Sealed Axial Flux Motor Housing for Vacuum Particle Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional radial flux electric motors used in vacuum environments are large, inefficient, and produce particles that escape into the vacuum environment, affecting substrate quality, while existing axial flux motors lack effective sealing for vacuum applications.

Innovation Solution

A sealed axial flux motor design with a housing that forms a sealing barrier between stator modules and the vacuum environment, using o-rings and lip seals to prevent particle escape, and incorporates multiple stator modules housed within pockets to maintain vacuum isolation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional radial flux electric motors are used in vacuum environments, then they can provide reliable power, but they produce particles that escape into the vacuum environment affecting substrate quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotor reliabilityVSAvoidparticle contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The motor is divided into separate sealed modules (stator modules in housing pockets) that are isolated from the vacuum environment. This segmentation allows the motor to provide reliable power while containing particles within sealed compartments, preventing contamination of the vacuum environment and substrates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Sealing barriers including o-rings and lip seals are used to create flexible yet effective barriers between the motor components and the vacuum environment. These sealing elements prevent particle escape while allowing for thermal expansion and mechanical movement, maintaining both reliability and contamination prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional radial flux electric motors are used, then they can operate in vacuum environments, but they are large and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevacuum environment compatibilityVSAvoidpower density

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from conventional radial flux motor geometry to axial flux geometry, changing the dimensional arrangement of magnetic fields and components. This dimensional change enables higher power density and improved efficiency while maintaining vacuum compatibility through the sealed modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple stator modules are nested within housing pockets in a compact arrangement. This nesting allows multiple functional components to be integrated in a space-efficient manner, increasing power density while maintaining the sealed structure needed for vacuum environment operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Power

If axial flux motors are used to improve efficiency and compactness, then they provide high power density, but they lack effective sealing for vacuum applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower densityVSAvoidvacuum sealing effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The axial flux motor is segmented into multiple independent sealed modules, each containing stator modules within housing pockets. This segmentation maintains the compact high power density design while enabling effective sealing at each module boundary, ensuring vacuum integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Sealing barriers including o-rings and lip seals are integrated into the housing structure to create flexible yet effective vacuum seals. These sealing elements maintain the compact axial flux design while preventing particle escape, ensuring both high power density and vacuum sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

The sealed axial flux motor reduces particle contamination in vacuum environments, enhancing efficiency, reliability, and substrate quality by minimizing particle escape, allowing for compact, high-power density, and cost-effective operation.

Implementation Method 1

At least a portion of the housing is to form a sealing barrier between the multiple stator modules and a vacuum environment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSealing barrier: Physical Containment

Implementation Method 2

one or more rotary seals configured to seal the stator and an inner portion of the rotor from an environment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRotary seal: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS20250299999A1Sealed axial flux motors for vacuum robots

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 APPLIED MATERIALS INC

AI summary

A robot includes a robot linkage, and an axial flux motor configured to drive the robot linkage. The axial motor includes a housing, a rotor coupled to the robot linkage, and multiple stator modules within the housing. At least a portion of the housing is to form a sealing barrier between the multiple stator modules and a vacuum environment.