MOTOR ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRATED COOLING MEANS AND ENCLOSED COMPARTMENT FOR ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY

• US 20130082550A1
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ELCO Motor Yachts LLC
• Original Assignee: ELCO Motor Yachts LLC
• Inventors: Fleming, Joseph W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,912,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/63
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/04 Casings or enclosures characterised by the shape, form or construction thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/10 with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/132 Submersible electric motors H02K5/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/15 Mounting arrangements for bearing-shields or end plates
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/18 with ribs or fins for improving heat transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/06 with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/14 wherein gaseous cooling medium circulates between the machine casing and a surrounding mantle
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/227 Heat sinks

Abstract

A motor assembly includes a structural unit for mounting a motor, for mounting and enclosing electronic circuitry, and for providing a corridor for air to flow and cool the motor and/or the electronic circuitry. The motor assembly includes a substantially water-resistant motor that rotationally drives a fan for cooling the motor and/or rotationally drives a propeller for providing propulsion to watercraft. The electronic circuitry of the motor assembly receives and transmits instructions to a command post by way of electronic signals and distributes power to the motor. The structural unit seals the circuitry from the surrounding environment.

Claims

1. A motor assembly comprising:

a motor;

motor control circuitry; and

a structural unit including a compartment defined on a side thereof by an interior wall, the motor control circuitry being received in the compartment and the compartment being configured to enclose and seal the motor control circuitry therein, the structural unit further including opposing side walls, the opposing side walls and the interior wall defining a motor space adjacent the interior wall and opposite from the compartment, wherein the motor space at least partially receives the motor therein.

2. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor includes an outside surface and a driveshaft, the driveshaft configured to be rotationally driven by the motor, and wherein a portion of the outside surface and at least the interior wall of the structural unit define an airflow corridor with the motor, the motor assembly further comprising a fan attached to the driveshaft of the motor, the fan being configured to produce an airflow by the rotation of the driveshaft such that at least a portion of the airflow passes through the airflow corridor.

3. The motor assembly of claim 2, wherein the motor further includes a fan shroud portion having a wall that, with the outside surface of the motor, defines a fan space, wherein the fan is a radial fan rotatable within the fan space, and wherein the fan shroud portion is configured to direct the airflow produced by the fan toward the airflow corridor.

4. The motor assembly of claim 2, wherein the fan is an axial fan oriented within the motor space such that the airflow is further produced by the axial fan in a direction toward the airflow corridor.

5. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor is an electric motor and the motor control circuitry is in electrical communication with the motor.

6. The motor assembly of claim 5, wherein the motor is a totally enclosed motor.

7. The motor assembly of claim 2, wherein the airflow corridor includes a first end and a second end, the first end being adjacent the fan and configured to receive the airflow of the fan, and the second end being opposite the first end relative to the motor and configured to provide an outlet for the airflow.

8. The motor assembly of claim 2, wherein the outside surface of the motor has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the motor being received in the motor space and the second portion being outside the motor space, and wherein the fan is further configured to direct a portion of the airflow over the outside surface of the motor within the bottom portion.

9. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein the compartment is further configured such that the seal is at least water-resistant.

10. The motor assembly of claim 8, wherein the motor control circuitry is enclosed in a circuitry housing, the circuitry housing being received in and in at least partial contact with the interior wall of the compartment.

11. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein the structural unit is configured for dissipating heat at least from within the compartment into an ambient environment.

12. The motor assembly of claim 11, wherein the ambient environment includes an airflow corridor defined between the interior wall of the structural unit and a portion of the motor.

13. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior wall is flat along a surface exposed to the motor space.

14. The motor assembly of claim 1, wherein the structural unit has first and second opposing end walls perpendicular to the side walls and defining the motor space with the interior wall and the side walls, and wherein the motor is affixed to the interior wall.

15. The motor assembly of claim 14, wherein the motor includes a driveshaft configured to be rotationally driven by the motor and having an end configured for attachment with an external structure, and wherein the first end wall includes an opening through which the driveshaft projects such that the end is positioned outside of the motor space.

16. The motor assembly of claim 1, the structural unit further including at least two flanges extending from the opposing side walls, the at least two flanges being configured for mounting the motor assembly to a preconfigured external mounting structure.

17. The motor assembly of claim 16, wherein at least some of the at least two flanges have at least one hole therethrough, wherein the preconfigured external mounting structure has a mounting configuration for a standard diesel engine and wherein the holes are configured to match the preconfigured external mounting structure.

18. The motor assembly of claim 15, wherein the motor assembly further includes at least two motor mounts affixed to respective flanges through the holes thereof, and wherein the holes are configured such that the motor mounts match a mounting configuration of a standard combustion engine.

19. The motor assembly of claim 15, wherein the structural unit includes at least one flange having two holes therethrough, and wherein respective centers of the holes define a width between 6 and 18 inches therebetween, and wherein each of the two holes is at least one inch from a respective end of the flange.

20. The motor assembly of claim 16, wherein the structural unit defines a top of the assembly, the motor defines a bottom of the assembly, and a height of the assembly is defined by a distance between the top and bottom, and wherein the flanges are positioned at a distance from the bottom of the assembly equal to between 30% and 60% of the height of the assembly.

21. A motor assembly comprising:

an electric motor;

motor control circuitry in electrical communication with the electric motor; and

a structural unit including;

a compartment defined at least by an interior wall and opposing side walls, the motor control circuitry being received in the compartment, the compartment being configured to enclose and seal the motor control circuitry therein, and the motor being mounted to the structural unit in a position adjacent to the interior wall opposite the compartment; and

at least two flanges extending from the opposing side walls, the at least two flanges being configured to match a mounting configuration for a combustion engine.

22. The motor assembly of claim 21, wherein the motor includes an outside surface and a driveshaft, the driveshaft configured to be rotationally driven by the motor, and wherein a portion of the outside surface and at least the interior wall of the structural unit define an airflow corridor, the assembly further comprising a fan attached to the driveshaft of the motor, the fan being configured to produce an airflow by rotation of the driveshaft such that at least a portion of the airflow passes through the airflow corridor.

23. A structural unit for an electric motor assembly comprising:

a compartment defined on a side thereof by an interior wall and being configured to enclose and seal motor control circuitry therein;

opposing side walls, the opposing side walls and the interior wall defining a motor space adjacent the interior wall and opposite from the compartment, the motor space being configured to at least partially receive an electric motor therein; and

at least two flanges extending from the opposing side walls on a side opposite the compartment, the at least two flanges being configured to match a preconfigured external mounting structure.

24. The structural unit of claim 23, wherein the preconfigured external mounting structure has a mounting configuration for a standard combustion engine.

25. The structural unit of claim 23, further comprising a first end wall perpendicular to the side walls and defining the motor space with the interior wall and the side walls, wherein the first end wall is configured for mounting a motor thereto, and wherein the first end wall includes an opening configured for a motor driveshaft to extend therethrough.

26. The structural unit of claim 25, wherein the structural unit is a monolithic structure.

27. The structural unit of claim 25, wherein the structural unit is further configured to position a motor within the motor space such that at least the interior wall of the structural unit defines an airflow corridor with a portion of an outside surface of the motor and such that a fan mounted on a driveshaft of the motor and producing an airflow by rotational motion caused by the motor directs a portion of the airflow through the airflow corridor.

28. A motor assembly comprising:

a motor including an outside surface and a driveshaft, the driveshaft configured to be rotationally driven by the motor;

a structural unit including an interior wall and opposing side walls, the opposing side walls and the interior wall defining a motor space, wherein the motor space at least partially receives the motor therein, and wherein a portion of the outside surface and at least the interior wall of the structural unit defines an airflow corridor;

a fan attached to the driveshaft of the motor, the fan being configured to produce an airflow by the rotational driving of the driveshaft such that at least a portion of the airflow passes through the airflow corridor; and

at least two flanges extending from the opposing side walls on a side opposite the compartment, the at least two flanges being configured to match a preconfigured external mounting structure.

29. The motor assembly of claim 28, wherein the structural unit further includes a compartment defined on a side thereof by the interior wall opposite the motor space, the motor assembly further comprising motor control circuitry, the motor control circuitry being received in the compartment and the compartment being configured to enclose and seal the motor control circuitry therein.