Abstract: A voltage regulating device for an electric motor has programmable control and regulation circuits carried by a circuit board mounted in a sealed support casing. The circuits have at least one programming terminal which is accessible from outside the support casing to enable programming of the circuits without opening the support casing.

Abstract: A cooling assembly for a motor vehicle provided with a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine. The assembly has a radiator intended to be supplied with a flow of a liquid coolant coming from the engine, a condenser for use in an air-conditioning system of the vehicle, mounted facing the radiator, and a ventilation assembly. The ventilation assembly includes a plate-like shroud mounted facing the condenser, on a side remote from the radiator, and carrying a motor-driven fan capable of inducing a flow of air through the radiator and the condenser. The ventilation assembly is connected directly to the radiator, and the condenser is directly connected to the ventilation assembly and/or the radiator such that it is separately detachable and extractable, and possibly mountable again, leaving the ventilation assembly and the radiator in place.

Abstract: A ventilation assembly for a heat exchanger of a motor vehicle, has plate-like support structure with a main flow opening. A ventilator, including an electric motor and a fan, is mounted in the main flow opening. A voltage regulating device is fixed to the support structure and connected to the electric motor. The voltage regulating device has a support casing and a heat dissipater connected to the support casing. The voltage regulating device is fixed to the support structure in the region of but outside of the main flow opening, with the support casing and the heat dissipater being disposed in planes which are at least approximately parallel with the axis of the fan and of the main flow opening.

Abstract: A control device for an electric motor of a cooling fan for the radiator of a motor vehicle has a control transistor connected to the motor, and an electronic control unit for controlling the speed of the motor. The control unit controls the transistor in such a manner as to limit the current flowing in the motor to a predetermined value when, by effect of the load conditions of the motor and the voltage applied to the motor, the current in the motor tends to exceed the predetermined value.

Abstract: A ventilation assembly has a support structure, an electric motor and a fan connected to the motor. The fan has a cup-like hub with an annular side wall and a bottom wall and which define internally a housing in which the motor extends. The hub further has a plurality of internal vanes for the ventilation of the motor, that extend from the side wall of the hub. The support structure has at least one arcuate formation which is coaxial with the axis of the fan and which extends axially inside the hub of the fan, in a partially interpenetrated relationship with the side wall of the hub to form a labyrinth-like radial path between external and internal regions with respect to the hub.

Abstract: The system has a driving circuit for the motor of the electric fan, coupled to the electrical system of a motor vehicle and having a plurality of controlled electronic switches, and an electronic control unit arranged to control the driving circuit in such a way as to cause the flow in the motor of a variable average current capable of producing a required speed of rotation, in accordance with a predetermined relationship or function. The control unit is designed to store a predetermined threshold of rotation speed, and to control the motor through the associated driving circuit in such a way that when the rotational speed of the motor exceeds the threshold the driving circuit causes electrical braking of the motor.

Abstract: A fan, for a ventilation assembly has blades extending from a cup-shaped central hub. The hub has an annular side wall and a bottom wall defining a receptacle for an electric motor. The hub has internal ribs for ventilation of the motor. Each rib has a longitudinal portion which extends along the side wall, a radial portion which extends along the bottom wall and an intermediate portion having an arcuate, transversely protruding profile. The longitudinal portion has a profile whose spacing from the side wall of the hub increases, from a minimum value remote from the bottom wall to a maximum value adjacent the bottom wall.

Abstract: A voltage regulator for a pair of electric motors has an input for a signal indicative of the desired speed for the motors and a pulse width modulation control circuit device. A control module provides a conditioning signal to the control circuit to output to the motors a square wave voltage having a duty-cycle which varies according to a predetermined function of the signal applied to the input of the regulator. The control circuit device has first and second electronic solid state switches associated with the motor and controlled by the control module.

Abstract: A brush holder for an electrical motor has an electrically insulating support structure supporting a number of brushes. The support structure has a molded-plastic body incorporating conducting elements forming conductive paths for connecting the brushes to a power supply. A discontinuity is provided in one of the connection paths. A resiliently deformable and electrically conductive strip is connected across the discontinuity with a substantially permanent connection at one end and a heat-meltable connection at the other, with a resilient pre-load tending to break the heat-meltable connection. A voltage drop resistor is provided for operating the motor at a reduced speed. One terminal of the resistor is connected to one side of the discontinuity via a thermally and electrically conducting connection.

Abstract: A rotor of an electric motor has a carrier structure including a disc portion to which is centrally connected a shaft, and the periphery of which is joined to an essentially cylindrical annular skirt portion which in use extends coaxially around the stator. The disc portion has a plurality of slots between which there is defined a corresponding plurality of spokes. At least some of the spokes have, in a circumferential direction, a transverse cross-section shaped in a manner to induce, at least when the rotor rotates in one direction, an at least approximately axial air flow through corresponding slots.

Abstract: An electronic control unit, has a casing accommodating a printed circuit board. The casing has a molded plastic intermediate structure having a frame. Two electrically conductive members are partially embedded in the intermediate structure during the course of molding and are connected to the printed circuit board forming output terminals of the control unit. Two flexible conductors, provided with corresponding electrically insulating coverings, connect the control unit to an apparatus to be controlled. Each conductor has an end permanently connected to a respective one of the conductive members and the connection between the conductors and the conductive members are covered and sealed in a fluid-tight way by an electrically insulating material.

Abstract: A permanent magnet rotor for a brushless electric motor of the kind with an internal stator, has a carrier structure of molded plastic that includes a disc portion fixed to a shaft. The disc portion has a periphery joined to a substantially cylindrical cage portion coaxial with the shaft. The cage portion accommodates a magnetic flux conducting structure forming an wall which is coaxial with the shaft, and a plurality of permanent magnets shaped as ring segments, disposed at angular intervals within and adjacent to the flux conducting structure. Each magnet has its circumferentially terminal faces parallel with each other or converging in the outward direction. The cage portion is overmolded onto the flux conducting structure and has a plurality of angularly spaced struts which are essentially parallel to the axis of the rotor and which protrude radially inwards.

Abstract: A stator connector has an annular carrier structure adapted to be superposed on and fixed to the central annular portion of the stator and manufactured from an electrically insulating plastic overmolded onto a group of N conducting members which are separated from each other and electrically insulated by said plastic and having a generally arcuate shape. The conducting members have respective first projections extending out of the annular carrier structure. These first projections are adapted to be connected, in particular by soldering or welding, to terminals or ends of coils of the stator. Each conducting member further has at least one additional connection projection extending out of the annular carrier structure to form phase terminals for the stator.

Abstract: A permanent magnet rotor for an brushless electric motor of the kind having an internal stator, has a supporting structure made of molded plastic that includes an essentially disc-shaped portion to which a shaft is centrally connected. The periphery of the disc is joined to an essentially cylindrical cage portion which extends coaxially around the shaft. A plurality of magnetically conductive yokes are disposed in the cage portion. The yokes are shaped as ring segments which as a whole form an essentially cylindrical wall. A plurality of ring segment permanent magnets are each disposed astride the junction of a pair of adjacent yokes. Each yoke has a dimension which increases from the circumferential ends thereof towards its circumferentially intermediate portion, such that the cross-sectional area of the yoke in a radial plane correspondingly increases from the ends thereof towards its intermediate portion.

Abstract: A brush holder for a motor. The brush holder includes a plastic support structure corresponding incorporating at least a first and a second essentially rigid conducting element connected, respectively, between positive and negative brush or brushes and associated connecting members to form corresponding connecting paths in the brush holder for connecting the brushes to the terminals of an external source of supply voltage. At least one discontinuity is provided in at least one of the connecting paths. A resiliently deformable and electrically conducting strip is connected mechanically and electrically across this discontinuity, with a substantially permanent connection at one end, and with a thermally fusible connection at the other end, the strip having a resilient pre-loading which tends to break the connection at the said other end.

Abstract: A breather valve device for a container for an electronic control unit, includes a support structure including, a substantially planar wall having first and second surfaces intended to face outwardly and inwardly of the container respectively, and in which is formed an aperture, and a projecting, essentially cylindrical, tubular wall extending from the first surface of the planar wall, substantially around the aperture; an interceptor element having a smaller cross section than the passage cross section of the tubular wall and of the aperture; the interceptor element being disposed inside an axially intermediate portion of the tubular wall, spaced radially from the latter so as to define, with respect to the tubular wall, a narrow annular gap; the interceptor element being connected to the support structure by at least one connector formation. The support structure, the interceptor element and the connector formation are integrally formed in one piece of molded plastics material.

Abstract: The control unit comprises a printed circuit board on which is mounted a plurality of components such as MOSFET transistors, in particular components of the so-called SMD type; and a support of plastics material, including a frame which has two opposite perimetral edges and from which extends at least one external integral formation in the form of an electric connector element in which are provided electrically conductive connector terminals which have respective ends which extend partly into the frame in a direction essentially orthogonal to the general plane of the frame, towards the first perimetral edge of this latter.