Electric Motor Yoke Design for High-Speed Drive Train Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional drive train test benches are unsuitable for testing electric drive trains due to the insufficient stiffness of existing electric motors, which limits their ability to achieve rotational speeds above 20,000 rpm without causing vibrations and disrupting test sequences.

Innovation Solution

An electric motor design featuring a housing with at least one yoke for enhanced rigidity, allowing for high rotational speeds without test bench vibrations, where the yoke can be made metallic or aluminum and connected either horizontally or vertically to the drive unit, providing improved vibration damping and accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional electric motors with flange design are used, then the motor can be mounted simply, but the stiffness is insufficient for rotational speeds above 20,000 rpm causing vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting simplicityVSAvoidstiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the mounting bracket and housing into a single integrated component. The mounting bracket is formed as one piece with the housing, eliminating separate mounting parts and creating a rigid, unified structure that provides sufficient stiffness for high-speed operation while maintaining ease of manufacture through integral forming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing and mounting bracket are constructed using composite material structures, specifically incorporating rigid materials that provide both the necessary stiffness for high rotational speeds and the structural integrity required for reliable mounting without requiring separate reinforcement components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If base designed electric motors are used, then sufficient stiffness is achieved, but space for output shafts is limited due to motor position constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestiffnessVSAvoidspace for output shafts

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent repositions the output shafts from a conventional horizontal arrangement to a vertical arrangement extending from the top of the housing. This dimensional change in shaft orientation provides adequate space for output shafts while maintaining the rigid base design structure, allowing tested components to be positioned below the motor without spatial interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If electric motors are used for drive train testing, then testing can be performed, but vibrations occur at high speeds disrupting test sequences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetesting capabilityVSAvoidvibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing incorporates curved and rounded structural elements rather than sharp angular transitions. The housing features a rounded front end and curved mounting bracket configurations that reduce stress concentration points and minimize vibration generation during high-speed rotation, while maintaining the structural rigidity needed for accurate testing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS11614379B2Electric motor for a drive unit of a drive train test bench

Publication Date: 2023.03.28 ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG

AI summary

An electric motor (1), for a drive unit (2) of a drive train test bench, having a housing (3). The electric motor (1) is characterized in that the housing (3) has at least one yoke (4) for supporting the electric motor (1).