability of the single-shaft linear motor, allowing for high-performance operation with improved alignment and reduced time and effort in maintenance processes.

Implementation Method 1

a single-shaft linear motor LM adapted to move a movable section linearly with respect to a base plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Lorentz Force

Data Source

PatentEP2230752B1Single shaft linear motor, multi-shaft linear motor, and component transfer apparatus
Publication Date: 2019.07.10 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP2230752B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2230752B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2230752B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a linear motor provided with a magnetic body and an armature. The liner motor is adapted to produce a force causing the magnet body and the armature to be relatively displaced along a given linear moving direction by interaction of magnetic fluxes generated between the magnetic body and the armature during an operation of supplying electric power to the armature. In a typical aspect, the linear motor of the present invention comprises a movable section attached to a base plate adapted to set the moving direction on a base surface thereof, in such a movable manner as to relatively reciprocate along the moving direction with respect to the base plate. A mover is provided on the movable section and formed as one of the magnetic body and the armature. A stator is provided on the base surface of the base plate in such a manner as to be disposed opposed to the mover in a widthwise direction, and formed as the other one of the magnetic body and the armature to extend along the moving direction. A standing wall is provided on an outer peripheral edge of the base plate at least at a position which is along the moving direction, to define a containing space in cooperation with the base surface. The containing space is opened to allow the stator, the mover, and the movable section to be selectively mounted therein and removed therefrom in a direction perpendicular to the base surface.