Seal arrangement for a motor pump assembly and a motor for a pump including a seal arrangement

• US 9,438,080 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
• Inventors: Minogue, Joseph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Andrews, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/790,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20140255224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 310/88, 310/85, 310/90, 417/410.1, 384/94, 384/119, 384/143, 384/151, 384/477, 384484-486, 384/489
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/082 the unit having provision for cooling the motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/10 with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/124 Sealing of shafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/161 radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K5/165, H02K5/167, H02K5/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1732 radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K5/1737 takes precedence

Abstract

An electric machine includes an end frame having a shaft bore extending therethrough. The end frame includes a first side and a second side. A shaft extends through the shaft bore. A bearing is supported by the end frame and is coupled to the shaft to support the shaft for rotation about a longitudinal axis. A first seal is fixedly attached to the end frame and includes an internal bore that is sized to cooperate with the shaft to form a seal point therebetween. The first seal is disposed on the first side of the end frame. A second seal is fixedly attached to the second side of the end frame. The second seal includes a movable portion in direct contact with the shaft to define a second seal point. The first seal point is on a first side of the bearing and the second seal point is on a second side of the bearing.

Claims

1. An open drip proof motor arranged to drive a rotating element of a pump, the motor comprising:

a housing including a pump end and a non-pump end;

a stator disposed within the housing and including an opening, the stator fixed with respect to the pump;

a rotor positioned at least partially within the opening and operable to rotate in response to the application of an electric current to the motor;

a shaft coupled to the rotor to support the rotor for rotation;

an end frame fixedly coupled to the pump end of the housing;

a bearing supported by the end frame and coupled to the shaft to support the shaft for rotation, the bearing defining a first side and a second side;

a first seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the bearing and the rotor, the first seal assembly cooperating with the shaft and the end frame to substantially enclose the first side of the bearing, the first seal assembly including a wall that defines an aperture that is positioned adjacent the shaft to create a non-contact seal therebetween and an outer portion coupled to the housing to define a seal area having a portion that extends beyond an outer diameter of the bearing;

a second seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the bearing and the pump, the second seal assembly arranged to substantially enclose a second side of the bearing; and

a third seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the second seal assembly and the pump.

2. The electric machine of claim 1, wherein the second seal assembly includes a lip seal having a lip that contacts the shaft and a biasing element coupled to the lip to bias the lip into contact with the shaft.

3. The electric machine of claim 1, wherein the third seal assembly includes a first disk fixedly attached to the shaft, a second disk fixedly attached to the shaft, and a third disk fixedly attached to the end frame and positioned between the first disk and the second disk.

4. An open drip proof motor arranged to drive a rotating element of a pump, the motor comprising:

a housing including a pump end and a non-pump end;

a stator disposed within the housing and including an opening, the stator fixed with respect to the pump;

a rotor positioned at least partially within the opening and operable to rotate in response to the application of an electric current to the motor;

a shaft coupled to the rotor to support the rotor for rotation;

an end frame fixedly coupled to the pump end of the housing;

a bearing supported by the end frame and coupled to the shaft to support the shaft for rotation, the bearing defining a first side and a second side;

a first seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the bearing and the rotor, the first seal assembly cooperating with the shaft and the end frame to substantially enclose the first side of the bearing;

a second seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the bearing and the pump, the second seal assembly arranged to substantially enclose a second side of the bearing; and

a third seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the second seal assembly and the pump, wherein the first seal assembly includes a first seal member in direct contact with the end frame and the bearing, a bearing lock plate in direct contact with the first seal member, and a second seal member in direct contact with the bearing lock plate and including an internal bore.

5. The electric machine of claim 4, wherein the first seal member and the second seal member are formed from a resilient material and are adhesively bonded to the bearing lock plate.

6. The electric machine of claim 4, wherein the internal bore and the shaft are sized to define an annular space therebetween, and wherein a layer of lubricant is positioned on the shaft adjacent the internal bore, the lubricant cooperating with the second seal member to seal the annular space.

7. An open drip proof motor arranged to drive a rotating element of a pump, the motor comprising:

a shaft;

a rotor coupled to the shaft for co-rotation therewith;

a housing including a pump end and a non-pump end, the rotor disposed within the housing;

an end frame fixedly coupled to the pump end of the housing;

a bearing supported by the end frame and coupled to the shaft to support the shaft for rotation, the bearing defining a pump side and a non-pump side;

a first seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the bearing and the rotor, the first seal assembly cooperating with the shaft and the end frame to substantially enclose the non-pump side of the bearing, the first seal assembly including a substantially planar portion that defines an aperture sized to receive the shaft and create a non-contact seal therebetween, the substantially planar portion extending radially from the shaft to a diameter beyond an outermost diameter of the bearing;

a second seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the bearing and the pump; and

a third seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned such that the second seal assembly is disposed between the third seal assembly and the bearing.

8. The electric machine of claim 7, wherein the second seal assembly includes a lip seal having a lip that contacts the shaft and a biasing element coupled to the lip to bias the lip into contact with the shaft.

9. The electric machine of claim 7, wherein the third seal assembly includes a first disk fixedly attached to the shaft, a second disk fixedly attached to the shaft, and a third disk fixedly attached to the end frame and positioned between the first disk and the second disk.

10. An open drip proof motor arranged to drive a rotating element of a pump, the motor comprising:

a shaft

a rotor coupled to the shaft for co-rotation therewith;

a housing including a pump end and a non-pump end, the rotor disposed within the housing;

an end frame fixedly coupled to the pump end of the housing;

a bearing supported by the end frame and coupled to the shaft to support the shaft for rotation, the bearing defining a pump side and a non-pump side;

a first seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the bearing and the rotor, the first seal assembly cooperating with the shaft and the end frame to substantially enclose the non-pump side of the bearing;

a second seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned between the bearing and the pump; and

a third seal assembly coupled to the end frame and positioned such that the second seal assembly is disposed between the third seal assembly and the bearing, wherein the first seal assembly includes a first seal member in direct contact with the end frame and the bearing, a bearing lock plate in direct contact with the first seal member, and a second seal member in direct contact with the bearing lock plate and including an internal bore.

11. The electric machine of claim 10, wherein the first seal member and the second seal member are formed from a resilient material and are adhesively bonded to the bearing lock plate.

12. The electric machine of claim 10, wherein the internal bore and the shaft are sized to define an annular space therebetween, and wherein a layer of lubricant is positioned on the shaft adjacent the internal bore, the lubricant cooperating with the second seal member to seal the annular space.