Rotor assembly for a direct drive motor
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorOrlando Starke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotor assembly is provided for a motor of a laundry appliance. The rotor assembly includes a rotor frame having a hub region that extends radially outward from a central hub, and a cylindrical rim extending axially from the hub region. The rotor assembly further includes a yoke disposed at an inner surface of the cylindrical rim, and a plurality of magnets disposed at an inner surface of the yoke, wherein the yoke comprises a helically wound metal strip.
Claims20
A motor for a laundry appliance, comprising:
- a stator assembly;
- and
- a rotor assembly that rotates around the stator assembly, the rotor assembly comprising:
- a central hub for securing the rotor assembly to a drive shaft of the motor such that the rotor assembly rotates about an axis of the drive shaft;
- a rotor frame comprising:
- a hub region for receiving the central hub, the hub region extending radially outward from the central hub, and
- a cylindrical rim extending axially from the hub region so as to be coaxial with the drive shaft;
- a yoke disposed at an inner surface of the cylindrical rim;
- and
- a plurality of magnets disposed at an inner surface of the yoke, wherein the yoke comprises a helically wound metal strip.
A rotor assembly for a motor of a laundry appliance, the motor having a stator assembly having an outer surface about which the rotor assembly rotates, the rotor assembly comprising:
- a central hub for securing the rotor assembly to a drive shaft of the motor such that the rotor assembly rotates about an axis of the drive shaft;
- a rotor frame comprising:
- a hub region for receiving the central hub, the hub region extending radially outward from the central hub and having a circular outer periphery, and
- a cylindrical rim extending axially from the outer periphery of the hub region so as to be coaxial with the drive shaft, the cylindrical rim having an inner surface facing towards the outer surface of the stator assembly;
- a yoke disposed at the inner surface of the cylindrical rim, the yoke having an inner surface facing towards the outer surface of the stator assembly;
- and
- a plurality of magnets disposed at the inner surface of the cylindrical yoke,
- wherein the yoke comprises a helically wound metal strip.
A method of making a rotor assembly comprising:
- forming a yoke using a helically wound metal strip, the yoke having an outer surface and an inner surface;
- disposing magnets about an outer surface of an insert mold;
- positioning the yoke around the magnets such that the inner surface of the yoke faces the magnets;
- placing the insert mold with the magnets and the yoke into an injection mold cavity;
- and
- injection molding a rotor frame where the rotor frame has a cylindrical rim that extends along the outer surface of the yoke.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.