In-wheel motor
A front wheel is rotatably fitted to a knuckle of a suspension by means of a hub unit. While a stator bracket, which is fitted to an outer hub of the hub unit fixed to the knuckle, supports an annular stator, a rotor bracket, which is fitted to an inner hub of the hub unit to which the front wheel is fixed, supports an annular rotor, outside the stator. Rotation of the rotor is guided by a bearing of the hub unit.
1. An in-wheel motor incorporated in a wheel rim of a vehicle to drive a wheel, comprising:
a hub unit including a fixed component fixed to a non-rotating part of a vehicle body of the vehicle, and a rotating component fixed to the wheel rim and rotatably fitted to the fixed component by means of a bearing;
a disk shaped fixed to a non-rotating part of the vehicle body of the vehicle and positioned on the inner side of the wheel rim viewed along with the width of the vehicle;
an annular stator directly connected to the peripheral part the stator bracket and positioned in the wheel rim with its center positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating component;
a rotor bracket fixed to the rotating component and positioned on the inner side of the wheel rim viewed along with the width of the vehicle; and
an annular rotor supported by the rotor bracket and positioned near the stator and in the wheel rim with its center positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating component.
2. The in-wheel motor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a brake rotor positioned between the stator bracket and the rotor bracket and fixed to the rotating component of the hub unit.
3. The in-wheel motor according to claim 2 , wherein:
the rotor bracket has a vent hole formed to generate an air steam flowing from that side of the rotor bracket on which the brake rotor is located to the other side or in the opposite direction, as the rotor bracket rotates.
4. The in-wheel motor according to claim 3 , wherein:
the rotor bracket is positioned on the outer side of the brake rotor viewed along the width of the vehicle.
5. The in-wheel motor according to claim 3 , wherein
the vent hole has a slit formed to extend along a radius of the rotor bracket,
a specified part of the rotor bracket located immediately before the slit when viewed along the direction of rotation of the rotor bracket from right to left protrudes to the brake rotor side, and a specified part of the rotor bracket located immediately behind the slit protrudes to the side opposite to the brake rotor.
6. The in-wheel motor according to claim 3 , wherein:
the vent hole has a slit formed to extend along a radius of the rotor bracket,
a specified part of the rotor bracket located immediately behind the slit when viewed along the direction of rotation of the rotor bracket from right to left protrudes to the brake rotor side, and a specified part of the rotor bracket located immediately before the slit protrudes to the side opposite to the brake rotor.
7. The in-wheel motor according to claim 3 , wherein:
the vent hole is formed by bending a fin defined by a substantially U-shaped cut made in the rotor bracket, to the side opposite to the brake rotor, and
the end of the fin faces forward when viewed along the direction of rotation of the rotor bracket from right to left.
8. The in-wheel motor according to claim 3 , wherein:
The vent hole is formed by bending a fin defined by a substantially U-shaped cut made in the rotor bracket, to the brake rotor side, and
the end of the fin faces forward when viewed along the direction of rotation of the rotor bracket from right to left.
9. The in-wheel motor according to claim 2 , wherein:
the stator, the rotor and the brake rotor are at substantially the same position relative to the center position of the wheel viewed along the width of the vehicle.
10. The in-wheel motor according to claim 1 , wherein:
the hub unit is fastened to a knuckle of a suspension swingably fitted to the vehicle body, and
the stator bracket is fastened together at the place where the hub unit is fastened to the knuckle.
11. The in-wheel motor according to claim 1 , wherein
a drive shaft capable of transmitting a driving force from an engine of the vehicle is connected with the rotating component.
12. An in-wheel motor incorporated in a wheel rim of a vehicle to drive a wheel, comprising:
a hub unit including a fixed component fixed to a non-rotating part of a vehicle body of the vehicle, and a rotating component fixed inside the wheel rim and rotatably fitted to the fixed component by means of a bearing;
a disk shaped stator bracket fixed to a non-rotating part of the vehicle body of the vehicle;
an annular stator directly connected to the perinheral part of the stator bracket and positioned in the wheel rim with its center positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating component;
a rotor bracket fixed to the rotating component; and
an annular rotor supported by the rotor bracket and positioned near the stator with its center positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating component.
13. An in-wheel motor incorporated in a wheel rim of a vehicle to drive a wheel, comprising:
a hub unit including a fixed component fixed to a non-rotating part of a vehicle body of the vehicle, and a rotating component fixed to the wheel rim and rotatably fitted to the fixed component by means of a bearing;
a disk shaped stator bracket fixed to a non-rotating part of the vehicle body of the vehicle;
an annular stator directly connected to the peripheral part of the stator bracket and positioned in the wheel rim with its center positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating component;
a rotor bracket fixed to the rotating component;
an annular rotor supported by the rotor bracket and positioned near the stator with its center positioned on the axis of rotation of the rotating component; and
the stator, the rotor and brake rotor are at substantially the same position relative to the center position of the wheel viewed along the width of the vehicle.