Stator Assembly Torque Sum Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric motor systems for aircraft primary flight control surfaces are complex, heavy, and inefficient due to mechanical couplings and redundancy requirements, with brake systems being a potential failure point, and lack the ability to operate without motor redundancy or speed summing, while also facing challenges in increasing torque without increasing current.
Innovation Solution
A stator assembly with a drive plate and magnetic cores that generate magnetic flux, allowing for independent operation of multiple stator coil elements in a pure torque sum configuration, where each stator coil element includes a first and second magnetic core with elongated members and a base member, and a stator coil wound through core slots to enhance magnetic force and torque performance without increasing current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mechanical coupling systems with redundancy and brake systems are used, then reliability is improved through redundancy, but device complexity and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the brake system and mechanical coupling components from the actuator assembly. By extracting these unnecessary components, the system achieves fault tolerance through a different mechanism - using multiple stator coil elements that can operate independently to provide redundant torque paths without requiring physical brakes or complex mechanical couplings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical coupling system with a magnetic field-based system. Instead of using mechanical gears, shafts, and brakes to achieve redundancy and fault tolerance, the system uses multiple independently controllable stator coil elements that generate magnetic fields to directly drive the rotor, eliminating the need for mechanical redundancy components.
2Force
If torque is increased by applying higher current to stator core elements, then torque performance is improved, but energy consumption and heat generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the stator into multiple independently controllable stator coil elements. Instead of relying on a single high-current coil, the system uses multiple lower-current coils that can be activated independently or in combination. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high torque through the cumulative effect of multiple coils while reducing the current burden on each individual coil, thereby reducing energy consumption and heat generation.
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 solution provides increased torque performance, reduced eddy currents, and improved reliability by containing magnetic flux within the magnetic core, allowing the electric motor to operate effectively even if a stator coil fails, without the need for redundancy or speed summing, and with no transition time required after a fault occurs.
Implementation Method 1
An electrical current flowing in the stator coil generates a magnetic field about the stator coil that is absorbed by the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core to generate the first magnetic flux and the second magnetic flux that magnetically attract the drive plate
Implementation Method 2
A first magnetic core in which a first magnetic flux is generable... A second magnetic core in which a second magnetic flux is generable... the magnetic field about the stator coil that is absorbed by the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core to generate the first magnetic flux and the second magnetic flux
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A stator assembly for an electric motor includes a drive plate, a first magnetic core and a second magnetic core. A first core slot is formed in the first magnetic core and a second slot is formed in the second magnetic core. The first and second magnetic cores each include two elongated members joined at one end by a base member which are defined by the respective core slots. The two elongated members extend from the base member substantially parallel to each other toward the drive plate. A stator coil is wound through the first core slot and the second core slot. An electrical current flowing in the stator coil generates a magnetic field about the stator coil that is absorbed by the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core to generate a magnetic flux in each of the magnetic cores that magnetically attracts the drive plate.