Abstract:
An installation system for use with a motor comprising a motor base coupled to the motor and having a first aperture through the motor base, and a first post coupled to a support structure and configured to cooperate with the first aperture, wherein the first post is configured to temporarily support the motor while the motor is removably coupled to the support structure. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing the motor installation system.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed, in general, to a system for attaching a motor to a support structure and, more specifically to a system for initially locating and supporting a motor on a support beam so that the installer has both hands free to fasten mounting/adjustment bolts and nuts. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Electric motors are used in many applications to drive machinery or other devices. It is not uncommon to encounter heavy electric motors that, in order to install them, require the installer to support the motor in approximately the final location while mounting bolts are inserted through slots in a motor mount base and into or through a mounting structure which is part of a motor-driven device, e.g., air conditioning unit. Securing nuts are then coupled to the mounting bolts, the mounting bolts and nuts tightened to the point that motor alignment to the driven machinery can be accomplished and then the nuts are tightened to securely hold the motor in place. Frequently these motors, such as for powering large air conditioner installations, are quite heavy, requiring the installer to use both hands to position the motor and to perform a “juggling act” to insert the bolts and attach the nuts. Failure of the motor necessitates a similar juggling act to dismount the motor and to install a new one. Losing a grip on a heavy motor can be both painful and dangerous. 
   Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a motor mounting system that does not suffer the shortcomings of the prior art and frees the hands of the installer from the weight of the motor when inserting and coupling the mounting bolts and nuts, while still allowing for final alignment of the motor with the driven machinery. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides an installation system for use with a motor comprising: a motor base coupled to the motor and having a first aperture through the motor base, and a first post coupled to a support structure and configured to cooperate with the first aperture, wherein the first post is configured to temporarily support the motor while the motor is removably coupled to the support structure. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing the motor installation system. 
   The foregoing has outlined preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates an isometric view of one embodiment of a motor installation system constructed according to the principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the elongated apertures of  FIG. 1A ; 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates an end view of one embodiment, having a circular cross section, of the posts of  FIG. 1A ; 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates a partial sectional view, along a plane  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1A , of one embodiment of a post installed in the support structure; 
       FIG. 2C  illustrates a partial sectional view, along a plane  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1A , of a second embodiment of a post installed in the support structure; 
       FIG. 2D  illustrates a partial sectional view, along a plane  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1A , of a third embodiment of a post installed in the support structure; 
       FIG. 2E  illustrates a profile view, of a fourth embodiment of a post having a flange head; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded top plan view of the motor installation system of  FIG. 1A  just prior to placement of the motor with base on the posts; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an isometric, partial cutaway, view of the motor and motor base installed on the posts; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a partial sectional view of the motor and motor base along plane  5 — 5  of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a partial sectional view of the motor base and support structure along plane  6 — 6  of  FIG. 4 ; and 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an isometric view of the motor and motor base installed on the support structure. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring initially to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , illustrated is an isometric view of one embodiment of a motor installation system  100  constructed according to the principles of the present invention. The motor installation system  100  comprises a motor base  110  coupled to a motor  120 , and first and second posts  131 ,  132 , (collectively: posts  130 ), coupled to a support structure  140 . The motor base  110  may be coupled to the motor  120  by any conventional means, i.e., welding, strapping, keying, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the motor base  110  may be a conventional motor base having a plurality of elongated apertures  150 , each elongated aperture  150  having an aperture length  151  and an aperture width  152 . The elongated apertures  150  may have a flattened oval shape, i.e., racetrack, or a rectangular shape  155  as shown in  FIG. 1B . For the purposes of this discussion, the support structure  140  may be the frame of an air conditioning unit (not shown) or other electric motor-powered device. One who is of skill in the art will readily list a significant number of other electric motor-powered devices that would benefit from the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the elongated apertures  150  allow some vertical and lateral adjustment of the position of the motor  120  with respect to the support structure for aligning a drive belt (not shown) to the driven assembly. The support structure  140  further comprises mounting bolt apertures  160  therethrough. In one embodiment, the mounting bolt apertures  160  are unthreaded to receive mounting bolts  170  therethrough and to be fastened to nuts  171 . In an alternative embodiment, the mounting bolt apertures  160  are internally threaded to receive and cooperate with the mounting bolts  170 . In yet another embodiment, the mounting bolt apertures  160  have locknuts affixed, e.g., by welding, on a rear face  141  of the support structure  140 . One who is of skill in the art will conceive of other suitable bolt/nut fastener systems for mounting the motor  120 . 
   Refer now to  FIGS. 2A through 2E .  FIG. 2A  illustrates an end view of one embodiment, having a circular cross section, of the posts  130  of  FIG. 1A .  FIGS. 2B ,  2 C and  2 D are partial sectional views of three alternative embodiments of posts  130  installed in the support structure  140  along a plane  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1A . In a preferred embodiment the posts  130  may be shoulder screws  130  as in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  2 C and  2 E. The posts  130  comprise a circular head  201  having an optional recessed socket  202  therein ( FIGS. 2A and 2B ), a body  203 , a threaded portion  204  and a shoulder  205 . The shoulder screw  130  is so-called because of having the shoulder  205  that prevents the body  203  from passing through a properly size unthreaded aperture  210  in the support structure  140 .  FIG. 2C  is that of a shoulder screw threaded directly into the support structure  140 . In this embodiment, the shoulder screw may be mated with a threaded aperture in the support structure  140 . In an alternative of this embodiment, the shoulder screw may be a self-threading screw for coupling directly into an un-threaded aperture in the support structure  140 .  FIG. 2D  illustrates a third embodiment that may be fashioned from a suitable material, e.g., machine steel, and then welded or riveted  220  in place. Alternatively,  FIG. 2E  illustrates a shoulder screw  130  having a flanged head  231  suitable to be driven with a conventional hex socket or similar tool. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the recessed socket  202  is configured to accept a hex key, often called by its original name: an Allen wrench, which was a trademark of the Allen Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Conn. The recessed socket  202  in combination with a hex key can screw the shoulder screw  130  into a threaded aperture  212  or alternatively hold the shoulder screw  130  in place while a nut  206  is affixed and tightened to the threaded portion  204 . The head  201  has a head diameter  211  while the body  203  has a body diameter  213  that is less than the head diameter  211 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , illustrated is an exploded top plan view of the motor installation system  100  of  FIG. 1A  just prior to placement of the motor  120  with base  110  on the posts  130 . While the present discussion is directed toward the installation of a vertical-shaft motor, one who is of skill in the art will recognize that horizontal or even off-angle installations may likewise readily use the present invention. The posts  130  are separated along the support structure  140  by an inter-postal distance  310  measured between proximate edges of the two postal heads  201 . This inter-postal distance  310  is slightly greater than an inter-aperture distance  320  measured between the proximate edges of the two elongated apertures  150 . The head diameter  211  is slightly less than the aperture width  152 . This relationship of the inter-postal distance  310  and the inter-aperture distance  320 , together with the head diameter  211  being slightly less than the aperture width  152 , allows the motor base  110  to readily slip over the posts  130 . Furthermore, the body length  223  of the posts  130  is slightly greater than a base thickness  330  at the apertures  150 . This relationship of the body length  223  and the base thickness  330  allows the motor base  110  to easily slip over the heads  201  of the posts  130  and then rest on the bodies  203  of the posts  130 . The head thickness  221  and the body diameter  213  must be sufficient to hold, at least temporarily, the weight of the motor  120  and the motor base  110  during installation. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , illustrated is an isometric, partial cutaway, view of the motor  120  and motor base  110  installed on the posts  130 . Bolts  170  are aligned for installation through elongated apertures  150  and into mounting bolt apertures  160 . When the motor base  110  has been placed upon the posts  130 , the posts  130  temporarily support all of the weight of the motor  120  and motor base  110  while the installer obtains the mounting bolts  170  and mounting nuts  171 . With the motor base  110  on the posts  130 , the first and second apertures substantially align with the mounting bolt apertures  160 , respectively. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , illustrated is a partial sectional view of the motor  120  and motor base  110  along plane  5 — 5  of  FIG. 4 . The plane  5 — 5  of the section passes vertically through one of the posts  130  and one of the elongated apertures  150 . As can be seen, the post head diameter  211  is slightly smaller than the aperture width  152 , thereby allowing the post head  201  to pass therethrough. In  FIG. 5 , the weight W of the motor  120  and motor base  110  are supported on the body  203  of the posts  130 . The post heads  201  prevent the motor  120  from falling off of the posts  130 . The base thickness  330  is less than the length  223  of the post body  203 . The posts  130  keep the motor  120  approximately positioned with respect to the intended driven machinery, e.g., fan blade (not shown). 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , illustrated is a partial sectional view of the motor base  110  and support structure  140  along plane  6 — 6  of  FIG. 4 . The plane  6 — 6  of the section passes horizontally through the posts  130  and the elongated apertures  150 . Paired elongated apertures  651 ,  652  have closest ends  653 ,  654 , respectively and distal ends  655 ,  656 , respectively. The inter-aperture distance  320  between the closest ends  653 ,  654  is slightly less than the inter-post distance  310 , allowing the motor base  110  to be placed over the posts  130 . The posts  130  are located proximate the closest ends  653 ,  654  of the paired elongated apertures  651 ,  652 . The distal ends  655 ,  656  of the paired elongated apertures  651 ,  652  are therefore available to allow the mounting bolts  170  to pass therethrough. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , illustrated is an isometric view of the motor  120  and motor base  110  installed on the support structure  140 . Once the mounting bolts  170  and nuts  171  have been coupled, the nuts  171  may be tightened to the point that the motor base  110  may be slid so as to align motor pulley  710  and drive belt  720  with a pulley  730  coupled to the driven machinery, e.g., a fan blade (not shown). One who is of skill in the art will understand how this is accomplished. When the motor pulley  710 , drive belt  720  and are properly aligned, mounting bolts  170  and nuts  171  are tightened so that a substantial portion of the weight W of the motor  120  and motor base  110  is carried by the mounting bolts  170  and nuts  171  through to the supporting structure  140 . The posts  130  may, in the course of aligning the pulleys  710 ,  730  and drive belt  720 , contact a portion of the elongated apertures  150 , but any portion of the weight W of the motor  120  and motor base  110  carried by the post(s)  130  is inconsequential to the substantial portion of the weight W carried by the mounting bolts  170  and nuts  171 . One who is of skill in the art will understand that the posts  130  of the system  100  will likewise assist a repairman when removing the motor  120  and motor base  110 . 
   One who is of skill in the art will recognize that flat washers, lock washers, lock nuts, flange nuts and other similar hardware may be effectively used, as necessary, with both the posts  130  and the mounting bolts  170 . 
   Thus, a motor mounting system for use with a motor has been described that enables an installer to temporarily position a heavy motor while obtaining and installing mounting bolts and nuts that will ultimately bear the most significant portion of the weight of the motor. Although the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art should understand that they can make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.