Systems and methods for, and components of, gearboxes for eVTOL aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459633-B2
Application number	US-202318476797-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2023
Priority date	Oct 6, 2022
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

An electric propulsion system for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, the electric propulsion system including an electrical motor having a stator and a rotor. The electric propulsion system may include a main shaft possessing at least one shoulder on an outer surface of the main shaft. The electric propulsion system may include a gearbox assembly comprising a sun gear that is concentrically aligned with the main shaft at least one planetary gear that interfaces with the sun gear. The electric propulsion system may include a planetary carrier, wherein a center of the planetary carrier is concentrically aligned with the main shaft. The electric propulsion system may include a propeller flange assembly that travels through the rotor, and an axial buttress positioned in the at least one shoulder located on the main shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft electrical propulsion system, the electrical propulsion system comprising:
at least one electrical engine having:
an electrical motor having a stator and a rotor;
a gearbox assembly comprising:
a sun gear;
at least one planetary gear;
a ring gear; and
a planetary carrier; and

a baffle assembly connected to a housing of the electrical engine, the baffle assembly comprising a first modular layer and a second modular layer stacked on the first modular layer, wherein the baffle assembly is configured to allow air to escape the housing of the electrical engine.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises a circuitous path with a first opening inside the electrical engine and a second opening to an environment external to the electrical engine housing, wherein the circuitous path includes at least one bend, turn, or twist.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least two circuitous paths.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle assembly is removably coupled to the electrical engine housing.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises a circuitous path to deter debris from entering the electrical engine.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle assembly is removably coupled to the electrical engine housing by a snap ring.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system configured to cool the electrical engine using oil, wherein the baffle assembly comprises a circuitous path that prevents oil from exiting the baffle assembly.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system configured to cool the electrical engine using oil, wherein the baffle assembly comprises a removable fill port for the cooling system.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises a thermally conductive material.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least two layers of circuitous paths stacked on each other.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising
a propeller assembly; and an external port of the baffle assembly, wherein the external port of the baffle assembly is located outside of the electrical engine housing and below the propeller assembly.

12 . An aircraft electrical propulsion system, the electrical propulsion system comprising:
at least one electrical engine electrical engine having:
an electrical motor having a stator and a rotor;
an inverter assembly that provides power to the electrical motor;
a main shaft, wherein a first end of the main shaft is mechanically coupled to the rotor; and
a baffle assembly connected to a housing of the electrical engine, the baffle assembly comprising a first modular layer and a second modular layer stacked on the first modular layer, wherein the baffle assembly is configured to allow air to escape the housing of the electrical engine.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises a circuitous path with a first opening inside the electrical engine and a second opening to an environment external to the electrical engine housing, wherein the circuitous path includes at least one bend, turn, or twist.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least two circuitous paths.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle assembly is removably coupled to the electrical engine housing.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises a circuitous path deterring debris from entering the electrical engine.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle assembly is removably coupled to the electrical engine housing by a snap ring.

18 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a cooling system configured to cool the electrical engine using oil, wherein the baffle assembly comprises a circuitous path that prevents oil from exiting the baffle assembly.

19 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a cooling system configured to cool the electrical engine using oil, wherein the baffle assembly comprises a removable fill port for the cooling system.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least two layers of circuitous paths stacked on each other.

21 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising
a propeller assembly; and an external port of the baffle assembly, wherein the external port of the baffle assembly is located outside of the electrical engine housing and below the propeller assembly.

Assignees

• Archer Aviation Inc

Inventors

• Graves Scott

Classifications

• H02K15/40

  Assembling dynamo-electric machines (H02K15/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K15/035

  on the rotor · CPC title

• H02K2215/00

  Specific aspects not provided for in other groups of this subclass relating to methods or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines · CPC title

• H02P27/08

  with pulse width modulation · CPC title

• H02P27/06

  using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) · CPC title