Motor for a wet surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a motor for a wet surface cleaning device, the motor comprising a base shell and a motor body mounted on the base shell, the base shell being hollow inside to form a first accommodating cavity, the motor body comprising a rotating shaft, the rotating shaft extending out of the base shell; the motor is configured to generate airflow by driving the rotating shaft; wherein the motor comprises a waterproof sealing structure, the waterproof sealing structure is arranged on the side of the rotating shaft extending out of the base shell, the waterproof sealing structure is configured to prevent liquid from entering the first accommodating cavity by filling waterproof grease through a multi-layer labyrinth structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a motor for a wet surface cleaning device, specifically to a technology for waterproofing motors in devices for cleaning floors, carpets, or other surfaces, particularly in the field of household surface cleaning devices. Background Technology

[0002] Wet household surface cleaning appliances and floor scrubbers need to cope with humid environments during operation. Electrical components inside the motor (such as the drive board) are susceptible to moisture corrosion, leading to short circuits or damage. In existing technologies, motors typically use single-layer labyrinth rings or oil seals as waterproofing methods. These methods attempt to prevent liquids from entering the motor through simple physical barriers, such as utilizing the tortuous path of the labyrinth ring or the sealing contact of the oil seal to reduce moisture penetration. However, these traditional designs have limited waterproofing effectiveness in high humidity or direct liquid contact scenarios, making it difficult to meet the high reliability requirements of equipment such as floor scrubbers. Utility Model Content

[0003] This disclosure provides a motor for wet surface cleaning equipment (such as a floor scrubber), characterized by an enhanced waterproof structure to ensure reliable operation in high humidity environments. The motor includes a base housing and a motor body mounted on the base housing. The base housing is hollow to form a first receiving cavity. The motor body includes a shaft extending beyond the base housing. The motor is configured to generate airflow via the shaft. The motor includes a waterproof sealing structure located on the side of the shaft extending from the base housing. This waterproof sealing structure is configured to prevent liquid from entering the first receiving cavity through a multi-layer labyrinth structure and waterproof grease filling. A key feature of the motor is the waterproof sealing structure located where the shaft extends from the base housing. This sealing structure employs a multi-layer labyrinth structure and is internally filled with waterproof grease to prevent liquid from entering the first receiving cavity, thereby protecting critical electrical components such as the drive board from moisture-related damage.

[0004] In some embodiments, the waterproof sealing structure includes a double-sided labyrinth ring that mates with a sealing portion comprising the inner side of a fixed impeller and the outer side of a base shell. The upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring engages with the inner side of the fixed impeller to form a first labyrinth structure, while the lower side engages with the outer side of the base shell to form a second labyrinth structure. These labyrinth structures have staggered annular protrusions, forming an intricate sealing path, with waterproof grease filled in the gaps to improve the sealing effect. Furthermore, a third labyrinth structure can be formed between the inner wall of the second fixed impeller and the outer wall of the base shell to further strengthen the waterproof barrier. The motor also includes a moving impeller and a baffle plate that encloses the moving impeller, forming a second accommodating cavity with a first air inlet and a first air outlet, facilitating airflow cooling, while the waterproof sealing structure prevents liquid from seeping into the interface between the shaft and the base shell.

[0005] In some embodiments, the waterproof sealing structure includes a double-sided labyrinth ring and a sealing portion that mates with the double-sided labyrinth ring. The sealing portion includes the inner side of the fixed impeller and the outer side of the base shell. The upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring and the inner side of the fixed impeller form a first labyrinth structure, which is filled with waterproof grease.

[0006] In some embodiments, the upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring is provided with a first annular protrusion, and the inner side of the fixed impeller near the shaft is provided with a second annular protrusion. The first annular protrusion and the second annular protrusion are misaligned and maintain a gap to form a first annular sealing structure, and the first annular sealing structure is filled with waterproof grease.

[0007] In some embodiments, the lower side of the double-sided labyrinth ring forms a second labyrinth structure with the outer side of the base shell, and the second labyrinth structure is filled with waterproof grease.

[0008] In some embodiments, the lower side of the double-sided labyrinth ring is provided with a third annular protrusion, and the outer side of the base shell is provided with a fourth annular protrusion near the pivot. The third annular protrusion and the fourth annular protrusion are misaligned and maintain a gap to form a second annular sealing structure, which is filled with waterproof grease.

[0009] In some embodiments, the fourth annular protrusion includes at least two, with an annular groove formed between the two fourth annular protrusions, and the third annular protrusion engages with the annular groove and maintains a gap to enhance the waterproof effect of the second labyrinth structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, the fixed impeller includes a first fixed impeller and a second fixed impeller, which are sequentially mounted on the top of the base shell. The first fixed impeller and the upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring form the first labyrinth structure, and the second fixed impeller and the lower side of the double-sided labyrinth ring form the first labyrinth structure.

[0011] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the second fixed impeller is provided with a fifth annular protrusion near the shaft, and the outer wall of the base shell is provided with a second annular groove near the shaft. The fifth annular protrusion and the second annular groove cooperate and maintain a gap to form a third labyrinth structure, and the third labyrinth structure is filled with waterproof grease.

[0012] In some embodiments, the base shell includes a shell body and a rear cover. The rear cover is detachably disposed at the bottom opening of the shell body and together with the base shell encloses the first accommodating cavity. The waterproof sealing structure enhances the sealing performance of the first accommodating cavity through a multi-layer labyrinth structure and waterproof grease filling.

[0013] In some embodiments, a shroud and a moving impeller are also included. The shroud covers the moving impeller and forms a second accommodating cavity. The moving impeller is driven to rotate by a rotating shaft to generate airflow. In the second accommodating cavity, the waterproof sealing structure prevents liquid from entering the first accommodating cavity through the connection between the rotating shaft and the base shell. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary examples of this disclosure and, together with its description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. These drawings are included to provide a further understanding of this disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a motor for a household surface cleaning device, according to an example of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2 This is an exploded schematic diagram of a motor for a household surface cleaning device according to an example of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a perspective cross-sectional view of a motor for a household surface cleaning device, according to an example of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a double-sided sealing ring according to an example of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 5 This is another perspective view of a double-sided sealing ring according to an example of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a motor for a household surface cleaning device according to an example of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A partial enlarged view of the cross-sectional schematic diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific examples described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0023] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the examples and features in this disclosure can be combined with each other. The technical solutions of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0024] Unless otherwise stated, the exemplary examples / exemplaries shown are to be understood as providing exemplary features of various details that provide some ways in which the technical concepts of this disclosure can be implemented in practice. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the features of the various examples / exemplaries may be additionally combined, separated, interchanged and / or rearranged without departing from the technical concepts of this disclosure.

[0025] Existing waterproof designs for floor scrubber motors have significant shortcomings. The main problem lies in the limited sealing capacity of single-layer labyrinth rings or oil seals, which cannot effectively prevent liquid from seeping into the motor through the gap between the shaft and the housing. During floor scrubbing operations, water vapor or liquid splashing is unavoidable. Traditional waterproof structures struggle to withstand continuous or high-pressure liquid intrusion, leading to short circuits or burnouts in electrical components (such as the drive board) due to moisture. This failure not only reduces the motor's lifespan but can also cause equipment malfunctions and increase maintenance costs. Furthermore, the sealing performance of single-layer waterproof designs deteriorates further under dynamic operation (such as high-speed shaft rotation), exacerbating the risk of water vapor penetration. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a motor structure that can provide strong waterproofing in high-humidity environments to ensure the safe operation of electrical components while maintaining ease of assembly and cost-effectiveness.

[0026] This disclosure provides a motor for a floor scrubber that solves the aforementioned technical problems through a multi-layered waterproof structure. The motor includes a base housing, a motor body, a moving impeller, and a fan shroud. A first accommodating cavity is formed inside the base housing to accommodate the motor body. The motor body includes a shaft, a rotor, a stator, and a drive plate. The shaft extends to the outside of the base housing and connects to the moving impeller to generate airflow. A waterproof sealing structure is provided on the side of the shaft extending from the base housing. This structure forms a triple protective barrier through a multi-layered labyrinth design and waterproof grease filling, preventing liquid from entering the first accommodating cavity. The waterproof sealing structure includes a double-sided labyrinth ring and a sealing portion. The sealing portion is formed by the inner side of the stator impeller and the outer side of the base housing, respectively forming a first labyrinth structure (upper side of the labyrinth ring and the stator impeller), a second labyrinth structure (lower side of the labyrinth ring and the outer side of the base housing), and a third labyrinth structure (inner wall and outer wall of the base housing). Each labyrinth structure extends the liquid penetration path through staggered protrusions and grooves and is filled with waterproof grease to enhance sealing. This solution isolates the drive plate from external moisture through multiple layers of physical barriers and grease filling, ensuring reliable motor operation in humid environments.

[0027] The motor disclosed herein significantly improves waterproof performance through a multi-layer labyrinth structure and waterproof grease filling, achieving an IPX7 rating and withstanding immersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes without damage. Compared to existing single-layer labyrinth rings or oil seals, this disclosure effectively prevents liquid intrusion through a triple waterproof barrier, ensuring safe operation of the drive plate in high-humidity environments (such as floor scrubber operations) and extending motor life. The staggered protrusion and groove design extends the liquid penetration path, while grease filling fills tiny gaps, enhancing dynamic sealing and overcoming the failure risk of traditional designs during shaft rotation. Furthermore, the detachable design of the base shell and rear cover simplifies the assembly process and reduces production and maintenance costs. Compared to existing technologies that rely on complex seals or high-cost materials, this solution achieves strong waterproofing with a simple structure, balancing economy and reliability, making it particularly suitable for household and industrial floor scrubbers and possessing significant commercial value.

[0028] Other aspects of this disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the disclosure. An embodiment of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] The embodiments described herein and the configurations shown in the accompanying drawings are merely exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. Modifications may be made in various ways to replace the embodiments and drawings herein at the time of filing this application.

[0030] Furthermore, the same reference numerals or markings shown in the accompanying drawings indicate elements or components that perform essentially the same function.

[0031] Similarly, the terminology used herein is for describing embodiments and is not intended to limit and / or constrain this disclosure. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “an,” “a,” and “the” also include the plural forms. In this document, terms such as “comprising,” “having,” etc., are used to specify the presence of a feature, quantity, step, operation, element, component, or combination thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, steps, operations, components, or combinations thereof.

[0032] It is understood that although this document may use terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., to describe various elements, these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and a second element may be referred to as a first element. The term “and / or” includes a combination of multiple related items or any one of multiple related items.

[0033] In the following detailed description, terms such as "front side", "rear side", "left side", and "right side" may be defined by the accompanying drawings, but the shape and position of the parts are not limited by these terms.

[0034] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this disclosure proposes a motor 100, including: a fan cover 110, a base housing 120, a motor body 130 installed within the base housing 120, and a moving impeller 140 installed within the fan cover 110. The base housing 120 is hollow inside to form a first receiving cavity 121, facilitating the installation of the motor body 130 onto the base housing 120. The motor 100 includes a rear cover 122. The base housing 120 is hollow inside and has an opening at its bottom end. The rear cover 122 is detachably placed over the bottom opening of the base housing 120 to form the first receiving cavity 121. Therefore, when installing the motor body 130, the rear cover 122 can be removed from the base housing 120, allowing the motor body 130 to be easily installed onto the base housing 120. The motor body 130 includes a rotating shaft 131 rotatably disposed on the fan cover 110 and the base shell 120, a magnetic ring 132 located in the first accommodating cavity 121 and fixed on the rotating shaft 131, a stator 133 disposed in the first accommodating cavity 121 and surrounding the magnetic ring 132, and a circuit board (not shown) located in the first accommodating cavity 121 and electrically connected to the stator 133.

[0035] The portion of the rotating shaft 131 extending outside the base shell 120 is connected to the moving impeller 140. In this disclosure, the outer top end of the rotating shaft 131 extends outside the base shell 120, and the outer top end of the rotating shaft 131 is connected to the moving impeller 140. The moving impeller 140 rotates with the rotation of the rotating shaft 131. A shroud 110 is located on the side of the base shell 120 away from the rear cover 122 and covers the moving impeller 140. The shroud 110 is hollow inside to form a second receiving cavity 111. An air inlet communicating with the second receiving cavity 111 is formed on the side of the shroud 110 away from the shroud 110, and an air outlet communicating with the second receiving cavity 111 is formed on the other side of the shroud 110 near the shroud 110. The moving impeller 140 is located inside the second receiving cavity 111. The impeller 140 has an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet is connected to the fixed impeller, and the air outlet is connected to the outside atmosphere. When the shaft 131 drives the impeller 140 to rotate, air enters the second accommodating cavity 111 from the air inlet and then flows through the impeller air inlet to the impeller air outlet. This creates a vacuum effect within the second accommodating cavity 111, resulting in negative pressure in the second accommodating cavity 111.

[0036] The motor also includes a fixed impeller 160, which has the functions of guiding airflow and reducing noise. The fixed impeller 160 is detachably mounted on the outer top of the base housing 120 and located inside the fan shroud. To improve the guiding effect on airflow, the fixed impeller 160 includes a first fixed impeller 161 and a second fixed impeller 162, which are fixed to the outer top of the base housing 120 by screws. One end of the rotating shaft 131 extends from the base housing 120 to the outside and passes through the second fixed impeller 162, the first fixed impeller 161, and the moving impeller 140 in sequence, that is, the second fixed impeller 162, the first fixed impeller 161, and the moving impeller 140 are arranged sequentially from the air inlet to the air outlet. The shroud 110 covers the moving impeller 140 and the first fixed impeller 161, and abuts against the side of the second fixed impeller 162 away from the shroud 110, thus the second fixed impeller 162 and the shroud 110 together form the second receiving cavity 111. The moving impeller 140 and the first fixed impeller 161 are located within the second receiving cavity 111. When the moving impeller 140 rotates, airflow enters from the air inlet outside the bottom end of the second fixed impeller, then flows through the first fixed impeller 161 to the moving impeller 140, and after passing through the moving impeller 140, it is discharged through the air outlet. The airflow discharged from the shroud 110 enters the outside atmosphere. By setting the first fixed impeller 161 and the second fixed impeller 162, the guiding effect on the airflow direction can be improved, more air volume can be guided per unit time, the power of the moving impeller 140 to draw in air can be increased, and thus the heat dissipation effect of the airflow on the motor can be improved.

[0037] To prevent moisture from entering the base shell 120 through the gap at the connection of the rotating shaft 131, a waterproof sealing structure is required. This waterproof sealing structure is located on one side of the rotating shaft 131 extending circumferentially out of the base shell 120. The waterproof sealing structure includes a double-sided labyrinth ring and a sealing part that mates with the double-sided labyrinth ring. Specifically, the fan cover 110 is concentrically positioned and installed on the upper part of the base shell 120. The double-sided labyrinth ring 170 is installed on the rotating shaft 131. Then, the first fixed impeller 161 is installed on the upper end of the double-sided labyrinth ring 170, contacting the second fixed impeller 162 and secured with screws. After the base shell 120, the double-sided labyrinth ring 170, and the first and second fixed impellers 161 and 162 are coaxially installed, a multi-layered labyrinth structure will appear.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, specifically, a first labyrinth structure is formed between the upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring 170 and the inner side of the first fixed impeller 161; a second labyrinth structure is formed between the lower side of the double-sided labyrinth ring 170 and the outer side of the second fixed impeller 162. More specifically, as... Figure 4 and 5As shown, a first annular protrusion 171 is provided on the upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring 170, and a second annular protrusion 1611 is provided on the inner side of the first fixed impeller 161 near the rotating shaft 131. When the double-sided labyrinth ring 170 and the first fixed impeller 161 are both assembled in place, the first annular protrusion 171 and the second annular protrusion 1611 are misaligned and maintain a gap to form a first annular sealing structure RS1. A third annular protrusion 172 is provided on the lower side of the double-sided labyrinth ring 170, and a fourth annular protrusion 123 is provided on the outer side of the base shell 120 near the rotating shaft 131. When the double-sided labyrinth ring 170 and the base shell 120 are assembled in place, the third annular protrusion 172 and the fourth annular protrusion 123 are misaligned and maintain a gap to form a second annular sealing structure RS2. In another example, at least two fourth annular protrusions 123 are included, with an annular groove 124 formed between the two fourth annular protrusions 123, and a third annular protrusion 172 engages with and maintains a gap with the annular groove 124 formed between the two fourth annular protrusions 123 to form the second annular sealing structure RS2.

[0039] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, at least one of the first annular sealing structure RS1 and the second annular sealing structure RS2 is filled with waterproof grease. Specifically, the gaps in the first annular sealing structure RS1 and / or the gaps in the second annular sealing structure RS2 are filled with waterproof grease. When liquid (e.g., water) enters the motor, the double-sided labyrinth ring 170, the first stator impeller 161, and the waterproof grease form a first waterproof structure; the double-sided labyrinth ring 170, the fan shroud 110, and the waterproof grease form a second waterproof structure, thereby enhancing the motor's waterproof performance.

[0040] In one example, the second fixed impeller 162 and the base housing 120 form a third annular sealing structure RS3. Specifically, a fifth annular protrusion 163 is provided on the inner wall of the second fixed impeller 162 near the shaft 131, and a second annular groove 125 is provided on the outer wall of the base housing 120 near the shaft 131. When both are assembled in place, the fifth annular protrusion 163 and the second annular groove 125 engage and maintain a gap, forming a third labyrinth structure. Optionally, the third labyrinth structure is filled with waterproof grease, thereby forming a third waterproof structure. Combining the first and second waterproof structures described above, the three waterproof structures greatly enhance the waterproof performance of the motor.

[0041] The above description of the examples in this disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to its precise form. Those skilled in the art will understand that many modifications and variations are possible based on the above disclosure.

[0042] Any step, operation, or process described in this disclosure may be performed or implemented by one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In one example, the software module is implemented by a computer program product including a computer-readable medium containing computer program code executable by a computer processor to perform any or all of the described steps, operations, or processes.

[0043] Finally, the language used in this specification has been chosen primarily for readability and instructional purposes and may not have been chosen to define or limit the subject matter of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to this detailed description, but rather to any claims made on this basis. Thus, the illustrative disclosure of this specification is intended to illustrate, and not limit, the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A motor for a wet surface cleaning device, characterized in that: The motor includes a base housing and a motor body mounted on the base housing. The base housing is hollow to form a first receiving cavity. The motor body includes a rotating shaft that extends outside the base housing. The motor is configured to generate airflow via a rotating shaft; The motor includes a waterproof sealing structure located on one side of the shaft extending from the base housing. The waterproof sealing structure is configured to prevent liquid from entering the first accommodating cavity through a multi-layer labyrinth structure and waterproof grease filling.

2. The motor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waterproof sealing structure includes a double-sided labyrinth ring and a sealing part that cooperates with the double-sided labyrinth ring. The sealing part includes the inner side of the fixed impeller and the outer side of the base shell. The upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring and the inner side of the fixed impeller form a first labyrinth structure, and the first labyrinth structure is filled with waterproof grease.

3. The motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring is provided with a first annular protrusion, and the inner side of the fixed impeller is provided with a second annular protrusion near the shaft. The first annular protrusion and the second annular protrusion are misaligned and maintain a gap to form a first annular sealing structure. The first annular sealing structure is filled with waterproof grease.

4. The motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lower side of the double-sided labyrinth ring and the outer side of the base shell form a second labyrinth structure, which is filled with waterproof grease.

5. The motor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lower side of the double-sided labyrinth ring is provided with a third annular protrusion, and the outer side of the base shell is provided with a fourth annular protrusion near the pivot. The third annular protrusion and the fourth annular protrusion are misaligned and maintain a gap to form a second annular sealing structure, which is filled with waterproof grease.

6. The motor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fourth annular protrusion includes at least two, and an annular groove is formed between the two fourth annular protrusions. The third annular protrusion cooperates with the annular groove and maintains a gap to enhance the waterproof effect of the second labyrinth structure.

7. The motor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixed impeller includes a first fixed impeller and a second fixed impeller, which are sequentially installed on the top of the base shell. The first fixed impeller and the upper side of the double-sided labyrinth ring form the first labyrinth structure, and the second fixed impeller and the lower side of the double-sided labyrinth ring form the first labyrinth structure.

8. The motor according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inner wall of the second fixed impeller is provided with a fifth annular protrusion near the shaft, and the outer wall of the base shell is provided with a second annular groove near the shaft. The fifth annular protrusion and the second annular groove cooperate and maintain a gap to form a third labyrinth structure, which is filled with waterproof grease.

9. The motor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base shell includes a shell body and a rear cover. The rear cover is detachably installed at the bottom opening of the shell body and together with the base shell, it encloses the first accommodating cavity. The waterproof sealing structure enhances the sealing performance of the first accommodating cavity through a multi-layer labyrinth structure and waterproof grease filling.

10. The motor according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a shroud and a moving impeller. The shroud covers the moving impeller and forms a second accommodating cavity. The moving impeller is driven to rotate by a rotating shaft to generate airflow. In the second accommodating cavity, the waterproof sealing structure prevents liquid from entering the first accommodating cavity through the connection between the rotating shaft and the base shell.

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