Limited movement system for motor switch mounted thermo-protector

• US 6,853,560 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Michaels, Paul G., Dohogne, Ranney, Lewis, William R., Newberg, Barry M., Borcherding, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarabian, Amir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thanh Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/099,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20030174486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/753, 361/796, 361/785, 361/787, 361/809, 361/758, 361/759, 361/801, 361/802, 361/756
• US Class Current: 361/809
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/25 Devices for sensing temperature, or actuated thereby

Abstract

A mounting clip that attaches a circuit component to an electrical device attenuates vibration of the circuit component as the electrical device is operated. The mounting clip is designed for a thermo-protector of an electric motor and removably attaches the thermo-protector to a switch housing of the electric motor. The thermo-protector is connected in the circuit of the electric motor and wiring of the electric motor that communicates with the thermo-protector is attached to the mounting clip. The mounting clip is provided with a spring mechanism that engages an abutment provided on the switch housing and biases the mounting clip and the attached thermo-protector and thermo-protector wiring away from the switch housing and thereby attenuates vibration of the thermo-protector and its wiring.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mounting a circuit component to an electrical device, the apparatus comprising:

a housing on the electrical device;

a circuit component attached to the housing;

a spring mechanism between the housing and the circuit component biasing the circuit component away from the housing;

a mounting clip on the circuit component, the mounting clip being attached to the housing and thereby attaching the circuit component to the housing; and

,

the spring mechanism being a narrow, elongate spring arm having a length with opposite proximal and distal ends, the spring arm proximal end being connected to the mounting clip, the spring arm projecting from the mounting clip to the spring arm distal end and the spring arm distal end engaging with the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the spring arm projecting from the mounting clip and defining an elongate slot between the spring arm and the mounting clip, the spring arm distal end engaging with the housing on an opposite side of the spring arm from the slot.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the housing having an edge adjacent the mounting clip and the circuit component and an abutment projecting from the edge, the abutment engaging with the spring arm distal edge.

4. An apparatus for reducing relative movement between wiring leads of an electric motor circuit component, the apparatus comprising:

an electric motor having a stator with stator windings;

a housing on the electric motor;

a circuit component mounted on the housing, the circuit component having a wiring lead that extends between the circuit component and the stator windings;

a spring mechanism between the circuit component and the housing, the spring mechanism being operatively attached to the wiring lead; and

,

mounting clip on the circuit component, the mounting clip being attached to the housing and thereby mounting the circuit component on the housing, the spring mechanism being on the mounting clip.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

the mounting clip being attached to the wiring lead and thereby attaching the spring mechanism to the wiring lead.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

the spring mechanism being an elongate spring arm that is cantilevered from the mounting clip.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

the housing having an abutment that projects away from the housing and the spring arm engaging with the abutment.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

the housing having a receptacle with an interior volume, the receptacle having a side wall that extends at least partially around the receptacle interior volume and the side wall having an edge that extends at least partially around an opening to the receptacle interior volume;

the circuit component and the mounting clip being at least partially inserted through the opening of the receptacle interior volume and into the receptacle interior volume; and

the spring mechanism engaging with the receptacle side wall edge.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

an abutment on the receptacle side wall edge projecting away from the edge and the spring mechanism engaging with the abutment.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

the circuit component and the mounting clip being inserted in a first direction through the opening of the receptacle interior and into the receptacle interior volume and the abutment projecting in a second direction opposite the first direction from the receptacle side wall edge.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

the spring mechanism being an elongate arm projecting from the mounting clip to a distal end of the arm and the distal end of the arm engaging with the abutment.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the elongate arm projecting from the mounting clip in a third direction that is transverse to the first and second directions.

13. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

the mounting clip being removably attached to the circuit component and being removably attached to the housing.

14. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

the mounting clip having a panel with a peripheral edge, a slot extending through a portion of the panel from the peripheral edge, and the spring mechanism being an integral portion of the panel adjacent the slot.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

the slot giving the spring mechanism portion of the panel a configuration of a narrow, elongate arm extending along the slot.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

the housing having an edge adjacent the mounting clip and the circuit component and having an abutment projecting from the edge, and the abutment engaging with the spring mechanism portion of the panel adjacent the slot.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

the abutment and the slot being positioned on opposite sides of the spring mechanism portion of the panel.