Motor-gearbox assembly

Abstract

A motor-gearbox assembly includes a housing, a motor, and a gearbox. The housing includes a first alignment mechanism and a second alignment mechanism. The first alignment mechanism is at a first end of the housing and the second alignment mechanism is at a second end of the housing. The motor is mechanically positioned within the housing in accordance with the first alignment mechanism. The gearbox is mechanically positioned within the housing in accordance with the second alignment mechanisms to mechanically couple to the motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A motor-gearbox assembly comprises:
 a housing having a first alignment mechanism and a second alignment mechanism, wherein the first alignment mechanism is at a first end of the housing and the second alignment mechanism is at a second end of the housing;   a motor mechanically positioned within the housing in accordance with the first alignment mechanism; and   a gearbox mechanically positioned within the housing in accordance with the second alignment mechanism to mechanically couple to the motor, wherein the housing includes:
 a stainless steel tube having a first inner diameter of a first tolerance, wherein an inner circumference of the first end of the housing is bored to a second inner diameter to produce the first alignment mechanism and the inner circumference of the second end of the housing is bored to a third inner diameter to produce the second alignment mechanism, wherein the second and third inner diameters have a second tolerance, and wherein the second tolerance is more strict than the first tolerance. 
   
     
     
         2 . The motor-gearbox assembly of  claim 1  further comprises:
 a first end-shield having a first o-ring receptacle; and 
 a second end-shield having a second o-ring receptacle; 
 wherein the first alignment mechanism includes a corresponding first o-ring receptacle and the second alignment mechanism includes a corresponding second o-ring receptacle; 
 wherein the first-end-shield is mechanically coupled to the first end of the housing and the second end-shield is mechanically coupled to the second end of the housing, wherein the mechanical couplings of the first and second end-shields to the first and second ends of the housing are moisture sealed using first and second o-rings within the first o-ring receptacle and the corresponding first o-ring receptacle and within the second o-ring receptacle and the corresponding second o-ring receptacle, respectively. 
 
     
     
         3 . A wash-down motor-gearbox assembly comprises:
 a stainless steel tube;   a motor concentrically positioned within the stainless steel tube;   a gearbox concentrically positioned within the stainless steel tube and mechanically coupled to the motor;   a first end-shield having a first o-ring receptacle; and   a second end-shield having a second o-ring receptacle;   wherein the first alignment mechanism includes a corresponding first o-ring receptacle and the second alignment mechanism includes a corresponding second o-ring receptacle;   wherein the first-end-shield is mechanically coupled to the first end of the stainless steel tube and the second end-shield is mechanically coupled to the second end of the stainless steel tube, wherein the mechanical couplings of the first and second end-shields to the first and second ends of the stainless steel tube are moisture sealed using first and second o-rings within the first o-ring receptacle and the corresponding first o-ring receptacle and within the second o-ring receptacle and the corresponding second o-ring receptacle, respectively.   
     
     
         4 . The wash-down motor-gearbox assembly of  claim 3  further comprises:
 at least one tie bolt mechanically coupled to at least one of the first and second end-shields. 
 
     
     
         5 . A motor-gearbox assembly comprises:
 a housing having an alignment mechanism at a first end of the housing;   a motor mechanically positioned within the housing in accordance with the first alignment mechanism, wherein the motor includes a gearbox alignment mechanism; and   a gearbox mechanically positioned within the housing and aligned in accordance with the gearbox alignment mechanism, wherein the gearbox is mechanically coupled to the motor;   a first end-shield having a first o-ring receptacle; and   a second end-shield having a second o-ring receptacle;   wherein the first alignment mechanism includes a corresponding first o-ring receptacle and a second end of the housing includes a corresponding second o-ring receptacle; wherein the first-end-shield is mechanically coupled to the first end of the housing and the second end-shield is mechanically coupled to the second end of the housing, wherein the mechanical couplings of the first and second end-shields to the first and second ends of the housing are moisture sealed using first and second o-rings within the first o-ring receptacle and the corresponding first o-ring receptacle and within the second o-ring receptacle and the corresponding second o-ring receptacle, respectively.   
     
     
         6 . The motor-gearbox assembly of  claim 5  further comprises:
 at least one tie bolt mechanically coupled to at least one of the first and second end-shields.