Motor-Pump Unit with Unified Plastic Encapsulation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor pump units require multiple electrical connections and encapsulations, complicating assembly, testing, and installation, especially in large-scale production, due to separate encapsulations for the electric motor and magnetic coil, necessitating multiple tools and intermediate plugs.

Innovation Solution

A common plastic encapsulation for the motor pump unit, including the electric motor, magnetic coil, and pressure sensor, with integrated cooling ducts and a shared plug connection, simplifies assembly and installation by eliminating intermediate connections and using a single plug for all electrical components, while ensuring mechanical protection and heat dissipation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate encapsulations are used for the electric motor and magnetic coil, then each component receives individual mechanical protection and heat dissipation, but the number of electrical connectors and intermediate plugs increases, complicating assembly and testing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical protection and heat dissipationVSAvoidnumber of electrical connectors and intermediate plugs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate encapsulations into a single common plastic encapsulation that houses the electric motor, magnetic coil, and pressure sensor together. This unified encapsulation integrates multiple functions: it provides mechanical protection, enables heat dissipation through integrated cooling ducts, and facilitates a single plug connection for all electrical components, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining component reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common plastic encapsulation serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a protective cover, provides structural housing, integrates cooling channels for heat dissipation, and creates a unified electrical connection interface. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate encapsulations and intermediate connectors, simplifying the overall system while maintaining all necessary protective and functional capabilities

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

2Ease of manufacture

If multiple intermediate connectors are used to connect electrical components, then each component can be independently assembled and tested, but the number of tools required for assembly increases and post-production testing becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent assembly and testing of componentsVSAvoidnumber of tools and assembly steps
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate electrical connection interfaces into a single unified plug connection that serves all electrical components (motor, coil, and pressure sensor). This consolidation reduces the number of assembly tools needed and simplifies post-production testing, as only one connection point needs to be accessed for electrical testing of all components, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing manufacturing ease

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If a common plastic encapsulation is used for all electrical components, then the number of electrical connectors is reduced to a single plug connection, but the components must be designed to allow joint molding and demolding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of electrical connectorsVSAvoidjoint molding and demolding design constraints
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent successfully integrates multiple electrical components into a single molded assembly, reducing the number of external connectors to one. The design accommodates joint molding requirements by strategically positioning components and designing interfaces that facilitate demolding, thereby achieving connector reduction while maintaining manufacturing feasibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If separate encapsulations are used, then each component has its own electrical connector, but assembly and integration into larger devices becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindividual component electrical connectionsVSAvoidintegration into larger devices
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple electrical connection functions into a single integrated plug connection that provides electrical access to all components simultaneously. This unified interface greatly simplifies integration into larger devices, as only one connector needs to be managed and connected, while the internal distribution of electrical connections maintains reliable individual component interfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 streamlines series production by reducing the number of tools needed, simplifying testing and installation, and providing efficient cooling and mechanical protection within a unified encapsulation, enhancing the motor pump unit's efficiency and ease of use in higher-level devices.

Implementation Method 1

the plastic overmolding forms a cover (7) of the electric motor (2), surrounds a magnetic coil (8)... providing efficient cooling and mechanical protection within a unified encapsulation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat dissipation: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the plastic overmolding (6) has cooling channels (12) that direct the working fluid of the pump (3) or another fluid to heat-emitting components of the electric motor (2)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Implementation Method 3

a valve (5) actuated by an electromagnet (4)... Different switching conditions for fluid flows are set at each end position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic actuation: Electromagnet

Implementation Method 4

a hydraulic pump (3)... The hydraulic pump can be a hydrostatic pump (for example, a gear pump) or a hydrodynamic pump (for example, a centrifugal pump)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic pumping: Pump

Data Source

PatentEP3337978B1Motor-pump unit
Publication Date: 2020.04.01 THOMAS MAGNETE GMBH
  • EP3337978B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3337978B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3337978B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

2. Abstract 2.1 Problem: The invention aims at providing a motor-pump unit that is designed, in a manner that is cost-effective and suitable for mass production, such that a plurality of electrical components are jointly connected by means of a plug-in connection, the number of required tools being kept low. 2.2 Solution: The motor-pump unit is provided with a plastics overmolding (6), wherein the plastics overmolding forms a cover (7) for the electric motor (2), surrounds a magnetic coil (8) and at least one flux-conducting element (21) of the electromagnet (4), forms a plug housing (9) for an electrical plug connection (23) and surrounds the strip conductors (10) leading to the plug-in connection (23). 2.3 Use: Actuation of proportionally acting hydraulic-mechanical actuators with precise control of the force and the speed of the mechanical part of the actuator depending on the electrical input signals to the motor-pump unit.