Propulsion system assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10407178-B2
Application number	US-201515501318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2015
Priority date	Aug 4, 2014
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A propulsion system assembly is provided including a driveshaft and a plurality of electric motor modules. The driveshaft is rotatably mounted to a casing about a drive axis, the driveshaft including a first shaft end and an opposite facing second shaft end. The plurality of electric motor modules are in axially stacked relationship with one another with respect to the drive axis to define an electric motor module stack, each electric motor module being configured for transmitting a torque to the driveshaft when coupled thereto independently of at least one other electric motor module. Each electric motor module includes a controllable clutch arrangement for selectively coupling and decoupling the respective electric motor module with respect to the driveshaft to respectively enable and disable transmission of torque between the respective electric motor module and the driveshaft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A propulsion system assembly, comprising:
a driveshaft rotatably mounted to a casing about a drive axis, the driveshaft comprising a first shaft end and an opposite facing second shaft end;
a plurality of electric motor modules in axially stacked relationship with one another with respect to the drive axis to define an electric motor module stack, said plurality being an integer greater than unity, each electric motor module being configured for transmitting a torque to the driveshaft when coupled thereto independently of at least one other said electric motor module;
each electric motor module comprising a controllable clutch arrangement for selectively coupling and decoupling the respective electric motor module with respect to the driveshaft to respectively enable and disable transmission of torque between the respective electric motor module and the driveshaft; and
wherein said propulsion system assembly is reversibly tiltable between a horizontal angular disposition for providing horizontal thrust and a vertical angular disposition for providing vertical thrust.

2. The propulsion system assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following applies to the propulsion system assembly:
wherein each said electric motor module comprises: a stator element; and a rotor element rotatably mounted with respect to the stator element, and configured for being reversibly coupled to the drive shaft via the respective clutch arrangement;
wherein each electric motor module has a depth dimension parallel to the drive axis and a width dimension orthogonal to the drive axis, wherein said width dimension is greater than said depth dimension;
wherein each electric motor module has a depth dimension parallel to the drive axis and a width dimension orthogonal to the drive axis, wherein said width dimension is greater than said depth dimension, and wherein a ratio of said width dimension to said depth dimension is between 5 and 20, or wherein a ratio of said width dimension to said depth dimension is greater than 10;
wherein each said electrical motor module is designed to generate the same torque under the same operating conditions as one another;
wherein each said electrical motor module is designed to generate a module design shaft power of 40 kW or more than 40 kW;
wherein said propulsion system assembly is configured to provide a design shaft power using all said electric motor modules, wherein said design shaft power is greater than a required shaft power by a shaft power safety margin, wherein said shaft power safety margin is not less than a module design shaft power of at least one said electric motor module; and
wherein for each electric motor module, the respective clutch arrangement comprises an electromechanical clutch independently actuable with respect to the other said clutch arrangements.

3. The propulsion system assembly according to claim 2 , wherein for each electric motor module, the respective clutch arrangement comprises:
a clutch rotor and a field coil concentrically provided on the rotor element, and
an armature affixed to the driveshaft,
wherein responsive to actuation of the respective clutch arrangement the clutch rotor frictionally abuts the armature driveshaft to enable transmission of said torque between the respective electric motor module and the driveshaft.

4. The propulsion system assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following applies to the propulsion system assembly:
wherein for each electric motor module, the respective clutch arrangement is actuable responsive to one or more of electric, electronic or digital signals;
wherein for each electric motor module, the respective clutch arrangement is actuable responsive to the clutch arrangement being subjected to a rotational resistance from the respective electric motor module greater than a predetermined threshold;
further comprising a first rotor element for aerodynamically generating a first thrust responsive to being turned about said drive axis by the propulsion system assembly;
further comprising a first rotor element for aerodynamically generating a first thrust responsive to being turned about said drive axis by the propulsion system assembly, and, wherein said first rotor element is affixed to said first shaft end;
further comprising a first rotor element for aerodynamically generating a first thrust responsive to being turned about said drive axis by the propulsion system assembly, and, wherein said first rotor element comprises any one of a propeller, ducted fan, unducted fan.

5. The propulsion system assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a second rotor element for aerodynamically generating a second thrust responsive to being turned about said drive axis by the propulsion system assembly, wherein at least one of the following applies to the propulsion system assembly:
wherein said second rotor element is affixed to said second shaft end;
wherein said second rotor element is affixed to said second shaft end, and, wherein said second rotor element comprises any one of a propeller, ducted fan, unducted fan.

6. The propulsion system assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following applies to the propulsion system assembly:
wherein the casing comprises a first casing bracket affixed to a first said electric motor module that is closest to said first shaft end, and a second casing bracket affixed to a second said electric motor module that is closest to said second shaft end, said first casing bracket comprising a first bearing arrangement and said second casing bracket comprising a second bearing arrangement, the driveshaft being rotatably mounted with respect to said first bearing arrangement and said second bearing arrangement;
wherein in said axially stacked relationship, each pair of axially adjacent said electric motor modules are fixedly connected to one another;
wherein said electric motor modules are connected to the casing in fixed spatial relationship in said axially stacked relationship;
wherein said casing comprises a plurality of spacer elements interconnecting each pair of axially adjacent electric motor modules in fixed spatial relationship in said axially stacked relationship.

7. The propulsion system assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a housing member for enclosing therein at least said casing and said plurality of electric motor modules, wherein at least one of the following applies to the propulsion system assembly:
wherein said housing member is configured for pivoting about a pivot axis different from the drive axis;
wherein said housing member is configured for pivoting about a pivot axis different from the drive axis, and, wherein said pivot axis is orthogonal to the drive axis.

8. The propulsion system assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a control system for controlling operation of each said electric motor module.

9. The propulsion system assembly according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the following applies to the propulsion system assembly:
wherein said control system comprises a motor controller for each said electric motor module, each respective motor controller being configured for operating each respective said clutch arrangement to cause the respective said clutch arrangement to selectively couple and decouple the respective said electric motor module with respect to the driveshaft;
wherein said control system comprises a motor controller for each said electric motor module, each respective motor controller being configured for operating the respective said clutch arrangement to cause the respective said clutch arrangement to selectively couple and decouple the respe

Assignees

• Israel Aerospace Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Regev Eyal

Classifications

• H02K21/24

  with magnets axially facing the armatures, e.g. hub-type cycle dynamos · CPC title

• H02K7/10

  Structural association with clutches, brakes, gears, pulleys or mechanical starters · CPC title

• B64C15/00

  Attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction · CPC title

• B60L50/15

  with additional electric power supply (with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61) · CPC title

• H02K2213/12

  Machines characterised by the modularity of some components · CPC title