Dual motor controller for furnace applications

Abstract

A furnace including: a blower assembly compartment; a blower assembly located within the blower assembly compartment; a blower motor located within the blower assembly compartment, the blower motor operably connected to a fan of the blower assembly; an induced draft blower; an inducer motor operably connected to the induced draft blower; and a dual motor controller located within the blower assembly compartment, the dual motor controller being configured to independently control at least one of a torque or a speed of the blower motor and the inducer motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A furnace comprising:
 a blower assembly compartment;   a blower assembly located within the blower assembly compartment;   a blower motor located within the blower assembly compartment, the blower motor operably connected to a fan of the blower assembly;   an induced draft blower;   an inducer motor operably connected to the induced draft blower; and   a dual motor controller located within the blower assembly compartment, the dual motor controller being configured to independently control at least one of a torque or a speed of the blower motor and the inducer motor.   
     
     
         2 . The furnace of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller housing, wherein the dual motor controller is located in the controller housing.   
     
     
         3 . The furnace of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a blower housing configured to house a fan of the blower assembly, wherein the controller housing is attached to the blower housing.   
     
     
         4 . The furnace of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a furnace control board electrically connected to the dual motor controller; and   a power source wire electrically connecting the furnace control board to a single power source.   
     
     
         5 . The furnace of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a combustion compartment, the induced draft blower and the inducer motor being located in the combustion compartment.   
     
     
         6 . The furnace of  claim 5 , wherein the blower assembly compartment is thermally separated from the combustion compartment. 
     
     
         7 . A method of assembling a furnace, the method comprising:
 installing a blower motor within a blower assembly;   installing the blower assembly within a blower assembly compartment of the furnace;   installing an inducer motor in an induced draft blower;   installing the induced draft blower in a combustion compartment of the furnace; and   installing a dual motor controller within the blower assembly compartment, the dual motor controller being configured to independently control at least one of a torque or a speed of the blower motor and the inducer motor.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 installing the dual motor controller in a controller housing.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 attaching the controller housing to a blower housing configured to house a fan of the blower assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 electrically connecting a furnace control board to the dual motor controller; and   electrically connecting the furnace control board to a single power source using a power source wire.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 operably connecting the blower motor to a fan of the blower assembly.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 operably connecting the inducer motor to the induced draft blower.   
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a furnace comprising a blower motor, an inducer motor, and a dual motor controller, the blower motor being operably connected to a fan, the inducer motor being operably connected to an induced draft blower, the method comprising:
 independently controlling, via the dual motor controller, at least one of a torque or a speed of the blower motor and the inducer motor,   wherein the dual motor controller and the blower motor are located within a blower assembly compartment.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the inducer motor is located in a combustion compartment, the combustion compartment being thermally separated from the blower assembly compartment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the dual motor controller is electrically connected to a furnace control board, a power source wire electrically connects the furnace control board to a single power source.