Electric drive motor assembly for a wheel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9914348-B2
Application number	US-201414319947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

An electric drive motor assembly for a wheel includes a wheel hub and an electric motor configured to drive the wheel hub. A drive shaft connects the wheel hub to the electric motor. A pivot member is pivotally connected to the electric motor such that the electric motor is rotatable about the pivot member to accommodate movement of the wheel hub.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric drive motor assembly for a wheel, comprising:
a wheel hub;
an electric motor configured to drive the wheel hub;
a drive shaft connecting the wheel hub to the electric motor;
a pivot member pivotally connected to the electric motor such that the electric motor is rotatable about the pivot member to accommodate movement of the wheel hub, the electric motor being pivotable with respect to the wheel hub about an axis through the pivot member, the axis being substantially perpendicular to the drive shaft, and a rotational axis of the drive shaft passing through the pivot member and being substantially parallel with a wheel hub rotational axis; and
the pivot member further including a first link arm pivotally connected to a side of the motor, a first end of the first link arm being pivotally connected to the motor and a second end of the first link arm being configured to be pivotally connected to a vehicle frame.

2. The electric drive motor assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising
a gear assembly disposed between the electric motor and the drive shaft.

3. The electric drive motor assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the gear assembly is a ring gear assembly.

4. The electric drive motor assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the gear assembly is a planetary gear assembly.

5. The electric drive motor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a second link arm is spaced apart from the first link arm, first ends of the link arms being pivotally connected to a common side of the motor and second ends of the link arms being configured to be pivotally connected to the vehicle frame.

6. The electric drive motor assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising
a spline member disposed between the electric motor and the drive shaft and configured to accommodate lateral movement of the drive shaft.

7. The electric drive motor assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising
a substantially C-shaped linking member disposed between the electric motor and the wheel hub, the linking member receiving the drive shaft therein.

8. A drive assembly for two axially aligned wheels of an electric vehicle, comprising:
first and second axially spaced wheel hubs;
an electric motor assembly connected to each wheel hub, each electric motor assembly including
an electric motor configured to drive the wheel hub;
a drive shaft connecting the wheel hub to the electric motor;
a pivot member pivotally connected to the electric motor such that the electric motor is rotatable about the pivot member to accommodate movement of the wheel hub, the electric motor being pivotable with respect to the wheel hub about an axis through the pivot member, the axis being substantially perpendicular to the drive shaft, and a rotational axis of the drive shaft passing through the pivot member and being substantially parallel with a wheel hub rotational axis; and

the pivot member further including a first link arm pivotally connected to a side of the motor, a first end of the first link arm being pivotally connected to the motor and a second end of the first link arm being configured to be pivotally connected to a vehicle frame.

9. The drive assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the electric motors are axially spaced from each other.

10. The drive assembly according to claim 8 , wherein each electric motor assembly further comprises
a gear assembly disposed between the electric motor and the drive shaft.

11. The drive assembly according to claim 8 , wherein
a second link arm is spaced apart from the first link arm, first ends of the link arms being pivotally connected to a common side of the motor and second ends of the link arms being configured to be pivotally connected to the vehicle frame.

12. The drive assembly according to claim 8 , wherein each electric motor assembly further comprises
a substantially C-shaped linking member disposed between the electric motor and the wheel hub, the linking member receiving the drive shaft therein.

13. The drive assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the first ends of the link arms on each side of the motor are offset in an axial direction of the motor.

14. A drive assembly for a four-wheel drive electric vehicle, comprising:
first and second pairs of axially spaced wheel hubs;
an electric motor assembly connected to each wheel hub, each electric motor assembly including
an electric motor configured to drive the wheel hub;
a drive shaft connecting the wheel hub to the electric motor;
a pivot member pivotally connected to the electric motor such that the electric motor is rotatable about the pivot member to accommodate movement of the wheel hub, the electric motor being pivotable with respect to the wheel hub about an axis through the pivot member, the axis being substantially perpendicular to the drive shaft, and a rotational axis of the drive shaft passing through the pivot member and being substantially parallel with a wheel hub rotational axis; and

the pivot member further including a link arm pivotally connected to a side of the motor.

15. The drive assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the electric motors are axially spaced from each other for each pair of axially spaced wheel hubs.

16. The drive assembly according to claim 14 , each electric motor assembly further comprising
a gear assembly disposed between at least one of the electric motors and a corresponding one of the drive shafts.

17. An electric drive motor assembly for a wheel, comprising:
a wheel hub;
an electric motor configured to drive the wheel hub;
a drive shaft connecting the wheel hub to the electric motor; and
a pivot member pivotally connected to the electric motor such that the electric motor is rotatable about the pivot member to accommodate movement of the wheel hub, the electric motor being pivotable with respect to the wheel hub about an axis through the pivot member, the axis being substantially perpendicular to the drive shaft, and a rotational axis of the drive shaft passing through the pivot member and being substantially parallel with a wheel hub rotational axis,
an axially extending slot in a housing of the electric motor slidably receiving the pivot member therein.

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Koval Barry
• Bowlby Benjamin

Classifications

• B60K2007/0053

  the motor moving relative to the vehicle body and to the wheel axle · CPC title

• B60K17/043

  Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel · CPC title

• B60K2007/0092

  the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle · CPC title

• B60K2007/0061

  the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle · CPC title

• B60K17/046

  with planetary gearing having orbital motion · CPC title