Modular Electric Motor Tapping Plate Design for Fluid Pumps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric motors are customer-oriented and not adaptable for different applications, leading to high costs for customization and maintenance due to their non-modular design, making them inflexible and costly to modify or repair.

Innovation Solution

A modular electric motor design with a housing that includes a stator, rotor, and tapping plate, where the tapping plate has interconnection contacts for electrical connection to stator windings and control electronics, encapsulated in a plastic material to form a bearing seat for the rotor, allowing for easy access and replacement of electronics, and featuring different motor diameters and lengths for various applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If electric motors are designed with custom specifications for different customers, then the motors meet specific application requirements, but development and production costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication-specific customizationVSAvoiddevelopment and production costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The motor is divided into modular components: a standardized base unit containing the stator, rotor, and housing, with separate interchangeable tap plates for different applications. This segmentation allows the core motor structure to be mass-produced once, while only the tap plate needs customization for each application, significantly reducing development and production costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The standardized base unit is designed to be universally compatible with multiple applications through the interchangeable tap plate system. A single base unit can serve multiple purposes by simply changing the tap plate, eliminating the need to develop entirely custom motors for each application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If electric motors are designed as non-modular custom units, then they meet specific customer requirements, but maintenance and repair costs increase due to inability to replace individual components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication-specific designVSAvoidmaintenance and repair costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The motor components are segmented into replaceable modules, particularly the tap plate which can be independently removed and replaced. This allows faulty components to be replaced without discarding or redesigning the entire motor unit, reducing maintenance costs and improving ease of repair.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The modular design enables recovery and reuse of functional components. When a tap plate fails or needs modification, only that specific component is replaced while the functional base unit is recovered and reused, reducing waste and maintenance costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Stability of the object's composition

If electric motors are designed as fixed non-modular units, then they provide structural integrity, but flexibility to adapt to new applications is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidflexibility for new applications
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The motor is segmented into a stable base unit and interchangeable tap plates. The base unit maintains structural integrity through robust design, while the tap plates provide adaptability. This segmentation allows the core structure to remain stable while enabling easy adaptation to new applications through component interchangeability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The motor design transitions from a static fixed structure to a dynamic configurable system. The base unit provides stable structural foundation, while the interchangeable tap plates allow the motor's functional characteristics to be dynamically adjusted for different applications without compromising structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 modular design reduces development and production costs, simplifies assembly, and enables flexible adaptation to new applications, allowing for quick replacement of components, thus lowering maintenance costs and enhancing the motor's versatility.

Implementation Method 1

When an electric current flows in the stator windings, a magnetic field is generated in the stator. This magnetic field also penetrates the permanent magnets of the rotor. A torque acts on the rotor, setting it into rotation.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

The force exerted by a magnetic field on the current-carrying conductors of the electric motor is converted into motion and rotation.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field interaction: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentEP3411940B1Electric motor for a fluid pump, modular motor family for forming different fluid pumps with several of said types of electric motors and production method
Publication Date: 2019.10.23 BUHLER MOTOR GMBH
  • EP3411940B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3411940B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3411940B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to an electric motor for a fluid pump, in particularly an oil pump, comprising a housing (40) in which a stator (10), a rotor (30) and a tapping plate (20) are arranged. Said tapping plate (20) comprises connecting contacts (21) for electrically connecting to windings of the stator (15) and connecting elements (23) for connecting to an electronic control system and/or a positioning electronic system. The tapping plate (20) is made from a plastic material and/or insert moulded and the stator (10) is surrounded by an injection moulding which forms a bearing seat (41) for the rotor (30). The invention also related to a modular engine family for forming different, in particular different high performance fluid pumps comprising several brushless electric motors. The individual electric motors differ from each other in that they have different engine diameters and/or engine lengths and/or equipment variants. The invention also relates to a method for producing an electric motor.