Servomotor Cooling Structure That Protects the Encoder

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling structures for servomotors in robots often fail to efficiently dissipate heat generated by the servomotor, leading to increased temperatures and potential system failures.

Innovation Solution

A cooling structure that utilizes flat plate-shaped heat transmission members in close contact with the side surfaces of the servomotor's stator, transmitting heat to the robot structural body without contacting the encoder, thereby creating separate heat discharge paths for the stator and encoder.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a cooling structure is disposed between the servomotor and motor housing to cool the servomotor, then heat dissipation from the servomotor is improved, but the encoder may be exposed to excessive heat from the stator

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservomotor temperatureVSAvoidheat exposure to encoder

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling structure is segmented into multiple heat transmission members positioned at different locations around the stator, allowing heat to be dissipated through multiple separate paths rather than a single path that could expose the encoder to heat

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Heat transmission members made of thermally conductive material serve as intermediaries between the stator and robot structural body, conducting heat away from the stator while the strategic positioning ensures these intermediaries do not create thermal pathways to the encoder

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If heat transmission members are positioned to maximize heat dissipation from the stator, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the risk of heat transmission to the encoder increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidencoder operation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the cooling structure have different functions: heat transmission members are positioned to contact the stator for heat dissipation, while deliberate gaps are maintained in regions where the encoder is located, creating localized heat transmission zones that maximize cooling efficiency while protecting the encoder

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling structure utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement around the cylindrical stator, positioning heat transmission members at specific angular positions and distances to create heat dissipation pathways in dimensions that do not intersect with the encoder's location

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 configuration effectively cools the servomotor by efficiently transmitting heat to the robot structural body, reducing heat input to the encoder, and maintaining optimal operating temperatures for both components.

Implementation Method 1

the heat transmission member transmitting heat from the stator to the robot structural body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS20250073931A1Cooling structure for servomotor and robot

Publication Date: 2025.03.06 FANUC LTD

AI summary

Provided is a cooling structure for a servomotor, the cooling structure cooling the servomotor fixed to a robot structural body, wherein the servomotor includes a drive unit provided with a stator and a rotor, and an encoder that detects the rotation of the rotor, the cooling structure includes a heat transmission member which is fixed in a state of contact to an outer surface of the stator and a surface of the robot structural body and transmits the heat of the stator to the robot structural body, and the heat transmission member is not in contact with the outer surface of the encoder.