Abstract:
A resilient motor mounting system for use with electric motors including a resilient motor mount including at least two resilient vanes moveable between a collapsed position and an extended position, wherein each vane including a fixed end and a free end, wherein the fixed end rigidly attached to the motor, wherein each vane projecting radially away from the motor such that the free end for resiliently biased against a mounting surface thereby securely holding the motor in a desired stationary position. Each vane preferably defining a curved shape such that the radius of curvature is increased to urge the vane into the collapsed position and the radius of curvature is decreased as the vane is released into the extended position.

Description:
[0001]    The present application claims the benefit of previously filed U.S. Provisional Application 60/826,405 flied Sep. 21, 2006 under the title RESILIENT MOTOR MOUNTING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE by DEZI KRAJCIR. 
     
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to methods of mounting electrical and other motors and more particularly relates to a resilient motor mounting system and its method of use. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A number of existing motor mounting techniques have been patented and as well are presently in commercial usage. Most of the existing and patented motor mounting techniques include rigid flanges and brackets which are bolted onto the motor and then permanently fastened to the frame work and/or to the housing to which the motor is to be mounted in. There are many instances where replacement of motors occurs on a regular basis and the process and procedure for the removal and re-installation of a new motor can be very time consuming and cumbersome. In some instances these motors are located in very tight spaces which are difficult to access and require removal and disassembly of frame work and/or duct work and/or other mounting brackets and other structures before it is even possible to access the motor itself. In addition, the replacement motor is often not available in exactly the same configuration as the existing motor and therefore on site modifications to the mounting system of the motor must often be made. These on site modifications are often very time consuming and costly and resulting in large amounts of down time. 
         [0004]    Therefore, there is a need for a system for mounting and dismounting electrical motors and other types of motors which can be quickly and simply accomplished without special tools and particularly can be accomplished in areas where there is restricted access to the motor. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A resilient motor mounting system for use with electric motors comprising:
       a) a resilient motor mount including at least two resilient vanes moveable between a collapsed position and an extended position,   b) wherein each vane including a fixed end and a free end, wherein the fixed end rigidly attached to the motor,   c) wherein each vane projecting radially away from the motor such that the free end for resiliently biased against a mounting surface thereby securely holding the motor in a desired stationary position.       
 
         [0009]    The resilient motor mounting system wherein each vane defining a curved shape such that the radius of curvature is increased to urge the vane into the collapsed position and the radius of curvature is decreased as the vane is released into the extended position. 
         [0010]    The resilient motor mounting system wherein each vane including at least two vane elements which are connected together at the fixed end and the free end to form a unity resilient vane. 
         [0011]    The resilient motor mounting system wherein each resilient vane connected at the fixed end to the outer diameter of the motor case. 
         [0012]    The resilient motor mounting system wherein at least two resilient motor mounts are attached in spaced apart relationship to the motor casing of the motor. 
         [0013]    A resilient motor mounting system for use with electric motors comprising:
       a) A resilient motor mount including at least two groups of resilient vanes moveable between a collapsed position and an extended position,   b) wherein each vane including a fixed end and a free end, wherein the fixed end rigidly attached to the motor,   c) wherein each grouping including at least two independent vanes mounted side by side in close proximity to each other,   d) wherein each vane projecting radially away from the motor such that the free end for resiliently biasing against a mounting surface thereby securely holding the motor in a desired stationary position.       
 
         [0018]    The resilient motor mounting system wherein at least two resilient motor mounts are attached to motor casing of the motor. 
         [0019]    In combination a resilient motor mount, an electric motor and a housing comprising;
       a) wherein the resilient motor mount including at least two resilient vanes moveable between a collapsed position and an extended position,   b) wherein each vane including a fixed end and a free end, wherein the fixed end rigidly attached to the motor,   c) wherein each vane projecting radially away from the motor such that the free end is resiliently biased against the housing in the extended position thereby securely holding the motor within the housing.       
 
         [0023]    The combination wherein the housing being a cylindrical housing. 
         [0024]    The combination wherein the motor being a fan motor and the housing dimensioned to house the fan therein. 
         [0025]    The combination wherein each vane defining a curved shape such that the radius of curvature is increased to urge the vane into the collapsed position and the radius of curvature is decreased as the vane is released into the extended position. 
         [0026]    The combination wherein each vane including at least two vane elements which are connected together at the fixed end and the free end to form a unitary resilient vane. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which: 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a resilient motor mount deployed on a motor which is installed in a housing shown in a collapsed position in solid lines and in a partially extend position and fully extended position in dashed lines. 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a side partial cut away view of a motor together with the resilient motor mount shown in the collapsed position mounted within a housing. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  a side elevational view shows schematically the resilient motor mount in an extended position mounted within a housing. 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a partial schematic cut away of a motor together with the resilient motor mount shown in the extended position mounted within a housing. 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective view of a motor together with the resilient motor mount attached thereon showing fan blades in dotted lines mounted onto a motor shaft. 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  shows a typical installation of the resilient motor mount showing the motor mounted within a housing in an extended position. 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is an end elevational view of a motor together with an alternate embodiment of the resilient motor mount shown installed in a housing. 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  is a side schematic perspective view of the resilient motor mount shown in  FIG. 7  without the housing. 
           [0036]      FIG. 9  is a schematic perspective view of the motor mount shown in  FIG. 8  mounted in a housing. 
           [0037]      FIG. 10  is a end elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the resilient motor mount shown together with a motor in a housing. 
           [0038]      FIG. 11  is a schematic perspective view of the resilient motor mount shown in  FIG. 10  without the housing. 
           [0039]      FIG. 12  is a schematic perspective view of the resilient motor mount shown in  FIG. 10  together with the housing. 
           [0040]      FIG. 13  is a schematic perspective view of a resilient motor mount as depicted in  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  shown deployed within a housing which in turn is deployed within a frame work and attached to duct work. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0041]    The resilient motor mounting system and method of use is depicted in  FIGS. 1 through 13  and in particular the first embodiment of resilient motor mount  100  is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . Resilient motor mount  100  includes resilient vanes  102  which may be comprised of a number of vane elements  104  which are attached at a fixed end  106  to the outer diameter of motor case  109  of motor  108  and demountable at a vane free end  110  for mounting onto a mounting surface such as for example a housing  112 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the fixed end  106  of each resilient vane  102  is rigidly connected to the outside diameter of motor  108  and they project radially away from motor  108  in a curved fashion as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , each resilient vane  102  is comprised of two vane elements  104  which are normally connected together at the vane free end  110  and also at the vane fixed end  106 . Each vane includes at least two vane elements which are connected together at the fixed end and the free end to form a unitary resilient vane. 
         [0042]    Each resilient vane  102  can be resiliently compressed independently to as shown in the collapsed position  120  in  FIG. 1  and also in  FIG. 2 . Each resilient vane  102  can also be extended to a partially extended position  122  as shown in  FIG. 1  and to a fully extended position as shown in  FIG. 124 . 
         [0043]    In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the motor  108  is deployed as a fan and the diagrams show fan blades  130  attached to a motor shaft  132  of motor  108 . In this example, motor  108  is mounted within housing  112 , wherein the resilient vanes  102  are shown in the extended position  124  in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0044]      FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  shown an alternate embodiment of resilient motor mount namely  200  which is comprised of a number of vane elements namely, resilient vanes  202  each of which also being a vane element  204 . In this particular embodiment each flexible vane  202  is comprised of one vane element  204 , whereas in the previous embodiment resilient vane  102  was comprised of two of the vane elements  104  attached at the vane free end  110  and the vane fixed end  106 . 
         [0045]    In the present embodiment there are two resilient motor mounts  200  mounted onto motor  208 . In this case the resilient motor mounts  200  are mounted onto each end of motor  208  to provide for a symmetrical distribution of the holding force maintaining the motor  208  in position within the housing  212  by positioning and holding firmly both ends of motor  208 . 
         [0046]    Figure now to  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 , yet another alternate embodiment shown generally as resilient mount  300  which is comprised of group of vanes  301 , wherein each group of vanes  301  is made up of a number of vane elements  304  which are attached at fixed end  306  to motor  308 . 
         [0047]    Unlike the first embodiment in which each resilient vane  102  was comprised of two vane elements  104  which were rigidly connected at the vane free end  110  and the vane fixed end  106 . In this embodiment, resilient motor mount  300  is comprised of a number of group of vanes  301  which are comprised of a number of vane elements  304  which in the diagrams show that each group of vanes  301  is comprised of five vane elements  304  which are not connected at the vane free end  310 .  FIG. 11  shows the resilient motor mount  300  positioned inside a housing  312 , wherein motor  308  shows a motor shaft  332  projecting outwardly there from. 
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIG. 13  which shows resilient motor mount  200  mounted within a housing  213 , wherein housing  213  is rigidly attached to a frame work  402  which in turn is connected to duct work  404 , wherein the resilient motor mount  200  is shown in the extended position  424 . Resilient motor mount  200  holds motor  408  which include a motor shaft  432  rigidly and concentrically within housing  413  as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0049]    In use resilient motor mount  100 ,  200  and  300  are used in analogous fashion. By way of example only we will describe use of motor mount  100  with reference to  FIGS. 1  through  6 . The method and application of use can be analogously applied to resilient motor mount  200  as well as resilient motor mount  300 . A person skilled in the art will note that resilient motor mount  100 ,  200  and  300  are very similar aside from the fact that the groupings and spacings of the vane elements  104  and their attachment are somewhat different. 
         [0050]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 6 , resilient motor mount  100  is firstly placed into a collapsed position  120  by compressing manually or by using a suitable tool, the resilient vanes  102 . Resilient vanes  102  collapse in resilient spring like fashion by coiling downwardly by bending each resilient vane  102  towards the motor  108 . The radius of curvature of each vane is increased as one urges the vane into the collapsed position and the radius of curvature is decreased as the vane is released into the extended position. 
         [0051]    In this manner the outer notional diameter and/or radius defined by the distance of the vane free end  110  from motor  108  is minimized and/or significantly reduced from the notional outer radius and/or diameter defined by the vane free ends  110  in the extended position  124 . 
         [0052]    In collapsed position  120 , the motor  108  can be placed within the housing  112  in which the motor  108  is to be mounted in. Once the resilient vanes  102  are released, they resiliently bias against the inner diameter of housing  112 , thereby mounting motor  108  in a fixed position within housing  112  simply due to the resilient bias of the resilient vanes  102  against the inner wall of housing  112 . 
         [0053]    A person skilled in the art will note that replacement, removal and insertion of a new motor becomes a simple task of collapsing resilient vanes  102  into collapsed position  120 , whereby the motor  108  can be removed and/or installed into the desired position within housing  112 . 
         [0054]    A number of resilient motor mounts  100  can be attached to the outer diameter or outer casing of motor  108  and as shown and depicted in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . Resilient motor mount  100  is attached to the outer diameter of motor  108 . In  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  two resilient motor mounts  200  are mounted onto the outer diameter of motor  208 . In  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 , the third embodiment namely resilient motor mount  300  also shows two resilient motor mounts mounted onto motor  308 . The number or the arrangement of the resilient motor mounts onto the outer diameter of motor  308 , will depend upon the application and the geometry of the installation. 
         [0055]    Note that the drawings do not indicate particular attachment means for fixing the fixed end  106  of each resilient vane  102  to the outside diameter of motor  108 . There are many different mounting means available that are known in the art including for example, rigidly connecting the vane fixed end  106  with suitable fasteners to a circular clamp which in turn can then be clamped around the outside of motor  108  thereby holding each of the resilient vanes  102  rigidly onto the outer diameter of motor  108 . 
         [0056]    The resilient vanes  102  may be integrally part of the motor casing of motor  108  for motors which are designed from the ground up and are designed to include this mounting method and/or mounting means from the inception and design of the motor itself. 
         [0057]    There may be methods of mounting resilient vanes  102  onto motor  108  for retrofitting existing motors which may include circular clamps and/or other clamping and/or flange techniques and/or attachment techniques for rigidly attaching resilient vanes  102  to motor  108 . 
         [0058]    The resilient motor mounting system can be used for existing fan installations and also for newly designed installations. By way of example and without limitation this technology can used in existing or new ductwork, automobile installations, aircraft and spacecraft installations, in greenhouses, residential and commercial buildings. It may be possible to eliminate large plenums and fan boxes by using this technology and it may also provide greater design freedom in selecting locations for fan installations. The fan location may improve efficiencies since it may be possible to pull air rather than push it in a given installations. Thus mounting method is not limited to fan motors but also may be successfully employed for other motor installations. For example it may be possible to use the resilient motor mounting system for drive motors. 
         [0059]    It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of the structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which defined in the appended claims.