Air cooled starter-generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10320262-B2
Application number	US-201615299539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2016
Priority date	Oct 21, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A starter-generator for a vehicle includes a housing, an electric motor-generator, a structural electronic substrate board, a printed circuit board and a fan. The electric motor-generator has a rotor disposed in the housing, a shaft fixed to the rotor, and a stator fixed relative to the housing. The structural electronic substrate board includes a metal base plate defining a first housing closure at a first end of the housing with the shaft extending therethrough. The printed circuit board is inside the housing on a side of the rotor opposite the structural electronic substrate board. The fan is fixed to the shaft between the rotor and the structural electronic substrate board.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A starter-generator for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing;
an electric motor-generator having
a rotor disposed in the housing,
a shaft fixed to the rotor; and
a stator fixed relative to the housing;

a structural electronic substrate board including a metal base plate defining a first housing closure at a first end of the housing with the shaft extending therethrough;
a printed circuit board inside the housing on a side of the rotor opposite the structural electronic substrate board; and
a fan fixed to the shaft between the rotor and the structural electronic substrate board wherein the electronic components coupled to the structural electronic substrate board include a plurality of power electronics components; and electronic components coupled to the printed circuit board include a plurality of data management components.

2. The starter-generator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pulley disposed on the shaft outside of the first closure;
a first bearing fixed to the structural electronic substrate board and rotatably supporting the shaft;
a second end of the housing having a second closure; and
a second bearing fixed to the second closure and rotatably supporting shaft,
wherein the first bearing and the second bearing and the shaft cooperatively define an axis of rotation of the shaft and the rotor.

3. The starter-generator of claim 1 , wherein under operating conditions, the electronic components coupled to the structural electronic substrate board collectively develop more heat than electronic components fixed to the printed circuit board.

4. The starter-generator of claim 1 wherein a voltage transformer is disposed on the structural electronic substrate board.

5. The starter-generator of claim 1 wherein a capacitor is disposed on the structural electronic substrate board.

6. The starter-generator of claim 5 wherein the capacitor extends axially in a direction parallel to the shaft and the housing includes a capacitor receiving pocket receiving an end of the capacitor opposite the structural electronic substrate board.

7. The starter-generator of claim 1 further comprising:
a first voltage terminal disposed on the housing;
a second voltage terminal disposed on the housing; and
a voltage transformer electrically connected to the structural electronic substrate board.

8. The starter-generator of claim 7 , wherein the first voltage terminal is compatible with connecting to a 12 volt battery, and the second voltage terminal is compatible with connecting to a 48 volt battery.

9. The starter-generator of claim 1 , wherein an air-flow path is defined in part by a first gap between the fan and the structural electronic substrate board.

10. The starter-generator of claim 9 , wherein the air-flow path is further defined by a first plurality of apertures in the structural electronic substrate board and a second plurality of apertures in the housing in substantial radial alignment with the gap.

11. The starter-generator of claim 10 , wherein the air-flow path is further defined by a second gap between the stator and the housing and a third gap between the stator and the printed circuit board.

12. An air-cooled starter-generator for a vehicle, the air-cooled starter-generator comprising:
a starter housing defining an interior about an axis, with the starter housing having a first housing end and a second housing end spaced from the first housing end along the axis and defining a plurality of apertures in the housing ends;
an electric motor-generator disposed within the interior of the starter housing;
a shaft partially disposed within and extending through the interior of the starter housing, with the shaft rotatably fixed to a rotor of the electric motor-generator;
a fan blade rotatably fixed to the shaft operable to draw air into the starter housing through the apertures in the first housing end during rotation of the shaft; and
an electronics system disposed entirely within the interior of the starter housing, the electronics system comprising,
a first electronics assembly, and
a second electronics assembly,

wherein the first electronics assembly is disposed at the first housing end and the second electronic assembly is disposed at the second housing end, with the first electronics assembly and the second electronics assembly further defining the apertures operable to allow airflow to cool the first electronics assembly and the second electronics assembly, wherein the first electronics assembly is further defined as a power circuit assembly and the second electronics assembly is further defined as a data circuit assembly.

13. The air-cooled starter-generator as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the electronics system further comprises at least one capacitor, and wherein the starter housing defines a receiving pocket within the interior of the starter housing, with the at least one capacitor disposed within the receiving pocket.

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Griffen Matthew T

Classifications

• H02K5/225

  Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132) · CPC title

• H02K11/0094 Primary

  Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices · CPC title

• H02K11/33

  Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K7/083

  radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor (H02K7/086, H02K7/09 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02K7/006 Primary

  Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle · CPC title