Segmented switched reluctance motor for powertrain electrification
AssigneeAmerican Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsDavid Crecelius, James P. Downs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a transmission system having a transmission subsystem, a transmission housing for housing the transmission subsystem, and a rotor operably associated with the transmission subsystem. The rotor has a weight and dimension to act as a flywheel. At least one stator pole segment is housed within the transmission housing and has at least one stator winding thereon positioned in proximity to a surface of the rotor. An inverter communicates with the stator winding and electrically energizes the winding to cause rotation of the rotor.
Claims20
A method for forming a, hybrid powertrain, the method comprising:
- mounting a transmission subsystem within a transmission housing;
- coupling a rotor with the transmission subsystem and supporting the rotor for rotational movement within the transmission housing;
- providing a plurality of discrete stator pole segments, each of the stator pole segments having at least one stator winding wound thereon;
- mounting each of the stator pole segments to the transmission housing such that each of the stator pole segments is at least partially within the transmission housing in a manner so that a portion of said stator pole segment is in proximity to a surface of the rotor, each of the stator segments being spaced circumferentially apart from one another;
- and
- using an inverter in electrical communication with the stator winding of the stator pole segment, and configured to electrically energize the stator pole segment, to cause rotation of the rotor.
A method for forming a transmission for use with an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
- providing a transmission subsystem;
- housing the transmission subsystem in a transmission housing;
- supporting a rotor for rotation within the transmission housing, and operably coupling the rotor to the transmission subsystem and with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine;
- and
- supporting a pair of stator pole segments fixedly relative to transmission housing, each one of said pair of stator pole segments having at least one winding thereon;
- further spacing the pair of stator pole segments from one another such that each is in proximity to the rotor, and such that the stator pole segments are positioned radially outwardly of a radially outermost portion of the rotor.
A method for forming a transmission for use with an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
- providing a transmission subsystem;
- housing the transmission subsystem in a transmission housing;
- supporting a rotor for rotation within the transmission housing, and operably coupling the rotor to the transmission subsystem and with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, the rotor having a weight sufficient to enable the rotor to act as a flywheel for the crankshaft;
- securing three stator pole segments, each having at least one winding thereon, to the transmission housing;
- further spacing the three stator pole segments from one another by 120 degrees around a periphery of the rotor;
- further spacing the three stator pole segments such that each is in proximity to the rotor, and such that the stator pole segments are positioned radially outwardly of a radially outermost portion of the rotor;
- using a rotor position sensor fixedly supported relative to the housing to detect a position of the rotor;
- and
- using an inverter in electrical communication with the stator winding of each of the stator pole segments, to receive rotor position signals from the rotor position sensor and to selectively, electrically energize the independent stator pole segments to cause rotation of the rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.