Electric motor with integrated heat shield

• US 6,674,198 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Gubbels, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, PAUL D
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, PAUL D
• Application Number:
  US10/040,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20030127925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 310/89, 310/64, 310/85, 310/91, 310/51
• US Class Current: 310/89
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/00 Casings; Enclosures; Supports
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/165 radially supporting the rotor around a fixed spindle; radially supporting the rotor directly H02K5/167, H02K5/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/18 with ribs or fins for improving heat transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 Dynamoelectric machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49011 Commutator or slip ring assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49012 Rotor

Abstract

An electric motor structure includes an electric motor having a housing and an endcap coupled to an end of the housing. The endcap includes a bearing pocket constructed and arranged to cover a bearing structure. The motor structure also includes a heat shield coupled directly to the motor so as to surround and cover the bearing pocket, with a portion of the heat shield being spaced from the bearing pocket.

Claims

1. An electric motor structure comprising:

an electric motor having a housing and an endcap coupled to an end of the housing, the endcap including a bearing pocket constructed and arranged to cover a distal end of a bearing structure, and

a heat shield coupled directly to the motor so as to surround and cover the bearing pocket, the heat shield being spaced from the bearing pocket and being directly adjacent to a portion of the bearing pocket covering the distal end of the bearing structure,

wherein the housing includes a plurality of tabs and the endcap includes slots with each slot receiving an associated tab.

2. The electric motor structure of claim 1, wherein the heat shield includes mounting slots therein, the tabs of the housing being received in the mounting slots and at least a portion of the tabs are staked thereby securing the heat shield and the endcap to the housing.

3. The electric motor structure of claim 2, wherein the heat shield includes a generally bowl-shaped portion and a planar peripheral portion, the mounting slots being spaced along the planar peripheral portion of the heat shield.

4. The electric motor structure of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the heat shield is constructed and arranged to reflect radiating heat.

5. The electric motor structure of claim 4, wherein the heat shield is composed of aluminum.

6. The electric motor structure of claim 4, wherein the heat shield is composed of metal.

7. An electric motor structure comprising:

an electric motor having a housing and an endcap coupled to an end of the housing, the endcap including a bearing pocket constructed and arranged to cover a distal end of a bearing structure, and

a heat shield having a planar peripheral portion and a bowl-shaped portion extending from the planar peripheral portion, at least a portion of the planar peripheral portion being coupled directly to the motor so that the heat shield surrounds and covers the bearing pocket, with the bowl-shaped portion being spaced from the bearing pocket and being directly adjacent to a portion of the bearing pocket covering the distal end of the bearing structure,

wherein the housing includes a plurality of tabs and the endcap includes slots with each slot receiving an associated tab.

8. The electric motor structure of claim 7, wherein the planar peripheral portion of the heat shield includes mounting slots therein, the tabs of the housing being received in the mounting slots and at least a portion of the tabs are staked thereby securing the heat shield and the endcap to the housing.