Brushless electric motor with a membrane for regulating internal pressure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12483094-B2
Application number	US-202118266697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2021
Priority date	Dec 11, 2020
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

The present invention provides a brushless electric motor for rotating a rotor of a motor-driven fan of a vehicle, comprising at least two electromagnetic elements, at least one of the electromagnetic elements being equipped with at least two coils, and a housing defining an internal volume in which are housed a control circuit and a power circuit, the power circuit being configured to electrically connect an electrical power supply of the vehicle to the coils. The power circuit comprises at least one tube configured to put the internal volume of the housing into aeraulic communication with an external environment of the housing, the tube passing through a wall of the housing, the power circuit comprising at least one breathable membrane arranged to close the tube, the breathable membrane being impermeable to liquid water and permeable to at least one gas.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A brushless electric motor configured to rotate a propeller of a motor-fan unit of a vehicle, comprising:
at least two electromagnetic elements, at least one of the electromagnetic elements being equipped with at least two coils; a box delimiting an interior volume in which are housed a servo circuit; and a power circuit, the power circuit being configured to electrically connect an electrical power supply of the vehicle to the coils, the electrical connection between the electrical power supply of the vehicle and the coils being placed under the control of the servo circuit, wherein the power circuit comprises;
at least one tube configured to place the interior volume of the box in aeraulic communication with an external environment of the box, the tube passing through a wall of the box, the power circuit comprising at least one breathable membrane arranged to close the tube, the breathable membrane being impermeable to liquid water and permeable to at least one gas, and
a support carrying at least one electrically conductive track and at least one electronic component, the tube being arranged on the support.

2 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the electrically conductive track has a cross section greater than or equal to 4 mm 2 as seen in projection in a plane orthogonal to a main direction of conduction of the current.

3 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 2 , in which the electrically conductive track is a bar with a rectangular cross section.

4 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 2 , in which the electronic component is an inverter.

5 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 2 , in which the tube is integral with the support.

6 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 2 , in which the support comprises at least one synthetic material.

7 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the tube projects from the box.

8 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the tube comprises at least one inner end arranged in the interior volume of the box and one outer end arranged in the external environment of the box, the breathable membrane being arranged at any one of these ends.

9 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 8 , in which the breathable membrane is arranged at the inner end.

10 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the tube passes through the wall of the box by passing through a hole in the wall, a cavity extending from the tube to the edge of the hole in the wall through which the tube passes, the cavity comprising a sealing element.

11 . The brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 1 , in which the box is a heat sink configured to dissipate heat generated by the servo circuit and/or the power circuit into the external environment of the box.

12 . A motor-fan unit of a heat treatment module of at least one vehicle, comprising:
a propeller; and at least one brushless electric motor as claimed in claim 1 , the brushless electric motor being connected to the propeller by a shaft and being configured to drive the propeller in rotation.

13 . A brushless electric motor configured to rotate a propeller of a motor-fan unit of a vehicle, comprising:
at least two electromagnetic elements, at least one of the electromagnetic elements being equipped with at least two coils; a box delimiting an interior volume in which are housed a servo circuit; and a power circuit, the power circuit being configured to electrically connect an electrical power supply of the vehicle to the coils, the electrical connection between the electrical power supply of the vehicle and the coils being placed under the control of the servo circuit, wherein the power circuit comprises at least one tube configured to place the interior volume of the box in aeraulic communication with an external environment of the box, the tube passing through a wall of the box, the power circuit comprising at least one breathable membrane arranged to close the tube, the breathable membrane being impermeable to liquid water and permeable to at least one gas, in which the tube passes through the wall of the box by passing through a hole in the wall, a cavity extending from the tube to the edge of the hole in the wall through which the tube passes, the cavity comprising a sealing element.

14 . A brushless electric motor configured to rotate a propeller of a motor-fan unit of a vehicle, comprising:
at least two electromagnetic elements, at least one of the electromagnetic elements being equipped with at least two coils; a box delimiting an interior volume in which are housed a servo circuit; and a power circuit, the power circuit being configured to electrically connect an electrical power supply of the vehicle to the coils, the electrical connection between the electrical power supply of the vehicle and the coils being placed under the control of the servo circuit, wherein the power circuit comprises at least one tube configured to place the interior volume of the box in aeraulic communication with an external environment of the box, the tube passing through a wall of the box, the power circuit comprising at least one breathable membrane arranged to close the tube, the breathable membrane being impermeable to liquid water and permeable to at least one gas, in which the box is a heat sink configured to dissipate heat generated by the servo circuit and/or the power circuit into the external environment of the box.

Assignees

• Valeo Systemes Thermiques

Inventors

• Kada Kamal
• Bonneau David

Classifications

• H02K9/227

  Heat sinks · CPC title

• H02K11/33

  Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K5/10

  with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers · CPC title

• H02K2205/09

  Machines characterised by drain passages or by venting, breathing or pressure compensating means · CPC title

• H02K7/14 Primary

  Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans (with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06) · CPC title