Electric power steering system for a vehicle
View Patent ↗Disclosed is an electric power steering system for a vehicle, the power steering system including: an electric motor configured to provide mechanical power to a steering mechanism of the vehicle for steering the vehicle; a housing in which the electric motor is disposed, wherein the housing comprises an inner housing in which the electric motor is disposed, and an outer housing disposed around the inner housing, and wherein an air flow path is defined within the housing, the air flow path being defined at least in part by a gap between the inner housing and the outer housing; and an air flow source arranged to generate an air flow along the air flow path to cool the electric motor, wherein the air flow source is independent from the electric motor.
1 . An electric power steering system for a vehicle, the electric power steering system comprising:
an electric motor configured to provide mechanical power to a steering mechanism of the vehicle, the steering mechanism adapted to steer the vehicle;
a housing comprising an inner housing and an outer housing, the inner housing having said electric motor disposed therein, said outer housing being disposed around the inner housing, wherein a gap between the inner housing and the outer housing defines an air flow path; and
an air flow source arranged to generate an air flow along the second fixed part so as to cool said electric motor, said air flow source being independent from said electric motor, wherein said electric motor has a first electric motor and a second electric motor, wherein both of the first electric motor and the second electric motor are disposed in said housing and configured to respectively apply a torque to a common shaft used to steer the vehicle, said air flow source being configured to cool the first electric motor and the second electric motor.
2 . A vehicle comprising the electric power steering system of claim 1 .
3 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins are configured to accelerate the air flow or to increase turbulence of the air flow along the air flow path.
4 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein a height of at least one fin of the plurality of fins adjacent to the air inlet is smaller than a height of another fin of the plurality of fins away from the air inlet.
5 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins are configured to uniformly distribute air flowing along the air flow path.
6 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins are aligned along substantially parallel planes.
7 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the air flow path has a plurality of branches configured to cool different portions of said electric motor.
8 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the air flow path is defined at least in part by a channel formed in a wall of said housing.
9 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the air flow path is defined at least in part by a surface of said electric motor.
10 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the air flow path is defined at least in part by a gap between a rotor and a stator of said electric motor.
11 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the air flow path extends around at least a portion of a circumference of said electric motor.
12 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein said housing has a plurality of fins that guide air flow along the air flow path, the plurality of fins being disposed on at least one of the inner housing and the outer housing, the plurality of fins being arranged in the gap between the inner housing and the outer housing.
13 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein said air flow source comprises a fan mounted on said housing.
14 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein said housing has an air inlet and an air outlet, the air flow path extending between the air inlet and the air outlet.
15 . The electric power steering system of claim 14 , further comprising:
an air filter positioned adjacent at least one of the air inlet and the air outlet.
16 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are arranged on opposite sides of said housing.
17 . The electric power steering system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller, said air flow source adapted to cool said controller.
18 . The electric power steering system of claim 17 , wherein said controller is positioned in said housing.
19 . The electric power steering system of claim 18 , wherein said electric motor is disposed in a first portion of said housing, said controller being disposed in a second portion of said housing, the air flow path has a first air flow path defined in the first portion of said housing and a second air flow path defined in the second portion of said housing, wherein said air flow source generates the air flow along the first air flow path and the second fixed part so as to respectively cool said electric motor and said controller.