Electric machine having a tilted voltage adjustment

• US 20070176500A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc. (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Chih, Watkins, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/68.R
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132

Abstract

A terminal board includes an attachment portion engageable with an end cap and defines an attachment plane that is substantially parallel to an end plane defined by the end cap, and a first terminal portion adapted to receive a first terminal wire. The first terminal portion defines a first terminal plane that intersects the end plane to define an included angle. The included angle is between about 40 degrees and 80 degrees.

Claims

1. A terminal board for an electric machine having an end cap defining an end plane, a first winding operable at a first voltage, and a second winding operable at a second voltage different from the first voltage, the terminal board comprising:

an attachment portion engageable with the end cap and defining an attachment plane that is substantially parallel to the end plane; and

a first terminal portion adapted to receive a first terminal wire, the first terminal portion defining a first terminal plane that intersects the end plane to define an included angle, the included angle being between about 40 degrees and 80 degrees.

2. The terminal board of claim 1, further comprising a second terminal portion adapted to receive a second terminal wire, the second terminal portion defining a second terminal plane that is substantially parallel to the first terminal plane.

3. The terminal board of claim 2, wherein the first terminal plane and the second terminal plane are coplanar.

4. The terminal board of claim 2, further comprising a voltage adjustment portion that defines a voltage adjustment plane that is substantially parallel to the first terminal plane.

5. The terminal board of claim 4, further comprising a voltage adjustment member movable between a first position in which the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion are electrically connected to the first winding, and a second position in which the first terminal portion and second terminal portion are connected to the second winding.

6. The terminal board of claim 5, further comprising a lock member coupled to the voltage adjustment member and operable to emit an audible sound when the voltage adjustment member is moved from the second position to the first position.

7. The terminal board of claim 6, wherein the lock member includes a protrusion formed as part of one of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment portion, and a first aperture formed as part of the other of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment portion, the aperture sized to receive the protrusion.

8. The terminal board of claim 7, wherein the first aperture is positioned to receive the protrusion when the voltage adjustment member is in the first position.

9. The terminal board of claim 7, wherein the protrusion includes a straight side surface and a tapered side surface, the tapered side surface adapted to allow movement of the protrusion out of the first aperture, the straight surface adapted to inhibit movement of the protrusion out of the first aperture.

10. The terminal board of claim 4, wherein the voltage adjustment portion includes an indicator indicative of the position of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment member includes a window that allows for visual detection of the indicator when the voltage adjustment member is positioned in one of the first position and the second position.

11. The terminal board of claim 4, wherein the first terminal plane, the second terminal plane, and the voltage adjustment plane, are not coplanar.

12. The terminal board of claim 1, wherein the included angle is between about 40 degrees and 50 degrees.

13. A terminal board for an electric machine having an end cap defining an end plane, a first winding operable at a first voltage, and a second winding operable at a second voltage different from the first voltage, the terminal board comprising:

an attachment portion engageable with the end cap and defining an attachment plane that is substantially parallel to the end plane;

a voltage adjustment portion coupled to the attachment portion;

a voltage adjustment member coupled to the voltage adjustment portion and movable between a first position and a second position to switch the motor from the first winding to the second winding; and

a lock member coupled to the voltage adjustment member and operable to emit an audible sound when the voltage adjustment member is moved from the second position to the first position.

14. The terminal board of claim 13, wherein the voltage adjustment portion defines a voltage adjustment plane that intersects the end plane to define an included angle that is between about 40 degrees and 80 degrees.

15. The terminal board of claim 14, further comprising a first terminal portion adapted to receive a first terminal wire and a second terminal portion adapted to receive a second terminal wire, the first terminal portion defining a first terminal plane that is substantially parallel to the voltage adjustment plane.

16. The terminal board of claim 15, wherein the second terminal portion defines a second terminal plane that is substantially parallel to the first terminal plane, and wherein the first terminal plane, the second terminal plane, and the voltage adjustment plane are not coplanar.

17. The terminal board of claim 15, wherein the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion are electrically connected to the first winding when the voltage adjustment member is in the first position, and the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion are electrically connected to the second winding when the voltage adjustment member is in the second position.

18. The terminal board of claim 13, wherein the lock member includes a protrusion formed as part of one of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment portion and a first aperture formed as part of the other of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment portion, the first aperture sized to receive the protrusion.

19. The terminal board of claim 18, wherein the first aperture is positioned to receive the protrusion when the voltage adjustment member is in the first position.

20. The terminal board of claim 18, wherein the protrusion includes a straight side surface and a tapered side surface, the tapered side surface adapted to allow movement of the protrusion out of the first aperture, the straight surface adapted to inhibit movement of the protrusion out of the first aperture.

21. The terminal board of claim 13, wherein the voltage adjustment portion includes an indicator indicative of the position of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment member includes a window that allows for visual detection of the indicator when the voltage adjustment member is positioned in one of the first position and the second position.

22. An electric machine comprising:

a rotor;

a stator including a first winding and a second winding, the rotor positioned adjacent the stator and rotatable in response to the application of a voltage to one of the first winding and the second winding;

a housing surrounding at least a portion of the stator and including an end cap that defines an end plane;

a terminal board coupled to the end cap and including a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion;

a voltage adjustment portion formed as part of the terminal board and defining a voltage adjustment plane that is not parallel to the end plane; and

a voltage adjustment member coupled to the voltage adjustment portion and movable between a first position in which the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion are electrically connected to the first winding, and a second position in which the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion are connected to the second winding.

23. The motor of claim 22, wherein the first terminal portion defines a first terminal plane and the second terminal portion defines a second terminal plane parallel to the first terminal plane, the first terminal plane intersecting the end plane to define an included angle, the included angle being between about 40 degrees and 80 degrees.

24. The motor of claim 23, wherein the included angle is between about 40 degrees and 50 degrees.

25. The motor of claim 23, wherein the voltage adjustment plane, the first terminal plane, and the second terminal plane are substantially parallel.

26. The motor of claim 22, further comprising a lock member coupled to the voltage adjustment member and operable to emit an audible sound when the voltage adjustment member is moved from the second position to the first position.

27. The motor of claim 26, wherein the lock member includes a protrusion formed as part of one of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment portion and a first aperture formed as part of the other of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment portion, the first aperture sized to receive the protrusion.

28. The motor of claim 27, wherein the first aperture is positioned to receive the protrusion when the voltage adjustment member is in the first position.

29. The motor of claim 27, wherein the protrusion includes a straight side surface and a tapered side surface, the tapered side surface adapted to allow movement of the protrusion out of the first aperture, the straight surface adapted to inhibit movement of the protrusion out of the first aperture.

30. The motor of claim 22, wherein the voltage adjustment portion includes an indicator indicative of the position of the voltage adjustment member and the voltage adjustment member includes a window that allows for visual detection of the indicator when the voltage adjustment member is positioned in one of the first position and the second position.

31. The motor of claim 22, wherein the end cap includes a wedge portion that cooperates with the terminal board to at least partially define a ground circuit.

32. The motor of claim 31, wherein the wedge portion is integrally formed as a single piece with the end cap.

33. The motor of claim 31, wherein the wedge portion defines a first surface that cooperates with the end plane to define an oblique angle and wherein a grounding screw is engages the wedge portion such that the grounding screw is substantially perpendicular to the first surface.

34. The motor of claim 33, wherein the oblique angle is between about 40 degrees and 80 degrees.

35. The motor of claim 33, wherein the oblique angle is between about 40 degrees and 50 degrees.

36. The motor of claim 33, wherein the terminal board includes a grounding portion, and the grounding screw includes a head, and wherein the wedge portion is at least partially sandwiched between the head and the grounding portion.