Linear Motor Cooling Pipe Routing for Compact Width
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Solution Overview
Problem
The protrusion of the cooling pipe from the core in the widthwise direction increases the size of the linear motor, necessitating a reduction in its width to enhance compactness.
Innovation Solution
The cooling pipe is routed through alternating grooves and ridges on the slider, with end portions of the ridges located inward of the slider's end faces, reducing the width of the cooling pipe and the linear motor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the cooling pipe protrudes a large amount from the core in the widthwise direction, then the cooling effect is improved, but the size of the linear motor in the widthwise direction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling pipe is routed through grooves formed within the core structure itself, nesting the cooling pathway inside the existing magnetic core geometry. This allows the cooling pipe to extend effectively along the widthwise direction without increasing the external dimensions of the linear motor, as the pipe follows the contours of internal grooves rather than protruding outward.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling pipe routing utilizes the depth dimension by extending along grooves that penetrate into the core, rather than only extending in the widthwise direction. This three-dimensional routing approach allows the cooling pipe to achieve sufficient cooling length while maintaining a compact widthwise profile of the linear motor.
2Temperature
If the cooling pipe is routed to extend along the widthwise direction, then the cooling performance is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling pipe routing is merged with the magnetic core structure by forming grooves directly within the core. This integration combines the cooling pathway with the existing magnetic flux path, eliminating the need for separate cooling housings or complex external piping arrangements, thereby reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The core is designed with grooves that create a porous-like internal structure, allowing the cooling pipe to be routed through multiple pathways within the core material. This approach provides effective cooling through distributed heat dissipation while maintaining a relatively simple external structure, as the complexity is contained within the internal groove geometry rather than requiring complex external components.
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 configuration minimizes the linear motor's width while maintaining effective cooling of the coils, thereby stabilizing its operation and reducing overall size.
Implementation Method 1
The armature generates driving force associated with electromagnetic induction by application of current to the coils
Implementation Method 2
The cooling pipe is routed on the slider so as to wind back and forth through the grooves
Data Source
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AI summary
A linear motor (100) includes a magnet plate (10) including a plurality of magnets (12) arranged side by side in a first direction, a slider (50) configured to slide in the first direction relative to the magnet plate (10), and a cooling pipe (56) provided at a surface portion of the slider (50) on the side opposite to the side facing the magnet plate (10). The surface portion is provided with grooves (G) and ridges (R) that alternate in the first direction. The grooves (G) are elongated in a second direction that is parallel to a surface of the magnet plate (10) and orthogonal to the first direction. The ridges (R) are elongated in the second direction. The cooling pipe (56) is routed on the slider (50) so as to wind back and forth through the grooves (G). On at least one side in the second direction, a first end portion (E1) of each of the ridges (R) is entirely located inward of two end faces of the slider (50) in the second direction, or a portion of the first end portion (E1), excluding a central portion of the first end portion (E1) in the first direction, is located inward of the two end faces of the slider (50) in the second direction.