Fan motor

Abstract

The fan motor according to the present invention comprises a waterproof sealing member 20 fitted into a central seating circular groove 11 of a motor bracket 10; a bearing 30 and a shaft 40 fitted into a protrusion sleeve 12 protruding upwardly from the center of the central seating circular groove 11 of the motor bracket 10; a stator assembly 50 installed at an outer circumference of the shaft 40; a printed circuit board 60 arranged at a lower side of the stator assembly 50; a rotor assembly 70 arranged in an outer circumference of the stator assembly 50 to rotate together with the shaft 40; and a fan assembly 80 coupled to an upper part of the shaft 40 to rotate together with the shaft 40, wherein the waterproof sealing member 20, which is a silicon injection molded product, comprises a central space 21 into which the central protrusion sleeve 12 of the motor bracket 10 is fitted; a central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 protruding upwardly from a circumference of the central space; an outer waterproof rim 23 with a locking protrusion 23A for seating an outer circumference of the printed circuit board 60 for waterproofing; and a terminal guide 24 with a terminal guide hole 24A through which a terminal 90A is guided at one side.

Description

FAN MOTOR

[0001] The present invention relates to a fan motor. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fan motor capable of avoiding damage of the motor by preventing moisture intrusion into a circuit component mounted on a printed circuit board at the bottom of a motor assembly from the outside using a waterproof sealing member, thereby improving reliability of the motor.

[0002] In general, motors used for blowing cool air inside refrigerators or circulating air inside and outside of certain devices are referred to as fan motors. A fan motor is configured such that a lead wire connected to an external power terminal block is connected to a printed circuit board installed inside the fan motor to rotate a fan by a rotating shaft that rotates together with a rotor of the fan motor according to a control signal of a control circuit unit.

[0003] Korean Patent No. 10-1869951 discloses a fan motor. The fan motor comprises a rotor assembly, a stator assembly, a shaft, a bearing, a printed circuit board, a top-covering bracket made of a synthetic resin, a fixed-installation bracket made of a synthetic resin which is attached to machines such as refrigerators, etc., a motor bracket made of a synthetic resin, and a fan fitted into the shaft to rotate.

[0004] The above-mentioned prior art fills a sealing member made of a synthetic resin material in a space formed between a lower surface of the printed circuit board and an inner lower surface of the motor bracket so as to buffer the printed circuit board and safely protect a circuit component mounted on the printed circuit board. Accordingly, the sealing member can buffer and protect the printed circuit board from vibration generated when the rotor rotates. The sealing member is filled through an input formed in an upper part of a locking protrusion formed inside the fixed-installation bracket, after coupling the motor bracket to the fixed-installation bracket.

[0005] As the sealing member, urethane moldings, sealants, curable adhesives, etc., are used. When the sealing member is filled through an input, it takes a long time to cure the sealing member, causing a prolonged assembly process of the motor, thereby requiring excessively high manufacturing costs of the motor. Furthermore, the filling of the sealing member simply gives the buffering function of the printed circuit board, but cannot prevent moisture intrusion into the motor from the outside, leading to malfunction of the motor due to the damage of the circuit component resulting from moisture intrusion, thereby reducing reliability of the motor.

[0006] Accordingly, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention suggests a fan motor of a novel structure capable of sealing moisture that penetrates into a circuit component mounted on the printed circuit board by using a silicon injection molded product.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a fan motor capable preventing moisture intrusion into a printed circuit board to protect a circuit component mounted on the printed circuit board, thereby preventing malfunction of the motor and reducing the manufacturing costs.

[0008] The above and other inherent objects of the present invention may all be easily achieved by the description of the present invention described below.

[0009] The fan motor according to the present invention comprises a waterproof sealing member 20 fitted into a central seating circular groove 11 of a motor bracket 10; a bearing 30 and a shaft 40 fitted into a protrusion sleeve 12 protruding upwardly from the center of the central seating circular groove 11 of the motor bracket 10; a stator assembly 50 installed at an outer circumference of the shaft 40; a printed circuit board 60 arranged at a lower side of the stator assembly 50; a rotor assembly 70 arranged in an outer circumference of the stator assembly 50 to rotate together with the shaft 40; and a fan assembly 80 coupled to an upper part of the shaft 40 to rotate together with the shaft 40, wherein the waterproof sealing member 20, which is a silicon injection molded product, comprises a central space 21 into which the central protrusion sleeve 12 of the motor bracket 10 is fitted; a central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 protruding upwardly from a circumference of the central space; an outer waterproof rim 23 with a locking protrusion 23A for seating an outer circumference of the printed circuit board 60 for waterproofing; and a terminal guide 24 with a terminal guide hole 24A through which a terminal 90A is guided at one side.

[0010] In the present invention, preferably, the stator assembly 50 and the printed circuit board 60 are coupled by seating lower parts of terminal pins 510 and 520 and a dummy pin 530, which are insert-molded by penetrating upper and lower insulators 51 and 52 of the stator assembly 50, in a plurality of fitting recesses 22A formed at regular intervals in the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20.

[0011] In the present invention, preferably, the terminal 90A is fitted into a terminal connection hole 61 of the printed circuit board 60 by fitting a position alignment projection 12A protruding from one side of the protrusion sleeve 12 of the motor bracket 10 into a position alignment recess 22B formed in the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20.

[0012] In the present invention, preferably, a terminal withdrawal step 11A at one side of the central seating circular groove 11 of the motor bracket 10 is seated in a guide jaw 24A' at the bottom of the terminal guide hole 24A of the terminal guide 24.

[0013] In the present invention, preferably, a circuit component mounted on the bottom of the printed circuit board 60 may be arranged in a space S between an outer circumference of the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20 and an inner circumference of the locking protrusion 23A of the outer waterproof rim 23, thereby preventing moisture intrusion into the circuit component mounted on the bottom of the printed circuit board 60.

[0014] The present invention has an effect of shortening the entire assembly time of the motor, thereby lowering the costs for manufacturing the fan motor, by sealing with a waterproof sealing member made of a silicon injection molded product in order to prevent moisture intrusion into a circuit component mounted on the printed circuit board, which allows shortening of the time period required for assembling the printed circuit board and the waterproof sealing member for preventing moisture intrusion into the printed circuit board without needing the curing time, unlike the case of filling urethane or silicon.

[0015] In addition, the present invention has an effect of safely protecting a circuit component mounted on the bottom of the printed circuit board to prevent malfunction of the fan motor, thereby improving reliability of the fan motor, by adhering an upper circumferential surface of a central waterproof protrusion ring frame of the waterproof sealing member to a central lower surface of the printed circuit board, and at the same time, sealing an outer circumference of the printed circuit board while seating the same in a locking protrusion of an outer waterproof rim of the waterproof sealing member to prevent moisture intrusion from the outside.

[0016] In addition, the present invention has an effect of safely protecting a circuit component mounted on the printed circuit board from damage caused by vibration, by seating the lower parts of a terminal pin and a dummy pin, which are insert-molded by penetrating upper and lower insulators of a stator assembly, in a fitting recess formed in the central waterproof protrusion ring frame of the waterproof sealing member so as to absorb vibration generated when a rotor assembly rotates.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a fan motor according to the present invention;

[0018] Fig. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of a fan motor according to the present invention;

[0019] Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state where a stator assembly and a printed circuit board of a fan motor according to the present invention are coupled, (a) is a top perspective view and (b) is a bottom perspective view;

[0020] Fig. 4 is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating a fan motor according to the present invention;

[0021] Fig. 5 is a partially cross-sectional view illustrating a fan motor according to the present invention, focusing on a terminal guide of a waterproof sealing member;

[0022] Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a waterproof sealing member according to the present invention;

[0023] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 6, (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A of Fig. 6, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along B-B;

[0024] Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a motor bracket according to the present invention; and

[0025] Fig. 9 is an overall longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a fan motor according to the present invention.

[0026] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a fan motor according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating a fan motor according to the present invention.

[0028] As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a single-phase brushless fan motor 100 according to the present invention comprises a waterproof sealing member 20 fitted into a central seating circular groove 11 of a motor bracket 10; a bearing 30 and a shaft 40 fitted into a protrusion sleeve 12 protruding upwardly from the center of the central seating circular groove 11 of the motor bracket 10; a stator assembly 50 installed at an outer circumference of the shaft 40; a printed circuit board 60 arranged at a lower side of the stator assembly 50; a rotor assembly 70 arranged in an outer circumference of the stator assembly 50 to rotate together with the shaft 40; and a fan assembly 80 coupled to an upper part of the shaft 40 to rotate together with the shaft 40.

[0029] Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state where a stator assembly 50 and a printed circuit board 60 of a fan motor 100 according to the present invention are coupled, (a) is a top perspective view, and (b) is a bottom perspective view. Fig. 4 is a partially cut-away perspective view illustrating a fan motor 100 according to the present invention. Fig. 5 is a partially cross-sectional view illustrating a fan motor 100 according to the present invention, focusing on a terminal guide 24 of a waterproof sealing member 20. Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a waterproof sealing member 20 according to the present invention. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 6, (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A of Fig. 6, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along B-B. Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a motor bracket 10 according to the present invention. Fig. 9 is an overall longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a fan motor 100 according to the present invention.

[0030] An insulator body 500 constituting the stator assembly 50 is preferably formed by injection molding after positioning a stator core 50A in an insert injection mold. Additionally, the insulator body 500 comprises an upper insulator 51 covering an upper part of the stator core 51 and a lower insulator 52 covering a lower part thereof.

[0031] Also, terminal pins 510 and 520 and a dummy pin 530 described herein are also formed by injection molding after positioning the same in an insert injection mold by the same method as the injection molding of the stator core 51. However, the terminal pins 510 and 520 and dummy pin 530 are maintained to protrude upwardly and downwardly from the upper part of the upper insulator 51 and from the lower part of the lower insulator 52 by penetrating the upper and lower insulators 51 and 52.

[0032] The lower part of the terminal pins 510 and 520 protruding downwardly from the lower part of the lower insulator 52 may be fitted into a circuit component connecting terminal connection hole 62 formed in the printed circuit board 60 for the soldering, so that the stator assembly 50 and the printed circuit board 60 may be coupled to each other. The upper part of the terminal pins 510 and 520 is soldered to the distal end of a coil wound around a teeth insulation part of the upper and lower insulators 51 and 52 to be electrically connected thereto.

[0033] Unlike the prior art which fills a sealing filler and then cures the same, the present invention uses the waterproof sealing member 20 which is injection molded without needing curing time, in order to protect the circuit component mounted on the printed circuit board 60 from moisture, thereby shortening the assembly time of the fan motor 100. The detailed description thereon will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] As illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the waterproof sealing member 20 comprises a central space 21 into which the protrusion sleeve 12 in the center of the motor bracket 10 is fitted; a central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 protruding upwardly from a circumference of the central space; an outer waterproof rim 23 with a locking protrusion 23A for seating an outer circumference of the printed circuit board 60 for waterproofing; and a terminal guide 24 with a terminal guide hole 24A through which a terminal 90A is guided at one side.

[0035] The waterproof sealing member 20 is preferably formed with a silicon injection molded product. The waterproof sealing member 20 formed with a silicon injection molded product has a buffering function due to the unique characteristic of the silicon material, thereby absorbing vibration delivered to the printed circuit board 60 and protecting a circuit component (not illustrated) mounted on a plating layer in the lower surface of the printed circuit board 60 from vibration.

[0036] The central lower part and the lower outer circumferential surface of the printed circuit board 60, to which the weight applies downwardly by the weight of the stator assembly 50 comprising the rotor assembly 70, are respectively in surface contact with the upper circumferential surface of the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20 and the upper circumferential surface of the locking protrusion 23A of the outer waterproof rim 23. Thereby, the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 and locking protrusion 23A have the packing function for sealing.

[0037] Accordingly, a circuit component mounted on the bottom of the printed circuit board 60 is arranged in a space S between an outer circumference of the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20 and an inner circumference of the locking protrusion 23A of the outer waterproof rim 23, so as to prevent moisture intrusion into the circuit component mounted on the bottom of the printed circuit board 60.

[0038] The stator assembly 50 and the printed circuit board 60 may be coupled by seating lower parts of the terminal pins 510 and 520 and dummy pin 530, which are insert-molded by penetrating the upper and lower insulators 51 and 52 of the stator assembly 50, in a plurality of fitting recesses 22A formed at regular intervals in the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20.

[0039] When upward and downward vibration are caused by the fan assembly 80 comprising the rotor assembly 70 and the shaft 40 which rotates upon operation of the fan motor 100, the vibration may be delivered to the printed circuit board 60. However, the present invention may maintain the state where the lower parts of the terminal pins 510 and 520 and dummy pin 530 are seated in the plurality of fitting recesses 22A formed in the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20, so that vibration is absorbed by buffering operation of the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20 which is a silicon injection molded product. Accordingly, the present invention may stably protect the circuit component mounted on the printed circuit board 60 without damages.

[0040] The terminal 90A withdrawn upwardly from a terminal withdrawal step 11A of the motor bracket 10 may be smoothly fitted into the terminal connection hole 61 of the printed circuit board 60 by seating the terminal withdrawal step 11A at one side of the central seating circular groove 11 of the motor bracket 10 in a terminal guide jaw 24A' at the bottom of the terminal guide hole 24A of the terminal guide 24 in the waterproof sealing member 20, thereby providing assembly convenience for electrical connection between the printed circuit board 60 and the terminal 90A.

[0041] Also, the terminal 90A connected to a lead wire 90 withdrawn to the outside may be smoothly fitted into the terminal connection hole 61 of the printed circuit board 60 by fitting a position alignment projection 12A protruding from one side of the protrusion sleeve 12 of the motor bracket 10 into a position alignment recess 22B formed in the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20.

[0042] In the drawings, reference numeral 12B refers to an annular locking rim integrally formed with a lower part of the protrusion sleeve 12 of the motor bracket 10. Additionally, reference numeral 22C refers to an annular locking jaw in a lower inner circumference of the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20. The lower circumferential surface of the annular locking jaw 22C in the lower inner circumference of the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20 is seated in the annular locking rim 12B in the lower part of the protrusion sleeve 12, thereby maintaining the state where the waterproof sealing member 20 is stably fitted into the motor bracket 10.

[0043] It should be noted that the description of the present invention described above is merely an example for understanding the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It should be construed that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims, and all modifications and alternations of the present invention fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1.A fan motor, comprising:a waterproof sealing member 20 fitted into a central seating circular groove 11 of a motor bracket 10;a bearing 30 and a shaft 40 fitted into a protrusion sleeve 12 protruding upwardly from the center of the central seating circular groove 11 of the motor bracket 10;a stator assembly 50 installed at an outer circumference of the shaft 40;a printed circuit board 60 arranged at a lower side of the stator assembly 50;a rotor assembly 70 arranged in an outer circumference of the stator assembly 50 to rotate together with the shaft 40; anda fan assembly 80 coupled to an upper part of the shaft 40 to rotate together with the shaft 40,wherein the waterproof sealing member 20, which is a silicon injection molded product, comprises a central space 21 into which the protrusion sleeve 12 in the center of the motor bracket 10 is fitted; a central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 protruding upwardly from a circumference of the central space; an outer waterproof rim 23 with a locking protrusion 23A for seating an outer circumference of the printed circuit board 60 for waterproofing; and a terminal guide 24 with a terminal guide hole 24A through which a terminal 90A is guided at one side.2.The fan motor of claim 1, wherein the stator assembly 50 and the printed circuit board 60 are coupled by seating lower parts of terminal pins 510 and 520 and a dummy pin 530, which are insert-molded by penetrating upper and lower insulators 51 and 52 of the stator assembly 50, in a plurality of fitting recesses 22A formed at regular intervals in the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20.3.The fan motor of claim 1, wherein the terminal 90A is fitted into a terminal connection hole 61 of the printed circuit board 60 by fitting a position alignment projection 12A protruding from one side of the protrusion sleeve 12 of the motor bracket 10 into a position alignment recess 22B formed in the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20.4.The fan motor of claim 1, wherein a terminal withdrawal step 11A at one side of the central seating circular groove 11 of the motor bracket 10 is seated in a guide jaw 24A' at the bottom of the terminal guide hole 24A of the terminal guide 24.5.The fan motor of claim 1, wherein a circuit component mounted on the bottom of the printed circuit board 60 is arranged in a space S between an outer circumference of the central waterproof protrusion ring frame 22 of the waterproof sealing member 20 and an inner circumference of the locking protrusion 23A of the outer waterproof rim 23, thereby preventing moisture intrusion into the circuit component mounted on the bottom of the printed circuit board 60.

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