Electric motor drive and housing for an electric motor drive

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric motor drive comprising a housing with a cooling section and a cable connection section, a connecting frame connected to the housing, and a cover for covering the cable connection section. According to the invention, the cover for at least partially covering the cable connection section is connected to the housing and the frame. The invention also relates to a housing for an electric motor drive.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric motor drive comprising a housing with a cooling section and a cable connection section, a connecting frame connected to the housing, and a cover for covering the cable connection section. According to the invention, the cover is connected to the housing and the frame for at least partially covering the cable connection section. The invention also relates to a housing for an electric motor drive.

[0002] Electric motor drives may be installed in environments that could pose risks to their safe operation. Installation may require opening parts of the drive, exposing it to risks such as moisture and / or dirt ingress. To mitigate these risks, special precautions may be necessary, complicating the installation process.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to overcome this problem by providing an improved electric motor drive that maintains a high IP rating even when the drive is installed in hazardous environments. This objective is achieved by an electric motor drive according to claim 1 and an enclosure for an electric motor drive according to claim 10. Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0004] According to claim 1, an electric motor drive is provided, comprising a housing with a cooling section and a cable connection section, a connecting frame connected to the housing, and a cover for covering the cable connection section. According to the invention, the cover is connected to the housing and the frame for at least partially covering the cable connection section. The cooling section may include an air duct inlet and / or outlet with cooling fins and preferably a cooling fan. The cover can be arranged to protect the cable connection section from a particularly hazardous or dirty part of the drive's environment, i.e., the area near the cooling section, which is typically exposed to increased airflow with the associated risks of dirt and moisture.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a cover seal and / or a frame seal are provided between the cover and the housing. The cover seal further improves the protection of the drive interior against the ingress of foreign substances into the drive. The cover seal can be arranged in a plane that is perpendicular to a plane in which the frame is oriented.

[0006] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooling section and the cable connection section point in the same direction. The cooling section and the cable connection section may have openings that are directed in the same direction. The openings may be provided on the same side of the housing 1.

[0007] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooling section, the cable connection section, and the cover are arranged on the same side of the frame. The frame can comprise a planar structure with a wider outer circumference than the outer circumference of the housing. The frame can be designed to connect the drive to a structure, such as an air duct. The frame can be arranged around the entire housing.

[0008] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, some of the drive components are arranged opposite the cooling section with respect to the frame. Most of the drive components can be located on the same side of the frame as the cooling section, so that most of the drive components can be housed, for example, within an air duct in which the drive is located.

[0009] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover is screwed and / or snapped to the housing and / or the frame. The cover may preferably include two holes for screwing in screws, wherein the holes may be oriented perpendicular to a plane of the frame. The frame may include two or more corresponding holes for receiving the screws holding the cover.

[0010] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer circumference of the housing is smaller than the outer circumference of the frame; in particular, the width and length of the housing are smaller than the width and length of the frame. The frame can therefore be used to connect the housing to, for example, an air duct wall from the side of the housing, using, for example, screws.

[0011] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame is provided for connecting the electric motor drive to a surface, wherein the cover and the frame are connected by screws aligned parallel to each other. The surface to which the drive is connected can be a flat surface of an air duct.

[0012] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooling section of the enclosure is sealed to class IP 55 or higher according to IEC / EN 60 529 and / or the cooling section of the enclosure is sealed to class NEMA 12 or higher according to UL50E. The arrangement of the cover facilitates the correct sealing of the drive, especially since the cables connected to the drive are protected by the cover and therefore pose only limited risks to the sealing of the device.

[0013] The invention also relates to an enclosure for an electric motor drive. The enclosure can include all or some of the features described herein in connection with the design of the drive.

[0014] Further details and advantages of the invention are described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the figures. The figures show: the Fig. 1: A perspective view of the electric motor drive with the cover removed; the Fig. 2: another perspective view of the electric motor drive including the cover; and the Fig. 3: A partially separated view of the electric motor drive and its cover.

[0015] The Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the electric motor drive, with cover 6 removed for clarity; the cover is shown in the Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 shows the electric motor drive comprising a housing 1 with a cooling section 2 and a cable connection section 3. The shape of the housing 1 can be approximately a cuboid.

[0016] The housing 1 is connected to a connecting frame 4 for attaching the housing 1 to an external structure, such as a wall (not shown in the figures). The cover 6 is designed to at least partially cover the cable connection section 3. The cable connection section 3 contains connectors for connecting, for example, power and / or control cables to the drive.

[0017] Cooling section 2 can include an air duct inlet and / or outlet with cooling fins and preferably a cooling fan. Cooling section 2 is shown below cable connection section 3. Cable connection section 3 can be arranged between cooling section 2 and frame 4.

[0018] The cover 6 can therefore be arranged to cover the cable connection section 3 against a particularly dangerous or dirty part of the environment of the drive, i.e. the area around the cooling section 2, which is usually exposed to an increased airflow with the associated risks of dirt and moisture.

[0019] A cover seal 51 is provided at a position between the cover 6 and the housing 1. The cover seal 51 can be U-shaped with two vertical sections facing the frame 4 and / or a horizontal and / or central section aligned parallel to the frame 4.

[0020] The cover seal 51 further improves the protection of the drive interior against the ingress of foreign substances into the drive as soon as a cover 6 closes the cable connection section 3 and contacts the cover seal 51, as shown in the Fig. Figure 2 shows that the cover seal 51 can be arranged in a plane that is perpendicular or at another angle to a plane in which the frame 4 is oriented. An additional frame seal can be provided on the frame 4, the frame seal being oriented so that it contacts a surface adjacent to the frame 4, such as an air duct wall.

[0021] Cooling section 2 and cable connection section 3 can point in the same direction. Cooling section 2 can be offset from cable connection section 3 in the direction in which sections 2 and 3 point. Cooling section 2 and cable connection section 3 can have openings that point in the same direction. The openings can be located on the same side of the housing 1.

[0022] The cooling section 2, the cable connection section 3, and the cover 6 are arranged on the same side of the frame 4. The frame 4 can comprise a planar structure with a wider outer circumference than the outer circumference of the housing 1. The frame 4 can be designed to connect the drive to a structure, such as an air duct, not shown in the figure, but which typically extends along the top edge of the frame 4. The frame 4 can include through-holes 41 for connecting the frame 4, and thus the drive, to a structure adjacent to the drive.

[0023] The outer circumference of the housing 1 is smaller than the outer circumference of the frame 4. In particular, the width and length of the housing 1 are smaller than the width and length of the frame 4. The frame 4 can therefore be used to connect the housing 1 to, for example, an air duct wall from the side of the housing 1, using, for example, screws in the through holes 41.

[0024] The Fig. Figure 2 is another perspective view of the electromechanical drive including the cover 6. Here, the cover 6 is shown connected to the housing 1 and the frame 4 and covers the cable connection section 3, which is hidden behind the cover 6 and is only indicated by the arrow of the reference numeral 3.

[0025] The cooling section 2, the cable connection section 3, and the cover 6 are arranged on the same side of the frame 4. The cover 6 is screwed to the frame 4 and snapped into the housing 1.

[0026] In the Fig. In the closed state of the drive shown in Figure 2, the cooling section 2 of the housing 1 can be sealed to class IP 55 or higher according to IEC / EN 60 529 and / or to class NEMA 12 or higher according to UL50E. The arrangement of the cover 6 facilitates the connection of cables to the cable connection section 3 and the correct sealing of the drive, especially since the cables connected to the drive are protected by the cover 6 and therefore pose only limited risks to the sealing of the device.

[0027] The one in Fig. The components shown in Figure 2, such as the housing 1, the frame 4, and / or the cover 6, can be included in the enclosure for the electric motor drive of the present invention. The enclosure can include further features of the drive described above, but not the actual electronic components of the drive.

[0028] The Fig. Figure 3 shows a partially disassembled view of the electric motor drive and its cover 6. The cover 6 is shown detached from the housing 1 and the frame 4. Some of the drive components are located opposite the cooling section 2 with respect to the frame 4. However, most of the drive components can be located on the same side of the frame 6 as the cooling section 2, so that most of the drive components can be housed, for example, within an air duct in which the drive is located. The drive components can therefore be arranged in such a way that efficient cooling of the drive by the airflow in the air duct is possible.

[0029] Frame 4 is designed to connect the electric motor drive to a surface not shown in the figures. Cover 6 and frame 4 can be connected to each other and / or to an adjacent surface by parallel screws. The surface to which the drive is connected can be a flat surface of an air duct.

[0030] The cover 6 preferably includes two bores 61 for screwing in screws, the bores being oriented perpendicular to a plane of the frame 4. The frame 4 may include two or more corresponding bores for receiving the screws holding the cover 6. The cover 6 may be snapped to the housing 1 via a connection 62, such as a snap-fit ​​connection.

Claims

[1] Electric motor drive comprising a housing (1) with a cooling section (2) and a cable connection section (3), a connecting frame (4) connected to the housing (1) and a cover (6) for covering the cable connection section (3), characterized by , that the cover (6) is connected to the housing (1) and the frame (4) to at least partially cover the cable connection section (3). [2] Electric motor drive according to the preceding claim, characterized by , that a cover seal (51) is provided between the cover (6) and the housing (1) and / or that a frame seal is provided on the frame (4). [3] Electric motor drive according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the cooling section (2) and the cable connection section (3) point in the same direction. [4] Electric motor drive according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the cooling section (2), the cable connection section (3) and the cover (6) are arranged on the same side of the frame (4). [5] Electric motor drive according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that part of the drive components are arranged opposite the cooling section (2) with respect to the frame (4). [6] Electric motor drive according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the cover (6) is screwed and / or snapped to the housing (1) and / or the frame (4). [7] Electric motor drive according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the outer circumference of the housing (1) is smaller than the outer circumference of the frame (4) and that, in particular, the width and length of the housing (1) are smaller than the width and length of the frame (4). [8] Electric motor drive according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the frame (4) is provided for connecting the electric motor drive to a surface, wherein the cover (6) and the frame (4) are connected by screws aligned parallel to each other. [9] Electric motor drive according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the cooling section (2) of the enclosure (1) is sealed to class IP 55 or higher according to IEC / EN 60 529 and / or that the cooling section (2) of the enclosure (1) is sealed to class NEMA 12 or higher according to UL50E. [10] Enclosure for an electric motor drive according to one of the preceding claims.

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