Electric motor with integrally packaged day/night controller
First Claim
1. An electric motor comprising:
- (A) an electric motor having AC power terminal means for coupling the motor to a source of electric power;
(B) motor housing means having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface of the housing means generally encompassing the motor and the AC power terminal means;
(C) switching circuit means affixed to a surface of the motor housing means and electrically coupled for power to the AC power terminal means within the motor housing means, the switching circuit means being responsive to a switching signal for selectively switching the motor between one of two speeds;
(D) photosensor means affixed to the motor housing means and positioned to generate the switching signal to the switching circuit means in response to the amount of light incident on at least a portion of the housing means,whereby the motor is switched between daytime and nighttime speeds in response to ambient light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An AC motor is provided with a motor housing and a photoelectric sensor associated with the housing. The sensor is part of a motor control circuit which is thereby responsive to the ambient light condition to control the motor by selectively switching At on and off, or alternatively by selectively switching between higher and lower speeds. The control circuit derives its power from the motor'"'"'s AC input terminals, thereby yielding a self-contained motor control unit, which requires no timer unit and no wiring or mounting by the user. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the photoelectric sensor extends through an aperture in a motor housing end cap with the associated control circuitry fitable within the end cap, thereby providing a retrofit for existing motors.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An electric motor comprising:
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(A) an electric motor having AC power terminal means for coupling the motor to a source of electric power; (B) motor housing means having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface of the housing means generally encompassing the motor and the AC power terminal means; (C) switching circuit means affixed to a surface of the motor housing means and electrically coupled for power to the AC power terminal means within the motor housing means, the switching circuit means being responsive to a switching signal for selectively switching the motor between one of two speeds; (D) photosensor means affixed to the motor housing means and positioned to generate the switching signal to the switching circuit means in response to the amount of light incident on at least a portion of the housing means, whereby the motor is switched between daytime and nighttime speeds in response to ambient light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A motor control assembly for converting to daylight-responsive operation an electric motor disposed within a housing having an end cap, the motor including AC power terminals within the housing, said assembly comprising:
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(A) retrofit end cap means having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface of the retrofit end cap means being adapted to generally encompass at least a portion of an electric motor disposed within the housing; (B) switching circuit means affixed to the retrofit end cap means and adapted to be electrically coupled for power to the AC power terminal means, the switching circuit means being responsive to a switching signal for selectively switching the motor between one of two speeds; (C) photosensor means affixed to the retrofit end cap means and positioned to generate the switching signal to the switching circuit means in response to the amount of light incident on the exterior surface of the retrofit end cap means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An AC motor adapted to be connected to a source of AC power, and comprising:
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(A) a motor housing encompassing the AC motor, the motor housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface and an aperture communicating between the interior and exterior surfaces; (B) DC power source means within the motor housing and coupled to the AC power source for power; (C) normally-open relay contact means within the motor housing responsive to a control signal to undergo a state change from open-circuit to closed-circuit condition; (D) a motor field winding within the motor housing coupled in electrical series with the normally-open relay contact means to the AC power source; (E) relay coil means within the motor housing and electrically coupled to the DC power source; (F) switching circuit means mounted to a surface of the motor housing and coupled for power to the DC power source means to selectively energize the relay coil means so as to cause a state change in the normally-open relay contact means, the switching circuit means including photosensing means mounted within the housing aperture to sense the light level at the exterior surface of the housing so that the relay coil is energized when the photosensing means senses a pre-selected light level. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification