Gearless direct drive switched reluctance motor for laundry application

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG.
1 shows the SRM mounted within a laundry machine.
Referring to FIG.
1, the laundry machine includes a housing or cabinet 2 including a base and suspension system 3 and a top access door 4 hinged at 5.
The SRM motor 7 is supported on the suspension system 3 and is positioned below, and connected to, the central agitator shaft 8 and the oscillating inner basket 10.
An outer stationary basket 11 is secured to the housing 18 through a rubber water seal 14.
The clothes to be washed are inserted through the access door 4 to the inner basket 10.
Water is introduced into the inner basket 10 and flows through multiple holes in the inner basket to be retained by the outer basket 11 until drained and/or recirculated.
As is well known in the art, the clothes may be washed through the combined movements of the agitator (not shown) connected to the agitator shaft 8 and the oscillating inner basket 10.
The SRM shaft 19 is connected to the agitator shaft 8 and/or the inner basket 10 through coupling 17 above housing 18.
A water seal 22 around coupling 17 surrounds the shaft and prevents water leakage through the coupling.
Referring next to FIGS.
2A and 2B, the SRM 7 includes a rotor 24 secured to SRM shaft 19 by rotor hub 25.
The stator 27 including windings 28 are positioned and supported between the pulley end-shield 30 and the opposite pulley end end-shield 31.
The end shields 30 and 31 are fastened together by hexagonal head bolts such as 33 and a nut with lockwasher 34.
The end shield 31 is secured to the laundry machine 1 through the carriage 42 by socket head cap screws 36 with a Helicoil insert 37.
The SRM shaft is rotatably supported within the end shields 30 and 31 by ball bearings.
A wave spring washer 41 is positioned between the bearing 41 and the end shield 30.
The ball bearing 39 is of the angular contact type, manufactured and sold by SKF as their 7206BY bearing, in order to absorb a thrust load.
The bearing 40 is an SKF 62062RS.
A sleeve bearing 43 in housing 44 provides a water tight transition between the SRM shaft 19 and the water-filled laundry machine 1