Pumps – Motor driven – Electric or magnetic motor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-27
2001-11-13
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Pumps
Motor driven
Electric or magnetic motor
C439S685000, C340S649000, C417S422000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315528
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to connecting power terminal connections in a sealed compressor preferably to reduce the length of the compressor unit.
Modern compressors often include a compressor pump unit mounted within a sealed housing structure. The sealed housing structure receives the compressor pump unit and an electric motor for driving the compressor pump unit. A crankcase supports the pump unit.
Refrigerant and oil are allowed to flow within the compressor housing to perform various functions such as cooling the motor, etc. Various structure assists in moving the oil throughout the compressor housing.
The electric motor includes a stator mounted in a lower portion of the housing below the crankcase. There is typically a “dead” space between the stator and the crankcase. This space is used for allowing connection of an electrical connection through the sealed housing and to the motor. The overall height of the scroll compressor is defined by the necessary components, such as the motor, crankcase, and other components, as well as the “dead” space between the stator and the crankcase.
It is, thus, desirable to eliminate this “dead” space and reduce the overall height of the scroll compressor. In some applications, there may be other areas that would be useful for packaging the electrical connection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention reduces the height of a sealed compressor. Preferably, the invention provides a connection at the stator winding level and a method for carrying out same so as to eliminate unnecessary space within the compressor housing.
In one embodiment, a terminal connection is made within the stator winding height of a compressor. The compressor includes a compressor pump unit, a motor for driving the compressor pump unit, and a housing surrounding the compressor pump unit and the motor. The motor includes a stator having stator windings and a rotor wherein the stator extends along an axis for a fixed axial length and the rotor rotates about the axis. A set of terminal pins extends through the housing for providing electrical connection of the motor. The terminal pins are mounted on the inside of the housing within an axial length of the stator to reduce the height of the scroll compressor.
A connector from the motor slides in a direction without a substantial radial component, and generally parallel, tangential or a combination thereof, to the axis of rotation, to connect the terminal pins to the motor. This is accomplished by incorporating slots into the connector for receiving the terminal pins. In one embodiment, the pins extend perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and in other embodiments in a direction parallel, tangential or a combination thereof to the axis of rotation between the housing and the stator. Stated another way, the pins are not normal to the shell, or radial to the axis.
To aid in packaging the connection within the stator winding level, the stator winding itself may be deformed inwardly toward the axis of rotation to allow connection of the connector and terminal pins. Alternatively, the housing may be deformed outwardly from the axis of rotation at an area around the terminal pins.
Also, the terminal pins preferably has a locking feature.
While the packaging of the connection adjacent the stator windings is most preferred, there may also be times when packaging the connection in a space within the axial length of another component, such as the crankcase, is preferred.
In a most preferred embodiment, the compressor pump unit is a scroll compressor.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
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patent: 5145417 (1992-09-01), Honkomp et al.
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patent: 5584716 (1996-12-01), Bergman
patent: 5690475 (1997-11-01), Yamada et al.
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patent: 0846863 A1 (1998-06-01), None
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Search Report-Dec. 6, 2000.
Milliff Tracy
Williams John R.
Carlson & Gaskey & Olds
Fastovsky Leonid
Scroll Technologies
Walberg Teresa
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