Motor Arrangement With Electrical Braking Control Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor arrangements face challenges in efficiently braking motors without adding mass or increasing power consumption, particularly in applications requiring safety features like robotic arms, where accidental movement needs to be prevented, especially during fault conditions.
Innovation Solution
A motor arrangement with a control circuit that dynamically energizes windings for driving mode and continually couples windings to a power source or common rail for braking mode, using a separate brake circuit and control logic to induce braking, allowing for fault-tolerant operation and reduced component complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a mechanical brake is added into the drive train to resist motor movement, then braking capability is improved, but mass of the drive train increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical brake system with an electrical braking mechanism that uses the motor's own windings and control circuitry. By controlling the motor inputs to create a closed current path, the system generates electromagnetic braking force without requiring any additional mechanical brake components, thus eliminating the weight penalty while maintaining braking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor arrangement uses its own windings and control circuitry to generate braking force. The existing motor components serve dual purposes: driving the load during normal operation and generating braking force when needed. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate braking components, reducing overall system mass while providing effective braking capability.
2Force
If a mechanical brake is added into the drive train to resist motor movement, then braking capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical brake system with an electrical braking mechanism that uses the motor's own windings and control circuitry. By controlling the motor inputs to create a closed current path, the system generates electromagnetic braking force without requiring any additional mechanical brake components, thus eliminating the weight penalty while maintaining braking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor arrangement uses its own windings and control circuitry to generate braking force. The existing motor components serve dual purposes: driving the load during normal operation and generating braking force when needed. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate braking components, reducing overall system mass while providing effective braking capability.
3Ease of operation
If additional circuitry is added to control the operation of the brake, then braking control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuitry is designed to perform multiple functions: it controls the motor during normal operation and seamlessly transitions to controlling the braking function when needed. By using the same control circuit for both driving and braking operations, the patent avoids adding separate control circuitry, thereby maintaining ease of operation while minimizing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the driving and braking control functions into a single control circuit. The control circuit dynamically switches between driving mode and braking mode by adjusting the motor inputs, eliminating the need for separate control circuits for each function. This integration reduces overall circuitry complexity while maintaining full control capability for both operations.
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 solution enables efficient braking with minimal additional components, improving safety and reducing power consumption, while maintaining motor functionality even under fault conditions, such as power failures or external torque resistance.
Implementation Method 1
it continually couples a first and a second one of the windings to a power source to form a closed current path to induce braking of the rotor relative to the stator
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A motor arrangement comprising: motor having a rotor, a stator, and a plurality of windings mounted on one of the rotor and the stator for acting on the other of the rotor and the stator, and a plurality of inputs coupled to the windings; and control circuit configured to operate in a riving mode in which it dynamically energises the windings via the motor inputs so as to cause the rotor to rotate relative to the stator, the control circuit being further configured to operate in a braking mode in which it continually connects at least a first and a second one of the windings to a common rail to form a closed current path to induce braking of the rotor relative to the stator, wherein the control circuit is configured to enter the braking mode in response to a trigger exogenous to the motor indicative of a fault condition.