Pump motor control assembly

• US 9,127,666 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Heilman, Raymond D., Meagher, James P., Sherman, Jeffrey S., Skinner, James L., Schrader, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLINS, BURTON S
• Application Number:
  US14/011,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20130343905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 310/68.R, 310/89, 349/58, 417/63, 417/423.14, 361/658, 361/679.01, 174/50.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/10 with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132

Abstract

A pump motor assembly operable to provide driving power to a fluid pump includes a rotor, a stator, a case housing the rotor and the stator, and a control assembly mounted to the case and operable to control motor operation. The control assembly includes an information display and a cover overlying the display, with a window section in general alignment with the display. The control assembly also includes a filler plate underlying the window section to prevent any air gap along an underside thereof, allowing the display to be visible while reducing the risk of condensation buildup. The control assembly further includes a low voltage housing with the display disposed in a first compartment defined thereby, and a high voltage housing with a high voltage component disposed in a second compartment defined thereby. The low voltage housing includes a thermal and fluid barrier that substantially fluidly separates the first and second compartments to reduce the risk of liquid electrical conduction therebetween and to reduce heat transfer into the low voltage housing.

Claims

1. A pump motor assembly operable to provide driving power to a fluid pump, said pump motor assembly comprising:

a rotor rotatable about a rotational axis;

a stator spaced radially from the rotor;

a case at least substantially housing the rotor and the stator; and

a control assembly mounted to the case and operable to control motor operation based upon at least one input,

said control assembly including a display on which information regarding motor operation is displayed,

said control assembly including a cover disposed in a covering relationship relative to the display,

said cover including a substantially transparent window section in general alignment with the display,

said control assembly including a substantially transparent filler plate underlying the window section in an interposed relationship between the display and the cover, with the filler plate contacting the window section so as to at least substantially eliminate any air gap along an underside of the window section, thereby permitting the display to be visible through the window section while reducing the risk of condensation buildup along the underside of the window section,

said at least one input including a manually operable switch,

said switch and said display cooperatively presenting a user interface of the control assembly so as to provide user-selected control of the motor, and thereby the pump, at the motor,

said switch comprising a manually depressible button underlying the cover,

said cover comprising a flexible membrane so as to permit button operation from outside the cover,

said control assembly including a protective lid shiftable into and out of a closed position, in which the lid is substantially superimposed over the cover.

2. The pump motor assembly as claimed in claim 1,

said filler plate contacting the display so as to be sandwiched between the window section and the display, with the filler plate at least substantially eliminating any air gap along the display.

3. The pump motor assembly as claimed in claim 2,

said filler plate comprising a thermoplastic.

4. The pump motor assembly as claimed in claim 3,

said filler plate presenting a thickness measured between the display and the underside of the window section,

said plate thickness being at least about 0.125 of an inch.

5. The pump motor assembly as claimed in claim 1,

said flexible membrane being formed of polyester.

6. The pump motor assembly as claimed in claim 1,

said display comprising a liquid crystal display.

7. A pump motor assembly operable to provide driving power to a fluid pump, said pump motor assembly comprising:

a rotor rotatable about a rotational axis;

a stator spaced radially from the rotor;

a case at least substantially housing the rotor and the stator; and

a control assembly mounted to the case and operable to control motor operation based upon at least one input,

said control assembly including a display on which information regarding motor operation is displayed,

said control assembly including a cover disposed in a covering relationship relative to the display,

said cover including a substantially transparent window section in general alignment with the display,

said control assembly including a substantially transparent filler plate underlying the window section in an interposed relationship between the display and the cover, with the filler plate contacting the window section so as to at least substantially eliminate any air gap along an underside of the window section, thereby permitting the display to be visible through the window section while reducing the risk of condensation buildup along the underside of the window section,

said control assembly including a protective lid shiftable into and out of a closed position, in which the lid is substantially superimposed over the cover,

said lid including an insulating pad that overlies the cover when the lid is in the closed position, such that the insulating pad reduces any temperature differential between the cover and air contained within the control assembly so as to reduce the risk of condensation buildup along an underside of the cover,

said control assembly including an open-ended box defining a control compartment, with the cover being sealingly coupled to the box adjacent one end thereof,

said control assembly including a thermal and fluid barrier that spans the box adjacent an opposite end from the cover, with the barrier at least substantially fluidly sealing the control compartment adjacent the opposite end and reducing heat transfer to the control compartment.