Stepping Motor Substrate Nesting for Impact Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional stepping motors suffer from durability and reliability issues due to exposed substrate components that can be damaged during impact tests, and have complex assembly processes due to the need to secure the substrate within a bracket.

Innovation Solution

A stepping motor design where the substrate's rim and lower surface are positioned inside the bracket, protected by a cover, and secured using hooks and a lead screw mechanism, allowing for improved protection and simplified assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the substrate is positioned outside the bracket for easy assembly, then the assembly process is simpler, but the substrate is exposed and vulnerable to damage during impact tests

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidsubstrate protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is nested inside the bracket structure, with the bracket forming an enclosing space that houses the substrate. The rim of the substrate is positioned within the inner circumference of the bracket, and the cover closes the opening to protect the substrate from external impacts while maintaining assembly simplicity through the hook engagement mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the substrate is secured to the bracket using heat-fused ends, then the substrate is firmly fixed, but the assembly process becomes complicated and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubstrate fixationVSAvoidassembly efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket is segmented into distinct functional portions: a body portion that houses the substrate, a rim portion that engages with the substrate rim, and hook portions that extend toward the substrate. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function independently, enabling simple assembly through hook engagement rather than complex heat-fusion processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hook portions are designed to automatically engage with the substrate when the cover is closed, providing self-fixing functionality. The elastic member provides restoring force that ensures the hooks firmly engage with the substrate rim, eliminating the need for additional fixation steps like heat-fusion while maintaining stable mounting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If the substrate is exposed outside the bracket, then the structure is simpler, but the substrate collides with external objects during impact tests causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidimpact damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cover acts as a protective shell that encloses the substrate within the bracket. The cover closes the opening of the bracket, forming a protective barrier that prevents external objects from directly contacting the substrate during impact tests, thereby reducing impact damage while maintaining relatively simple structural design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP2337194B1Stepping motor
Publication Date: 2016.08.31 LG INNOTEK CO LTD
  • EP2337194B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2337194B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2337194B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a stepping motor in which the rim of a substrate and the lower surface of the substrate directed toward the outside of a bracket are arranged inside of the bracket to prevent the rim and lower surface of the substrate from projecting outwardly. Accordingly, the substrate is prevented from colliding against an object during a falling impact test, thus preventing damage to the substrate and improving the durability and reliability of the stepping motor. Further, the substrate gets caught by a hook of the bracket when the substrate is pressed toward the bracket when the substrate is located at a predetermined point of the bracket. This leads to a simplified assembly process and improved productivity.