Electric motor

• US 20060038452A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc. (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
• Inventors: Lesak, Alan E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,109,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/90
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1672 radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K5/1677 takes precedence

Abstract

An electric motor that includes a stator, a rotor including a rotor shaft and a support member coupled to the stator. A first bearing is at least partially disposed within the support member and a printed circuit board is coupled to the stator. A second bearing is at least partially disposed within the printed circuit board. The first bearing and the second bearing cooperate to support the rotor shaft for rotation relative to the stator.

Claims

1. An electric motor comprising:

a stator;

a rotor comprising a rotor shaft;

a support member coupled to the stator;

a first bearing at least partially disposed within the support member;

a printed circuit board coupled to the stator; and

a second bearing at least partially disposed within the printed circuit board, the first bearing and the second bearing cooperating to support the rotor shaft for rotation relative to the stator.

2. An electric motor as set forth in claim 1 wherein the stator is arranged to define a C-frame motor.

3. An electric motor as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rotor comprises a rotor core and the rotor shaft comprises a first end on a first side of the core and a second end on a second side of the core, the second side opposite the first side, the first bearing coupled to the first end and the second bearing coupled to the second end.

4. An electric motor as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the first bearing and the second bearing is one of a journal bearing and a roller bearing.

5. An electric motor as set forth in claim 1 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a bearing surface that defines an aperture sized to receive at least a portion of the second bearing.

6. An electric motor as set forth in claim 5 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a wear-resistant layer disposed between the bearing surface and the second bearing.

7. An electric motor as set forth in claim 6 wherein the wear-resistant layer is plated to the bearing surface.

8. An electric motor as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electric motor further comprises a fastener connecting the support member to the stator and the printed circuit board to the stator.

9. An electric motor as set forth in claim 8 wherein the fastener passes through the support member and the printed circuit board.

10. An electric motor comprising:

a stator comprising a stator opening;

a rotor comprising a rotor shaft, the rotor disposed at least partially within the stator opening;

a support member comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the stator disposed adjacent the inner surface;

a first bearing disposed at least partially within the support member;

a printed circuit board comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface disposed adjacent the stator;

a second bearing at least partially directly supported by at least one of the printed circuit board and the stator, the first bearing and the second bearing cooperating to support the rotor shaft for rotation; and

a fastener extending from the inner surface of the first bearing support to the inner surface of the printed circuit board such that the fastener attaches the support member, the stator, and the printed circuit board.

11. An electric motor as set forth in claim 10 wherein the stator is arranged to define a C-frame motor.

12. An electric motor as set forth in claim 10 wherein the rotor comprises a rotor core and the rotor shaft comprises a first end on a first side of the core and a second end on a second side of the core, the second side opposite the first side, the first bearing coupled to the first end and the second bearing coupled to the second end.

13. An electric motor as set forth in claim 10 wherein each of the first bearing and the second bearing is one of a journal bearing and a roller bearing.

14. An electric motor as set forth in claim 10 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a bearing surface that defines an aperture sized to receive at least a portion of the second bearing.

15. An electric motor as set forth in claim 14 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a wear-resistant layer disposed between the bearing surface and the second bearing.

16. An electric motor as set forth in claim 15 wherein the wear-resistant layer is plated to the bearing surface.

17. An electric motor as set forth in claim 10 wherein the fastener extends from the outer surface of one of the support member and the printed circuit board to the inner surface of the other of the support member and the printed circuit board.

18. An electric motor as set forth in claim 10 wherein the fastener extends from the outer surface of the support member to the outer surface of the printed circuit board.

19. An electric motor as set forth in claim 10 wherein the electric motor further comprises a plurality of fasteners that cooperate to fixedly connect the support member, the stator, and the printed circuit board.

20-27. -27. (canceled)

28. An electric motor comprising:

a stator;

a rotor comprising a rotor shaft;

a support member coupled to the stator;

a first bearing at least partially disposed within the support member;

a printed circuit board coupled to the stator; and

a second bearing at least partially supported by the printed circuit board, the first bearing and the second bearing cooperating to support the rotor shaft for rotation relative to the stator.

29. An electric motor as set forth in claim 28 wherein the stator is arranged to define a C-frame motor.

30. An electric motor as set forth in claim 28 wherein the rotor comprises a rotor core and the rotor shaft comprises a first end on a first side of the core and a second end on a second side of the core, the second side opposite the first side, the first bearing coupled to the first end and the second bearing coupled to the second end.

31. An electric motor as set forth in claim 28 wherein each of the first bearing and the second bearing is one of a journal bearing and a roller bearing.

32. An electric motor as set forth in claim 28 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a bearing surface that defines an aperture sized to receive at least a portion of the second bearing.

33. An electric motor as set forth in claim 32 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a wear-resistant layer disposed between the bearing surface and the second bearing.

34. An electric motor as set forth in claim 33 wherein the wear-resistant layer is plated to the bearing surface.

35. An electric motor as set forth in claim 28 wherein the electric motor further comprises a fastener connecting the support member to the stator and the printed circuit board to the stator.

36. An electric motor as set forth in claim 35 wherein the fastener passes through the support member and the printed circuit board.

37. An electric motor as set forth in claim 28 wherein the printed circuit board completely supports the second bearing.

38. An electric motor as set forth in claim 28 wherein the printed circuit board and the stator cooperate to inhibit movement of the bearing in a direction parallel to the rotor shaft and the printed circuit board substantially inhibits movement of the second bearing perpendicular to the rotor shaft.