Abstract:
A compressor is provided with a fluid tight electrical connector. The electrical connector is sealed against the seal compressor housing, and a cable end connector is detachably attached to a connector housing . Since the cable is separately attached to the connector housing, it is not directly connected to terminal pins in the compressor. This reduces damage to those terminal pins. Further, unique sealing arrangements make the electrical connection fluid tight.

Description:
This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 09/859,390, filed 17 May 2001, now abandoned, which was a divisional of Ser. No. 09/115,463, filed 14 Jul. 1998, and now U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,528. 

   The connector housing  24  is shown attached to the sealed compressor housing  22  in FIG.  3 . As shown, the pins  30  extend through openings  31  in the connector housing. A main connector housing body  36  receives covers  38  and  40 . Bolts  42  extend into the bosses  32  to secure the connector housing  24  to the sealed compressor housing. An internal wall  44  receives a terminal block  46  which communicates electrical signals from the pins  30  to the cable  26 , as will be explained below. A strap  48  secures the terminal block  46  within the housing. The space surrounding the terminal block and strap is filled with a filler material  57 , such as an epoxy potting material. A groove  49  of the main connector housing body  36  is supplied within a tough epoxy sealant, such that the connection between the main connector housing body  36  and the covers  38  and  40  provides a fluid type seal. The drawings schematically show a compressor pump unit  51  which is driven by a motor  55 . A power supply supplies power from terminal pins  30  to the wires  157 , and through to the motor  55 . The power supply is preferably a three-phase power supply, and preferably there are four pins, with one of the pins supplying a ground. This is the invention of the above-referenced patent. A seal  53  seals between a forward face of the main connector housing body  36  and the sealed compressor housing  22 . A space  17  spaces weld ring  29  from the main connector housing body  36 . The combination of all of the sealing provides a fluid type seal such that this compressor could be placed in a submerged location, and yet water would not leak through the connector housing. A separate cable connector  50  is inserted into the main connector housing body  36 , and includes appropiate seals for providing a fluid tight seal between the cable  26  and the cable connector  50 . Again, the fluid type seal will allow the entire compressor to be submerged. Since the cable is connected to a separate part, it can be easily removed without applying any force to the terminal pins  30 . Thus, damage which may have occurred in the past is avoided. 
     FIG. 4  shows connector housing  24  including a flat for sealing ring  53  which seals on the outer surface of the sealed compressor housing  22 . A wall  44  receives bolts  56  to secure the strap  48 . A plurality of openings  54  are formed within connector housing body  36  to receive the pins  30 . As shown, potting material  57  fills the connector housing  24 . 
     FIG. 10  shows cover  40 . As shown, groove  49  surrounds the periphery of the lid. A sealant, preferably an epoxy sealant  100  is placed in the groove  49  before the lid is placed on the main housing (see FIG.  11 ). The groove and sealant then seals on to the tongue  101  on the main housing such as shown in FIG.  3 . 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, a separate connector housing is attached to a sealed compressor housing. A cable is connected to a connection at one end of the housing, and terminal pins from the connector housing are received within mating pin structure within a connector block. A terminal block has appropriate circuitry for communicating the terminal pins in the sealed housing to connectors for the cable at the other end of the connector block. The connector housing is preferably attached to the sealed compressor housing with some mechanical attachment structure. In one embodiment, bolts are utilized. Preferably, bolt bosses are welded to the outer surface of the sealed compressor housing to receive the mechanical attachment structure, which may be bolts. The cable is separately connected to the connector housing such that when the cable is removed, there is no force on the terminal pins in the connector housing. 
   Structurally, the connector housing preferably includes an internal wall which receives the terminal block to receive the terminal pins. This connector housing provides proper positioning for the terminal block such that the terminal block is properly received. A strap secures the terminal block within the connector housing. The terminal block is preferably formed with openings to receive the terminal pins from the sealed compressor housing, and has appropriate circuitry connected to the terminal pins for the cable. 
   Further, sealing elements are preferably placed on the connector housing to surround the connection of the terminal pins within the compressor housing. Further sealing elements are placed in the connector housing at appropriate locations to define a fluid-tight seal. Also, the entire interior of the connector housing is preferably encased in a filler material such as a potting material, further enhancing the fluid-tight seal. 
   These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a compressor incorporated in the inventive connector housing. 
       FIG. 2  is the compressor of  FIG. 1  without the connector housing. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view through the connector housing. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along a different plane from that of  FIG. 3 , and through the connector housing. 
       FIG. 5  shows a portion of the connector housing. 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view generally along lines  6 — 6  as shown in FIG.  5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a view through a connector housing portion according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  schematically shows the connections of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the connector housing. 
       FIG. 10  shows the housing lid. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view along line  11 — 11  of FIG.  10 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A compressor  20  includes a sealed compressor housing  22  which seals a compressor pump unit and motor, as known. An electrical power connector housing  24  is attached to the sealed compressor housing  22 . A cable  26  is secured to the connector housing  24  and supplies electrical power to the compressor  20 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the sealed compressor housing  22  includes an electrical connection at  28 . Connection  28  includes pins  30  received within a weld ring  29 . The weld ring is welded to the sealed compressor housing  22  and pins  30  are connected to the motor. The structure of the pins is better described in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09/105,135, entitled “INTEGRAL GROUND PIN FOR SEALED COMPRESSOR”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,523. 
   The connector housing  24  is shown attached to the sealed compressor housing  22  in FIG.  3 . As shown, the pins  30  extend through openings  31  in the connector housing. A main connector housing body  36  receives a cover  38  and  40 . Bolts  42  extend into the bosses  32  to secure the connector housing  24  to the sealed compressor housing. An internal wall  44  receives a terminal block  46  which communicates electrical signals from the pins  30  to the cable  26 , as will be explained below. A strap  48  secures the terminal block  46  within the housing. The space surrounding the terminal block and strap is filled with a filler material  57 , such as an epoxy potting material. A groove  49  of the main connector housing body  36  is supplied within a tough epoxy sealant, such that the connection between the main connector housing body  36  and the covers  38  and  40  provides a fluid type seal. The drawings schematically show a compressor pump unit  51  which is driven by a motor  55 . A power supply supplies power from terminal pins  30  to the wires  157 , and through to the motor  55 . The power supply is preferably a three-phase power supply, and preferably there are four pins, with one of the pins supplying a ground. This is the invention of the above-referenced patent. A seal  53  seals between a forward face of the main connector housing body  36  and the sealed compressor housing  22 . A space  17  spaces weld ring  29  from the main connector housing body  36 . The combination of all of the sealing provides a fluid type seal such that this compressor could be placed in a submerged location, and yet water would not leak through the connector housing. A separate cable connector  50  is inserted into the main connector housing body  36 , and includes appropriate seals for providing a fluid tight seal between the cable  26  and the cable connector  50 . Again, the fluid type seal will allow the entire compressor to be submerged. Since the cable is connected to a separate part, it can be easily removed without applying any force to the terminal pins  30 . Thus, damage which may have occurred in the past is avoided. 
   Weld bosses  32  are welded to the other surface of the sealed compressor housing  22  and receive bolts to connect the connector housing  24 , as will be described below. 
     FIG. 4  shows connector housing  24  including a flat for sealing ring  53  which seals on the outer surface of the sealed compressor housing  22 . A wall  44  receives bolts  56  to secure the strap  48 . A plurality of openings  54  are formed within block  36  to receive the pins  30 . As shown, potting material  57  fills the housing  24 . 
     FIG. 5  shows the wall  44  within the interior of the main connector housing body  36 . A sealing lip  58  surrounds an opening into the main connector housing body  36 . The cover  40  is received on the main connector housing body  36  to close this opening. The sealing lip  58  provides a fluid tight seal at that connection. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , the sealing lip  58  extends outwardly of main connector housing body  36 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , a sealing element  53  surrounds the inner surface of the main connector housing body  36 . 
     FIG. 8  schematically shows the terminal block  46  receiving the terminal pins  30 . Appropriate wiring  52  connects the terminal pins  30  to a cable connector  60  having associated pins  62 . Although pins are shown at both  30  and  62 , it should be understood that either or both of these elements could be receptors rather than the pin elements. 
     FIG. 9  shows the main connector housing body  36 , and the cable connector  60  including the pins  62 . The curved surface  67  of the main connector housing body  36  faces the outer periphery of the curved outer surface of the sealed compressor housing  22  and provides a splash guard. Since the inventive compressor may well be utilized in applications where it will be exposed to water, the splash guard prevents water from reaching the seal between the connector housing and the sealed compressor housing. The inventive connector is especially directed to compressors which are utilized in refrigeration transport containers. That is, refrigerated containers transported on boats, etc. Such compressors may well be exposed to water, and the invention is thus directed to providing a very good seal for this application. 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , there is a flat surface  99  radially inwardly of the curved surface  67 . That flat surface receives the seal  53  such as shown in FIG.  3 . The combination of the flat surface and the curved surface ensure that there is a fluid tight seal at the sealed compressor housing, and that that seal is not exposed to an undue amount of water due to the splash guard of the curved surface  67 . 
     FIG. 10  shows lid  40 . As shown, groove  49  surrounds the periphery of the lid. A sealant, preferably an epoxy sealant  100  is placed in the groove  49  before the lid is placed on the main housing (see FIG.  11 ). The groove and sealant then seals on to the tongue  101  on the main housing such as shown in FIG.  3 . 
   While an epoxy is the preferred filler material in this application, other filler materials such as RTB, silicone materials, etc., can be utilized. 
   A preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed; however, a worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.