IP Library Granted Patent US 12,410,377
Granted Patent B2
US 12,410,377 · App. 18/300,715 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Electric vehicle grease

Inventors: Jacob Bonta (Berea, KY); Lucas Tomko (Lexington, KY)
Assignee: VGP IPCO LLC
C10M169/00C10M101/00C10M117/00C10M119/24C10M133/12C10M135/10C10M135/18C10M137/105C10M141/10C10M145/16C10M161/00C10M2203/1006C10M2207/106C10M2209/0866C10M2215/26C10M2217/0456C10M2219/044C10M2219/068C10M2223/047C10N2020/02C10N2030/02C10N2030/06C10N2030/10C10N2030/12C10N2030/54C10N2040/02C10N2050/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,410,377
App. No.
18/300,715
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lubricating grease for electric vehicle applications includes thickener 6% by weight (wt. %) to 12 wt. %, lubricating oil 57 wt. % to 92.98 wt. %, and surface-active ester 1 wt. % to 10 wt. %. The lubricating grease also includes additives including friction reducer and modifier 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. %, anti-wear agent 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. %, and a balance of extreme pressure agent, oxidation inhibitor, and corrosion inhibitor.

Claims (48)

1. A lubricating grease for electric vehicle applications comprising:

a thickener in a range of 6% by weight (wt. %) to 12 wt. %;

a lubricating oil consisting of synthetic oil selected from API (American Petroleum Institute) groups III and IV in a range of 57 wt. % to 92.98 wt. %;

a surface-active ester in a range of 8 wt. % to 10 wt. %, the surface-active ester comprising a synthetic copolymer of alpha-olefins and dicarboxylic acids esterified with short to medium chain alcohols comprising about 3 to 12 carbon atoms; and

an additive comprising:

a friction reducer and a modifier in a range of 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. %;

an anti-wear agent in a range of 0.1 wt. % to 5 wt. %; and

an extreme pressure agent, an oxidation inhibitor, and a corrosion inhibitor,

wherein the lubricating grease is formulated to provide tribological protection for the electrical vehicle applications, and

wherein the surface-active ester is an oil with a carbon backbone with two distinct side chains, the first side chain is hydrophobic, and the second side chain is polar, and

wherein the lubricating oil has a bulk KV 100 of about 2 cSt or less than 2 cSt.

2. The lubricating grease of claim 1 , wherein the thickener comprises lithium complex thickener.

3. The lubricating grease of claim 1 , wherein the thickener comprises polyurea thickener.

4. A lubricating grease for electric vehicle applications comprising:

a thickener in a range of 6% by weight (wt. %) to 12 wt. %;

a lubricating oil in a range of 57 wt. % to 92.98 wt. %; and

a surface-active ester present in an amount of 3 wt. % to 8 wt. %, the surface-active ester comprising a synthetic copolymer of alpha-olefins and dicarboxylic acids esterified with short to medium chain alcohols comprising about 3 to 12 carbon atoms,

wherein the lubricating grease excludes a friction reducer and a modifier, an anti-wear agent, an extreme pressure agent, an oxidation inhibitor, and a corrosion inhibitor, and is formulated to provide tribological protection for the electrical vehicle applications, and

wherein the surface-active ester is an oil with a carbon backbone with two distinct side chains, the first side chain is hydrophobic, and the second side chain is polar.

5. The lubricating grease of claim 4 , wherein the lubricating grease has a bulk KV 40 less than 10 cSt and a bulk KV 100 less than 2 cSt.

6. The lubricating grease of claim 1 , wherein the lubricating oil comprises an oil blend of ISO VG 10, ISO VG 68, ISO VG 150, or a combination thereof.

7. The lubricating grease of claim 4 , wherein the thickener comprises lithium complex thickener.

8. The lubricating grease of claim 4 , wherein the thickener comprises polyurea thickener.

9. The lubricating grease of claim 1 is configured to contribute to up to 10% power savings per lubricated component.

10. The lubricating grease of claim 1 is a National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) #2 consistency grade.

11. The lubricating grease of claim 4 , wherein the surface-active ester comprises an ester blend of KV 40=100 cSt, an ester blend of KV 40=200 cSt, an ester blend of KV 40=300 cSt, or a combination thereof.

12. The lubricating grease of claim 4 , wherein

the thickener comprises lithium complex thickener of 10 wt. %;

the lubricating oil comprises ISO VG 10, API groups I, II, and/or V oil blend of 74.5 wt. %; and

the surface-active ester is 8 wt. %.

13. The lubricating grease of claim 4 , wherein

the thickener comprises lithium complex thickener of 10 wt. %;

the lubricating oil comprises an oil blend of 74.5 wt. % comprising ISO VG 10, API group III oil and/or API group IV oil; and

the surface-active ester is 8 wt. % .

14. The lubricating grease of claim 4 , wherein

the thickener comprises a polyurea thickener of 10 wt. %;

the lubricating oil comprises ISO VG 10, API groups I, II, and/or V oil blend of 74.5 wt. %; and

the surface-active ester is 8 wt. %.

15. The lubricating grease of claim 4 , wherein

the thickener comprises a polyurea thickener of 10 wt. %;

the lubricating oil comprises an oil blend of 74.5 wt. % comprising ISO VG 10, API group III oil and/or API group IV oil; and

the surface-active ester is 8 wt. %.

16. A method of lubricating components in an electric vehicle, comprising

applying a lubricating grease in the components in the electric vehicle, wherein the lubricating grease comprises:

a thickener in a range of 6% by weight (wt. %) to 12 wt. %;

a lubricating oil in a range of 57 wt. % to 92.98 wt. %, the lubricating oil consisting of synthetic oil selected from API groups III and IV; and

a surface-active ester in a range of 3 wt. % to 8 wt. %, the surface-active ester comprising a synthetic copolymer of alpha-olefins and dicarboxylic acids esterified with short to medium chain alcohols comprising about 3 to 12 carbon atoms, wherein the lubricating grease excludes a friction reducer and a modifier, an anti-wear agent, an extreme pressure agent, an oxidation inhibitor, and a corrosion inhibitor, and wherein the surface-active ester is an oil with a carbon backbone with two distinct side chains, the first side chain is hydrophobic, and the second side chain is polar.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the components comprise wheel bearings, constant velocity joints, universal joints, electric motor bearings, or any combinations thereof.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2023
From: BONTA, JACOB; TOMKO, LUCAS
To: VGP IPCO LLC
Reel/Frame 063344/0409 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63331549 · Apr 15, 2022
Related Publication 20230332066A1 · Oct 19, 2023
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Cited By (1)
US 12,698,452