Lubricant supported electric motor with controlled and balanced lubricant flow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11355996-B2
Application number	US-202017090081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2020
Priority date	Nov 6, 2019
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator presenting an stator raceway, and a rotor movable relative to the stator and presenting a rotor raceway disposed in spaced relationship with the stator raceway to define a gap therebetween. A lubricant is disposed in the gap for supporting the rotor relative to the stator. The stator defines at least one hydrostatic support chamber disposed in radially recessed relationship relative to the stator raceway and in fluid communication with the gap. The stator also defines a passageway disposed in fluid communication with the at least one hydrostatic support chamber for providing lubricant to the at least one hydrostatic support chamber and the gap. A flow restriction mechanism is disposed in fluid communication with the passageway for controlling and balancing a supply and pressure of the lubricant in the hydrostatic support chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lubricant supported electric motor comprising:
a stator presenting an stator raceway;
a rotor movable relative to said stator about an axis and presenting a rotor raceway disposed in spaced relationship with said stator raceway to define a gap therebetween;
a lubricant disposed in said gap for supporting said rotor relative to said stator;
said stator defining a plurality of hydrostatic support chambers disposed in circumferentially spaced relationship to one another and each radially recessed relative to said stator raceway and in fluid communication with said gap;
said stator defining a a plurality of passageways each disposed in fluid communication with a respective one of said plurality of hydrostatic support chambers for providing lubricant to said respective one of said hydrostatic support chamber and said gap; and
a plurality of flow restriction mechanisms each disposed in fluid communication with a respective one of said passageways for controlling and balancing a supply and pressure of said lubricant in said plurality of hydrostatic support chambers.

2. The lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a distribution manifold disposed in fluid communication with each of said plurality of passageways for individually controlling a flow of lubricant to said plurality of hydrostatic support chambers.

3. The lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of fluid inlets each extending between said distribution manifold and a respective one of said plurality of passageways, and each of said plurality of flow restriction mechanisms disposed along a respective one of said fluid inlets between a respective one of passageways and said distribution manifold for preventing return of the lubricant and the pressure in said plurality of hydrostatic support chambers to said distribution manifold.

4. The lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said distribution manifold includes a plurality of fluid ports each disposed in fluid communication with a respective one of said plurality of fluid inlets and individually and separately controllable to alter flow of the lubricant from said distribution manifold to said plurality of hydrostatic support chambers.

5. The lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising at least one sensor disposed in fluid communication with said plurality of hydrostatic support chambers for sensing an operating condition of said lubricant disposed within each hydrostatic support chamber; and
a controller disposed in electrical communication with said at least one sensor and said distribution manifold for determining an operating characteristic of the lubricant supported electric motor and adjusting said plurality of ports of said distribution manifold based on the determined operating characteristic.

6. The lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said sensor is comprised of a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure of said lubricant disposed within said plurality of hydrostatic support chambers.

7. The lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising a pump disposed in fluid communication with said distribution manifold for supplying lubricant to said distribution manifold.

8. The lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said rotor extends along said axis and is rotatably disposed within said stator.

9. The lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said rotor is operably connected to a final drive device that is interconnected to a wheel of a vehicle.

Assignees

• Neapco Intellectual Property Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Remboski Donald
• Dedo Jacqueline
• Versteyhe Mark

Classifications

• F16N7/36

  with feed by pumping action of the member to be lubricated or of a shaft of the machine; Centrifugal lubrication · CPC title

• H02K2213/09

  Machines characterised by the presence of elements which are subject to variation, e.g. adjustable bearings, reconfigurable windings, variable pitch ventilators · CPC title

• H02K2201/03

  Machines characterised by aspects of the air-gap between rotor and stator · CPC title

• H02K7/088 Primary

  radially supporting the rotor directly · CPC title

• H02K7/04

  Balancing means · CPC title