Integrated Slip Ring and Encoder Sleeve for Electric Machine Rotor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric machines for motor vehicles face challenges in providing a reliable and cost-effective electrical connection to the rotor winding due to rotational movement, requiring complex slip ring devices and additional components for rotation angle detection, which increases production costs and assembly time.
Innovation Solution
A sleeve is integrated with slip rings and a rotation angle encoder, forming a preassembled unit that can be easily attached to the rotor shaft, reducing the number of individual parts and using a force-fitting or adhesive locking mechanism to secure the encoder, along with a fan impeller for cooling, resulting in a compact and cost-effective design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate components are used for slip rings and rotation angle encoder, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the slip rings and rotation angle encoder into a single integrated assembly that is pre-mounted on the rotor shaft. This merging of previously separate components reduces device complexity and assembly time while maintaining reliability through the unified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation angle encoder is pre-assembled on the rotor shaft along with the slip rings before final installation. This preliminary action allows the encoder to be positioned and secured in advance, reducing assembly time and complexity during final machine assembly while ensuring proper alignment and reliability.
2Reliability
If separate components are used for slip rings and rotation angle encoder, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of slip rings and rotation angle encoder into one assembly reduces the total number of parts and assembly steps, directly improving manufacturing productivity and reducing assembly time while maintaining system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
By pre-assembling the encoder on the rotor shaft with the slip rings, the patent enables faster final assembly and reduces production time, thereby improving productivity without compromising the reliability of individual components.
3Ease of operation
If rotation angle encoder is exposed, then ease of assembly is improved, but reliability decreases due to potential release under radial forces
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation angle encoder is nested within a receiving depression in the rotor shaft, which provides mechanical retention and prevents the encoder from being released under radial forces. This nesting structure maintains reliability while keeping the assembly process simple and straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving depression is specifically designed in the region where the encoder needs to be retained, providing localized structural support and retention features exactly where needed, without complicating the overall assembly process.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric machine (1), in particular for a drive apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising a rotor shaft (9), which is mounted rotatably in a housing (2), comprising a slip ring device (13), which has at least two slip rings (14, 15) arranged in rotationally fixed fashion on the rotor shaft (9) and at least two sliding contacts (16, 17), which are arranged in the housing (2) and interact with in each case one of the slip rings (14, 15), and comprising a rotation angle detection device, which has at least one rotation angle encoder (23) arranged on the rotor shaft (9) and at least one rotation angle sensor (26) arranged in the housing for detecting the rotation angle encoder (23).