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-12208667-B2
Application number	US-202117452008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2021
Priority date	Oct 22, 2021
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

An electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle is provided. The propulsion unit includes a balancing plate assembly with an outer plate designed to couple to a rotor assembly. In the balancing plate assembly, the outer plate includes a lip that, during rotor assembly rotation, pumps one or more fluids from an air gap formed between the rotor assembly and a stator and the outer plate is constructed out of a non-electrically conductive material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle, comprising:
a balancing plate assembly coupled to a rotor assembly and comprising:
a base plate directly coupled to the rotor stack and a rotor hub; and
an outer plate directly coupled to the rotor stack;

wherein the outer plate is removably coupled to the base plate;
wherein the outer plate circumferentially surrounds the base plate;
wherein the outer plate is positioned circumferentially inward from stator end windings;
wherein the outer plate includes a lip that is designed to, during rotor assembly rotation, pump air and oil from an air gap formed between the rotor assembly and a stator; and
wherein the outer plate is constructed out of a non-electrically conductive material.

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

3. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the lip includes a planar surface that is adjacent to an axial end of the air gap.

4. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 3 , wherein the planar surface radially extends beyond an outer diameter of the air gap and creates a centrifugal force on the air and oil adjacent to the planar surface.

5. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the lip includes a curved surface that is adjacent to an axial end of the air gap and extends circumferentially around the outer plate.

6. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the lip includes an inner surface; and
a planar channel is formed between a rotor stack and the inner surface.

7. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 6 , wherein the planar channel is profiled to receive airflow from an air channel in a base plate.

8. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein:
during rotation of the rotor assembly, the air gap includes an inlet that receives air flow from an air passage; and
the air passage extends through a rotor stack and is positioned radially inward from the air gap.

9. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 8 , wherein the air passage is designed to receive air from a machine end-space.

10. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the outer plate includes a plurality of axially extending ridges.

11. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein, during rotation of the rotor assembly, the air gap includes an inlet profiled to receive air flow from an air passage that extends through a rotor stack and is positioned radially inward from the air gap.

12. An electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle, comprising:
a stator including end windings that extend axially outward from a stack of stator laminations;
a rotor at least partially circumferentially surrounded by the stator and including a rotor shaft and a rotor stack;
an air gap positioned between the rotor and the stator; and
a balancing plate assembly comprising:
a base plate directly coupled to the rotor stack and a rotor hub; and
a non-electrically conductive outer plate removably coupled to the base plate;

wherein the base plate is directly coupled to the rotor stack and a rotor hub;
wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate is directly coupled to the rotor stack;
wherein the outer plate is removably coupled to the base plate;
wherein the outer plate circumferentially surrounds the base plate;
wherein the outer plate is positioned circumferentially inward from the end windings; and
wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate includes a lip that is profiled to pump a mixture of air and oil from the air gap.

13. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 12 , wherein the lip includes a straight inner surface that extends across an axial end of the air gap.

14. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 12 , wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate includes a plurality of ridges that axially extend from the lip toward the air gap.

15. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 12 , wherein the lip includes a first curved surface that is adjacent to an axial end of the air gap.

16. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 15 , wherein the lip includes a second curved surface positioned axially outward from the first curved surface.

17. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 16 , wherein the second curved surface is positioned on an axial side of the non-electrically conductive outer plate opposite of the first curved surface.

18. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 12 , wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate includes an outer diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of a lamination stack in the stator.

19. A method for constructing an electric machine in an electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle, the method comprising:
attaching a non-electrically conductive outer plate to a non-magnetic base plate to form a balancing plate assembly; and
attaching the balancing plate assembly to a rotor assembly;
wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate includes a lip that is designed to, during rotor assembly rotation, pump air and oil from an air gap formed between the rotor assembly and a stator;
wherein the non-magnetic base plate is directly coupled to a rotor stack and a rotor hub;
wherein the outer plate is removably coupled to the base plate and is directly coupled to the rotor stack;
wherein the outer plate circumferentially surrounds the base plate; and
wherein the outer plate is positioned circumferentially inward from the end windings.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein attaching the non-electrically conductive outer plate to the non-magnetic base plate includes inserting a plurality of attachment devices through a plurality of openings in the non-electrically conductive outer plate and threading the plurality of attachment devices into a plurality of threaded bores in the non-magnetic base plate.

Assignees

• Dana Belgium Nv

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H02K7/003

  Couplings; Details of shafts (means for mounting rotors on shafts H02K1/28) · CPC title

• F04D19/002

  Axial flow fans · CPC title

• F04D25/06

  the pump being electrically driven (F04D25/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K1/22

  Rotating parts of the magnetic circuit · CPC title

• F04D31/00

  Pumping liquids and elastic fluids at the same time · CPC title