Rotary Machine Fan Guide Axial Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electric rotating machines, the fan guide at the small-diameter portion protrudes and requires management of a radial-direction gap to prevent contact with the fan fixing portion, leading to increased manufacturing and maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

The small-diameter portion fan guide is disposed to provide a space in the axial direction with the fan fixing portion, eliminating the need for radial-direction gap management and reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the fan guide is disposed to overlap with the fan fixing portion in the radial direction, then the axial direction space is utilized efficiently, but the radial-direction gap must be managed to prevent contact, increasing manufacturing and maintenance costs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaxial direction space utilizationVSAvoidmanufacturing and maintenance costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves the spatial conflict by transitioning from radial direction arrangement to axial direction arrangement. The fan guide is positioned axially adjacent to the fan fixing portion rather than radially overlapping, eliminating the need for radial gap management while maintaining compact axial space utilization.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The rotating shaft is segmented into distinct functional portions: the fan fixing portion and the small-diameter portion. This segmentation allows the fan guide to be positioned on the small-diameter portion axially adjacent to the fan fixing portion, separating the functional zones and eliminating interference between them.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the radial-direction gap is reduced to prevent contact between fan guide and fan fixing portion, then contact prevention is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact preventionVSAvoidradial-direction gap management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates radial gap management requirements by repositioning the fan guide in the axial direction. The fan guide is disposed axially adjacent to the fan fixing portion on the small-diameter portion, transforming the design from radial clearance management to axial positioning, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements.

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

3Productivity

If the fan guide protrudes in the axial direction to the position where it overlaps with the fan fixing portion, then air flow guidance is improved, but the complexity of managing radial gap increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow guidance efficiencyVSAvoidgap management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent simplifies the device by repositioning the fan guide axially adjacent to the fan fixing portion rather than having it radially overlap. This axial arrangement maintains air flow guidance functionality while eliminating the complex radial gap management system, reducing overall device complexity.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3116108B1Rotary electrical machine
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3116108B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3116108B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3116108B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The object of the present invention is to provide an electric rotating machine that does not require management of the gap between a fan guide at a small-diameter portion and a fan fixing portion and that can suppress the manufacturing and maintenance costs from increasing. An electric rotating machine is configured in such a way that there is provided a small-diameter portion fan guide that extends both in a circumferential direction and in an axial direction in such a way as to be provided a space in the radial-direction outer side of a small-diameter portion that is a portion of an extending axle portion, of a rotation axle, that extends in the axial direction from a rotor, the said portion being at an axial-direction departing side than a fan fixing portion to which an axial-flow fan is fixed and in such a way that the small-diameter portion fan guide is disposed to be provided a space with the fan fixing portion in the axial direction.