Vehicle propulsion unit with electric machine that includes a balancing plate assembly and method for assembling said electric machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12206291-B2
Application number	US-202117452012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2021
Priority date	Oct 22, 2021
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

An electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle is provided. The propulsion unit includes a rotor stack, a rotor shaft, and a balancing plate assembly. The balancing plate assembly include a base plate fixating the rotor stack to the rotor shaft, where the base plate includes an air channel that axially extends through the base plate and a planar channel formed between the rotor stack and the base plate and in fluidic communication with the air channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle, comprising:
a stator;
a rotor assembly comprising a rotor stack and a rotor shaft, the rotor assembly positioned within the stator such that an air gap extends axially between the rotor assembly and the stator; and
a balancing plate assembly comprising:
a base plate fixating the rotor stack to the rotor shaft;
an air channel that axially extends through the base plate;
a planar channel formed between the rotor stack and the base plate and in fluidic communication with the air channel, the planar channel, coupled to multiple axial inlet channels and curved radial channels in the base plate, shaped such that a pumping force is created through the curved radial channels when the balancing plate assembly is rotated, and the planar channel connected to the air channel and the air gap such that the pumping force draws one or more fluids axially outwards from the air gap; and
an outer plate coupled to the base plate and having a first curved surface at a lip of the outer plate positioned radially outward from an outer diameter of the base plate and proximate an outlet of the air gap, the first curved surface configured to cause one or more fluids flowing along the first curved surface to rotate, generating a centrifugal force that generates a flow of the one or more fluids axially outward through the outlet of the air gap during rotation of the balancing plate assembly, the pumping force a consequence of viscous interaction between a mixture of air and the one or more fluids and the first curved surface.

2. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fluids comprises two fluids of air and oil.

3. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 2 , wherein the oil is a cooling fluid for the stator and then is removed from the air gap.

4. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 3 , wherein air flow at an outlet of the air gap creates the pumping force to draw the one or more fluids axially outwards from the air gap.

5. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 4 , wherein the planar channel flows air across the outlet of the air gap to create an air curtain across the air gap.

6. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 5 , wherein air is drawn axially inward into the air channel by the pumping force and then the air travels radially outward through the planar channel.

7. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , further comprising an air passage arrangement that is in fluidic communication with the air channel, wherein the air passage arrangement comprises an air passage that extends through the rotor stack and includes an outlet that opens into the air gap such that the one or more fluids are drawn into the air passage and then flow into the air gap and axially outwards from the air gap.

8. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 7 , wherein the air passage includes a first section that axially extends through the rotor stack and a second section that radially extends through the rotor stack.

9. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 8 , wherein the second section is formed by one or more cutouts in a plate that is positioned axially between two sections of the rotor stack.

10. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the lip is straight in an axial direction, and the lip circumferentially extends around a rotational axis of the balancing plate assembly to form a ring-like shape.

11. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the air channel includes an oil separator that removes oil from flow of the one or more fluids through the air channel.

12. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the air passage extends through the rotor shaft such that flow of the one or more fluids enters the rotor shaft and flows radially outward through the rotor shaft, through the rotor, and into the air gap.

13. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the base plate is constructed out of a non-magnetic material.

14. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the outer plate has a second curved surface at an opposite end of the lip from the outlet of the air gap that generates a second flow of the one or more fluids in a reverse direction with regard to the first curved surface, to increase a sealing of the air gap.

15. An electromagnetic propulsion unit for a wheeled or tracked vehicle, comprising:
a stator;
a rotor including a rotor shaft and a rotor stack and at least partially circumferentially surrounded by the stator;
wherein an air gap is positioned between the rotor and the stator; and
a balancing plate assembly comprising:
a base plate fixating the rotor stack to the rotor shaft;
wherein the base plate includes an air channel that axially extends through the base plate; and
wherein the air channel includes an oil separator that is designed to remove oil from flow of one or more fluids from air flowing through the air channel and into an air passage arrangement;

a planar channel formed between the rotor stack and the base plate and in fluidic communication with the air channel, the planar channel, coupled to multiple axial inlet channels and curved radial channels in the base plate, shaped such that a pumping force is created through the curved radial channels when the balancing plate assembly is rotated, and the planar channel connected to the air channel and the air gap such that the pumping force draws one or more fluids axially outwards from the air gap; and
an outer plate coupled to the base plate and having a first curved surface at a lip of the outer plate positioned radially outward from an outer diameter of the base plate and proximate an outlet of the air gap, the first curved surface configured to cause one or more fluids flowing along the first curved surface to rotate, generating a centrifugal force that generates a flow of the one or more fluids axially outward through the outlet of the air gap during rotation of the balancing plate assembly, the pumping force a consequence of viscous interaction between a mixture of air and the one or more fluids and the first curved surface.

16. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 15 , wherein the oil separator expels the oil axially outward from the balancing plate assembly.

17. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 15 , wherein the air channel is in fluidic communication with one or more of:
an air passage that axially extends through the rotor stack; and
the planar channel.

18. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 15 , wherein the air channel is in fluidic communication with an air passage that axially extends through the rotor stack, and the air passage arrangement flows the one or more fluids through the air gap.

19. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 15 , wherein the base plate includes a plurality of threaded attachment interfaces that are profiled to receive a plurality of attachment devices that are configured to couple a non-electrically conductive outer plate to the base plate.

Assignees

• Dana Belgium Nv

Inventors

• Vanhee Steven
• Schlimpert Stephan
• Peremans Bart
• Robberechts Bram
• Nonneman Jasper

Classifications

• H02K9/04

  having means for generating a flow of cooling medium · CPC title

• H02K7/04

  Balancing means · CPC title

• H02K9/19

  for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil · CPC title

• H02K1/276

  Magnets embedded in the magnetic core, e.g. interior permanent magnets [IPM] · CPC title

• H02K1/28

  Means for mounting or fastening rotating magnetic parts on to, or to, the rotor structures · CPC title