Personal Care Motor Spacer Structure Against Airgap Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal care device motors face issues with airgap closure due to magnetic attraction forces, user loading, and insufficient fixation, leading to loss of motor function.
Innovation Solution
A motor design featuring a spacer projecting between the stator and rotor surfaces to maintain a minimum airgap, preventing direct contact and ensuring proper operation, with the spacer's size determining the airgap distance and being made from wear-resistant and low-friction materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the airgap is reduced to improve motor efficiency, then the magnetic coupling between stator and rotor increases, but the risk of airgap closure due to friction and magnetic attraction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is pre-installed between the rotor and stator before motor operation begins. This preliminary action establishes the minimum airgap distance in advance, preventing airgap closure that would otherwise occur due to magnetic attraction forces during operation. The spacer acts as a preventive measure that maintains reliable separation while allowing the airgap to be sufficiently small for efficient magnetic coupling.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the rotor and stator are fixed tightly to prevent displacement, then the structural stability improves, but the airgap may close due to excessive compression forces
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer serves as an intermediary element positioned between the rotor and stator. It mediates the interaction between these two components by providing a controlled separation distance. The spacer's contact surface engages with one component while its projection maintains distance from the other, allowing tight fixation without direct contact between rotor and stator, thus preventing airgap closure while maintaining structural stability.
3Reliability
If a spacer is added to maintain airgap, then the airgap closure is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is merged with either the rotor or stator as an integrated component rather than being a separate assembly part. By disposing the spacer on or at one of the rotor surface or stator surface, the design combines multiple functions into a single component structure. This merging approach prevents airgap closure while minimizing the increase in device complexity, as the spacer becomes part of the existing motor assembly rather than an additional independent element.
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 spacer effectively maintains the minimum airgap, reducing friction and preventing motor failure by ensuring the stator and rotor remain separated, thus ensuring consistent motor function and reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
the friction force between the rotor and the stator may prevent relative motion
Implementation Method 2
airgap closure due to magnetic attraction forces
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect there is provided a motor (1) for a personal care device (10). The motor (1) comprises: a stator (2) comprising a stator surface; a rotor (3) comprising a rotor surface disposed opposite the stator surface; and a spacer (4) projecting between the stator surface and the rotor surface so as to define a minimum airgap between the stator (2) and the rotor (3). The spacer (4) is disposed on or at one of the rotor surface and the stator surface, and has a contact surface configured to engage with the other one of the rotor surface and the stator surface.