Injection molded fan motor controller housing with advanced cooling features

• US 8,308,451 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Pal, Debabrata
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles
• Application Number:
  US12/631,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20110135520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 417/369, 417/370, 417/423.8, 3616794-6795, 361694-695, 361/701, 361/715
• US Class Current: 417/370
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/068 Mechanical details of the pump control unit pump control details F04D27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/023 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5813 Cooling the control unit
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/436 Polyetherketones, e.g. PEEK
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20918 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels

Abstract

An example fan motor controller housing includes an inner fan housing, an outer fan housing including a base plate, plenums and air passages, stator vanes and a motor control housing. The inner fan housing, the outer fan housing, the stator vanes, and the motor control component housing are all made of a polymer. The fan motor controller housing also includes heat sinks attached to the plenums. The heat sinks are cooled by air flowing from air passages through the plenum. Motor controller components are attached to the heat sink and heat dissipates from the motor controller components to the heat sink.

Claims

1. A fan motor controller housing comprising:

an inner fan housing;

an outer fan housing, the outer fan housing including a base plate, at least one plenum, and air passages;

a plurality of stator vanes;

a motor control housing, the inner fan housing, the outer fan housing, the stator vanes, and the motor control housing made of a polymer;

at least one heat sink, the heat sink attached to an at least one wall of the at least one plenum, the air passages configured to direct air flow within the outer fan housing to the at least one heat sink of the at least one plenum; and

at least one motor control component, the motor control component attached to the heat sink.

2. The fan motor controller housing of claim 1, wherein the polymer is polyaryletheretherketone.

3. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein the stator vanes are attached to the inner housing.

4. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein the heat sink is aluminum.

5. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein there are at least two plenums, wherein the air passages connect the at least two plenums.

6. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein the stator vanes extend to the outer housing.

7. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein a core of the heat sink includes parallel fins.

8. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein the heat sink is attached to at least one wall of the plenum of the outer housing by bonding.

9. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein the plenum includes a cavity, the heat sink configured to sit in the cavity.

10. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein an inductor is attached to at least one heat sink.

11. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein the power module is bonded to the heat sink.

12. The fan motor controller housing of claim 2, wherein the power module is attached to the heat sink by mechanical means.

13. A fan motor controller housing comprising:

an inner fan housing;

an outer fan housing, the outer fan housing including a base plate, at least two plenums, and air passages to connect the plenums;

a plurality of stator vanes;

a motor control housing, the inner fan housing, the outer fan housing, the stator vanes, and the motor control housing made of a polymer;

at least one heat sink, the heat sink attached to at least one wall of a first plenum and cooled by impingement, the air passages configured to direct air flow within the outer fan housing directly to the heat sink;

at least one inductor enclosed by a top wall of a second plenum, the air passages directing air flow from the first plenum over the inductor in the second plenum; and

at least one motor control component, the motor control component attached to the heat sink.

14. The fan motor controller housing of claim 13, wherein the polymer is polyaryletheretherketone.

15. The fan motor controller housing of claim 14, wherein the heat sink is aluminum.

16. The fan motor controller housing of claim 14, wherein the motor control components are removable.

17. The fan motor controller housing of claim 15, wherein a core of the heat sink is lanced offset fins.