US20190085848A1

US20190085848A1 - Pump assembly with rapid assembly

Info

Publication number: US20190085848A1
Application number: US16/128,166
Authority: US
Inventors: Francesco Sinico; Michele CAPPOCCHIN; Stefano Tazioli; Pietro CAILOTTO
Original assignee: DAB Pumps SpA
Current assignee: DAB Pumps SpA
Priority date: 2017-09-18
Filing date: 2018-09-11
Publication date: 2019-03-21
Also published as: PL234004B1; SI25519A; CN109519390A; GB2567935B; FR3071280B1; DE102018121252A1; FR3071280A1; CN109519390B; PL426927A1; GB2567935A; IT201700103807A1; GB201814045D0

Abstract

A centrifugal pump assembly with an electric motor arranged in a stator housing, in which a box, containing an electrical board, is arranged at one end of the stator housing, includes an intermediate element between the motor and the box, being complementary, on one side, to the stator housing and, on the other side, to the box. The intermediate element is a covering and/or connecting element.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to, and claims the benefit of, Italian Patent Application No. 102017000103807, filed on Sep. 18, 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor.
The disclosure also relates to a covering and/or connecting element for such a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor.

BACKGROUND

Conventional centrifugal pump assemblies are composed substantially of a hollow body provided with intake and deliver ducts and containing one or more impellers interleaved by diffusers and keyed on the shaft of an electric motor enclosed inside a motor casing that isolates it from the pumping liquid.
An electrical board, contained in a box, powers and controls the operation of the motor.
In some cases, around the casing and the electrical box there is a covering element adapted to keep the pump assembly together.
These known techniques have drawbacks and aspects that can be improved.
The electric motor and the electrical box are usually fixed by using screws and this determines an expenditure in terms of time and costs for the provision of the product and for its maintenance.
The covering element, where present, is also fixed by means of screws and this determines an expenditure in terms of time and costs for the provision of the product and for its maintenance.
Furthermore, the covering element, where present, is not a structural element but serves only as an aesthetic element.

SUMMARY

The aim of the present disclosure is to provide a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, that is capable of improving the background art in one or more of the above-mentioned aspects.
Within this aim, the disclosure provides a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, that comprises an intermediate covering and/or connecting element between the electric motor and the electrical box.
The disclosure also provides a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, in which said covering and/or connecting element is fixed to the assembly by reducing the costs and time necessary for assembling and maintaining the product.
The disclosure further provides a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, in which said covering and/or connecting element is customizable and has a pleasant visual impact.
The disclosure provides a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, that comprises an element capable of protecting at least partially the user from the heat generated in the electric motor casing.
The present disclosure overcomes the drawbacks of the background art in a manner which is alternative to any existing solutions.
The disclosure further provides a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, that is highly reliable, relatively easy to provide and at competitive costs.
This aim and these and other advantages which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by providing a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, arranged in a stator housing, in which a box, containing an electrical board, is arranged at one end of said stator housing, characterized in that it comprises an intermediate element between said motor and said box, adapted to be integral therewith, being complementary, on one side, to said stator and, on the other side, to said box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the disclosure will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, according to the disclosure, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the pump assembly according to the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the pump assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a detail of the pump assembly according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the FIGS. 1-3, the centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor according to the disclosure, is generally designated by reference numeral 10.
The centrifugal pump assembly 10 comprises a wet region having intake and delivery ducts, not shown in the figures, of the known type, and an impeller, also not shown in the figures, of the known type, submerged in the wet region.
The impeller is keyed on a shaft 17 of an electric motor 19 composed of a stator 12 and a rotor 18. The electric motor is placed in a stator housing 11, adapted to insulate it from the wet region.
The centrifugal pump assembly 10 comprises, at one end, an electrical box 13, which contains an electrical board 14 adapted to control and power the electric motor 19. The electrical box 13 has a cylindrical shape and is closed at the free end by a lid 15.
In particular, the electric motor 19 and the electrical box 14 are extended along a same axis X, which coincides with the rotational axis of the motor and of the impeller. The electric motor 19 and the electrical box 14 are connected and rendered integral by the presence of an intermediate element 16. The intermediate element 16 is a connecting and/or covering element and has a tubular shape.
The intermediate element 16 is made of plastic material and has some raised portions on its surface which can be customized. At the same time, the color of the intermediate element 16 can also be customized so as to generate a pleasant visual impact in the user.
A particularity of the intermediate element 16 resided in the type of fixing to the electrical box 13 and to the stator housing 11. In fact, the connecting element 16 has components adapted to be complementary, on one side, to components of the electrical box 13 and, on the other side, to components of the stator housing 11, generating couplings by interlocking with interference.
Advantageously, the intermediate element 16 can fix the box 13 to said stator housing even in a different manner.
With reference to FIG. 2, the intermediate element 16 has seats and/or holes 20 adapted for the insertion of protrusions 21, conveniently shaped on the surface that is lateral and parallel to the axis X, of rotation of the impeller, of the electrical box 13, generating an interlock.
Likewise, with reference to FIG. 3, on the intermediate element 16 there are elements, such as for example teeth 22, on the inner tubular surface, adapted to generate an interference with elements such as, for example, projections 23, conveniently shaped on the surface of the stator housing 11 that is outer lateral and parallel to the axis X, of rotation of the impeller.
The intermediate element 16 has such a dimension to cover, at least partially, both the box 13 and the stator housing 11. In a constructive variation, the intermediate element 16 covers the box 13, on one side, and the stator housing 11 up to the section for connection therewith.
In particular, the electrical box 13 and the stator housing 11 have mutually complementary contact surfaces. From the electrical box 13 one or more first pins 28 extend which are adapted to be inserted in corresponding through holes 29 present on the contact surface of the stator housing 11. The pins 28 are adapted to connect the box 13 and the housing 11 and to facilitate the assembly of the pump 10.
Likewise, the box 13 has one or more second pins 30, which are extended inside the box 13 and in the direction of the lid 15, the tips of which are adapted for insertion in corresponding holes present on the surface of the lid 15 that is directed toward the inside of the box 13. The pins 30 are adapted to connect the box 13 and the lid 15 and to facilitate the assembly of the pump 10.
Male connecting plates 24 extend from the electrical board 14 and are adapted to enter female terminals 25 connected to the electric motor 19. In this manner, the board 14 can power and control the electric motor 19.
The electrical board 14 has, at one end, a connector 26 adapted to be inserted in an electric power supply terminal, which is external to the pump. At the region of insertion of said terminal, the box 13 has a tab 27 that protrudes with respect to the intermediate element 16.
The stator housing 11 has, at the end that is opposite the end for contact with the electrical box 13, a perimetric annular tab 31 having a plurality of through holes 32, adapted to the insertion of screws 34 for fixing the stator housing 11 to the body of said intake and delivery ducts, not visible in the figures.
The electrical box 13 is provided internally with a tubular body 34 with an axis of extension that coincides with the axis X.
Advantageously, the tubular body 34 can have an extension that does not coincide with the axis X, but is parallel thereto.
The tubular body 34 extends from the surface of contact with the stator housing 11 to the lid 15 of the electrical box 13. At the cross-section of the tubular body 34, both the electrical board 14 and the lid 15 have a through hole 36 with an axis of extension that coincides with the axis X. The through hole 36 and the tubular body 34 are adapted for the insertion of a venting or inspection plug 35 with an end in contact with the wet region. The tubular body 34 and the hole 36 of the lid 15 have such dimensions and shapes to ensure an interference and insulation of the electrical board 14 from the wet region, even in the event of venting.
The seal between the wet region and the plug 35 is ensured by an O-ring 37, of the known type, the seal of which between the wet region, the electrical box 13 and the stator housing 11 is ensured by a gasket 38 of the known type.
The gasket 38 is co-molded on the box 13.
It should be noted that the intermediate element 16 according to the disclosure allows to connect and render the electric motor 19 and the electrical box 13 integral by simple interlocking, without the need to use fixing screws, reducing the number of operations and the assembly and maintenance costs.
Furthermore, it should be noted that said intermediate element 16 partially protects the user from the heat generated during the operation of the motor 19 on the stator housing 11.
It should be noted also that the intermediate element 16 allows a customization both in terms of shape and in terms of color, generating a pleasant visual impact.
In practice it has been found that the disclosure achieves the intended aims and advantages by providing a centrifugal pump assembly, with electric motor, arranged in a stator housing, in which a box is arranged at one end of said stator housing, and comprising an intermediate element between the motor and the box, adapted to be integral therewith, being complementary, on one side, to the stator and, on the other side, to the box.
The disclosure thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claims

1. A centrifugal pump assembly, with an electric motor,

arranged in a stator housing, in which a box, containing an electrical board, is arranged at one end of said stator housing, the centrifugal pump assembly comprising an intermediate element between said motor and said box, adapted to be integral therewith, being complementary, on one side, to said stator housing and, on another side, to said box.

2. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate element is a tubular covering and/or a connecting element.

3. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein said tubular covering and/or said connecting element is provided with components adapted to be complementary, on one side, to components of said electrical box and, on the other side, to components of said stator housing, generating couplings by interlocking with interference.

4. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein said covering and/or said connecting element is provided with seats and/or holes adapted for the insertion of protrusions, of a lateral surface of said box, generating an interlock.

5. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 2, wherein said covering and/or said connecting element is provided with teeth, on an internal tubular surface, adapted to generate an interference with projections of an outer lateral surface of the stator housing.

6. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box has a cylindrical extension and an end lid.

7. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box and said stator housing have mutually complementary contact surfaces.

8. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box has one or more first pins adapted to be inserted in corresponding through holes present on a contact surface of the stator housing.

9. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 8, wherein said box has one or more second pins, which are extended inside the box and in the direction of the lid, the tips of which are adapted for insertion in corresponding holes present on a surface of the lid that is directed toward an inside of the box.

10. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electrical board is provided with male connecting plates adapted to enter female terminals connected to said electric motor.

11. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electrical board has, at one end, a connector adapted to be inserted in an electric power supply terminal, which is external to the pump.

12. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 11, wherein at the region of insertion of said electric power supply terminal said box has a tab that protrudes with respect to said intermediate element.

13. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein said box is provided internally with a tubular body with an axis of extension that coincides with, or is parallel to, an axis of extension of said box.

14. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 13, wherein said tubular body has an extension from a surface of contact with said stator housing to said lid of said box.

15. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 14, wherein at a cross-section of said tubular body both said electrical board and said lid have a through hole with an axis of extension that coincides with an axis of extension of said tubular body.

16. The centrifugal pump assembly according to claim 15, wherein said through hole and said tubular body are adapted for the insertion of a venting or inspection plug.