Abstract: A terminal box assembly for use with an electric motor assembly having a housing includes an annular adaptor fixedly coupled to the housing, a mounting hub extending from the housing and positioned within the adaptor, and an annular terminal box rotatably coupled to the adaptor. The terminal box includes a baseplate having a central opening defined therein and configured to receive the mounting hub therethrough. The terminal box assembly also includes a mounting bracket coupled to the mounting hub and positioned within the terminal box such that the baseplate is positioned between the mounting bracket and the adaptor. At least one fastener is inserted through an opening in the mounting bracket and is configured to selectively engage the base plate to compress the terminal box and the adaptor together.

Abstract: A motor controller for an electric motor for driving a blower to generate an airflow. The motor controller includes a processor and a drive circuit configured to regulate power supplied to the motor to turn the blower. The processor computes a system resistance for the blower based on a fixed set point for a first control parameter and a feedback parameter. The processor receives an airflow rate demand value and computes an operating set point for a second control parameter based on the system resistance and the airflow rate demand value. The processor controls the drive circuit based on the operating set point to supply electrical power to the electric motor and to operate the blower to generate the airflow.

Abstract: A modular transfer system with a primary flow system and a diverter system. The primary flow system includes a primary flow belt for conveying an article along a primary flow path from an infeed side of the modular transfer system to a pass-through side of the modular transfer system. The diverter system includes one or more diverter belts for diverting an article from the primary flow path towards a divert side of the modular transfer system. The primary flow belt includes multiple movable components contacting the diverter belt. The movable components can have one or more rotational degrees of freedom.

Abstract: Controllers for controlling hybrid motor drive circuits configured to drive a motor are provided herein. A controller is configured to drive the motor using an inverter when a motor commanded frequency is not within a predetermined range of line input power frequencies, and couple line input power to an output of the inverter using a first switch device when the motor commanded frequency is within the predetermined range of line input power frequencies.

Abstract: A motor assembly having a rotational axis includes a motor housing comprising a plurality of cooling openings extending therethrough and defining a chamber. The motor assembly also includes a stator fixedly coupled to the motor housing and positioned within the chamber. A rotor is coupled to at least one of the motor housing and the stator, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the axis and is positioned within the chamber. The motor assembly includes a fan having a first inlet side on a first axial side of the fan and a second inlet side on a second, opposing, axial side of the fan. The fan is configured to draw cooling air in a first direction through the at least one cooling opening into the first inlet side, and the fan is also configured to draw cooling air in a second, opposite direction into the second inlet side.

Abstract: An electric motor system is described. The electric motor system includes a drive circuit configured to supply variable frequency current and a contactor configured to supply line frequency current, wherein the drive circuit includes a three-phase inverter and an H-bridge including two phases of the inverter. The electric motor system also includes an electric motor and a controller. The controller is configured to control the inverter to supply variable frequency current to the electric motor over a first duration and determine to control the drive circuit to transition from supplying variable frequency current to supplying line frequency current. The controller is also configured to determine a polarity of a sensed alternating current (AC) voltage, disable at least two switches of the H-bridge, and control the contactor to close, thereby preventing the contactor and the inverter from energizing the electric motor at the same time once the contactor is closed.

Abstract: A health monitor circuit for an electric machine includes a plurality of sensors, a rectifier, a memory device, and a microprocessor. The plurality of sensors includes a current transformer configured to be electromagnetically coupled to an electrical conductor that feeds a stator winding of the electric machine. The rectifier is coupled to the current transformer and is configured to convert an AC signal generated by the current transformer to a DC signal to supply power for the health monitor circuit. The microprocessor is coupled to the memory device and the plurality of sensors. The microprocessor is configured to periodically collect a stator current measurement from the current transformer and write the stator current measurement to the memory device.

Abstract: An electrical switch for an electric machine includes body, a stator fixedly secured to the body and a rotor. The actuator includes a first member securable to the rotor and rotatable with it. The actuator also includes a second member, a first electrically conductive member cooperates with the second member. The actuator also includes a second electrically conductive member. The second electrically conductive member is spaced from said first electrically conductive member when said first electrically conductive member is in the first axial position and electrically engaged with said first electrically conductive member when said first electrically conductive member is in the second axial position.

Abstract: A method for determining a direction of rotation for an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The motor is configured to rotate a blower and the method comprises rotating the blower using the ECM and determining if the resulting blower rotation is indicative of the desired direction of rotation for the blower.

Abstract: A blower housing comprises first and second blower housing pieces for surrounding a blower fan. The first blower housing piece comprises a blower discharge section comprising an inner tubular portion, an outer tubular portion, and a drain hole. The inner tubular portion defines a blower discharge passage. The inner and outer tubular portions define an exhaust pipe cavity adapted to receive an end margin of an exhaust pipe. The tubular portions are adapted to enable condensate water that forms on the inner surface of the exhaust pipe to flow into the exhaust pipe cavity. The drain hole extends through the outer tubular portion. The drain hole is configured to enable condensate water flowing into the exhaust pipe cavity to drain from the blower housing. The first blower housing piece is a molded one-piece member.

Abstract: A draft inducer blower assembly includes a blower having a fan, a dilution air intake passage, an exhaust gas intake passage, and a discharge passage. The blower is configured to operatively connect to a heater system in a manner to facilitate flow of combustion air into a combustion chamber and to draw dilution air into the blower and to mix the dilution air with the exhaust gases and to facilitate flow of the mixed air and exhaust gases through the vent. The dilution air intake passage is positionable in at least a low flow configuration and a high flow configuration. The dilution air intake passage is more restrictive of intake of dilution air in the low flow configuration than in the high flow configuration.

Abstract: A sensor bearing housing assembly for use with or integrally formed with a bearing housing. The bearing housing having a base portion defining a footprint, a shaft receiving collar, and a bearing race disposed between the shaft receiving collar and the bearing housing. The sensor bearing housing assembly having a pair of lengthwise sidewalls configured to extend upward from the base portion and an endwise sidewall configured to extend upward from the base portion. The pair of lengthwise sidewalls and the endwise sidewall being joined to form a sensor volume for receiving a sensor therein generally defined within a vertical volume bounded by the footprint of the base portion. The sensor bearing housing assembly having a cutout formed in at least one of the pair of lengthwise sidewalls and the pair of endwise sidewall to permit access to a fastener extending through a mounting hole formed in the base portion.

Abstract: An electric motor assembly includes an electric motor, a fan assembly coupled to the electric motor and configured to rotate therewith about an axis. The bower assembly also includes a shroud coupled to the electric motor and extending about the fan assembly. The shroud includes a central hub coupled to the electric motor, an inlet ring, and a plurality of arms extending between the central hub and the inlet ring. Each arm of the plurality of arms includes a curved radial portion extending from the central hub and a planar axial portion extending from the radial portion to the inlet ring.

Abstract: An electric motor communication system for use with a fluid moving system and using at least one wireless sensor network is provided. The electric motor communication system includes an electric motor that includes a motor management device configured to transmit and receive input signals via the wireless sensor network, and a processing device coupled to said motor management device and configured to control said electric motor based at least in part on input signals received at said motor management device. The electric motor communication system also includes at least one external device configured to collect data and to transmit said input signals, via the wireless sensor network, to said electric motor.

Abstract: An electric motor system is described. The electric motor system includes a drive circuit including an inverter configured to supply variable frequency current and a contactor configured to supply line frequency current. The electric motor system also includes an electric motor coupled to the drive circuit wherein the electric motor is communicatively coupled to a controller. The controller is configured to control the inverter to supply variable frequency current to the electric motor, thereby operating the electric motor at a motor speed, and determine, based upon at least one input parameter, a maximum potential motor speed the inverter can achieve. The controller is also configured to receive a command to operate the electric motor at line frequency current and control the drive circuit to transition from supplying variably frequency current to supplying line frequency current before the maximum potential motor speed the inverter can achieve is reached.

Abstract: A blower has a blower housing of clamshell construction, including two housing members having a scroll back wall molded with radial draft, an impeller and a motor within the housing, and a static tap connected to the housing. The impeller has a backplate with a backplate back surface region of substantially the same radially converging shape as that of a front surface region of the scroll back wall formed by the radial draft, providing a substantially uniform axial gap between the backplate back surface region and the scroll back wall. The impeller has a ring connected by a skirt to the back plate to define a stepped area behind the ring. The impeller includes impeller blades extending forwardly from the impeller backplate and the ring and back fins extending rearwardly from the ring. The blower has a scroll width of about twice an impeller exhaust width.

Abstract: An interior permanent magnet machine is described. The machine includes a rotor rotatable about a central machine axis. The rotor includes a plurality of permanent magnet openings and a plurality of permanent magnets disposed therein. The permanent magnet openings are separated by rotor webs configured to facilitate reducing leakage flux through the rotor webs. The machine also includes a stator disposed coaxially with the rotor and separated from the rotor by a circumferential air gap. The stator includes a plurality of stator teeth that define a plurality of stator slots therebetween. The stator teeth include a stator tooth tip configured to facilitate reducing cogging torque and torque ripple.

Abstract: A motor control assembly for an electric motor. The motor control assembly is configured to be coupled to the electric motor, and includes a wireless communication module, an input power connector, and an inverter module. The wireless communication module is configured to receive a wireless signal from a system controller. The input power connector is configured to receive a DC voltage from an external power supply module. The inverter module is coupled to the wireless communication module and the input power connector. The inverter module is configured to convert the DC voltage to an AC voltage to operate the electric motor according to the wireless signal.

Abstract: A furnace blower assembly includes a blower housing a blower and a motor. The blower is positioned within the housing and is adapted to rotate relative to the housing. The motor is coupled to the blower. The housing defines an outlet having an external periphery and an internal periphery. The external periphery or the internal periphery of the outlet is adapted to be fitted to a portion of the external periphery or the internal periphery of the duct. The outlet defines a longitudinal axis. The outlet has a peripheral edge and a protrusion extending outwardly from the external periphery or the internal periphery of the outlet. The protrusion is spaced from the peripheral edge of the outlet and is adapted to abut the peripheral edge of the duct.