US20230001738A1 - Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support - Google Patents
Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20230001738A1 US20230001738A1 US17/940,018 US202217940018A US2023001738A1 US 20230001738 A1 US20230001738 A1 US 20230001738A1 US 202217940018 A US202217940018 A US 202217940018A US 2023001738 A1 US2023001738 A1 US 2023001738A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- stator
- rotor
- lubricant
- disposed
- electric motor
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B7/00—Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting, venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall, e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins
- B60B7/06—Fastening arrangements therefor
- B60B7/061—Fastening arrangements therefor characterised by the part of the wheels to which the discs, rings or the like are mounted
- B60B7/063—Fastening arrangements therefor characterised by the part of the wheels to which the discs, rings or the like are mounted to the rim
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K7/00—Arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with dynamo-electric machines, e.g. structural association with mechanical driving motors or auxiliary dynamo-electric machines
- H02K7/08—Structural association with bearings
- H02K7/086—Structural association with bearings radially supporting the rotor around a fixed spindle; radially supporting the rotor directly
- H02K7/088—Structural association with bearings radially supporting the rotor around a fixed spindle; radially supporting the rotor directly radially supporting the rotor directly
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K7/00—Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel
- B60K7/0007—Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel the motor being electric
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16H—GEARING
- F16H57/00—General details of gearing
- F16H57/04—Features relating to lubrication or cooling or heating
- F16H57/0467—Elements of gearings to be lubricated, cooled or heated
- F16H57/0476—Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K7/00—Arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with dynamo-electric machines, e.g. structural association with mechanical driving motors or auxiliary dynamo-electric machines
- H02K7/006—Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K7/00—Arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with dynamo-electric machines, e.g. structural association with mechanical driving motors or auxiliary dynamo-electric machines
- H02K7/14—Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K2201/00—Specific aspects not provided for in the other groups of this subclass relating to the magnetic circuits
- H02K2201/03—Machines characterised by aspects of the air-gap between rotor and stator
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates generally to a lubricant supported electric motor. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a lubricant supported electric motor with an integrated wheel support.
- “On wheel”, “in-wheel” or “near-wheel” motor configurations are one alternative arrangement for the traditional ICE prime mover that distributes the prime mover function to each or some of the plurality of wheels via one or more motors disposed on, within, or proximate to the plurality of wheels.
- a traction motor using a central shaft though a rotor and rolling element bearings to support the rotor, can be utilized as the “on wheel”, “in wheel” or “near wheel” motor configuration.
- a lubricant supported electric motor such as described in U.S. application Ser. No. 16/144,002, can be utilized as the “on wheel”, “in wheel” or “near wheel” motor configuration. While each of these motor configurations result in a smaller size and lighter weight arrangement as compared to the prime movers based on the internal combustion engine, they each have certain drawbacks and disadvantages.
- traction motors as the “on wheel”, “in wheel” or “near wheel” configuration still results in motors that are too heavy and not robust enough to shock loading to be useful for wheel-end applications.
- present traction motors are large, heavy structures supported by rolling element bearings, which are too heavy and large to be practical for wheel end applications.
- the subject invention is directed to a lubricant supported electric motor including a stator extending along an axis, and a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed around the stator in radially surrounding and spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and the rotor.
- a lubricant is disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor around the stator.
- a wheel rim is fixedly attached to the rotor and is disposed in surrounding relationship with the rotor and the stator.
- the subject invention is directed to a lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator extending along an axis, and a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed radially within the stator in spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and rotor.
- a lubricant is disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor within the stator.
- a wheel rim is disposed in radially surrounding relationship with the stator and the rotor, and a planetary gear reduction mechanism is operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator.
- the lubricant supported electric motor in either of these aspects is light and small, and thus contributes to the overall design strategy for eliminating weight and size from automobiles and land vehicles.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a lubricant supported electric motor according to the subject disclosure
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first aspect of the lubricant supported electric motor illustrating a directly supported wheel
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another aspect of the lubricant supported electric motor illustrating a wheel end motor with a reduction mechanism and a wheel supported by a ring gear of the reduction mechanism.
- Example embodiments of a lubricant supported electric motor with integrated wheel support will now be more fully described.
- Each of these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure is thorough and fully conveys the scope of the inventive concepts, features and advantages to those skilled in the art.
- numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices and mechanisms associated with the lubricant supported electric motor to provide a thorough understanding of each of the embodiments associated with the present disclosure.
- the example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms, and thus should not be construed or interpreted to limit the scope of the disclosure.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a lubricant supported electric motor 10 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure.
- the lubricant supported electric motor 10 includes a stator 12 and a rotor 14 extending along an axis A and movably disposed within the stator 12 to define a support chamber or gap 16 therebetween.
- a lubricant 18 is disposed in the gap 16 for supporting the rotor 14 within the stator 12 , and providing continuous contact between these components.
- the lubricant 18 may therefore act as a buffer (e.g., suspension) between the rotor 14 and stator 12 minimizing or preventing contact therebetween.
- the lubricant 18 prevents direct contact between the stator 12 and rotor 14 and provides an electric lubricant supported motor 10 which is robust to shock and vibration loading due to the presence of the lubricant 18 .
- a substantially incompressible lubricant 18 may be used in order to minimize the gap between the stator 12 and rotor 14 .
- the stator 12 defines a passageway 20 disposed in fluid communication with the gap 16 for introducing the lubricant 18 .
- the passageway 20 could be provided on any other components of the lubricant supported electric motor 10 without departing from the subject disclosure.
- the lubricant 18 may be cycled or pumped through the passageway 20 and into the gap 16 in various ways.
- a high pressure source (e.g., a pump) 22 of the lubricant 18 may be fluidly coupled to a low pressure source (e.g., a sump) 24 of the lubricant 18 , where the lubricant may move from the high pressure source to the lower pressure source, through the passageway 20 and into the gap 16 .
- Rotation of the rotor 14 relative to the stator 12 may operate as a self-pump to drive lubricant 18 through the passageway 20 and into the gap 16 .
- the rotor 14 is interconnected to a drive assembly 22 for coupling the lubricant supported electric motor 10 to one of the plurality of wheels of a vehicle.
- the drive assembly 22 may include a planetary gear system.
- the drive assembly 22 may include one or more parallel axis gears.
- the stator 12 and rotor 14 are configured to exert an electromagnetic force therebetween to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, moving the rotor 14 and ultimately driving the wheel coupled to the lubricant supported electric motor 10 via the drive assembly 22 .
- the drive assemblies 22 may provide one or more reduction ratios between the lubricant supported electric motor 10 and the wheel in response to movement of the rotor 14 .
- FIG. 1 The above described aspect of the disclosure illustrated in FIG. 1 is directed to the illustrated embodiment in which the stator 12 surrounds the rotor 14 .
- the general operation of the lubricant 18 and the relationship between the stator 12 and the rotor 14 may be used in alternative arrangements of the rotor 14 and stator 12 , such as the rotor 14 being disposed radially outward from the stator 12 , as further described below.
- the wheel structure may be supported by the rotor 14 , rather than the rotor 14 being connected to a drive assembly that drives the wheel.
- a wheel end electric motor system 100 of another aspect of the disclosure may include a wheel directly supported on a lubricant supported electric motor 110 .
- This configuration may be desirable for single-track vehicles, such as scooters, where strong overturning moments on the wheel are reduced or non-existent.
- the system 110 may include a stator 112 and a rotor 114 extending along an axis A movably disposed around the stator 112 to define a gap or support chamber 116 disposed therebetween.
- a lubricant 118 is disposed in the gap 116 for supporting the rotor 114 around the stator 112 , and providing continuous contact between these components.
- the lubricant 118 may therefore act as a buffer (e.g., suspension) between the rotor 114 and stator 112 minimizing or preventing contact therebetween.
- the lubricant 118 prevents direct contact between the stator 112 and the rotor 114 and provides an electric lubricant supported motor 110 which is robust to shock and vibration loading due to the presence of the lubricant 118 .
- a substantially incompressible lubricant 118 may be used in order to minimize the gap between the stator 112 and the rotor 114 .
- the stator 112 defines a passageway 120 disposed in fluid communication with the gap 116 for introducing the lubricant 118 .
- the passageway 120 could be provided on any other components of the lubricant supported electric motor 110 without departing from the subject disclosure.
- the lubricant 118 may be cycled or pumped through the passageway 120 and into the gap 116 in various ways.
- a high pressure source 121 e.g., a pump
- a low pressure source e.g., a sump, not shown
- Rotation of the rotor 114 relative to the stator 112 may operate as a self-pump to drive lubricant 118 through the passageway 120 and into the gap 116 .
- the stator 112 may be attached to or integrated with an axle 123 that extends coaxially with the axis A.
- the axle 123 may provide a channel 120 a through which the lubricant 118 may pass between the pump 121 and the passageway 120 of the stator 112 that provides the lubricant 118 to the gap 116 .
- the axle 123 may further define an outlet 125 in fluid communication with the gap 116 .
- the lubricant 118 may be drained from the gap 116 and directed back toward the pump 121 , with fresh lubricant 118 replacing the used lubricant 118 . Accordingly, the lubricant 118 may be cycled through the motor 110 .
- the lubricant supported electric motor 110 may further include a housing or casing 127 that surrounds the stator 112 .
- the casing 127 may be attached to the rotor 114 , and may therefore rotate along with the rotor 114 during operation of the motor 110 .
- the casing 127 may further include a seal portion 129 that interfaces with the axle 123 and/or stator 112 .
- the casing 127 therefore defines an internal cavity 131 , which is disposed in fluid communication with and may include the gap 116 .
- the gap 116 generally refers to the area radially between the rotor 114 and stator 112 , but the gap 116 is in fluid communication with the remainder of the cavity 131 , and lubricant in the gap 116 may flow freely into the remainder of the cavity 131 .
- the above described outlet 125 may intersect the cavity 131 at a location axially outward from the gap 116 .
- the seal portion 129 will generally bear against axle 123 and/or stator 112 , while retaining the lubricant 118 within the cavity 131 , such that the lubricant 118 will be limited to exiting the cavity via the outlet 125 .
- the axle 123 is preferably connected to the vehicle suspension or chassis (not shown), and does not rotate.
- the axle 123 may include wiring channels or passageways 128 for receiving and routing wiring or the like that may transfer current to the stator 112 .
- the stator 112 includes windings or the like that receive a current for creating the electrical field that drives the rotor 114 .
- the current supplied to the stator 112 may be a phase current.
- the rotor 114 is rotationally fixed to a wheel 122 .
- the wheel 122 may be in the form of a wheel rim 132 with an attached tire 134 , or the wheel 122 may include an outer surface designed to directly bear against a ground surface.
- the rotor 114 may be directly attached to the wheel 122 , or the rotor 114 may be fixedly attached to the wheel 122 via intermediate structure. In the system of FIG. 2 , the rotor 114 and wheel 122 are directly attached, permitting direct-drive of the wheel 122 from the motor 110 .
- the system 110 may include a suspension element disposed radially between the rotor 114 and the wheel 122 to provide a damping feature.
- This suspension material may be in the form of a compliant wheel structure, and allow the wheel 122 to shift radially relative to the rotor 114 , which acts as a hub.
- This additional damping material may allow for the system 100 to be used in various vehicles, such as electric bikes or golf carts, such that other suspension components typically attached to the axle 123 may be eliminated or reduced.
- the lubricant 118 may delivered to the gap 116 (and also the cavity 131 ) through the axle 123 and stator 112 .
- the stator 112 may include lubricant channels 120 therein that communicate with corresponding lubricant channels 120 a in the axle 123 .
- the lubricant 118 cycles through the system 100 , where it drains from the gap 116 and cavity 131 through the outlet 125 in the axle 123 and returns to the pump 121 .
- the pump 121 may include a known mechanism for pumping fluid, and the pump 121 may further include additional components for treating the lubricant 118 , such as a thermal control mechanism 136 that may cool or heat the lubricant to a desired temperature to control viscosity.
- the thermal control mechanism 136 may include sensors 138 and a controller 140 for managing the lubricant temperature.
- the pump 121 may further include a filter mechanism that filters the lubricant 118 to remove impurities and the like.
- the pump 121 may include sensors associated with the filter mechanism to measure the status of the fluid and/or filter.
- the above described system 100 providing wheel support on the electric motor 110 , reduces the overall size of the wheel end system, such that the motor 110 does not need to placed beside the wheel hub to drive the wheel.
- a system 200 includes a lubricant supported electric motor 210 having a stator 212 and a rotor 214 .
- the rotor 214 is disposed within the stator 212 , similar to the arrangement of the lubricant supported electric motor 10 shown in FIG. 1 .
- gear reduction and wheel support is provided by structure surrounding the rotor 214 , which is further described below.
- the lubricant supported electric motor 210 includes a gap or support chamber 216 disposed between radially between the rotor 214 and stator 212 , with the gap 116 configured to receive lubricant 218 to support the rotor 214 within the stator 212 .
- the lubricant 218 within the gap 216 may also drain out of the gap 216 and be cycled through the system 210 to a pump or the like (not shown in FIG. 3 ), similar to the pump 121 of the system 100 .
- the lubricant supported electric motor 210 further includes a gear reduction mechanism 222 .
- the gear reduction mechanism 222 may be in the form of a planetary gear reduction mechanism, in which a number of circumferentially fixed planet gears P are disposed around a rotatable sun gear S, which rotates the planet gears P about their individual axes, causing a ring gear R that surrounds the planet gears P to rotate at a different rotational velocity than the sun gear S.
- the planet gears P are attached to a planet carrier 223 , which may be fixedly attached to a vehicle chassis.
- the planet carrier 223 may be considered a replacement for an axle type structure, or the chassis may include an axle portion that is fixed to the planet carrier 223 .
- the planet carrier 223 remains in a generally fixed position relative to the axle/chassis of the vehicle.
- the planet carrier 223 may include a pair of outer body portions 223 a that support a plurality of circumferentially arranged pins 223 b .
- the pins 223 b remain in a generally fixed position relative to the planet carrier 223 , and the pins 223 b support the planet gears P for rotation.
- each of the individual planet gears P may rotate about an axis defined by the pin 223 b on which they are supported.
- the planet carrier may further include an inner body portion 223 c .
- the inner body portion 223 c may have the same general axial location as the rotor 214 and stator 212 , and the inner body portion 223 c may have an annular shape that supports the pins 223 b , similar to the outer body portion 223 a .
- the pins 223 b extend axially between the outer body portion 223 a and the inner body portion 223 c .
- the inner body portion 223 c along with the outer body portion 223 a and the pins 223 b , remains stationary during operation of the motor 210 .
- the stator 212 is mounted to or otherwise fixedly attached to the inner body portion 223 c .
- the stator 212 may be integrally formed with the inner body portion 223 c , or it may be separate component.
- the stator 212 including the windings and the like, may be disposed radially inward from the inner body portion 223 c , such that the stator 212 is radially between the inner body portion 223 c and the rotor 214 .
- the stator 212 may be mounted or attached to the inner body portion 223 c such that the inner body portion 223 c is disposed radially between the stator 212 and the rotor 214 . In this approach, the distance between the rotor 214 and the stator 212 is small enough that the current applied to the stator 212 will still effectively rotate the rotor 214 .
- the stator 212 and the planet carrier 223 thereby combine to define a fixed structure, with the rotor 214 disposed within this fixed assembled structure.
- the lubricant 218 may be delivered into the lubricant supported electric motor 210 and drained from the motor 210 via fluid channels 224 disposed in both the planet carrier 223 and the stator 212 .
- the fluid channels 224 may extend through one or more of the pins 223 b.
- the reduction mechanism 222 includes the ring gear R previously described above.
- the ring gear R has a generally annular shape and circumferentially and radially surrounds the planet gears P.
- the ring gear R therefore has inner teeth that engage outer teeth of the planet gears P.
- the ring gear R may be in the form of axially outer portions that are disposed on opposite axial sides of the rotor 214 and stator 212 .
- the ring gear R rotates in response to rotation of the planet gears P.
- the ring gear R is fixedly attached to a wheel rim 225 that surrounds the inner body portion 223 c , stator 212 , and rotor 214 .
- the wheel rim 225 will therefore rotate around the stationary stator 212 and inner body portion 223 c of the planet carrier 223 in accordance with the rotation of the ring gear R.
- the ring gear R and wheel rim 225 will also rotate around the rotor 214 , which is disposed at the radial center of the motor 210 .
- the wheel rim 225 may support a tire attached thereto (not shown in FIG. 3 ), or the wheel rim 225 may include wheel structure configured to engage the ground in lieu of a separate tire.
- the lubricant 218 is disposed in the gap 216 between the rotor 214 and the stator 212 or inner body portion 223 c of the planet carrier 223 that supports that the stator 212 . As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the lubricant 218 may also be disposed radially between the wheel rim 225 and the inner body portion 223 c or the stator 212 (whichever is disposed radially adjacent the wheel rim 225 ) in an outer gap 216 a .
- the lubricant 218 may be delivered to the outer gap 216 a via the channel 224 extending through the stator 212 and the inner body portion 223 c , or the lubricant 218 may reach the outer gap 216 a by traveling through other fluid channels defined within the lubricant supported electric motor 210 .
- the system 200 may include a sealing portion 227 that extends between the outer portion 223 a of the planet carrier 223 and the ring gear R, with the sealing portion 227 being fixed to either the outer body portion 223 a or the ring gear R.
- the sealing portion 227 operates to seal the interior of the lubricant supported electric motor 210 and retain the lubricant 218 therein, such that the lubricant will be limited to exiting the lubricant supported electric motor 210 via a drain channel.
- the system 200 may also include wiring channels or passageways 230 extending through the pins 223 b and the inner body portion 223 c of the planet carrier 223 for receiving and routing wiring or the like to transfer current to the stator 212 .
- the rotor 214 is disposed within the stator 212 and is supported by the lubricant 218 .
- the rotor 214 may therefore rotate relative to the stator 212 in response to providing the current to the stator 212 .
- the rotor 214 is fixedly attached to the sun gears S, which have outer teeth configured to engage the outer teeth of the planet gears P.
- the sun gears S When the rotor 214 rotates, the sun gears S accordingly rotate along with the rotor 214 . Rotation of the sun gears S causes a rotation of the planet gears P about their individual axes, which in turn cause a rotation of the ring gear R and the wheel rim 225 .
- the wheel rim 225 is directly supported by the reduction mechanism 222 , in particular the ring gear R, and the reduction mechanism is directly supported by the lubricant supported electric motor 210 and attached to the lubricant supported electric motor 210 .
- the stator 212 is supported by or supports the inner body portion 223 c of the planet carrier 223 .
- the system 200 can therefore provide integrated gear reduction, allowing for a smaller assembly, and eliminating additional connective components that would otherwise connect an electric motor with a reduction mechanism that is further attached to a wheel.
Abstract
A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator extending along an axis, and a rotor rotatably disposed around the stator in radially surrounding and spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber. A lubricant is disposed in the support chamber for supporting the rotor around the stator. A wheel rim is fixedly attached to the rotor and is disposed in surrounding relationship with the rotor and the stator. Thus, in a first aspect, rotation of the rotor is directly transferred to the wheel rim such that the wheel rim rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotor. In accordance with another aspect, the rotor is rotatably disposed within the stator, and a planetary gear reduction mechanism is operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/668,390 filed on Oct. 30, 2019, which claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/752,442 filed on Oct. 30, 2018, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
- The present disclosure relates generally to a lubricant supported electric motor. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a lubricant supported electric motor with an integrated wheel support.
- This section provides a general summary of background information and the comments and examples provided in this section are not necessarily prior art to the present disclosure.
- Various drivelines in automotive, truck, and certain off-highway applications take power from a central prime mover and distribute the power to the wheels using mechanical devices such as transmissions, transaxles, propeller shafts, and live axles. These configurations work well when the prime mover can be bulky or heavy, such as, for example, various internal combustion engines (“ICE”). However, more attention is being directed towards alternative arrangements of prime movers that provide improved environmental performance, eliminate mechanical driveline components, and result in a lighter-weight vehicle with more space for passengers and payload.
- “On wheel”, “in-wheel” or “near-wheel” motor configurations are one alternative arrangement for the traditional ICE prime mover that distributes the prime mover function to each or some of the plurality of wheels via one or more motors disposed on, within, or proximate to the plurality of wheels. For example, in one instance, a traction motor, using a central shaft though a rotor and rolling element bearings to support the rotor, can be utilized as the “on wheel”, “in wheel” or “near wheel” motor configuration. In another instance, a lubricant supported electric motor, such as described in U.S. application Ser. No. 16/144,002, can be utilized as the “on wheel”, “in wheel” or “near wheel” motor configuration. While each of these motor configurations result in a smaller size and lighter weight arrangement as compared to the prime movers based on the internal combustion engine, they each have certain drawbacks and disadvantages.
- For example, the utilization of traction motors as the “on wheel”, “in wheel” or “near wheel” configuration still results in motors that are too heavy and not robust enough to shock loading to be useful for wheel-end applications. In other words, present traction motors are large, heavy structures supported by rolling element bearings, which are too heavy and large to be practical for wheel end applications.
- In accordance with one aspect, the subject invention is directed to a lubricant supported electric motor including a stator extending along an axis, and a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed around the stator in radially surrounding and spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and the rotor. A lubricant is disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor around the stator. A wheel rim is fixedly attached to the rotor and is disposed in surrounding relationship with the rotor and the stator. Thus, in this aspect, rotation of the rotor is directly transferred to the wheel rim such that the wheel rim rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotor. In other words, the rotor of the lubricant supported electric motor directly supports a driven wheel.
- In accordance with another aspect, the subject invention is directed to a lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator extending along an axis, and a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed radially within the stator in spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and rotor. A lubricant is disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor within the stator. A wheel rim is disposed in radially surrounding relationship with the stator and the rotor, and a planetary gear reduction mechanism is operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator.
- The lubricant supported electric motor in either of these aspects is light and small, and thus contributes to the overall design strategy for eliminating weight and size from automobiles and land vehicles. Other advantages will be appreciated in view of the following more detailed description of the subject invention.
- The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
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FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a lubricant supported electric motor according to the subject disclosure; -
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first aspect of the lubricant supported electric motor illustrating a directly supported wheel; and -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another aspect of the lubricant supported electric motor illustrating a wheel end motor with a reduction mechanism and a wheel supported by a ring gear of the reduction mechanism. - Example embodiments of a lubricant supported electric motor with integrated wheel support will now be more fully described. Each of these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure is thorough and fully conveys the scope of the inventive concepts, features and advantages to those skilled in the art. To this end, numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices and mechanisms associated with the lubricant supported electric motor to provide a thorough understanding of each of the embodiments associated with the present disclosure. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, not all specific details described herein need to be employed, the example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms, and thus should not be construed or interpreted to limit the scope of the disclosure.
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FIG. 1 illustrates a lubricant supportedelectric motor 10 in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. As best illustrated inFIG. 1 , the lubricant supportedelectric motor 10 includes astator 12 and arotor 14 extending along an axis A and movably disposed within thestator 12 to define a support chamber orgap 16 therebetween. Alubricant 18 is disposed in thegap 16 for supporting therotor 14 within thestator 12, and providing continuous contact between these components. Thelubricant 18 may therefore act as a buffer (e.g., suspension) between therotor 14 andstator 12 minimizing or preventing contact therebetween. In other words, thelubricant 18 prevents direct contact between thestator 12 androtor 14 and provides an electric lubricant supportedmotor 10 which is robust to shock and vibration loading due to the presence of thelubricant 18. Additionally, and alternatively, a substantiallyincompressible lubricant 18 may be used in order to minimize the gap between thestator 12 androtor 14. - As further illustrated
FIG. 1 , thestator 12 defines apassageway 20 disposed in fluid communication with thegap 16 for introducing thelubricant 18. However, thepassageway 20 could be provided on any other components of the lubricant supportedelectric motor 10 without departing from the subject disclosure. According to an aspect, thelubricant 18 may be cycled or pumped through thepassageway 20 and into thegap 16 in various ways. For example, a high pressure source (e.g., a pump) 22 of thelubricant 18 may be fluidly coupled to a low pressure source (e.g., a sump) 24 of thelubricant 18, where the lubricant may move from the high pressure source to the lower pressure source, through thepassageway 20 and into thegap 16. Rotation of therotor 14 relative to thestator 12 may operate as a self-pump to drivelubricant 18 through thepassageway 20 and into thegap 16. - As further illustrated in
FIG. 1 , therotor 14 is interconnected to adrive assembly 22 for coupling the lubricant supportedelectric motor 10 to one of the plurality of wheels of a vehicle. For example, in one instance, thedrive assembly 22 may include a planetary gear system. Alternatively, thedrive assembly 22 may include one or more parallel axis gears. Thestator 12 androtor 14 are configured to exert an electromagnetic force therebetween to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, moving therotor 14 and ultimately driving the wheel coupled to the lubricant supportedelectric motor 10 via thedrive assembly 22. Thedrive assemblies 22 may provide one or more reduction ratios between the lubricant supportedelectric motor 10 and the wheel in response to movement of therotor 14. - The above described aspect of the disclosure illustrated in
FIG. 1 is directed to the illustrated embodiment in which thestator 12 surrounds therotor 14. However, the general operation of thelubricant 18 and the relationship between thestator 12 and therotor 14 may be used in alternative arrangements of therotor 14 andstator 12, such as therotor 14 being disposed radially outward from thestator 12, as further described below. In such instances, the wheel structure may be supported by therotor 14, rather than therotor 14 being connected to a drive assembly that drives the wheel. - With reference to
FIG. 2 , a wheel endelectric motor system 100 of another aspect of the disclosure is provided. Thesystem 100 may include a wheel directly supported on a lubricant supportedelectric motor 110. This configuration may be desirable for single-track vehicles, such as scooters, where strong overturning moments on the wheel are reduced or non-existent. - The
system 110 may include astator 112 and arotor 114 extending along an axis A movably disposed around thestator 112 to define a gap orsupport chamber 116 disposed therebetween. Alubricant 118 is disposed in thegap 116 for supporting therotor 114 around thestator 112, and providing continuous contact between these components. Thelubricant 118 may therefore act as a buffer (e.g., suspension) between therotor 114 andstator 112 minimizing or preventing contact therebetween. In other words, thelubricant 118 prevents direct contact between thestator 112 and therotor 114 and provides an electric lubricant supportedmotor 110 which is robust to shock and vibration loading due to the presence of thelubricant 118. Additionally, and alternatively, a substantiallyincompressible lubricant 118 may be used in order to minimize the gap between thestator 112 and therotor 114. - As further illustrated
FIG. 2 , thestator 112 defines a passageway 120 disposed in fluid communication with thegap 116 for introducing thelubricant 118. However, the passageway 120 could be provided on any other components of the lubricant supportedelectric motor 110 without departing from the subject disclosure. According to an aspect, thelubricant 118 may be cycled or pumped through the passageway 120 and into thegap 116 in various ways. For example, a high pressure source 121 (e.g., a pump) of thelubricant 118 may be fluidly coupled to a low pressure source (e.g., a sump, not shown) of thelubricant 118, where the lubricant may move from the high pressure source to the lower pressure source, through the passageway 120 and into thegap 116. Rotation of therotor 114 relative to thestator 112 may operate as a self-pump to drivelubricant 118 through the passageway 120 and into thegap 116. - The
stator 112 may be attached to or integrated with anaxle 123 that extends coaxially with the axis A. Theaxle 123 may provide achannel 120 a through which thelubricant 118 may pass between thepump 121 and the passageway 120 of thestator 112 that provides thelubricant 118 to thegap 116. Theaxle 123 may further define anoutlet 125 in fluid communication with thegap 116. During operation of themotor 110, thelubricant 118 may be drained from thegap 116 and directed back toward thepump 121, withfresh lubricant 118 replacing the usedlubricant 118. Accordingly, thelubricant 118 may be cycled through themotor 110. - The lubricant supported
electric motor 110 may further include a housing or casing 127 that surrounds thestator 112. Thecasing 127 may be attached to therotor 114, and may therefore rotate along with therotor 114 during operation of themotor 110. Thecasing 127 may further include aseal portion 129 that interfaces with theaxle 123 and/orstator 112. Thecasing 127 therefore defines aninternal cavity 131, which is disposed in fluid communication with and may include thegap 116. Thegap 116 generally refers to the area radially between therotor 114 andstator 112, but thegap 116 is in fluid communication with the remainder of thecavity 131, and lubricant in thegap 116 may flow freely into the remainder of thecavity 131. The above describedoutlet 125 may intersect thecavity 131 at a location axially outward from thegap 116. As therotor 114 rotates and thecasing 127 rotates, theseal portion 129 will generally bear againstaxle 123 and/orstator 112, while retaining thelubricant 118 within thecavity 131, such that thelubricant 118 will be limited to exiting the cavity via theoutlet 125. - The
axle 123 is preferably connected to the vehicle suspension or chassis (not shown), and does not rotate. Theaxle 123 may include wiring channels orpassageways 128 for receiving and routing wiring or the like that may transfer current to thestator 112. Thestator 112 includes windings or the like that receive a current for creating the electrical field that drives therotor 114. The current supplied to thestator 112 may be a phase current. - In the
system 100 ofFIG. 2 , therotor 114 is rotationally fixed to awheel 122. Thewheel 122 may be in the form of awheel rim 132 with an attachedtire 134, or thewheel 122 may include an outer surface designed to directly bear against a ground surface. Therotor 114 may be directly attached to thewheel 122, or therotor 114 may be fixedly attached to thewheel 122 via intermediate structure. In the system ofFIG. 2 , therotor 114 andwheel 122 are directly attached, permitting direct-drive of thewheel 122 from themotor 110. - Optionally, the
system 110 may include a suspension element disposed radially between therotor 114 and thewheel 122 to provide a damping feature. This suspension material may be in the form of a compliant wheel structure, and allow thewheel 122 to shift radially relative to therotor 114, which acts as a hub. This additional damping material may allow for thesystem 100 to be used in various vehicles, such as electric bikes or golf carts, such that other suspension components typically attached to theaxle 123 may be eliminated or reduced. - As described above, the
lubricant 118 may delivered to the gap 116 (and also the cavity 131) through theaxle 123 andstator 112. Thestator 112 may include lubricant channels 120 therein that communicate withcorresponding lubricant channels 120 a in theaxle 123. Thelubricant 118 cycles through thesystem 100, where it drains from thegap 116 andcavity 131 through theoutlet 125 in theaxle 123 and returns to thepump 121. Thepump 121 may include a known mechanism for pumping fluid, and thepump 121 may further include additional components for treating thelubricant 118, such as athermal control mechanism 136 that may cool or heat the lubricant to a desired temperature to control viscosity. Thethermal control mechanism 136 may includesensors 138 and acontroller 140 for managing the lubricant temperature. Thepump 121 may further include a filter mechanism that filters thelubricant 118 to remove impurities and the like. Thepump 121 may include sensors associated with the filter mechanism to measure the status of the fluid and/or filter. - The above described
system 100, providing wheel support on theelectric motor 110, reduces the overall size of the wheel end system, such that themotor 110 does not need to placed beside the wheel hub to drive the wheel. - With reference to
FIG. 3 , in another aspect, asystem 200 includes a lubricant supportedelectric motor 210 having astator 212 and arotor 214. In this aspect, therotor 214 is disposed within thestator 212, similar to the arrangement of the lubricant supportedelectric motor 10 shown inFIG. 1 . However, unlike the lubricant supportedmotor 10 ofFIG. 1 , gear reduction and wheel support is provided by structure surrounding therotor 214, which is further described below. - The lubricant supported
electric motor 210 includes a gap orsupport chamber 216 disposed between radially between therotor 214 andstator 212, with thegap 116 configured to receivelubricant 218 to support therotor 214 within thestator 212. Thelubricant 218 within thegap 216 may also drain out of thegap 216 and be cycled through thesystem 210 to a pump or the like (not shown inFIG. 3 ), similar to thepump 121 of thesystem 100. - The lubricant supported
electric motor 210 further includes agear reduction mechanism 222. Thegear reduction mechanism 222 may be in the form of a planetary gear reduction mechanism, in which a number of circumferentially fixed planet gears P are disposed around a rotatable sun gear S, which rotates the planet gears P about their individual axes, causing a ring gear R that surrounds the planet gears P to rotate at a different rotational velocity than the sun gear S. - The planet gears P are attached to a
planet carrier 223, which may be fixedly attached to a vehicle chassis. Theplanet carrier 223 may be considered a replacement for an axle type structure, or the chassis may include an axle portion that is fixed to theplanet carrier 223. Theplanet carrier 223 remains in a generally fixed position relative to the axle/chassis of the vehicle. Theplanet carrier 223 may include a pair ofouter body portions 223 a that support a plurality of circumferentially arrangedpins 223 b. Thepins 223 b remain in a generally fixed position relative to theplanet carrier 223, and thepins 223 b support the planet gears P for rotation. Thus, each of the individual planet gears P may rotate about an axis defined by thepin 223 b on which they are supported. - The planet carrier may further include an
inner body portion 223 c. Theinner body portion 223 c may have the same general axial location as therotor 214 andstator 212, and theinner body portion 223 c may have an annular shape that supports thepins 223 b, similar to theouter body portion 223 a. Thus, thepins 223 b extend axially between theouter body portion 223 a and theinner body portion 223 c. Theinner body portion 223 c, along with theouter body portion 223 a and thepins 223 b, remains stationary during operation of themotor 210. - The
stator 212 is mounted to or otherwise fixedly attached to theinner body portion 223 c. Thestator 212 may be integrally formed with theinner body portion 223 c, or it may be separate component. Thestator 212, including the windings and the like, may be disposed radially inward from theinner body portion 223 c, such that thestator 212 is radially between theinner body portion 223 c and therotor 214. In an alternative approach, thestator 212 may be mounted or attached to theinner body portion 223 c such that theinner body portion 223 c is disposed radially between thestator 212 and therotor 214. In this approach, the distance between therotor 214 and thestator 212 is small enough that the current applied to thestator 212 will still effectively rotate therotor 214. - The
stator 212 and theplanet carrier 223 thereby combine to define a fixed structure, with therotor 214 disposed within this fixed assembled structure. Thelubricant 218 may be delivered into the lubricant supportedelectric motor 210 and drained from themotor 210 viafluid channels 224 disposed in both theplanet carrier 223 and thestator 212. Thefluid channels 224 may extend through one or more of thepins 223 b. - The
reduction mechanism 222 includes the ring gear R previously described above. The ring gear R has a generally annular shape and circumferentially and radially surrounds the planet gears P. The ring gear R therefore has inner teeth that engage outer teeth of the planet gears P. The ring gear R may be in the form of axially outer portions that are disposed on opposite axial sides of therotor 214 andstator 212. The ring gear R rotates in response to rotation of the planet gears P. - The ring gear R is fixedly attached to a
wheel rim 225 that surrounds theinner body portion 223 c,stator 212, androtor 214. Thewheel rim 225 will therefore rotate around thestationary stator 212 andinner body portion 223 c of theplanet carrier 223 in accordance with the rotation of the ring gear R. The ring gear R andwheel rim 225 will also rotate around therotor 214, which is disposed at the radial center of themotor 210. Thewheel rim 225 may support a tire attached thereto (not shown inFIG. 3 ), or thewheel rim 225 may include wheel structure configured to engage the ground in lieu of a separate tire. - As described above, the
lubricant 218 is disposed in thegap 216 between therotor 214 and thestator 212 orinner body portion 223 c of theplanet carrier 223 that supports that thestator 212. As illustrated inFIG. 3 , thelubricant 218 may also be disposed radially between thewheel rim 225 and theinner body portion 223 c or the stator 212 (whichever is disposed radially adjacent the wheel rim 225) in anouter gap 216 a. Thelubricant 218 may be delivered to theouter gap 216 a via thechannel 224 extending through thestator 212 and theinner body portion 223 c, or thelubricant 218 may reach theouter gap 216 a by traveling through other fluid channels defined within the lubricant supportedelectric motor 210. - The
system 200 may include a sealingportion 227 that extends between theouter portion 223 a of theplanet carrier 223 and the ring gear R, with the sealingportion 227 being fixed to either theouter body portion 223 a or the ring gear R. The sealingportion 227 operates to seal the interior of the lubricant supportedelectric motor 210 and retain thelubricant 218 therein, such that the lubricant will be limited to exiting the lubricant supportedelectric motor 210 via a drain channel. Thesystem 200 may also include wiring channels orpassageways 230 extending through thepins 223 b and theinner body portion 223 c of theplanet carrier 223 for receiving and routing wiring or the like to transfer current to thestator 212. - As described above, the
rotor 214 is disposed within thestator 212 and is supported by thelubricant 218. Therotor 214 may therefore rotate relative to thestator 212 in response to providing the current to thestator 212. Therotor 214 is fixedly attached to the sun gears S, which have outer teeth configured to engage the outer teeth of the planet gears P. When therotor 214 rotates, the sun gears S accordingly rotate along with therotor 214. Rotation of the sun gears S causes a rotation of the planet gears P about their individual axes, which in turn cause a rotation of the ring gear R and thewheel rim 225. - Thus, the
wheel rim 225 is directly supported by thereduction mechanism 222, in particular the ring gear R, and the reduction mechanism is directly supported by the lubricant supportedelectric motor 210 and attached to the lubricant supportedelectric motor 210. In particular, thestator 212 is supported by or supports theinner body portion 223 c of theplanet carrier 223. Thesystem 200 can therefore provide integrated gear reduction, allowing for a smaller assembly, and eliminating additional connective components that would otherwise connect an electric motor with a reduction mechanism that is further attached to a wheel. - The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
Claims (18)
1. A lubricant supported electric motor comprising:
a stator extending along an axis;
a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed around the stator in radially surrounding and spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and rotor;
a lubricant disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor around the stator; and
a wheel rim fixedly attached to the rotor and disposed in surrounding relationship with the rotor and the stator, wherein rotation of the rotor is directly transferred to the wheel rim such that the wheel rim rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotor.
2. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the stator is fixedly attached to an axle extending along the axis and configured for attachment to a vehicle chassis.
3. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising:
a casing fixedly attached to the rotor for rotation therewith, the casing extending axially from the rotor in surrounding relationship with the stator and the axle to define an interior cavity disposed therebetween; and
the interior cavity disposed in fluid communication with the at least one support chamber.
4. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising a seal extending between the casing and the axle for retaining the lubricant within the interior cavity during rotation of the rotor and the casing.
5. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the stator defines a passageway disposed in fluid communication with the at least one support chamber for introducing the lubricant.
6. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising:
the axle defining a fluid channel disposed in fluid communication with the passageway; and
a pump disposed in fluid communication with the channel for pumping the lubricant serially through the fluid channel and the passageway to the at least one support chamber.
7. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the axle defines an outlet disposed in fluid communication with the internal cavity and the pump for draining the lubricant from the at least one support chamber and the internal cavity back towards the pump.
8. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the axle defines a wiring channel disposed in communication with the stator for transferring current to the stator.
9. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the pump includes a thermal control mechanism for cooling or heating the lubricant pumped to the support chamber to a predetermined temperature.
10. A lubricant supported electric motor comprising:
a stator extending along an axis;
a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed radially within the stator in spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and rotor;
a lubricant disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor within the stator;
a wheel rim disposed in radially surrounding relationship with the stator and the rotor; and
a planetary gear reduction mechanism operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator.
11. A lubricant supported motor as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the planetary gear reduction mechanism includes a sun gear disposed along the axis, a plurality of a planet gears engaged with and circumferentially disposed around the sun gear, and a ring gear engaged with and circumferentially disposed around the planet gears; and wherein the rotor is interconnected with the sun gear, the stator is interconnected with the plurality of planet gears, and the wheel rim is interconnected with the ring gear to establish the operable interconnection of the planetary gear reduction mechanism.
12. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising:
a planet carrier interconnected to the stator and defining a plurality of pins disposed in circumferentially fixed relationship about the axis, and
each of the plurality of planet gears rotatably supported by one of the plurality of pins to establish the operable connection between the stator and the plurality of planet gears.
13. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the planet carrier includes an inner body portion disposed within the wheel rim in axially aligned relationship with the rotor and the stator and an outer body portion disposed axially outside of and in spaced relationship with the inner body portion, and each of the plurality of pins extending between the inner and outer body portions.
14. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the inner body portion is disposed radially between the stator and the wheel rim.
15. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the outer body portion is fixedly attached to a vehicle chassis.
16. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 13 , where the stator defines at least one passageway disposed in fluid communication with the at least one support chamber, the planet carrier defines at least one channel extending through the plurality of pins and disposed in fluid communication with the at least one passageway, and a pump disposed in fluid communication with the at least one channel for pumping the lubricant serially through the at least one channel and the at least one passageway to the support chamber.
17. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 16 , further comprising a seal extending between the ring gear and the outer body portions of the planet carrier for retaining the lubricant within the support chamber.
18. A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the inner body portion of the planet carrier is disposed in spaced relationship with the wheel rim to define an outer gap, and the at least one passageway of the stator is disposed in fluid communication with the outer gap to deliver the lubricant to the outer gap in addition to the support chamber.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/940,018 US20230001738A1 (en) | 2018-10-30 | 2022-09-08 | Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201862752442P | 2018-10-30 | 2018-10-30 | |
US16/668,390 US11472226B2 (en) | 2018-10-30 | 2019-10-30 | Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support |
US17/940,018 US20230001738A1 (en) | 2018-10-30 | 2022-09-08 | Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US16/668,390 Continuation US11472226B2 (en) | 2018-10-30 | 2019-10-30 | Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20230001738A1 true US20230001738A1 (en) | 2023-01-05 |
Family
ID=68582516
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US16/668,390 Active 2040-09-28 US11472226B2 (en) | 2018-10-30 | 2019-10-30 | Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support |
US17/940,018 Abandoned US20230001738A1 (en) | 2018-10-30 | 2022-09-08 | Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US16/668,390 Active 2040-09-28 US11472226B2 (en) | 2018-10-30 | 2019-10-30 | Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
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US (2) | US11472226B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3853978A1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN113016123A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2020092518A1 (en) |
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CN116829394A (en) * | 2021-01-14 | 2023-09-29 | 电力推进技术有限责任公司 | Lubricant-supported motor assembly for compact power-intensive wheel end applications |
WO2023077059A1 (en) * | 2021-10-29 | 2023-05-04 | Neapco Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc | Oil lubricant quality sensor for a lubricant supported electric motor and an oil cooled inverter |
DE102022109970A1 (en) * | 2022-04-26 | 2023-10-26 | Audi Aktiengesellschaft | Geared motor for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle with a geared motor |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2020092518A1 (en) | 2020-05-07 |
EP3853978A1 (en) | 2021-07-28 |
CN113016123A (en) | 2021-06-22 |
US11472226B2 (en) | 2022-10-18 |
US20200130408A1 (en) | 2020-04-30 |
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