Abstract: A seal assembly for a longitudinally extending cable comprises a gland shiftable between an unsealed position and a sealed position, and a receiver including an inner portal-defining wall that defines a portal configured to receive at least a portion of the cable. The gland is at least in part received within the portal when in the sealed position. The receiver defines a radially extending, annular receiver face. The gland includes a tapered body configured to circumscribe the cable. The gland further includes a head including an outwardly extending flange. The flange presents a radially extending, annular seal face that engages the receiver face when the gland is in the sealed position. The tapered body presents an axially tapering outer wall that is spaced in its entirety radially inwardly from the portal-defining wall when the gland is in the sealed position, such that an annular buffer is defined therebetween.

Abstract: Electric motors are disclosed. The motors are preferably for use in an automated vehicle, although any one or more of a variety of motor uses are suitable. The motors include lift, turntable, and locomotion motors.

Abstract: A motorized pump assembly includes a pump and a motor for driving the pump. The pump includes a pump housing that at least in part defines a pump chamber. The motor includes a stator, a rotor rotatable about an axis, a motor housing, and a bearing assembly. The rotor includes a motor shaft extending along the axis. The motor housing includes an endshield that at least in part defines a motor chamber in which the stator and the rotor are at least substantially received. The bearing assembly rotatably supports the motor shaft on the endshield. The pump housing and the endshield are fixed to one another and cooperatively at least in part define an overflow chamber adjacent the pump chamber. The endshield defines a drainage channel fluidly interconnected with the overflow chamber and configured to direct fluid from the overflow chamber away from the bearing assembly.

Abstract: A motor assembly includes a stator, a rotor rotatable about an axis, and a housing at least in part defining a motor chamber. The stator and the rotor at least in part are received within the motor chamber. The housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion. The housing portions engage one another along an interface. The interface restricts ingress of contaminants therethrough into the motor chamber. The housing portions cooperatively define a nested portion that at least in part defines the interface. The nested portion includes an arcuately extending projection and an arcuately extending receiver. The receiver defines an arcuately extending receiving channel. The projection is at least in part received within the receiving channel.

Abstract: A system and computer-implemented method for improving controlling the operation of an alternating current electric motor using programmable multiplexed tap input logic. Programmed bit patterns and corresponding tap numbers are stored in a look-up table in a non-volatile electronic read-write memory element. Input channels are monitored for tap input signals, and an input bit pattern is formed based on the tap input signals. The input bit pattern is compared to the programmed bit patterns, and if the input bit pattern matches a particular programmed bit pattern, then a control signal is transmitted to activate the particular tap number which corresponds to the particular programmed bit pattern, thereby controlling the operation of the motor. If there is no active tap, then the motor is turned off. The programmed bit patterns and/or the corresponding tap numbers may be changed by writing to the look-up table in the non-volatile electronic read-write memory element.

Abstract: An electric motor includes a stator having a stator surface and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator. The rotor includes a plurality of poles, each of which is defined by a pair of magnets positioned in a V-shaped arrangement having a vertex positioned radially inward. The magnets present a mechanical pole angle of the corresponding pole. The rotor also includes a rotor surface that is opposite the stator surface. The rotor surface includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced pole segments, each of which spans a respective mechanical pole angle. The rotor also includes a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses, each of which is positioned between adjacent pole segments.

Abstract: An induction motor assembly includes a motor. The motor includes a rotor rotatable about a rotor axis, and a stator at least substantially circumscribing the rotor. The stator includes a generally toroidal core. The core includes a generally circumferential yoke and a plurality of arcuately spaced apart teeth extending radially inwardly from the yoke. The tooth length is at least three (3) times the yoke thickness.

Abstract: An electric motor includes a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator. The rotor includes a plurality of poles, each of which is defined by a pair of magnets positioned relative to each other in a V-shaped arrangement having a vertex positioned radially inward. Each of the poles includes a mechanical pole angle defined by the pair of magnets. The mechanical pole angle is about one-half of three hundred and sixty divided by the number of the poles of the rotor.

Abstract: Electric motors are disclosed. The motors are preferably for use in an automated vehicle, although any one or more of a variety of motor uses are suitable. The motors include lift, turntable, and locomotion motors.

Abstract: A system-specific interface module for a motor control subassembly for controlling operation of an electric motor within a larger system which uses a particular system communication method. The motor control subassembly includes a standard power module and the interface module. The power module includes a controller processor configured to receive input for controlling and to generate output regarding operation of the motor. The interface module includes a communication interface hardware block configured to exchange input and output signals with the larger system, and an interface processor configured to translate the input and output signals between the particular system communication method used by the larger system and a standard internal communication method used by the power module. Thus, the motor control subassembly can be configured to accommodate any of a variety of different system communication methods and other input/output options by selecting and inserting the appropriate interface module.

Abstract: A tool for programming a controller of an electric motor by engaging a connection block of the motor and providing high voltage power and communicating programming signals to the controller. The tool includes a body having an interface for engaging the connection block, and internal wiring presenting tool terminals at the interface for making contact with corresponding motor terminals to allow for providing power and communicating signals between the tool and the controller. An energy-limited transformer having an isolated high impedance secondary winding provides both electrical isolation to protect against shock and low energy output to protect against arc flash. Redundant interlocks include a software interlock which allows the power to be present at the interface only during actual programming of the controller. A light ring encircling the body indicates the presence of high voltage and is visible from multiple directions.

Abstract: A rotor is provided for use in an electric motor. The rotor is rotatable about an axis. The rotor includes a core including a plurality of arcuately arranged pole segments arranged arcuately the axis. The rotor further includes a plurality of arcuately arranged magnets alternating with the pole segments, such that each of the magnets is at least in part interposed between a pair of adjacent pole segments. Still further, the rotor includes a support structure at least in part supporting the pole segments. The core further includes a plurality of bridges. Each of the bridges extends between and interconnects a corresponding one of the pole segments to the support structure. Each of the bridges includes a plurality of axially spaced apart bridge segments.

Abstract: A system in which the operation of an electric motor is controlled by electronically controlled switches. The system includes the motor having a run winding and a start winding, a heating component, and a motor control subsystem. A control unit closes a first switch to energize the run winding, closes a second switch to energize the start winding, determines based on an amplitude and a lag time of a current flowing through the motor whether the motor has started and is running normally, and if so, opens the second switch to de-energize the start winding and closes a third switch to activate the heating component. The control unit determines whether the motor has started and is running normally by comparing the real time amplitude and lag time of the current to a plurality of stored amplitudes and lag times associated with different operating conditions.

Abstract: A motorized pump assembly includes a pump and a motor for driving the pump. The pump includes a pump housing that at least in part defines a pump chamber. The motor includes a stator, a rotor rotatable about an axis, a motor housing, and a bearing assembly. The rotor includes a motor shaft extending along the axis. The motor housing includes an endshield that at least in part defines a motor chamber in which the stator and the rotor are at least substantially received. The bearing assembly rotatably supports the motor shaft on the endshield. The pump housing and the endshield are fixed to one another and cooperatively at least in part define an overflow chamber adjacent the pump chamber. The endshield defines a drainage channel fluidly interconnected with the overflow chamber and configured to direct fluid from the overflow chamber away from the bearing assembly.

Abstract: A motor includes a housing, a shaft, a bearing, a bearing plate, and a seal. The housing includes first and second housing components directly engaging one another along a housing interface. The housing at least in part defines a sealed chamber. The shaft is at least in part received in the chamber. The bearing rotatably supports the shaft. The bearing plate is enclosed within the housing. The bearing plate supports the bearing within the housing. The seal is disposed along the housing interface. The bearing plate is spaced inwardly from the housing interface and the seal.

Abstract: An electric fan includes a plurality of blades and an electric motor for rotating the blades. The electric motor includes a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator about an axis. The rotor includes a backing ring and a diecast rotor can. The can includes a non-machined sidewall that is diecast integrally as part of the rotor can. The sidewall extends about the axis. The rotor can is diecast in an overlying relationship with at least part of the backing ring, with the sidewall and backing ring being securely interengaged so as to restrict relative shifting therebetween.

Abstract: Electric motors are disclosed. The motors are preferably for use in an automated vehicle, although any one or more of a variety of motor uses are suitable. The motors include lift, turntable, and locomotion motors.

Abstract: A drive system for a vending or other dispensing machine includes an electronic switch and an electric motor configured to actuate dispensing coils or other dispensing technologies to dispense instances of products. The drive system minimizes the risk of sparking and igniting propane or other volatile refrigerants or other volatile chemicals or materials used in or near the machine. The electronic switch may be a Hall effect switch, and the electric motor may be a brushless DC electric motor. A homing circuit (e.g., Fawn-type or AMS-type) is connected to the drive system to control/monitor actuation of the dispensing mechanism. A wiring harness connects the electronic switch to the electric motor, and may include a connector which can be set to allow the electric motor to operate in a clockwise direction or in a counterclockwise direction.

Abstract: A method is provided for storing data from an external device in a dynamoelectric machine assembly (i.e., an electric motor or generator). The dynamoelectric machine assembly includes a memory device and a processor for controlling operation of the dynamoelectric machine assembly in response to commands from an external device. The method includes receiving a command from the external device to store data in the memory device of the dynamoelectric machine assembly, and storing the data in the memory device in response to the command. Dynamoelectric machine assemblies, external devices and systems suitable for use in the provided method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multiphase motor is provided. The motor includes a rotor rotatable about an axis and a sectioned stator. The sectioned stator includes one or more stator sections. Each stator section has a core section including a yoke and a plurality of arcuately spaced apart teeth that extend generally radially from the yoke. The stator includes a plurality of electrically conductive wire windings. Each of the windings corresponds with a respective power phase. Each stator section is wound with each of the windings such that each stator section includes windings for all of the power phases.