Emhart Industries, Inc.

Emerson Electric Company

Robert F Weaver

Daniel K Amonett

Benjamin F Chestnut

Henry Earl Burgin

Neil E Grah

Chun W Chan

James E Sering

Ted G Proctor

An appliance timer has features to facilitate automated assembly or manual assembly. A timer housing base accepts timer components from two directions, and installation of components in either direction is along a straight axis. A motor in the timer engages a gear train which runs a drive cam. The drive cam imparts motion to a camstack which then engages timer blade switches, and the blade switches operate the appliance. A subinterval is also supplied on the timer to allow periodic operation of a switch without the use of the camstack. The timer also features a quiet manual advance which removes the blade switches from communication with the camstack to allow an operator to select various timer programs without any of the clicking noises that are usually associated with timer program selection. Furthermore, a detent slider is positioned in communication with the camstack to provide a tactile feel for the operator of the timer when selecting between various timer programs.

Cam-operated timer

Cam-operated timer test procedure

The clutch is an integral gear stage in a subfractional horsepower motor gear train that is used in an appliance such as an icemaker or cam-operated timer. The clutch has an inner member with arc-shaped springs that carry curved protrusions and an outer member with sinusoidally shaped contours. The curved protrusions engage the sinusoidally shaped contours to permit the clutch to transmit torque to an appliance component. When the torque applied to the clutch exceeds a predetermined level, the curved protrusions disengage from the contours and permit the inner member to rotate independently from the outer member. The curved protrusions disengage from the sinusoidally shaped contours and then reengage the sinusoidally shaped contours causing the arc-shaped springs to compress and extend as a function of the sinusoidally shaped contours, gradually compressing and gradually extending, thereby reducing vibration and noise.

Quiet appliance clutch

A relay is enclosed between a cup-shaped cover and a plate. The cover includes a bottom and side walls. The interior circumference of the distal end of the side walls is notched a rim. A first flange is formed on the plate a distance from the edge of the plate that is smaller than the thickness of the rim. The height of the first flange is less than the length of the rim. A second flange extends from the first flange generally perpendicularly to the plate, sloping away from the outer circumference of the plate. As the cover is moved toward the plate, the second flange engages the inner surface of the wall and forces it outwards moving the rim toward the first flange. When the rim and first flange meet, ultrasound is applied. The rim and first flange melt at their point of contact and air is compressed in a pocket formed by the wall, rim, and second flange as the rim moves toward the plate, forcing the flash from the enclosure. Any flash which is not forced from the enclosure is trapped in the pocket. After installation of the assembly, a post may be broken away from the cover to expose a vent hole.

Electrical component with enclosure and method of manufacture thereof

A magnetic relay is packaged for automated assembly. The armature of the relay is held by an L-shaped frame that is easily assembled and is firmly held in position to insure electrical contact alignment. One of the terminals of the five terminals of the relay is inserted into a side of the base for the relay instead of from the top of the base. This provides a better control of the air gap between the relay armature and the contact.

Small relay for automated assembly

A hub of a permanent magnet rotor includes an elongated one-piece body portion with a bore running therethrough, a circular disc carried by the body portion between ends thereof, and a ring surrounding the body portion and bonded to the circular disc.

Method of making a permanent magnet rotor for a synchronous motor

A motor is held to a gear train by a cradle which carries the motor and is connected to a housing for the gear train. The cradle includes a base and legs extending from the base with the distal ends of the legs engaging apertures in the housing. Each of the legs has tabs at their distal ends to lock the cradle in place.

Means for mounting a gear train and motor

An improvement in the stator structure of a synchronous motor wherein flux generated by a winding produces a magnetic field in the stator structure which in turn causes a rotor to rotate. The stator structure consists of two sets of stator poles intermeshed together. Shading base associated with certain of the stator poles insures that the rotor will start to rotate in a predetermined direction. The running characteristics of the synchronous motor are improved by having one of the sets of stator poles constructed of three different widths and the other set constructed of two different widths. The improved stator structure provides for equal flux distribution within the stator poles causing the motor to run smoothly.

Shaded pole synchronous motor

A synchronous motor wherein a field coil is positioned adjacent to a rotor and stator assembly in a side-by-side relationship has a stator pole arrangement to compensate for flux phase differences caused by the side-by-side arrangement.

Stator arrangement for a synchronous motor

A rotor, stator assembly, and a field coil are sandwiched between two field plates. A gear train is sandwiched between one of the field plates and another plate while the timing mechanism is carried in a cup shaped housing that is closed by the third plate. A pivotal terminal block is carried by one of the field plates and includes electrical terminals. Bussing bars extend from the electrical terminals through a terminal block carried by the third plate to engage slots in a wall of the cup shaped housing. A shroud substantially encloses the motor assembly and the gear train.

Growing community of inventors

Brownsburg, IN, United States of America

Robert F Weaver