Brushless Motor Space Optimization with Drive Electronics Contained in the Motor

Recent advancements in power electronics, electronics integration and packaging, and motor system design have made possible the inclusion of the drive electronics for electronically commutated motors in the housing of the motor itself. Motor volume and packaging depend upon interacting systems of mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic, and electronic constraints. Several examples of integrated motors are given.

Recent advancements in several technologies upon which brushless motors depend allow inclusion of the drive electronics in the motor housing, resulting in a single, integrated mechanical part. The motor as a system, thus consists of an electric machine plus an electronic driver. Historically, the electric machine was the motor. For brushless motors, however, a synchronous AC machine is combined with control and power electronics, resulting in a motor system consisting of two sub-systems. The motor system here will be referred to simply as the motor with the subsystems: electric machine and electronic drive.