Motor-Gearbox Housing Assembly With Precise Bearing Seat Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drive manufacturing processes are complex and lack simplicity in assembly and maintenance, particularly in aligning and securing the electric motor and gearbox components.

Innovation Solution

The drive features a housing with interconnected parts that utilize a bayonet connection and precise bearing seats manufactured using a stamping tool, allowing for precise alignment and easy assembly, along with a seal system to secure the motor and gearbox components, enabling simplified production and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the housing is manufactured as a cast part, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to rough raw cast surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidbearing seat precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The housing manufacturing process is segmented into two stages: first casting the housing structure to achieve manufacturing simplicity, then separately machining bearing seats and mounting surfaces to achieve high precision. This segmentation allows each process to optimize for its specific goal without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The casting process is performed first as a preliminary action to create the basic housing structure, followed by subsequent precision machining operations. This preliminary action enables the rough cast surface to be improved later without affecting the overall manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple bearing seats are machined separately, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverelative positioning precisionVSAvoidnumber of machining operations
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple bearing seats are merged into a single machining operation using a multi-point machining tool. The tool simultaneously machines all bearing seats in one setup, ensuring precise relative positioning while reducing the total number of machining operations and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the motor and gearbox are permanently connected, then structural stability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmaintenance simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The connection between motor and gearbox transitions from a static permanent connection to a dynamic removable connection. The flange connection with mounting holes and fasteners provides structural stability during operation while allowing easy disassembly for maintenance, replacing, or upgrading components as needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Manufacturing precision

If alignment features are added to the flange connection, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidnumber of parts
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flange connection structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical connection through mounting holes and fasteners, ensures precise alignment through integrated alignment features, and maintains structural stability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate alignment components and overall device complexity.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3586040B1Drive, comprising an electric motor and a transmission, and method for producing a drive
Publication Date: 2022.04.06 SEW EURODRIVE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3586040B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3586040B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3586040B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a drive, comprising an electric motor and a transmission, and to a method for producing a drive, wherein the housing of the transmission has a housing part and a cover part, in particular connected to one another. The housing part has bearing receptacles, wherein in each bearing receptacle, one bearing seat each is provided, in particular, wherein the respective bearing seat is designed to be interrupted in the circumferential direction. On the side that faces away from the bearing seat, in particular on the external side of the housing part plane, bearing surface regions, in particular ones that are in alignment with one another, are formed, that is to say that in particular, the bearing surface regions are provided, in particular arranged, in a common plane.