Electricals package integrating run capacitor, motor protector and motor starter

Abstract

A combination electricals package (12, 32) particularly for use with fractional horsepower compressor motors for various appliances has a first recess formed in the package for receipt of a motor starter (14) and a second recess formed in the package for receipt of a run capacitor (16) potted therein and having capacitor leads (16a) connected to a capacitor lead connecting portion (20e, 20e′) of a connector (20, 20′) also having a motor pin connecting portion (20d) and a motor starter connecting portion (20b). The capacitor lead connecting portion in a preferred embodiment includes spaced apart parallel extending rails to accommodate capacitor lead misalignment. In a modified embodiment the capacitor lead connecting portion includes quick connect receptacles for conventional capacitor quick connect terminals. The connectors are formed so that the same connector can be used in two opposite orientations for left and right connectors. The motor starter is a PTC element (14) which is thermally isolated from capacitor (16) to help ensure that the capacitor remains below its maximum use temperature. In one embodiment the package has a first housing member mounting the motor starter (14) and motor protector (18) and a second housing member mounting the run capacitor (16) encapsulated therein. In another embodiment the motor protector, motor starter and the run capacitor are all mounted in the same housing member which is provided with an enclosing lid (32b).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.