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US 12,009,729 B1Granted
Modular electric motor assembly
AssigneeFlyer Next, LLC
InventorsBruce Churchill Falls, Scott Kochan, Oded Nechushtan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electric motor assembly is disclosed. The electric motor assembly can include a plurality of electric motors coupled to a common gear assembly. Individual motors within the electric motor assembly can be dynamically controlled to increase motor efficiency at a given torque and RPM output.
Claims20
An electric motor assembly, comprising:
- a housing comprising a plurality of cavities;
- a gear assembly, comprising:
- an output gear coupled to a rotatable output shaft configured to transfer a torque to an external gear assembly, and
- adjacent gears coupled to the output gear;
- a plurality of electric motors at least partially within the plurality of cavities, the plurality of electric motors comprising:
- a first electric motor coupled to the output gear, and
- adjacent electric motors coupled to the adjacent gears;
- and
- a controller to activate and deactivate one or a pair of motors of the plurality of electric motors.
6 more elements
An electric drive system, comprising:
- an electric motor assembly, comprising:
- a gear assembly comprising an output gear and one or more gears coupled to the output gear, the output gear being coupled to an output shaft, and
- a plurality of electric motors, each of the plurality of electric motors coupled to a gear of the gear assembly;
- a control system to activate and deactivate one or more motors of the plurality of electric motors;
- an energy storage system coupled to the electric motor assembly;
- and
- a power demand system to communicate a torque need to the control system to activate or deactivate the one or more motors,
- wherein the control system is configured to activate and deactivate the one or more motors based on the torque need such that a number of simultaneously activated motors of the plurality of electric motors depends on the torque need.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- installing an electric motor assembly in an electric drive unit, the electric motor assembly comprising:
- a housing comprising a plurality of cavities;
- a gear assembly, comprising:
- an output gear coupled to a rotatable output shaft configured to transfer a torque to an external component, and
- adjacent gears coupled to the output gear;
- a plurality of electric motors at least partially within the plurality of cavities, the plurality of electric motors comprising:
- a first electric motor coupled to the output gear, and
- adjacent electric motors coupled to the adjacent gears;
- and
- a controller to activate and deactivate one or a pair of motors of the plurality of electric motors.
7 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- an electric motor assembly, wherein the electric motor assembly comprises:
- a housing comprising a plurality of cavities;
- a gear assembly, comprising:
- an output gear coupled to an output shaft, and
- adjacent gears coupled to the output gear;
- a plurality of electric motors at least partially within the plurality of cavities, the plurality of electric motors comprising:
- a first electric motor coupled to the output gear via the output shaft, and
- adjacent electric motors coupled to the adjacent gears;
- and
- a controller to activate and deactivate one or a pair of motors of the plurality of electric motors.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.