Permanent Magnet Rotor Segmented Flange Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional rotor manufacturing for electrical machines is wasteful and time-consuming due to the need to machine flanges directly into the rotor body, limiting material efficiency and flexibility in material selection.

Innovation Solution

The rotor design features circumferentially spaced lips on the flange mounting portion, allowing for separate machining of the magnet receiving surface and flanges, which can be made from different materials, and using deformation processes like pressing spherical ball elements to create part-spherical indentations for secure flange retention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If flanges are machined directly into the rotor body, then the rotor structure is simplified, but material waste increases and manufacturing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improve rotor structureVSAvoidmaterial waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor is divided into separate components: the rotor body and the flange are manufactured independently and then assembled together. The flange is pressed onto the rotor body and retained by lips formed on the rotor body, eliminating the need to machine flanges directly from the rotor body and reducing material waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flange is prepared and positioned on the rotor body before final assembly. The lips are formed on the rotor body in advance to receive and retain the flange, allowing for separate manufacturing of components that can be optimized independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If flanges are machined directly into the rotor body, then the rotor structure is simplified, but manufacturing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improve rotor structureVSAvoidmanufacturing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor is divided into separate components: the rotor body and the flange are manufactured independently and then assembled together. The flange is pressed onto the rotor body and retained by lips formed on the rotor body, eliminating the need to machine flanges directly from the rotor body and reducing material waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flange is prepared and positioned on the rotor body before final assembly. The lips are formed on the rotor body in advance to receive and retain the flange, allowing for separate manufacturing of components that can be optimized independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If the rotor body and flange are made from the same material, then manufacturing is simplified, but material property optimization is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidmaterial selection flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor is divided into separate components: the rotor body and the flange are manufactured independently and then assembled together. The flange is pressed onto the rotor body and retained by lips formed on the rotor body, eliminating the need to machine flanges directly from the rotor body and reducing material waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 approach simplifies machining, reduces material waste, and allows for optimized material properties for the rotor and flanges, improving manufacturing efficiency and magnetic performance.

Implementation Method 1

The pressing may comprise pressing a plurality of spherical ball elements into a plurality of circumferentially spaced locations in the peripheral region of the end face of the flange mounting portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP3432448B1Permanent magnet rotor for an electrical machine
Publication Date: 2022.09.14 GOODRICH ACTUATION SYST
  • EP3432448B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3432448B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3432448B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A rotor (6) of an electrical machine (2) comprises a rotor body (20) including an axially extending magnet receiving surface (24) on its outer surface able to receive at least one magnet (26) and a flange mounting portion (34) at one or both axial ends of the magnet receiving surface (24). The flange mounting portion (34) has a smaller diameter (D1) than the diameter (D2) of the magnet receiving surface (24) due to a shoulder (36) portion of the rotor body (20). Each retaining flange (30) is mounted on the flange mounting portion (34) by abutting against the shoulder (36) and is fixed on the rotor body (20) by at least one lip (64) created by deformation of the end face (52) of the flange mounting portion (34). Therefore, each lip (64) extends to the radial outward over the radial inside (44) of the retaining flange (30).