Grounding device for brushless electric motor
AssigneeCarter Fuel Systems, LLC
InventorRichard W. Harvey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motor includes a rotor assembly includes a rotor and a motor shaft secured to the rotor. The motor further includes stator coils. Circuitry of the motor includes electronic components that cooperatively operate to activate and deactivate the coils to cause the rotor assembly to rotate, and first and second power terminals. An electrically conductive outer housing surrounds the motor. An electrically conductive grounding tab is electrically connected to the first power terminal. The tab contacts a radially-inwardly facing surface of the outer housing to provide a electrostatic discharge path from the outer housing to the ground terminal.
Claims23
An apparatus comprising:
- a motor including:
- a rotor assembly including a rotor and a motor shaft secured to the rotor,
- stator coils,
- circuitry that includes electronic components that cooperatively operate to activate and deactivate the coils in a manner that causes the rotor assembly to rotate, and
- first and second power terminals;
- an electrically conductive outer housing that surrounds the motor;
- and
- an electrically conductive grounding tab that is electrically connected to the first power terminal and that contacts an inwardly-facing surface of the outer housing to provide a electrostatic discharge path from the outer housing to the first power terminal, wherein the grounding tab includes a securing structure and a strip, wherein the securing structure receives the first power terminal, wherein the strip includes a proximal section that is coplanar with the securing structure and an upturned distal section that is substantially perpendicular to the proximal section, and wherein the upturned distal section of the strip pressingly contacts the inwardly-facing surface of the outer housing.
An apparatus comprising:
- a motor including:
- a rotor assembly including a rotor and a motor shaft secured to the rotor,
- stator coils,
- circuitry that includes electronic components that cooperatively operate to activate and deactivate the coils in a manner that causes the rotor assembly to rotate, and
- first and second power terminals;
- an electrically conductive outer housing that surrounds the motor;
- an electrically conductive grounding tab that is electrically connected to the first power terminal and that contacts an inwardly-facing surface of the outer housing to provide a electrostatic discharge path from the outer housing to the first power terminal;
- and
- a jumper strap that includes (i) a terminal-grasping section that grasps the first power terminal and (ii) a cable-grasping section that grasps an conductor of a power cable, wherein the jumper strap presses down on the tab and electrically couples the tab to the first power terminal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.