GB2438248A

GB2438248A - Laterally split body for an electric motor

Info

Publication number: GB2438248A
Application number: GB0609869A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carlos Jose Ceva
Original assignee: Duna Enterprises SA
Current assignee: Duna Enterprises SA
Priority date: 2006-05-18
Filing date: 2006-05-18
Publication date: 2007-11-21
Also published as: GB0609869D0

Abstract

A stator housing for an electric motor comprises two substantially identical body members each having a substantially semi-circular cross-section which can be aligned together to define a cavity for the stator and associated rotor. The stator is secured within the cavity 16a, 16b by a plurality of motor core support fins 24a, 24b and containment fins 25a, 25b. Brush guides 21a, 21b in respective body member are dimensioned to receive brushes 8a, 8b, brush springs in the form torsion spring 9a, 9b being located by projections eg 10a. Inter-engaging securing means 28a, 29b and 29b, 28b of the snap type are provided on the lateral edges of the body members, and their top and bottom walls and are configured to be engageable, preferably by indentations, to secure the body members in alignment. The bearing 6 is inserted into formations defined by housing parts 14a, 14b and 15a, 15b to support the rotor.

Description

BEARING FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR

Field of the invention

This invention relates to a support bearing for electric motors.

Background of the invention

Various support or bearing structures for electri.c motors are well known in the art. Bowever, as there are many variations between the structure and configuration of different electric motors, it has been necessary to use additional components to adapt the known hearings to he workable with the specific configuration of the motor to be supported by the bearing.

There is thus a need to reduce or avoid this inefficiency and its adverse economic results by providing for a support bearing which can be readily adapted to be compatible with all or most design configurations of such motors, and can allow better control over engine fastening, using a :::::: smaller number of parts. Byproviding fbr the external conhiguration of the bearing body to be compatible with the appliance in which it will be used, the previous known problems of : *". incompatibilities between the various motor configurations and appliance housings can be S...

* overcome. I..

* * It has now been found that these problems can be substantially overcome by providing a motor * support bearing which consists of two identical vertical bearing body parts or members that are in a mutual opposed relation, and are readily securable to each other, with securing means provided to each of the identical parts. This has been found to facilitate assembly and, by eliminating separate fastening accessories, significantly reduces the number of necessary parts.

It has been found to be particularly useful to provide for the fitting and securing of the two identical vertical body members by means of indented snaps, which comprise paired parts provided in opposing relationship on the respective vertical bearing body members. Similarly, such indented snaps can also advantageously be used for coupling die bearing structure to other components.

Additionally, it has been found advantageous to provide for seats included in the bearing for the carbon blocks (brushes) of the motor, which can be elastically secured by corresponding torsion springs, whinh are mounted on their respective pairs of semi axes located in each of the two hearing body members, which have been found to exert a more consistently steady force on each carbon block and to simplify switching, when compared with the known axial springs used in existing hearings.

Because the bearing is constructed of two identical body members, a further economic advantage arises from the fact that one single mould can he used to cast both members, each having its corresponding securing means, preferably in the form of indented snaps.

The bearing of the invention thus overcomes the above and other disadvantages of thebearings known in the art. sin cc it does not require fastening elements; it requires a single mould to shape : ** its two identical constituting parts; the outer shape and surface arc compatible with those of the S...

* * , appliance housing; and the use of torsion springs provides an advantage over known axial S...

sprmgs. * . S S...

:. The invention therefore seeks to provide a hearing for an electric motor, the motor having a motor core disposed about a vertical axis in an operating position, a rotor disposed at an upper portion of and coaxial with the motor core, and having an upper and a lower retaining means, * and a plurality of brush es, the hearing comprising substantially identical curved first and second body members each having (i) a substantially semi-circular cross-section with a first and second lateral edge; (ii) a bottom wall constructed to define a first seating location for the lower retaining mcans and having a bottom wall edge continuous with the lateral edges; (iii) an enlarged central portion attached to the bottom wall by a plurality of lower beam members and defining a cavity dimensioned to receive the motor core; (iv) a top wall constructed to define a second seating location for the upper retaining means and having a top wal] edge continuous with the lateral edges, the top wall being attached to the central portion by a plurality of upper beam members defining openings therebetween; (v) a plurality of motor core support fins and a plurality of motor core containment fins provided within the cavity; (vi) at least one guide seat each dimensioned to redeive one of the brushes; and (vii) securing means provided to selected ones of the lateral, top wall and bottom wall edges wherein the first and second seating locations are aligned coaxially with the rotor, and the securing means provided to the selected edges of the first body member are each consfructed and arranged to engage with an opposing securing means provided to a corresponding selected edge of the second body member.

The invention will now be described in detall with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a bearing of the invention in a secured position around a conventional electric motor; * Figure 2 is a side view of the bearing of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded partial]y perspective view of thehcaring of Figure 1; S...

" Figure 4 is a bottom perspective view of one of the two identical body parts of the hearing of : . . Figure 1; S...

* Figure 5 is a side view of the internal aspect of the body part shown in Figure 4; S..

Figure 6 is a side view of the.outside of the body part shown in Figure 4; and : . Figure 7 is a bottom view of the body part of Figure 4. S. S * S *

* Refhig first to Figures 1, 2 an.d 3, heang 100 comprises two identical body members 1 and 2, which are configured to be aligned along their lateral edges 21; 21b, top edges 22a, 22b and bottom edges 23a, 23b, and to be secured in an aligned position about an electric motor 3.

As shown in Figure 3, electric motor 3 comprises a motor core 4, which is coaxially aligned with a rotor 5 disposed above its upper portion 7. Any suitable securing means can be provided for the motor 3, including upper and lower bushings 6.

When viewed in the position shown in.Figures I to 3, body members I and 2 comprise a semi-circular top wall 11 a. 11 b, an enlarged semi-circular central portion 12; 1 2b, and a semi-circular bottom wall 13a, 13b. Each of the top walls Ila, 1 Yb andbottom walls 13a, 13b has a cut-away portion 14a, 14b, 1 5a, 1 Sb which, when the body members 1 and 2 are aligned, define a substantially circular opening for receiving the respective bushing 6 for securing the motor between the body members 1 and 2, the motor core 4 being secured within the cavity I 6a, 1 6b defined by the interior configuration of the enlarged central portion l2a, 12b.

The enlarged central portions 12a, l2b are joined to the top walls 11 a, 1 lb by beams l7a, 1 7b, which taper inwards towards the top walls ha, hib in a configuration to correspond to that of the rotor 5, and which together define openings 1 8a, I Sb to provide ventilation. Similarly, the enlarged central portions 12a, 12b are joined to the bottom walls l3a, 13b by beams 19a, 19b, which taper inwards towards the bottom walls l3a, l3b, each pair of beams being connected together by an arcuate lower side wall 20a, 20b, each of lower side walls 20a, 20b including at least one guide seat 2la, 2lb for receiving a brush 8 comprising a known carbon block. As can * * best be seen in Figure 4, the guide seats 2la, 2lb and brushes 8 are secured by means of torsion springs 9a, 9b which arc mounted to the respective body members 1 and 2 by angular pegs I Oa, 1 Oh (shown in Figure 5). * .. I * * S...

When the bearing 100 is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, i.e. with the body members 1 and 2 secured together in the maimer described below, the line of alignment is along lateral r*... edges Ma, 3lb, which are continuous with top edges 22a,22b and bottom edges 23a, 23b, all of C * : which are in a vertical plane, which passes through the axis of the motor core 4 and rotor 5. In relation Lu that vertical plane, body members 1 and 2 each have a substantially semi-circular cross-section, which varies in area, being greatest in the region of the enlarged central portions 1 2a, 12b and least in the region of the top walls 1 la, 1 lb and bottom walls l3a, 13b.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5, support fins 24a, 24b are provided, which can take the form of horizontally mounted opposed pairs, which cooperate to secure the motor core in place.

Between the pairs of support fins 24a, 24h, a network of containment fins 25a, 25b projecting into the cavity I 6a, 1 6b are also provided.

Referring to each of Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7., to secure the two body members 1 and 2 in the aligned position, a plurality of securing means are located at selected points adjacent to the lateral, top and bottom edges. The securing means preferably take the form of snaps 27 (see Figure 1), each comprising a first part 28a, 28b and a second part 29a, 29b, each provided with indentations, constructed to cooperate so as to secure the body members I and 2.

As seen best in Figures 5, 6 and 7, further angular securing points are provided by projections 3 Oa.

For operation of the bearing, the two body members 1 and 2 are positioned around the motor core 4 and rotor 5, and brought together so as to align each of the lateral edges 3la, 311b, the top edges 22a, 22b arid the bottom edges 23a, 23b with each other, and to engage each first part ISa, 28b of snaps 27 with the corresponding second part 29a, 29b on the opposing member. After the body members I and 2 are secured together, the bearing 100 can be installed in the desired 0S* * * housing location in the appliance. I... * ** * 0 S S... 5. S.

S * S50 5S * * S S * 5*

Claims

CLAIMS

I. A bearing for an electric motor, the motor having a motor core disposed about a vertical axis in an operating position, a rotor disposed at an upper portion of and coaxial with the motor core, and having an upper and a lower retaining means, and a plurality of brushes, the bearing comprising substantially identical curved first and second body members each having (i) a substantially semi-circular cross-section with a first and second lateral edge; (ii) a bottom wall constructed to define a first seating location for the lower retaining means and having a bottom wall edge continuous with the lateral edges; (iii) an enlarged central portion attached to th&bottom wall by a plurality of lower beam members and defining a cavity dimensioned to receive the motor core; (iv) a top wall constructed to define a second seating location for the upper retaining means and having a top wall edge continuous with the lateral edges, the top wall being attached to the :: central portion. by a plurality of uppcr beam members defining openings therebetween; * (v) a plurality of motor core support fins and a plurality of motor core containment fins provided . within the cavity; :. (vi,) at least one guidc scat each dimensioned to receive one of the brushes; and (vii) securing means provided to selected ones of the lateral, top wall and bottom wall edges * . * *** 2- wherein the first and second seating locations are aligned coaxially with the rotor, and the securing means provided to the selected edges of thc first body member are each constructed and arranged to engage with an opposing securing means provided to a corresponding selected edge of the second body member.

2. A. bearing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the securing means comprises a plurality of snaps each comprising a first and second part, wherein each part has an engagement location comprising multiple indentations.

3. A bearing as claimed in Claim 2 wherein for each snap, the engagement location of the first part comprises a prqjection from an outer surface of one of the body members and the engagement location of the second part comprises an insertion location within the other body member.

4. A bearing as c]aimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the support fins comprise horizontally mounted opposed pairs.

5. A bearing as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the containment fins comprise projections located between adjacent members of selected pairs of support fins.

6. A bearing as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein each guide seat is provided with a retaining means comprising a torsion spring.

7. A hearing as claimed in Claim 6 wherein each torsion spring is mounted to one of the body :, :2' members by opposed angular pegs. 0 a ** * p 0 a t p V. 0 * P a I.