Dual motor dryer drive contained within a common assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11365509-B2
Application number	US-201916589646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2019
Priority date	Oct 1, 2019
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an electric motor for a laundry appliance includes a first stator having a central axis. A first rotor is in electromagnetic communication with the first stator and is rotationally operable about the central axis. A second stator is aligned with the central axis. A second rotor is in electromagnetic communication with the second stator and is rotationally operable about the central axis. The first and second stators are positioned within a common motor cavity of an outer housing. A controller regulates a first electrical current to the first stator and a second electrical current to the second stator. The controller includes a torque discrimination module for monitoring an output torque of at least the first rotor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric motor fora laundry appliance comprising:
a first stator having a central axis;
a first rotor in electromagnetic communication with the first stator and rotationally operable about the central axis;
a second stator that is aligned with the central axis;
a second rotor in electromagnetic communication with the second stator and rotationally operable about the central axis;
an outer housing where the first and second stators are positioned within a common motor cavity of the outer housing; and
a controller that regulates a first electrical current to the first stator and a second electrical current to the second stator, wherein the controller includes a torque discrimination module for monitoring an output torque of at least the first rotor.

2. The electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the outer housing is a single overmold that surrounds the first and second stators.

3. The electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the outer housing includes a first housing that surrounds the first stator and a second housing that surrounds the second stator, wherein the first and second housings are attached together to define the common motor cavity.

4. The electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the first rotor is rotationally coupled with a rotating drum.

5. The electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the second rotor is coupled to at least a blower.

6. The electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the torque discrimination module is a voltage sensor that monitors at least the first electrical current that is delivered to the first stator.

7. The electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the first rotor is positioned within the first stator.

8. The electric motor of claim 1 , wherein the second rotor operates within the second stator.

9. The electric motor of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first rotor and the second rotor are outer-type rotors.

10. The electric motor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first drive shaft that is attached to the first rotor; and
a second drive shaft that is attached to the second rotor, wherein the first and second drive shafts are positioned along the central axis.

11. The electric motor of claim 10 , wherein the first drive shaft includes a drive tube, and wherein the second drive shaft extends through and rotationally operates within the drive tube of the first drive shaft.

12. A laundry appliance comprising:
a blower that delivers process air through an airflow path;
a rotating drum that processes articles to be dehumidified, wherein the airflow path includes the rotating drum;
first and second stators;
a first rotor in electromagnetic communication with the first stator and that operates to rotate the rotating drum;
a second rotor in electromagnetic communication with the second stator and that operates to rotate the blower;
a torque discrimination module in communication with the first stator and the first rotor, wherein the torque discrimination module monitors a first electrical current that is delivered to the first stator; and
a controller in communication with the first and second stators and the torque discrimination module, wherein the controller delivers the first electrical current to the first stator at least partially in response to a reading of the torque discrimination module.

13. The laundry appliance of claim 12 , wherein the controller delivers the first electrical current to the first stator based upon the reading of the torque discrimination module, and wherein the controller delivers a second electrical current to the second stator, wherein the first and second electrical currents are separately delivered by dedicated drivers.

14. The laundry appliance of claim 12 , further comprising:
an outer housing that defines a common motor cavity, wherein the first and second stators are disposed within the common motor cavity.

15. The laundry appliance of claim 14 , wherein the outer housing includes a first housing that surrounds the first stator and a second housing that surrounds the second stator, wherein the first and second housings are attached together to define the common motor cavity.

16. The laundry appliance of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first drive shaft that is attached to the first rotor, wherein the first drive shaft is coupled with the rotating drum; and
a second drive shaft that is attached to the second rotor, wherein the first and second drive shafts are positioned along a central axis.

17. The laundry appliance of claim 16 , further comprising:
a fluid pump having an impeller, wherein the second drive shaft is coupled with each of the blower and a secondary fan.

18. A laundry appliance comprising:
a blower that delivers process air through an airflow path;
a rotating drum that separates condensate from articles to be processed, wherein the airflow path includes the rotating drum;
a secondary fan;
first and second stators that are contained within a housing;
a first rotor in electromagnetic communication with the first stator and that operates to rotate the rotating drum;
a second rotor in electromagnetic communication with the second stator and that operates to rotate the blower and the secondary fan; and
a torque discrimination module in communication with the first stator and the first rotor, wherein the torque discrimination module monitors a first electrical current that is delivered to the first stator.

19. The laundry appliance of claim 18 , further comprising:
a controller in communication with the first and second stators and the torque discrimination module, wherein the controller delivers the first electrical current to the first stator at least partially in response to a reading of the torque discrimination module, and wherein the controller delivers a second electrical current to the second stator.

20. The laundry appliance of claim 19 , wherein the first and second electrical currents are separately delivered by dedicated drivers.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Hull James B

Classifications

• H02K5/00

  Casings; Enclosures; Supports · CPC title

• D06F2105/46

  Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting · CPC title

• D06F2103/46

  of the motor driving the drum · CPC title

• D06F58/08 Primary

  Driving arrangements · CPC title

• H02K16/00 Primary

  Machines with more than one rotor or stator {(machines for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; permanent magnet machines with multiple rotors or stators relatively rotated for vectorially combining the excitation fields or the armature voltages H02K21/029)} · CPC title