Drive device for a household appliance and method for mounting an electric motor

Abstract

A drive device for a household appliance, in which an electromotor is fixed by a fixing screw. An insulation layer of a material with a defined conductivity is located between the fixing screw and the electromotor. The fixing screw is tightened with a defined torque such that, due to the resultant defined contact pressure, a defined resistance for discharging electrostatic charges from the electromotor is obtained. This simultaneously ensures the suppression of leakage currents. A method for mounting an electric motor is also disclosed.

1 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A drive assembly comprising: 
 an electric motor having a bearing plate;    an arm being coupled to the bearing plate and supporting the motor;    a threaded fastener coupling the motor to the arm;    a first insulator being disposed between the bearing plate and the arm and suppressing discharge currents between the electric motor and the arm; and    a second insulator disposed between the threaded fastener and the arm and having an electrical resistance, the second insulator permitting the discharge of electrostatic charges from the electric motor.    
   
   
       21 . The drive assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein the first and second insulators are made from different materials having different electrical properties from one another.  
   
   
       22 . The drive assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein the second insulator comprises an electrically conductive plastic material.  
   
   
       23 . The drive assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein the second insulator comprises a plastic with an admixture of an electrically conductive material including at least one of carbon and metal powder.  
   
   
       24 . The drive assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein the resistance of the second insulator between the electric motor and the fastening device is between approximately 0.5 megaohm and approximately 2 megaohms.  
   
   
       25 . The drive assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein the threaded fastener provides a contact pressure on the second insulator in response to a torque applied on the threaded fastener, the electrical resistance of the second insulator being adjustable in response to the contact pressure from the threaded fastener.  
   
   
       26 . The household appliance according to  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the arm and the bearing plate defines a recess and the other of the arm and the bearing plate includes a projection, the projection extending into the recess to at least partially couple the arm to the bearing plate, the first insulator being at least partially disposed between the projection and the recess.  
   
   
       27 . A drive assembly comprising: 
 an electric motor having a bearing plate;    an arm being coupled to the bearing plate and supporting the motor;    a first insulator being disposed between the bearing plate and the arm; and    a second insulator disposed between the bearing plate and the arm and having an electrical resistance, wherein the first and second insulators do not contact one another.    
   
   
       28 . The drive assembly according to  claim 27 , wherein the first insulator suppresses discharge currents between the electric motor and the arm, the second insulator permitting the discharge of electrostatic charges from the electric motor to the arm.  
   
   
       29 . The drive assembly according to  claim 27 , further comprising a threaded fastener coupling the motor to the arm, the second insulator being disposed between the threaded fastener and at least one of the arm and the bearing plate.  
   
   
       30 . The drive assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein the threaded fastener directly contacts the other of the arm and the bearing plate in an electrically conductive connection.  
   
   
       31 . The drive assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein the second insulator is disposed between the threaded fastener and the arm and the threaded fastener is directly contacts the bearing plate in an electrically conductive connection.  
   
   
       32 . The drive assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein the threaded fastener provides a contact pressure on the second insulator in response to a torque applied on the threaded fastener, the electrical resistance of the second insulator being adjustable in response to the contact pressure from the threaded fastener.  
   
   
       33 . A drive assembly comprising: 
 an electric motor having a bearing plate defining a plate recess;    an arm being coupled to the bearing plate and supporting the motor, the arm defining an arm recess;    a threaded fastener coupling the motor to the arm;    a first insulator being disposed between the bearing plate and the arm;    a second insulator disposed between the threaded fastener and the arm and having an electrical resistance; and    an arresting pin extending into the arm and plate recesses to at least partially couple the arm to the bearing plate, the arresting pin at least partially forming the first insulator.    
   
   
       34 . The household appliance according to  claim 32 , wherein the arm defines a second arm recess and the bearing plate defines a second plate recess, a second arresting pin extending into the second arm recess and second plate recess to at least partially couple the arm to the bearing plate, the second arresting pin at least partially forming the first insulator.  
   
   
       35 . The drive assembly according to  claim 32 , wherein the first insulator suppresses discharge currents between the electric motor and the arm, the second insulator permitting the discharge of electrostatic charges from the electric motor to the arm.  
   
   
       36 . The drive assembly according to  claim 32 , wherein the threaded fastener provides a contact pressure on the second insulator in response to a torque applied on the threaded fastener, the electrical resistance of the second insulator being adjustable in response to the contact pressure from the threaded fastener.