Dual motor dryer drive contained within a common assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11807980-B2
Application number	US-202217747062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2022
Priority date	Oct 1, 2019
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

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 for an appliance, the electric motor comprising:
a first stator;
a first rotor in electromagnetic communication with the first stator and rotationally operable about a central rotational axis;
a second stator;
a second rotor in electromagnetic communication with the second stator and rotationally operable about the central rotational axis;
an outer housing where the first stator and the second stator 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 the first rotor.

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

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 torque discrimination module also monitors the output torque of the second rotor.

5. 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.

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

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

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

9. 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 rotational axis.

10. The electric motor of claim 9 , wherein the first drive shaft includes a drive tube.

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

12. An appliance motor comprising:
a first stator and a second stator;
a first rotor in electromagnetic communication with the first stator and that is configured to rotate a first rotating assembly
a second rotor in electromagnetic communication with the second stator and that is configured to rotate a second rotating assembly;
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 stator and the second stator 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 appliance motor 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 appliance motor of claim 12 , further comprising:
an outer housing that defines a common motor cavity, wherein the first stator and the second stator are disposed within the common motor cavity.

15. The appliance motor 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 appliance motor of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first drive shaft that is attached to the first rotor, wherein the first drive shaft is configured to be coupled with the first rotating assembly; 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 appliance motor of claim 16 , further comprising:
a third rotating assembly, wherein the second drive shaft is configured to be coupled with each of the second rotating assembly and the third rotating assembly.

18. An appliance motor comprising:
a first stator and a second stator that are contained within a housing;
a first rotor in electromagnetic communication with the first stator and that operates to rotate a first drive shaft;
a second rotor in electromagnetic communication with the second stator and that operates to rotate a second drive shaft, wherein the second drive shaft extends through the first drive shaft and out from opposing ends of the housing; 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 appliance motor of claim 18 , further comprising:
a controller in communication with the first stator and the second stator 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 appliance motor of claim 19 , wherein the first and second electrical currents are separately delivered by dedicated drivers.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Hull James B

Classifications

• D06F58/08 Primary

  Driving arrangements · CPC title

• H02P5/50

  by comparing electrical values representing the speeds · 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

• D06F58/20

  General details of domestic laundry dryers  (D06F59/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F58/42

  by unheated air · CPC title