Electrical motor unit having a control module

• US 6,099,324 A
• Filed: 07/16/1998
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Services GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Van De Sandt, Johannes Lambertus, Janssen, Josephus Antonius Maria, Soes, Lucas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/116,459
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.1, 439/736, 439/399, 439/441, 361/785, 361/421, 361/813
• US Class Current: 439/76.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/40 Structural association with grounding devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2211/03 Machines characterised by circuit boards, e.g. pcb
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 23/66 Structural association with auxiliary electric devices influencing the characteristic of, or controlling, the machine, e.g. with impedances or switches
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/10 with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/148 Slidably supported brushes
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10689 Leaded Integrated Circuit [IC] package, e.g. dual-in-line [DIL]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/302 Bending a rigid substrate; Breaking rigid substrates by bending
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/281 by means of a preformed insulating foil H05K3/284 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3421 Leaded components

Abstract

An electrical motor unit 2 having main housing 4 with the inner workings of the motor, a brush housing 44 at one end of the main housing 4, and a control module disposed along the main housing 4 generally transverse to the brush housing 44; where the control module includes circuit links 26 defining a circuit grid 24 with electronic components 30 thereupon to define a control circuit where some of the circuit links 30 include first contacts 32 for mating with an electrical connector and second contacts 34 that are pluggably matable with electrical circuitry of the brush housing 44 as the circuit grid 24 is fitted to the rain housing 4.

Claims

1. An electrical motor unit, comprising:

a main body with a drive shaft therein, the main body including the inner workings of the electrical motor and extending longitudinally in a direction corresponding to that of the drive shaft and having a cap at one end; and

, a brush housing opposite the cap and disposed transversely to the main body, the brush housing having a central opening through which the drive shaft extends and a plurality of passageways, at least two passageways extending into the central opening and including brushes therein, and associated circuitry within the brush housing that is electrically connected to the brushes;

the electrical motor unit being characterized in that;

a control module is located along the main body and extends in a direction between the brush housing and the cap, the control module having various circuit links that define a circuit grid and are disposed in a receiving cavity;

the circuit links are formed from conductive material with various electronic components disposed upon the at least some of the links to form a circuit, where at least some of the links include first contacts disposed at an access port for mating with an electrical connector to incorporate the electrical motor unit into an electrical system;

at least some of the links include second contacts extending from the lines; and

the second contacts being connected with the associated circuitry of the brush housing through a transversely extending electrical pathway.

2. The electrical motor unit of claim 1, further characterized in that the second contacts include extensions that are formed as tabs that are pluggably received by the associated circuitry of the brush housing.

3. The electrical motor unit of claim 2, further characterized in that the second contacts incorporate the transversely extending pathway.

4. The electrical motor unit of claim 2, further characterized in that the circuit links are formed from a sheet of conductive material.

5. The electrical motor unit of claim 4, further characterized in that the circuit links are formed by stamping from a single sheet of conductive material.

6. The electrical motor unit of claim 2, further characterized in that the first contacts are configured for a pluggable connection with the mating connector.

7. The electrical motor unit of claim 1, further characterized in that the second contacts are attached to the associated circuitry of the brush housing, such that a single unit is formed of the motor unit and the brush housing.

8. The electrical motor unit of claim 2, further characterized in that the electronic components disposed on the circuit links include electronic components in a packaged form.

9. The electrical motor unit of claim 2, further characterized in that the electronic components include a power control device.

10. The electrical motor unit of claim 9, further characterized in that the power control device is a power transistor.

11. The electrical motor unit of claim 2, further characterized in that the electronic components include a logic control device.

12. The electrical motor unit of claim 11, further characterized in that the logic control device is a CPU.