Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an especially brushless electric motor for driving a motor vehicle component, comprising an electronics unit that includes a lead frame, which is provided with plastic encapsulation and has a current path conducting the motor current, and having two spaced-apart current path ends that form an interruption point bridged by a thermal fuse in the form of a spring-biased contact bridge. A motor vehicle component is understood to be in particular a fan impeller for cooling the cooling water.
Description of the Background Art
DE 20 2010 002 664 U1, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 8,633,621, which is incorporated herein by reference, and which discloses a DC motor for driving a motor vehicle component, in particular a fan impeller for cooling the cooling water, with a rotor and a commutator, against which carbon brushes rest in a contacting manner. A plastic-encapsulated lead frame forms a current path which is embossed in an electrical insulation and is connected in an electrically conductive manner to one of the carbon brushes. The current path, which conducts the motor current, is interrupted with the formation of two spaced-apart current path ends and the interruption point is bridged by a contact spring as the thermal fuse.
DE 10 2009 036 578 B3 relates to a thermal fuse, in particular for a power module of a motor vehicle, with a conductive strip, which is arranged on a circuit board and is interrupted by an interruption point, and which has a first conductive strip section and a second conductive strip section adjacent to the interruption point. A contact bridge, which is arranged in the area of the interruption point, has a first contact section and a second contact section arranged opposite to one another. The contact sections in a first position are attached to conductive strip sections by solder at soldering sites. The contact bridge in the first contact position is acted upon by a spring force in such a way that, when the melting point of the solder is reached, the contact sections of the corresponding conductive strip sections are separated. Further, the thermal fuse has a spring element which, when the melting point of the solder is reached, brings about a movement of the contact bridge, which extends parallel to the circuit board. In the second or triggering position, the contact bridge is held in a cage without contacting the first conductive strip section.
DE 10 2009 036 578 B3 discloses a thermal fuse with a spring-biased contact bridge, whose triggering movement in the event of triggering is oriented parallel to a circuit board, on which conductive strip sections run which are adjacent to a separation site and with which the contact bridge is contacted by means of solder melting in the event of triggering.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds