Motor assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12562615-B2
Application number	US-202118268907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2021
Priority date	Dec 21, 2020
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A motor assembly including: a housing that forms an accommodating space therein; a stator that is provided inside the housing; and a rotor that is rotatable with respect to the stator, wherein the housing includes: a cooling water passage through which cooling water exchanges heat while moving therein; and an air flow passage through which air inside the accommodation space exchanges heat while moving through the housing in the axial direction. Accordingly, the air inside the housing can be cooled to a preset temperature or less.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A motor assembly, comprising:
a housing defining an accommodation space therein; a stator disposed inside the housing; and a rotor disposed to be rotatable relative to the stator, wherein the housing comprises: cooling water passages through which cooling water moves for heat exchange; and air flow passages through which air from the accommodation space is moved in an axial direction for heat exchange, and wherein the housing comprises: a housing body with opposing open sides and provided with the cooling water passages and the air flow passages; and covers respectively coupled to the open sides, wherein the air flow passages are spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction of the housing body, and wherein the cooling water passages extend through the housing body in the axial direction, and the cooling water passages and the air flow passages are alternately disposed along the circumferential direction of the housing body.

2 . The motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cooling water passages and the air flow passages are spaced apart from each other along a same circumference, and
the housing body includes an inner wall defining the accommodation space, an outer wall concentrically spaced apart from an outer side of the inner wall, and a plurality of barrier ribs connecting the inner wall and the outer wall.

3 . The motor assembly of claim 2 , wherein each of the cooling water passages includes a first section through which cooling water moves axially in a first direction and a second section through which the cooling water moves in a second direction opposite to the first direction,
wherein the first section and the second section are disposed adjacently and separated by the barrier rib interposed therebetween, and wherein the covers include: a front cover having a first return part to allow the cooling water from the first section to move into the second section; and a rear cover having a second return part to allow the cooling water from the second section to move into a next first section.

4 . The motor assembly of claim 3 , wherein the air flow passage is disposed between the second section and the next first section along the circumferential direction of the housing body.

5 . The motor assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first return part includes a first section communicating portion communicating with the first section, a second section communicating portion communicating with the second section, and a connecting portion connecting the first section communicating portion and the second section communicating portion, and
wherein the second return part includes a second section communicating portion communicating with the second section, a first section communicating portion communicating with the next first section, and a connecting portion connecting the second section communicating portion and the first section communicating portion.

6 . The motor assembly of claim 5 , wherein the connecting portion of the second return part has a convex cross-sectional shape to accommodate a position of an air flow passage.

7 . The motor assembly of claim 5 , wherein:
a plurality of first sections and a plurality of second sections are alternately disposed along a circumference of the housing, a cooling water inlet for inflow of the cooling water is disposed at an end portion of a first section connected to a foremost first return part among a plurality of first return parts, and a cooling water outlet for outflow of the cooling water is disposed at an end portion of a second section connected to a last first return part among the plurality of first return parts.

8 . The motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotor comprises:
a rotational shaft; a rotor core coupled to the rotational shaft; and permanent magnets disposed on the rotor core, wherein the rotor core includes penetrating parts formed therethrough in the axial direction.

9 . The motor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the rotor core includes permanent magnet insertion parts formed therethrough in the axial direction to accommodate insertion of the permanent magnets,
end rings disposed respectively on both end portions of the rotor core and configured to cover the permanent magnets, and wherein each of the end rings includes communication portions communicating with the penetrating parts.

10 . The motor assembly of claim 9 , wherein one of the end rings includes a plurality of blades to promote movement of air during rotation.

11 . The motor assembly of claim 10 , wherein the cover includes guide portions protruding from an inner surface thereof and extending in a radial direction.

12 . The motor assembly of claim 8 , wherein the stator includes:
a stator core; and a stator coil wound around the stator core, wherein the stator coil includes coil ends protruding from end portions of the stator core in the axial direction, and wherein each of the coil ends includes a molded part molded using a thermal conductive member.

Assignees

• Lg Magna E Powertrain Co Ltd
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Han Seungdo
• Son Sangjin
• Kim Sungjung
• Lee Sohyeon

Classifications

• H02K21/14

  with magnets rotating within the armatures · CPC title

• H02K9/193

  with provision for replenishing the cooling medium; with means for preventing leakage of the cooling medium · CPC title

• H02K1/276

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

• H02K1/2766

  having a flux concentration effect · CPC title

• H02K9/10

  by gaseous cooling medium flowing in closed circuit, a part of which is external to the machine casing · CPC title