Granted Patent B2

US 7,847,444 · App. 12/325,675 · Granted Dec 7, 2010

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. An electric motor assembly in a vehicle powertrain, comprising:

a motor housing having an inner surface and defining an interior cavity within the powertrain;

a generally annular stator fit within the cavity and having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the motor housing radially outward of the inner surface;

a plurality of roll pins fit radially between the inner surface of the housing and the outer surface of the stator and not within the stator; wherein the roll pins are configured to expand and contract to maintain contact with both the motor housing and the stator during thermal expansion of the motor housing and stator;

wherein the stator has a plurality of first geometric features at the outer surface; wherein the housing has a plurality of second geometric features at the inner surface; wherein the first geometric features are configured to align radially with the second geometric features when the stator is fit within the cavity; wherein the roll pins are fit between the housing and the stator at the aligned first and second geometric features;

wherein the first geometric features are a set of teeth spaced about the outer surface of the stator; wherein the second set of geometric features are a set of slots spaced about the inner surface of the housing; wherein the teeth align with the slots to define a plurality of cavities; and wherein a different pair of the roll pins is fit in each cavity with the roll pins of each different pair on opposing sides of a respective one of the teeth.

2. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motor housing is a first material having a first rate of thermal expansion; and wherein the stator is a second material having a second rate of thermal expansion.

3. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the slots are configured for distributing cooling oil along the outer surface of the stator.

4. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing is a nonferrous material and the stator is steel.

5. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the powertrain includes a transmission; and wherein the motor housing is a transmission housing.

6. A method of assembling an electric motor with a housing of a vehicle powertrain, comprising:

configuring an annular stator with a plurality of first geometric features on an outer surface of the stator and not within the stator;

configuring the housing with a plurality of second geometric features on an inner surface of the housing radially outward of and facing the inner surface;

aligning the first geometric features with the second geometric features;

press-fitting the annular stator into the housing;

inserting a respective roll pin between the stator and the housing at the respective aligned features; wherein the respective roll pins are configured to expand and contract to maintain contact with both the motor housing and the stator during thermal expansion of the motor housing and stator;

wherein the first geometric features are a set of teeth spaced about the outer surface of the stator; wherein the second set of geometric features are a set of slots spaced about the inner surface of the housing; wherein the teeth align with the slots to define a plurality of cavities; and wherein a different pair of the roll pins is inserted in each cavity with the roll pins of each different pair on opposing sides of a respective one of the teeth.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said configuring an annular stator is by one of stamping or pressing the first geometric features.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said configuring a housing is by one of molding, broaching or milling the second geometric features.

9. An electrically-variable transmission comprising:

a transmission housing having an inner surface and defining an interior cavity;

an electric motor/generator having a stator with an outer surface facing the inner surface of the transmission housing radially outward of the inner surface; wherein the stator is press-fit to the transmission housing within the interior cavity;

a plurality of roll pins supported by the transmission housing and stator between the inner surface of the transmission housing and the outer surface of the stator and not within the stator; wherein the transmission housing and the stator are characterized by different rates of thermal expansion; wherein the roll pins are configured to maintain contact with the housing and the stator over a predetermined gap distance between the stator and housing caused by the different rates of thermal expansion;

wherein the stator has a plurality of first geometric features at the outer surface; wherein the housing has a plurality of second geometric features at the inner surface; wherein the first geometric features are configured to align radially with the second geometric features when the stator is fit within the cavity; wherein the roll pins are fit between the housing and the stator at the aligned first and second geometric features;

wherein the first geometric features are a set of teeth spaced about the outer surface of the stator; wherein the second set of geometric features are a set of slots spaced about the inner surface of the housing; wherein the teeth align with the slots to define a plurality of cavities; wherein a different pair of the roll pins is fit in each cavity with the roll pins of each different pair on opposing sides of a respective one of the teeth.

10. The electric motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aligned first and second features form cavities for distributing cooling oil along the outer surface of the stator; wherein the stator has a stator coil; and further comprising:

a stator support forming a chamber in fluid communication with at least one of the cavities and having at least one opening positioned to permit cooling oil flow from the at least one of the cavities to the stator coil.

Assignments (12)