Clothes dryer motor with broken belt switch

Abstract

A clothes dryer includes a motor adapted to be mounted on a frame of the dryer for driving a dryer belt to rotate a drum of the dryer. The motor includes a rotor adapted to rotate the belt, at least one winding energizable to cause rotation of the rotor, and a first switch operable to control energization of the winding. A second switch has a sensor for sensing belt breakage. The second switch is mounted on the first switch and is electrically connected to the winding so that when the belt is no longer sensed, the second switch stops operation of the winding and thereby stops rotation of the rotor.

1 . A clothes dryer motor adapted to be mounted on a frame of a dryer for driving a dryer belt to rotate a drum of the dryer, the motor comprising:
 a motor frame mountable on the dryer frame having an outward facing surface;   a stator mounted on the motor frame;   a rotor rotatably mounted for rotation within the stator;   a belt break switch mounted on the surface of the motor frame adjacent the belt and having an arm disposed to sense dryer belt breakage, the switch operable to inhibit power to the motor whenever the dryer belt is broken.   
   
   
       2 . The dryer motor of  claim 1  further comprising a main switch, wherein the break switch and the main switch are provided as an integral unit with connections between the break switch and the main switch being pre-wired. 
   
   
       3 . The dryer motor of  claim 1  wherein the break switch cuts power to the motor in response to movement of the arm. 
   
   
       4 . The dryer motor of  claim 3  wherein the arm is disposed to be moved by an idler arm of the dryer frame, the idler arm moving in response to belt breakage. 
   
   
       5 . The dryer motor of  claim 1  wherein the switch is an automatic reset switch so that the switch automatically resets after the broken belt is replaced. 
   
   
       6 . A clothes dryer motor for rotating a drum of a dryer via a dryer belt, the motor comprising:
 a rotor adapted to rotate the belt;   a main winding operably connected to the rotor to cause rotation of the rotor;   a start winding operably connected to the rotor to cause rotation of the rotor at motor start-up;   a protector assembly electrically connected to the main winding and the start winding;   a main switch operably connected to the start winding to stop the start winding from operating when the rotor reaches a predetermined speed; and   a motor frame for mounting the rotor, the main winding, the start winding, the protector assembly, and the main switch, the frame having a surface, the protector assembly including a belt switch having an arm, the belt switch being mounted on the surface of the frame and operable to stop operation of the motor whenever a belt malfunction occurs.   
   
   
       7 . The dryer motor of  claim 6  wherein the protector assembly is in series with the main winding and the start winding. 
   
   
       8 . The dryer motor of  claim 6  wherein the belt switch, the main switch, and the motor frame are provided as an integral unit and connections between the belt switch and the main switch are pre-wired. 
   
   
       9 . A clothes dryer comprising:
 a dryer frame;   a drum rotatably mounted on the dryer frame;   a belt connected to the dryer frame for rotation thereof; and   a motor mounted on the dryer frame and connected to the belt to rotate the belt and drum, the motor including:   a motor frame mounted on the dryer frame and having an outward facing surface; and   a belt break switch mounted on the surface of the motor frame adjacent the belt and having an arm disposed to sense belt breakage, the switch being operable to inhibit power to the motor whenever the dryer belt is broken.   
   
   
       10 . The dryer of  claim 9  wherein:
 the motor further comprises a main switch; and   the break switch, the main switch, and the motor frame are provided as an integral unit with connections between the break switch and the main switch being pre-wired.   
   
   
       11 . The dryer motor of  claim 10  wherein the break switch cuts power to the motor in response to movement of the arm. 
   
   
       12 . The dryer motor of  claim 11  wherein:
 the arm is disposed to be moved by an idler arm of the dryer frame; and   the idler arm moves in response to belt breakage.