초록 ▼

A cooled fan motor may include a tankhead, an elongate housing attached to the tankhead and, having at least one longitudinally extending groove, a shaft rotatably attached to the housing, a hub attached to the shaft, the hub having at least one opening therethrough and shaped to form a gap with the

A cooled fan motor may include a tankhead, an elongate housing attached to the tankhead and, having at least one longitudinally extending groove, a shaft rotatably attached to the housing, a hub attached to the shaft, the hub having at least one opening therethrough and shaped to form a gap with the tankhead, a rotor attached to the hub, and a stator mounted on the housing such that the groove in the housing forms an air passage between the housing and the stator connecting the gap and the opening; whereby air external to the motor is able to enter through the gap, flow along the air passage and exit the motor through the opening in the hub, thereby cooling an interior of the motor.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A cooled fan motor comprising: a tankhead;an elongate housing attached to said tankhead, said housing having at least one longitudinally extending groove;a shaft rotatably attached to said housing;a hub attached to said shaft for rotation relative to the tankhead, said hub having at least one ope

1. A cooled fan motor comprising: a tankhead;an elongate housing attached to said tankhead, said housing having at least one longitudinally extending groove;a shaft rotatably attached to said housing;a hub attached to said shaft for rotation relative to the tankhead, said hub having at least one opening therethrough and shaped to form a gap with said tankhead;a rotor attached to said hub;a stator mounted on said housing such that said groove forms an air passage between said housing and said stator connecting said gap and said opening; andsaid hub including a plurality of radially extending fan blades, said fan blades positioned such that said gap is downstream of said fan blades, and said at least one opening is upstream of said fan blades;whereby rotation of said hub by said rotor causes said fan blades to displace ambient air such that said ambient air enters an interior of said hub through said gap downstream of said fan blades, flows from said gap along said air passage and exits said hub through said at least one opening upstream of said fan blades, thereby cooling an interior of said motor. 2. The fan motor of claim 1, wherein said housing includes bearings rotatably supporting said shaft, and wherein at least one of said bearings can be cooled by air flowing in said groove during operation of said fan motor. 3. The fan motor of claim 2, wherein said bearings include a drive end bearing located at an end of said housing adjacent said hub. 4. The fan motor of claim 3, wherein said stator is concentric with and positioned radially inwardly of said rotor. 5. The fan motor of claim 1, wherein said housing is substantially cylindrical, having a central bore shaped to receive said shaft. 6. The fan motor of claim 5, wherein said stator includes a substantially cylindrical central passage shaped to receive said housing therethrough. 7. The fan motor of claim 6, wherein said housing includes a plurality of grooves spaced about an outer periphery thereof. 8. The fan motor of claim 7, wherein said at least one opening includes a plurality of openings spaced about an end of said hub opposite said gap. 9. The fan motor of claim 8, wherein said hub is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a substantially closed end opposite said tankhead. 10. The fan motor of claim 8, wherein said plurality of openings is positioned on said hub adjacent said closed end. 11. A cooled fan motor comprising: an elongate housing adapted to be attached to a tankhead, said housing having at least one longitudinally extending groove;a shaft rotatably attached to said housing;a hub attached to said shaft, said hub having at least one opening therethrough and shaped to form a gap with a tankhead attached to said housing;a rotor attached to said hub;a stator mounted on said housing such that said groove forms an air passage between said housing and said stator connecting said gap and said opening; andsaid hub including a plurality of radially extending fan blades, said fan blades positioned such that said gap is downstream of said fan blades, and said at least one opening is upstream of said fan blades;whereby rotation of said hub by said rotor causes said fan blades to displace ambient air such that said ambient air enters an interior of said hub through said gap, downstream of said fan blades, flows from said gap along said air passage and exits said hub through said at least one opening upstream of said fan blades, thereby cooling an interior of said motor. 12. The fan motor of claim 11, wherein said housing includes bearings rotatably supporting said shaft, and wherein at least one of said bearings can be cooled by air flowing in said groove during operation of said fan motor. 13. The fan motor of claim 12, wherein said bearings include a drive end bearing located at an end of said housing adjacent said hub. 14. The fan motor of claim 13, wherein said stator is concentric with and positioned radially inwardly of said rotor. 15. The fan motor of claim 11, wherein said housing is substantially cylindrical, having a central bore shaped to receive said shaft. 16. The fan motor of claim 14, wherein said stator includes a substantially cylindrical central passage shaped to receive said housing therethrough. 17. The fan motor of claim 16, wherein said at least one groove includes a plurality of grooves spaced about an outer periphery of said housing. 18. The fan motor of claim 17, wherein said at least one opening includes a plurality of openings spaced about an end of said housing opposite said gap. 19. The fan motor of claim 18, wherein said hub is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a substantially closed end. 20. The fan motor of claim 19, wherein said plurality of openings is positioned on said hub adjacent said substantially closed end. 21. A cooled fan motor comprising: a tankhead having an annular wall;a generally cylindrical, elongate housing attached to said tankhead, said housing having a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves extending about an outer periphery thereof, said housing including bearings attached to an inner surface thereof;a shaft rotatably mounted on said bearings within said housing;a hub attached to said shaft, said hub shaped to form an annular gap with said annular wall of said tankhead and having a plurality of openings therethrough at an end thereof opposite said tankhead, said hub including a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly therefrom and positioned such that said plurality of openings are upstream of said plurality of blades and said annular gap is downstream of said plurality of blades;a rotor attached to an inner surface of said hub; anda stator mounted on said housing such that said grooves form air passages between said housing and said stator connecting said gap and said opening;whereby rotation of said hub by said rotor causes said fan blades to displace ambient air such that said ambient air enters an interior of said hub through said gap downstream of said fan blades, flows from said gap along said plurality of air passages and exit said housing through said openings in said hub, thereby cooling said bearings. 22. A method of operating a cooled fan motor, the method comprising: providing a tankhead;providing an elongate housing attached to said tankhead, said housing having at least one longitudinally extending groove;providing a shaft rotatably attached to said housing;providing a hub attached to said shaft, said hub having at least one opening therethrough and shaped to form a gap with said tankhead, said hub including a plurality of radially extending fan blades, said fan blades positioned such that said gap is downstream of said fan blades, and said at least one opening is upstream of said fan blades;providing a rotor attached to said hub;providing a stator mounted on said housing such that said groove forms an air passage between said housing and said stator connecting said gap and said opening; androtating said hub to cause said fan blades to displace ambient air such that said ambient air enters an interior of said hub through said gap downstream of said fan blades, flows from said gap along said air passage and exits said hub through said at least one opening upstream of said fan blades, thereby cooling an interior of said motor in an area substantially adjacent said housing. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein said rotating said hub includes energizing said stator. 24. A cooled fan motor comprising: a tankhead;an elongate housing attached to said tankhead, said housing having at least one longitudinally extending groove;a shaft rotatably attached to said housing;a hub attached to said shaft, said hub having at least one opening therethrough and shaped to form a gap with said tankhead;a rotor attached to said hub;a stator mounted on said housing such that said groove forms an air passage between said housing and said stator connecting said gap and said opening; andsaid hub including a plurality of fan blades extending radially therefrom, said plurality of blades positioned such that said gap is downstream of said fan blades, and said at least one opening is positioned upstream of said fan blades;whereby rotation of said hub by said rotor causes said fan blades to displace ambient air such that said ambient air enters an interior of said hub through said gap, flows from said gap along said air passage and exits said hub through said at least one opening, thereby cooling an interior of said motor.