Integrated electronically commutated motor and control circuit assembly

A motor assembly comprising:

• an adapter having first and second opposite sides;
• a stationary assembly on the first side of said adapter and having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized to generate an electromagnetic field;
• a rotatable assembly including a plurality of permanent magnet elements in magnetic coupling relation with said stationary assembly;
• first and second substantially flat end members parallel to each other and having inner facing sides between which said stationary assembly and said rotatable assembly are located, each of said members having an outer side opposite its inner side, said first end member being located between said stationary assembly and said adapter;
• a ribbed formation located on the first side of the adapter for spacing the first end member from the first side;
• control means including power switching devices, said control means connected to the winding stages and positioned adjacent the second side of said adapter, for controlling said power switching devices for applying a voltage to one or more of the winding stages at a time and for commutating the winding stages in a preselected sequence to rotate the rotatable assembly about an axis of rotation;
• and
• a cap on the second side of said adapter forming a closure with the adapter within which said control means is loated and including means integral with and projecting laterally from the cap and electrically insulated from and in heat exchange relationship with said power switching devices for dissipating heat generated by said power switching devices wherein said adapter is positioned between the stationary assembly and the rotatable assembly on the first side thereof and the control means and the cap on the second side thereof and wherein said adapter substantially blocks communication between the stationary assembly and the rotatable assembly on the one side and the control means on the other side.

A motor assembly comprising:

• a stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized to generate an electromagnetic field.
• a rotatable assembly including a plurality of permanent magnet elements in magnetic coupling relation with said stationary assembly;
• and
• first and second substantially flat end members parallel to each other and having inner facing sides between which said stationary assembly and said rotatable assembly are located, each of said members having an outer side opposite its inner side;
• control means, connected to the winding stages and positioned adjacent the outer side of said first member, for applying a voltage to one or more of the winding stages at a time and for commutating the winding stages in a preselected sequence to rotate the rotatable assembly about an axis of rotation;
• a cap on the outer side of said first member forming a closure with the first member within which said control means is located, the cap including an edge having a plurality of spacing elements engageable with the outer side of said first member adapted to permit airflow through the cap thereby dissipating heat generated by the assembly;
• and
• a connecting element engaging the second end member and the cap and adapted to urge the second end member and the cap toward each other thereby supporting the first end member, the stationary assembly and the rotatable assembly therebetween.

A motor assembly comprising:

• a stationary assembly having a plurality of winding stages adapted to be electrically energized to generate an electromagnetic field;
• a rotatable assembly including a plurality of permanent magnet elements in magnetic coupling relation with said stationary assembly;
• and
• first and second substantially flat end members parallel to each other and having inner facing sides between which said stationary assembly and said rotatable assembly are located, each of said members having an outer side opposite its inner side;
• control means, connected to the winding stages and positioned adjacent the outer side of said first member, for applying a voltage to one or more of the winding stages at a time and for commutating the winding stages in a preselected sequence to rotate the rotatable assembly about an axis of rotation;
• a cap on the outer side of said first member forming a closure with the first member within which said control means is located, the cap including bolt holes and an edge having a plurality of spacing elements engageable with the outer side of said first member adapted to permit airflow through the cap thereby dissipating heat generated by the assembly, the spacing elements being integral with the bolt holes;
• and
• a connecting element engaging the second end member and passing through the bolt holes in the cap and adapted to urge the second end member and the cap toward each other thereby supporting the first end member, the stationary assembly and the rotatable assembly therebetween.