Resolver Rotor Hexagon for Shaft Deformation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing emergency or safety turning devices in electric machines, such as robot drives, face issues with plastic deformation of the shaft end due to high surface loads, leading to unreliable tool engagement and potential failure, necessitating frequent tool application or shaft replacement.

Innovation Solution

The electrical machine incorporates a resolver with a rotor pin featuring an external polygon for increased active surface area, secured by a feather key connection, and a braking device with a locking mechanism to generate sufficient holding torque, allowing for non-destructive torque transmission and preventing deformation during emergency or safety rotations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the shaft end is directly provided with external hexagon or parallel wrench surfaces for manual rotation, then the emergency turning function is enabled, but the active surfaces undergo plastic deformation due to high surface loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual rotation capabilityVSAvoidtool engagement reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the emergency rotation function from the shaft end and relocates it to the resolver rotor. The external hexagon is now formed on the resolver rotor instead of the shaft end, separating the manual rotation interface from the high-stress shaft structure. This allows the shaft end to maintain its original function without deformation while the resolver rotor provides the emergency rotation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The resolver rotor acts as an intermediary component between the handling tool and the machine shaft. Instead of applying torque directly to the shaft end, the tool engages the resolver rotor which then transmits the torque through its feather key connection to the shaft. This intermediary protects the shaft from direct high surface loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If the shaft diameter is kept relatively small for compact design, then the machine size is reduced, but the active surfaces deform under high torque loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemachine sizeVSAvoidsurface load resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the torque transmission interface from the shaft and relocates it to the resolver rotor. The external hexagon is now formed on the resolver rotor instead of the shaft end, separating the manual rotation interface from the high-stress shaft structure. This allows the shaft end to maintain its original function without deformation while the resolver rotor provides the emergency rotation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent moves the emergency rotation interface from the axial dimension (shaft end) to the radial dimension (resolver rotor circumference). The external hexagon is now formed on the resolver rotor which has a larger effective diameter, providing better leverage and distributing the torque loads over a larger area, thereby preventing deformation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the shaft end is used for emergency rotation, then the manual turning function is integrated, but the motor must be replaced when the shaft end deforms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration levelVSAvoidshaft replacement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the emergency rotation function from the shaft end and relocates it to the resolver rotor. The external hexagon is now formed on the resolver rotor instead of the shaft end, separating the manual rotation interface from the high-stress shaft structure. This allows the shaft end to maintain its original function without deformation while the resolver rotor provides the emergency rotation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a duplicate torque transmission path through the feather key connection between the resolver rotor and the shaft. This redundant connection ensures that the resolver rotor can effectively transmit torque to the shaft without requiring direct modification of the shaft end, thereby protecting the original shaft structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

4Ease of operation

If the external hexagon is formed on the shaft end, then the handling tool can be applied directly, but the surface load causes deformation and loss of form-fitting engagement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool applicabilityVSAvoidsurface geometry integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the external hexagon from the shaft end and relocates it to the resolver rotor. This separates the tool engagement interface from the high-stress shaft structure, allowing the shaft end to maintain its original precision geometry while the resolver rotor provides the emergency rotation interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The resolver rotor acts as an intermediary component between the handling tool and the machine shaft. Instead of applying torque directly to the shaft end, the tool engages the resolver rotor which then transmits the torque through its feather key connection to the shaft. This intermediary protects the shaft from direct high surface loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2856623B1Electrical machine
Publication Date: 2018.09.26 BAUMULLER NURNBERG GMBH
  • EP2856623B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to an electrical machine (1) comprising, in a machine housing (2), a machine stator (15) and a machine rotor (16) on a machine shaft (4), the shaft end (7a) of which is led out of the machine housing (2) in the region of a housing space (9) for a bearing shield. The shaft end (7a) carries a nut (22) which can be rotated relative to an inner and/or outer axial stop (21a or 24) to manually rotate the machine shaft (7). If the machine has a resolver (21), a corresponding effective surface (26') for manually rotating the shaft can be provided also on a rotor journal (27) of the resolver (21).