Rotor assembly for an electric motor

An electric motor system comprising:

• an electric motor including,
• a stator extending along an axis and defining a stator interior;
• and
• a rotor assembly disposed in said stator interior of said stator, said rotor assembly including,
• a shaft extending along and rotatable about an axis, with said shaft defining
• a lubricant inlet channel for receiving a lubricant;
• a lamination stack rotatably coupled to said shaft and extending along said axis between a first lamination stack end and a second lamination stack end, with said lamination stack defining a lubricant cooling channel between said first lamination stack end and said second lamination stack end and in fluid communication with said lubricant inlet channel;
• a first end cap adjacent to said first lamination stack end;
• and
• a second end cap adjacent to said second lamination stack end;
• wherein one of said first end cap and said second end cap defines,
• an end cap inlet at a first radial distance from said shaft for receiving the lubricant from said lubricant cooling channel,
• a lubricant outlet channel for receiving lubricant from said end cap inlet, with said lubricant outlet channel defined to extend at least partially radially inward toward said shaft, and
• an end cap outlet at a second radial distance from said shaft which is less than said first radial distance for receiving lubricant from said lubricant outlet channel and for expelling lubricant from said one of said first end cap and said second end cap;
• a housing disposed about said electric motor;
• and
• a pressurized lubricant feed configured to provide lubricant under pressure to said lubricant inlet channel defined by said shaft, wherein said pressurized lubricant feed is defined at least partially by said housing.

An electric motor system comprising:

• an electric motor including,
• a stator extending along an axis and defining a stator interior;
• and
• a rotor assembly disposed in said stator interior of said stator, said rotor assembly including,
• a shaft extending along and rotatable about an axis, with said shaft defining
• a lubricant inlet channel for receiving a lubricant;
• a lamination stack rotatably coupled to said shaft and extending along said axis between a first lamination stack end and a second lamination stack end, with said lamination stack defining a lubricant cooling channel between said first lamination stack end and said second lamination stack end and in fluid communication with said lubricant inlet channel;
• a first end cap adjacent to said first lamination stack end;
• and
• a second end cap adjacent to said second lamination stack end;
• wherein one of said first end cap and said second end cap defines,
• an end cap inlet at a first radial distance from said shaft for receiving the lubricant from said lubricant cooling channel,
• a lubricant outlet channel for receiving lubricant from said end cap inlet, with said lubricant outlet channel defined to extend at least partially radially inward toward said shaft, and
• an end cap outlet at a second radial distance from said shaft which is less than said first radial distance for receiving lubricant from said lubricant outlet channel and for expelling lubricant from said one of said first end cap and said second end cap;
• and
• a return line to receive the lubricant expelled from said one of said first end cap and said second end cap to permit reuse of the pressurized lubricant;
• wherein said shaft defines a return channel in fluid communication with said end cap outlet and said return line to direct lubricant from said end cap outlet to said return line.