Hybrid rotor module with clutch assemblies and cooling of rotor and stator

1 . An electric machine comprising:

a housing;

a stator mounted to the housing, the stator including a plurality of laminations, a first end turn and a second end turn, wherein the plurality of laminations includes an axial midpoint, a stator first end located to one side of the axial midpoint and a stator second end located to the opposite side of the axial midpoint;

a rotor shaft extending through the housing;

a hybrid rotor module coupled to the rotor shaft, the hybrid rotor module comprising:

a clutch basket including a rotor carrier having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween;

at least a first clutch assembly arranged at the stator first end, a second clutch assembly arranged at the stator second end and a third clutch assembly arranged between the first stator end and second stator end, wherein the second and third clutch assembly are axially offset such that the second and third clutch assembly are defined by a lack of radial overlap;

a rotor mounted to the rotor carrier, the rotor having a first rotor end and a second rotor end; and

a first opening extending radially through the rotor carrier at a first end and a second opening extending radially through the rotor carrier at a second end of the rotor carrier, the first opening directing a first portion of coolant at the first end turn and the second opening directing a second portion of coolant at the second end turn, the first opening directing coolant from the second clutch assembly, to be flung radially outwardly onto the first end turn and the second opening directing coolant from the first clutch assembly, to be flung onto the second end turn, and further directing coolant from the third clutch assembly to the second clutch assembly, wherein directing coolant from the third clutch assembly to the second clutch assembly includes directing the coolant in an at least partially axial direction from the third clutch assembly to the second clutch assembly.

2 . The electric machine according to claim 1 , wherein one of the one or more openings is arranged axially outwardly of the rotor.

3 . The electric machine according to claim 1 , wherein the coolant comprises oil.

4 . The electric machine according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor comprises one of an aluminum induction rotor and a copper induction rotor.

5 . The electric machine according to claim 1 , wherein the second opening is partially covered by the rotor.

6 . The electric machine of claim 1 , wherein, the first end of the clutch basket is radially outwardly offset relative to the second end of the clutch basket.

7 . The electric machine of claim 1 , wherein the rotor carrier extends axially beyond the second rotor end.

8 . The electric machine of claim 2 , wherein one opening is arranged axially outward of the rotor and one opening is arranged at least partially outward of the rotor.

9 . The electric machine of claim 1 , wherein the second clutch assembly is located completely axially beyond the rotor and the first clutch assembly is located at least partially axially beyond the rotor.

10 . A method of cooling a hybrid rotor module of an electric machine comprising:

guiding a volume of coolant into a clutch basket of the hybrid rotor module, the clutch basket including a first end that is radially outwardly offset relative to a second end;

directing at least some of the portion of the volume of coolant through a rotor carrier of the clutch basket;

passing at least a first portion of the volume of coolant over a third clutch assembly, passing the at least the first portion of the volume of coolant from the third clutch assembly to the second clutch assembly along an at least partially axial flowpath, and then over a second clutch assembly, then through a first opening in the rotor carrier, the first opening extending radially through the rotor carrier at a first end and flinging the at least a first portion of the volume of coolant radially outwardly onto a first end turn of a stator of the electric machine;

passing a second portion of the volume of coolant over a first clutch assembly, then through a second opening extending radially through the rotor carrier at a second end and flinging radially outwardly on a second end turn of the stator; and

wherein the second and third clutch assemblies are axially offset such that the second and third clutch assemblies are defined by a lack of radial overlap.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein directing the at least some of the volume of coolant through the rotor carrier includes passing the at least some of the volume of coolant through an opening disposed at least partially axially outwardly of a rotor mounted to the rotor carrier.

12 . The method of claim 10 , flinging the at least some of the portion of the volume of coolant onto the at least one end includes passing the at least some of the portion of the volume of coolant in a heat exchange relationship with a rotor mounted to the rotor carrier.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein passing the at least some of the portion of the volume of coolant in a heat exchange relationship with the rotor includes passing the at least some of the portion of the volume of coolant axially outwardly of the rotor.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein directing the at least some of the volume of coolant through the rotor carrier includes passing the at least some of the volume of coolant along a surface of a rotor mounted to the rotor carrier.

15 . An electric machine comprising:

a housing;

a stator mounted to the housing, the stator including a plurality of laminations, a first end turn and a second end turn, wherein the plurality of laminations includes an axial midpoint, a stator first end located to one side of the axial midpoint and a stator second end located to the opposite side of the axial midpoint;

a rotor shaft extending through the housing;

a hybrid rotor module coupled to the rotor shaft, the hybrid rotor module comprising:

a clutch basket including a rotor carrier having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween, the intermediate portion including a radial subportion, the first end being radially outwardly offset relative to the second end;

one or more clutch assemblies arranged in the clutch basket, the one or more clutch assemblies including at least a first clutch assembly arranged at the stator first end, a second clutch assembly arranged at the stator second end and a third clutch assembly arranged between the first stator end and second stator end, wherein the second and third clutch assemblies are axially offset such that the second and third clutch assemblies are defined by a lack of radial overlap;

a rotor mounted to the rotor carrier, in spaced relationship to the radial subportion of the intermediate portion; and

a first opening extending radially through the rotor carrier at a first end of the rotor carrier and a second opening extending radially through the rotor carrier at a second end of the rotor carrier, the one or more openings directing coolant onto at least one of the stator, the first end turn, and the second end turn.