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US 4,734,602 AGranted
Motor protector receptacle for a refrigeration compressor
AssigneeAmerican Standard Inc.
InventorsBret R. Hauser, Thomas E. Jensen
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAmerican Standard Inc.
InventorsBret R. Hauser, Thomas E. Jensen
Estimating the term…
A device for mounting a thermal overload protector to the motor of a hermetic refrigeration compressor. The overload protector is temperature responsive and is operative to protectively interrupt the current to the motor when the stator windings, rotor, or other heat source in the compressor overheats due to a compressor overload. The protector's mounting device is a plastic receptacle having a shield connected by an integral hinge. The hinge not only facilitates manufacturing the receptacle as a unitary part by an injection molding process, but also enables the shield to be opened for inserting the overload protector into the receptacle. The overload protector is held firmly in place by a U-shaped bracket integrally disposed inside the receptacle. A U-shaped groove runs along the inner edge of the bracket and is designed to slidingly engage protectors of various shapes. The receptacle includes an opening on one side of the protector opposite the heat retaining shield. The receptacle is mounted so that the opening exposes the overload protector to the heat source while the shield traps heated refrigerant around the overload protector and also helps minimize heat loss from the protector, thus improving its response to heat resulting from overload.
A device for mounting a heat responsive overload protector near a heat source, said mounting device comprising a receptacle having a heat retaining shield and adapted to hold said overload protector between said heat source and said shield such that one side of said overload protector faces toward said heat source in heat exchange relationship therewith, and an opposite side of said overload protector faces away from said heat source and toward said heat retaining shield so that said shield helps prevent heat loss from said protector, said receptacle also having an opening for providing a fluid passage directly between said heat source and said overload protector.
A device for mounting a heat responsive overload protector within a hermetic shell of a motor driven compressor used for compressing a fluid, said mounting device comprising a receptacle disposed within said shell and including a heat retaining shield, said receptacle adapted to hold said overload protector between said compressor motor and said shield with one side of said overload protector facing toward said compressor motor in heat exchange relationship therewith, and an opposite side of said overload protector facing toward but spaced apart from said heat retaining shield so that said shield helps trap fluid heated by said motor around said protector and helps prevent heat loss from said protector, said receptacle also having an opening for providing a fluid passage directly between said heat source and said overload projector.
A method of protecting a hermetic compressor driven by a motor and used to compress a fluid, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.