NFC antenna for communicating with a motor and method of manufacturing and using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10181774-B2
Application number	US-201615092146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2016
Priority date	Apr 6, 2016
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

An electric motor assembly includes an electric motor, a casing configured to house the motor, and an electrical enclosure coupled to the motor casing. The electrical enclosure houses a control board including a microcontroller and a memory device therein. The microcontroller is configured to control the electric motor based at least in part on motor configuration data stored in the memory device. The assembly also includes a near field communications (NFC) antenna positioned adjacent to an opening defined in the motor casing or the electronics enclosure, and is communicatively coupled to the memory device. The NFC antenna is configured to: receive a radio signal transmitted by an external programming device, the radio signal including updated motor configuration data; convert the radio signal to an electrical signal that includes the updated motor configuration data; and transmit the electrical signal to the memory device to store the updated motor configuration data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric motor assembly comprising:
an electric motor;
a motor casing configured to house said electric motor;
an electronics enclosure coupled to said motor casing and configured to house a control board including a microcontroller and a memory device therein, said microcontroller configured to control said electric motor based at least in part on motor configuration data stored in said memory device;
a near field communications (NFC) antenna positioned adjacent an opening defined in one of said motor casing and said electronics enclosure, said NFC antenna communicatively coupled to said memory device, said NFC antenna configured to:
receive a radio signal transmitted by an external programming device, the radio signal including updated motor configuration data;
convert the radio signal to an electrical signal, the electrical signal including the updated motor configuration data; and
transmit the electrical signal to the memory device to store the updated motor configuration data; and

an antenna cover positioned to cover the opening.

2. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein said NFC antenna is positioned within an interior portion of one of said motor casing and said electronics enclosure.

3. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein said NFC antenna comprises:
a looped wire; and
a first antenna line and a second antenna line coupled to and extending from said looped wire, said first and second antenna lines configured to communicatively couple said NFC antenna to said memory device.

4. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opening is defined in a side wall of one of said motor casing and said electronics enclosure, said antenna cover comprising:
a substantially vertical body portion configured to cover the opening;
a retention platform coupled to an interior side surface of said vertical body portion, said retention platform substantially perpendicular to said vertical body portion; and
at least one retention snap coupled to said retention platform, said at least one retention snap configured to be coupled to said control board for securing said antenna cover within said electric motor assembly.

5. The electric motor assembly of claim 4 , wherein said antenna cover further comprises a slot formed in each of a first side face and a second side face of said antenna cover, said slot configured to engage with a portion of said one of said motor casing and said electronics enclosure that is adjacent the opening for said securing antenna cover within said electric motor assembly.

6. The electric motor assembly of claim 4 , wherein said antenna cover further comprises:
a first antenna cover portion;
a second antenna cover portion configured to be coupled to said first antenna cover portion; and
an antenna cavity defined between said first and second antenna cover portions for encapsulating said NFC antenna therein.

7. The electric motor assembly of claim 4 , wherein said antenna cover further comprises a bobbin assembly coupled to an interior-facing surface of said antenna cover, said bobbin assembly configured to secure a looped wire portion of said NFC antenna adjacent to the opening.

8. The electric motor assembly of claim 4 , wherein said NFC antenna comprises a rigid printed circuit board (PCB) antenna, wherein said rigid PCB antenna is secured within said motor assembly by one of encapsulation within said antenna cover and adherence to an interior surface of said antenna cover.

9. The electric motor assembly of claim 4 , wherein said NFC antenna comprises a flexible PCB antenna, wherein said flexible PCB antenna is secured within said motor assembly by one of encapsulation within said antenna cover and adherence to an interior surface of said antenna cover.

10. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a power connector at least partially extruding from a second opening defined in one of said motor casing and said electronics enclosure, wherein said NFC antenna is coupled to an interior surface of said one of said motor casing and said electronics enclosure adjacent to the second opening.

11. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opening is defined through a bottom surface of said electronics enclosure, said antenna cover comprising:
a substantially horizontal body portion configured to cover the opening; and
at least one retention device coupled to said horizontal body portion and configured to secure said antenna cover within said electric motor assembly.

12. The electric motor assembly of claim 11 , wherein said at least one retention device comprises first and second flanges extending radially outward from an upper side surface of said horizontal body portion internal to said electrical enclosure, said first and second flanges configured to be seated against an interior surface of said electrical enclosure to prevent said antenna cover from withdrawing from said electrical enclosure.

13. The electric motor assembly of claim 11 , wherein said at least one retention device comprises at least one retention snap coupled to an interior side surface of said horizontal body portion, said at least one retention snap substantially perpendicular to said horizontal body portion and configured to be coupled to said control board.

14. The electric motor assembly of claim 11 , wherein a length of said horizontal body portion is greater than a length of the opening, said horizontal body portion comprising:
a first end and a second end, wherein an exterior side surface of said first and second ends is configured to be seated against an interior surface of said electrical enclosure to prevent said antenna cover from withdrawing from said electrical enclosure; and
a bobbin assembly protruding from an interior side surface of said horizontal body portion and configured to secure a looped wire portion of said NFC antenna.

15. The electric motor assembly of claim 11 , wherein said at least one retention device comprises:
first and second flanges extending radially outward from respective first and second ends of said horizontal body portion, said first and second flanges configured to be seated against an exterior bottom surface of said electrical enclosure;
first and second arms, each arm comprising a first end protruding vertically from an interior side surface of said horizontal body portion and a second end; and
first and second legs, each leg comprising a first end coupled to a respective second end of said first and second arms, and second end of first and second arms, respectively, said each leg configured to be seated against an exterior bottom surface of said electrical enclosure;
wherein said horizontal body portion and said first and second arms define a generally U-shaped void internal to said electrical enclosure and configured to house said NFC antenna therein.

16. The electric motor assembly of claim 15 , wherein each of said first and second arms comprises an antenna flange extending into the U-shaped void for securing said NFC antenna.

17. The electric motor assembly of claim 15 , wherein said NFC antenna comprises one of a rigid and a flexible PCB antenna that includes first and second antenna lines for coupling to said control board to enable communication between said NFC antenna and said memory device.

18. The electric motor assembly of claim 17 , wherein said horizontal body portion comprises:
said NFC antenna comprising first and second antenna lines for coupling to said memory device on said control board, said NFC antenna laser p

Assignees

• Regal Beloit America Inc

Inventors

• Waikar Shailesh Prabhakar
• Wright Kamron Mark
• Ghannam Ahmad Mohammad
• Stephens Ryan Keith
• Nardin Steven Albert
• Ji Xiaohui
• Lytle Peter Bruff

Classifications

• H02K11/35 Primary

  Devices for recording or transmitting machine parameters, e.g. memory chips or radio transmitters for diagnosis · CPC title

• H02K11/33

  Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04B5/0062

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02P31/00

  Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors not provided for in groups H02P1/00 - H02P5/00, H02P7/00 or H02P21/00 - H02P29/00 · CPC title

• H02K15/14

  Casings; Enclosures; Supports · CPC title