Rotor for an electric aircraft motor comprising a plurality of magnets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12107459-B2
Application number	US-202217704798-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2022
Priority date	Mar 25, 2022
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A rotor for a motor of an electric aircraft is provided. The rotor may include a hub, which includes a plurality of magnets fixed to an inner surface of the hub that are configured to interact with a stator of the motor to rotate rotor. The rotor also includes redial spokes that extend from the hub and provide structural support to the rotor. The rotor may also include a hoop, which provides balance for rotor during operation of motor and may include an integrated fan that provides cooling to various components of the motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotor for an electrical aircraft the rotor comprising:
a hub defining a lumen, configured to receive a rotor shaft;
a hoop coupled to and concentric with the hub;
a plurality of magnets fixedly attached to an outer circumferential surface of the hoop and configured to interact with a stator;
a structural element extending between the hub and the hoop, the structural element defining at least one opening;
a first radial fan integrally formed at a first axial end portion of the hoop, wherein the first radial fan includes a first plurality of cooling fins formed on the first axial end portion of the hoop, positioned corresponding to a first portion of a stator winding so as to direct air radially outward across the first portion of the stator winding; and
an axial fan coupled to the rotor and configured to direct air axially through the rotor, the axial fan including a plurality of axial fins disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the hoop.

2. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the hub comprises an inner hub and an outer hub, and a sprag is disposed within at least one of the inner hub or the outer hub.

3. The rotor of claim 2 , wherein the sprag comprises a cage sprag.

4. The rotor of claim 1 , further comprising a sprag, wherein the sprag further comprises a locking mechanism configured to removably attach the sprag to the hub.

5. The rotor of claim 4 , wherein the sprag comprises a maximum eccentricity of 90 microns.

6. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the hub comprises an inner hub and an outer hub, and the inner hub and the outer hub are removably connected by a locking mechanism.

7. The rotor of claim 6 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a spline of metal.

8. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the structural element includes a plurality of spokes extending radially outward, from the hub to the hoop.

9. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the hub includes holes that allow for the rotor to be removably attached to at least one of the rotor shaft or a propulsor base.

10. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of magnets is fixedly attached to the outer circumferential surface of the hoop using an adhesive.

11. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the hoop or the structural element is composed of titanium.

12. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the rotor is configured to be installed in an electric motor of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

13. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the structural element comprises a plurality of spokes coupling the hoop to the hub, wherein the plurality of spokes includes:
a first plurality of spokes extending radially between the hub and the hoop; and
a second plurality of spokes extending radially between the hub and the hoop,
wherein an arrangement of the second plurality of spokes corresponds to an arrangement of the first plurality of spokes, and
wherein the arrangement of the second plurality of spokes is offset in location from the arrangement of the first plurality of spokes along a central axis of rotation of the rotor, and is aligned with and spaced from the first plurality of spokes along the central axis of rotation.

14. The rotor of claim 1 , wherein the rotor is included in at least one propulsion motor of the electric aircraft, wherein the at least one propulsion motor is air cooled and does not require liquid cooling.

15. The rotor of claim 14 , wherein the at least one propulsion motor includes at least two propulsion motors configured as lift motors for an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

16. The rotor of claim 1 , further comprising a second radial fan integrally formed at a second axial end portion of the hoop, wherein the second radial fan includes a second plurality of cooling fins formed on the second axial end portion of the hoop, positioned corresponding to a second portion of the stator winding so as to direct air radially outward across the second portion of the stator winding.

17. A motor for an electric aircraft, the motor comprising:
a rotor shaft fixedly attached to a propulsor;
the stator concentrically positioned relative to the rotor shaft, wherein the stator includes a stator winding and provides an adaptable magnetic field; and
the rotor comprising:
a hub defining a lumen, configured to receive the rotor shaft;
a hoop concentric with and coupled to the hub;
a structural element extending radially between the hub and the hoop, the structural element including at least one opening;
a plurality of magnets fixedly attached to an outer surface of the hoop and configured to magnetically couple with the stator;
a first radial fan including a plurality of cooling fins integrally formed at a first axial end portion of the hoop, wherein the first radial fan is configured and dimensioned to be located adjacent a first portion of a stator winding to direct air radially outward across the first portion of the stator winding; and
an axial fan coupled to the rotor and configured to direct air axially through the rotor, the axial fan includes a plurality of axial fins disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the hoop.

18. The motor of claim 17 , wherein the motor is configured to be installed in an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

19. The motor of claim 17 , wherein the hub comprises an inner hub and an outer hub, and a sprag is disposed within at least one of the inner hub or the outer hub.

20. The motor of claim 19 , wherein the sprag comprises a cage sprag.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Belzile Manon Danielle
• Clark Kyle B
• Widdis Stephen

Classifications

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · CPC title

• B64D27/31

  within, or attached to, wings · CPC title

• H02K1/30 Primary

  using intermediate parts, e.g. spiders · CPC title

• H02K1/2783 Primary

  with magnets arranged in Halbach arrays · CPC title

• H02K21/16

  having annular armature cores with salient poles (with homopolar co-operation H02K21/20) · CPC title