Cooling device and system for bathing installation pump electrical drive

Abstract

A passive cooling system for an electric motor drive circuit in a bathing installation, including a section of hollow pipe made of a thermally conductive tubing material, the pipe configured to form part of a water recirculation path of the bathing installation. An adapter structure has a conformal surface configured for attachment to an outer surface of the pipe and a circuit contacting surface for attachment to the motor drive circuit, the adapter structure fabricated of a thermally conductive adapter material. The adapter structure provides a thermal conductive path between the motor drive circuit and the pipe section, configured to pass heat generated by the circuitry to the pipe section and into spa water flowing through the water recirculation path, to cool the circuitry and warm the spa water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A passive cooling system for a motor drive circuit in a bathing installation, comprising:
 a length of hollow pipe section made of a thermally conductive tubing material, the pipe section configured to form part of a water recirculation path of the bathing installation;   an adapter structure having a conformal surface configured for attachment to an outer surface of the pipe section and a circuit contacting surface for attachment to the motor drive circuit, the adapter structure fabricated of a thermally conductive adapter material;   wherein the hollow pipe has a circular cross-sectional configuration, and the conformal surface has an arc-shaped cross-section conforming to a portion of an outer surface of the hollow pipe, and the circuit contacting surface includes a planar surface; and   wherein the adapter structure provides a thermal conductive path between the motor drive circuit and the pipe section, configured to pass heat generated by the motor drive circuit to the pipe section and into water flowing through the water recirculation path, to cool the motor drive circuit and warm the bathing installation water.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive tubing material is a stainless steel. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive heat sink material is aluminum, copper or bronze. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter structure is attached to the hollow pipe section by studs extending from an outer surface of the hollow tubing. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an attachment structure for attaching the adapter structure to the pipe section, the attachment structure free of piercing through the pipe section. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the attachment structure comprises at least one threaded stud welded to the outer surface of the hollow tubing, at least one opening in the heat sink structure through which the stud is passed, and a threaded fastener for engaging the threaded stud to secure the heat sink structure to the hollow tubing. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the part of the water recirculation path is on the pump suction side of the path. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the part of the water recirculation path is on the pump pressure side of the path. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow pipe includes couplers attached at each end of the pipe to connect the hollow pipe into the water recirculation path. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein no cooling system elements protrude into the water flow in the pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter structure further includes a panel portion, the planar surface defined on a first surface of the panel portion, and a plurality of cooling fins protruding from an opposed surface of the panel portion adjacent the conformal surface. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the arc-shaped surface circumscribes less than 180 degrees of the pipe section circumference, so that the adapter structure may be moved radially into contact with the pipe section. 
     
     
         13 . A passive cooling system for an electric motor drive circuit in a bathing installation, comprising:
 a length of hollow pipe section made of a thermally conductive tubing material, the pipe section configured to form part of a water recirculation path of the bathing installation;   an adapter structure having a conformal surface configured for attachment to an outer surface of the pipe section and a circuit contacting surface for attachment to the motor drive circuit, the adapter structure fabricated of a thermally conductive adapter material;   wherein the hollow pipe has a circular cross-sectional configuration, and the conformal surface has an arc-shaped cross-section conforming to a portion of an outer surface of the hollow pipe, and the circuit contacting surface includes a planar surface, wherein the arc-shaped surface circumscribes less than 180 degrees of the pipe section circumference, so that the adapter structure may be moved radially into contact with the pipe section;   wherein the adapter structure provides a thermal conductive path between the motor drive circuit and the pipe section, configured to pass heat generated by the motor drive circuit to the pipe section and into water flowing through the water recirculation path, to cool the motor drive circuit and warm the bathing installation water; and   an attachment structure for attaching the adapter structure to the pipe section, the attachment structure free of piercing through the pipe section.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the thermally conductive tubing material is a stainless steel. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the thermally conductive heat sink material is aluminum, copper or bronze. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the attachment structure comprises at least one threaded stud welded to the outer surface of the hollow tubing, at least one opening in the heat sink structure through which the stud is passed, and a threaded fastener for engaging the threaded stud to secure the heat sink structure to the hollow tubing. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the hollow pipe includes couplers attached at each end of the pipe to connect the hollow pipe into the water recirculation path. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein no cooling system elements protrude into the water flow in the pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the adapter structure further includes a panel portion, the planar surface defined on a first surface of the panel portion, and a plurality of cooling fins protruding from an opposed surface of the panel portion adjacent the conformal surface.