Granted Patent B2

US 12,208,667 · App. 17/452,008 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Inventors: Steven Vanhee (Hooglede, BE); Stephan Schlimpert (Sint-Truiden, BE); Bart Peremans (Diest, BE); Bram Robberechts (Leuven, BE); Jasper Nonneman (Berchem, BE)

Assignee: DANA BELGIUM N.V.

B60K1/00F04D19/002F04D25/06H02K1/22H02K7/003

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. An electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle, comprising:

a balancing plate assembly coupled to a rotor assembly and comprising:

a base plate directly coupled to the rotor stack and a rotor hub; and

an outer plate directly coupled to the rotor stack;

wherein the outer plate is removably coupled to the base plate;

wherein the outer plate circumferentially surrounds the base plate;

wherein the outer plate is positioned circumferentially inward from stator end windings;

wherein the outer plate includes a lip that is designed to, during rotor assembly rotation, pump air and oil from an air gap formed between the rotor assembly and a stator; and

wherein the outer plate is constructed out of a non-electrically conductive material.

2. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fluids include air and oil.

3. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the lip includes a planar surface that is adjacent to an axial end of the air gap.

4. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 3 , wherein the planar surface radially extends beyond an outer diameter of the air gap and creates a centrifugal force on the air and oil adjacent to the planar surface.

5. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the lip includes a curved surface that is adjacent to an axial end of the air gap and extends circumferentially around the outer plate.

6. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein:

the lip includes an inner surface; and

a planar channel is formed between a rotor stack and the inner surface.

7. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 6 , wherein the planar channel is profiled to receive airflow from an air channel in a base plate.

8. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein:

during rotation of the rotor assembly, the air gap includes an inlet that receives air flow from an air passage; and

the air passage extends through a rotor stack and is positioned radially inward from the air gap.

9. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 8 , wherein the air passage is designed to receive air from a machine end-space.

10. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein the outer plate includes a plurality of axially extending ridges.

11. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 1 , wherein, during rotation of the rotor assembly, the air gap includes an inlet profiled to receive air flow from an air passage that extends through a rotor stack and is positioned radially inward from the air gap.

12. An electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle, comprising:

a stator including end windings that extend axially outward from a stack of stator laminations;

a rotor at least partially circumferentially surrounded by the stator and including a rotor shaft and a rotor stack;

an air gap positioned between the rotor and the stator; and

a balancing plate assembly comprising:

a base plate directly coupled to the rotor stack and a rotor hub; and

a non-electrically conductive outer plate removably coupled to the base plate;

wherein the base plate is directly coupled to the rotor stack and a rotor hub;

wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate is directly coupled to the rotor stack;

wherein the outer plate is removably coupled to the base plate;

wherein the outer plate circumferentially surrounds the base plate;

wherein the outer plate is positioned circumferentially inward from the end windings; and

wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate includes a lip that is profiled to pump a mixture of air and oil from the air gap.

13. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 12 , wherein the lip includes a straight inner surface that extends across an axial end of the air gap.

14. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 12 , wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate includes a plurality of ridges that axially extend from the lip toward the air gap.

15. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 12 , wherein the lip includes a first curved surface that is adjacent to an axial end of the air gap.

16. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 15 , wherein the lip includes a second curved surface positioned axially outward from the first curved surface.

17. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 16 , wherein the second curved surface is positioned on an axial side of the non-electrically conductive outer plate opposite of the first curved surface.

18. The electromagnetic propulsion unit of claim 12 , wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate includes an outer diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of a lamination stack in the stator.

19. A method for constructing an electric machine in an electromagnetic propulsion unit for a land-based wheeled or tracked vehicle, the method comprising:

attaching a non-electrically conductive outer plate to a non-magnetic base plate to form a balancing plate assembly; and

attaching the balancing plate assembly to a rotor assembly;

wherein the non-electrically conductive outer plate includes a lip that is designed to, during rotor assembly rotation, pump air and oil from an air gap formed between the rotor assembly and a stator;

wherein the non-magnetic base plate is directly coupled to a rotor stack and a rotor hub;

wherein the outer plate is removably coupled to the base plate and is directly coupled to the rotor stack;

wherein the outer plate circumferentially surrounds the base plate; and

wherein the outer plate is positioned circumferentially inward from the end windings.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein attaching the non-electrically conductive outer plate to the non-magnetic base plate includes inserting a plurality of attachment devices through a plurality of openings in the non-electrically conductive outer plate and threading the plurality of attachment devices into a plurality of threaded bores in the non-magnetic base plate.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (38)