Automotive generator

Abstract

An electric generator for use with an automotive vehicle having a liquid coolant system includes a housing defining a closed interior chamber. A stator is mounted within the housing around the interior chamber while a liquid cooled passageway is formed in the housing around the stator. At least two fluid ports are open to the liquid coolant passageway adjacent opposite ends of the liquid coolant passageway and these fluid ports are adapted for fluid connection with the coolant system of the vehicle. A rotor having two axial ends is rotatably mounted to the housing within the interior chamber. A gas flow passageway is open at one end to the interior chamber adjacent one end of the rotor and is open at its other end to the interior chamber adjacent the other end of the rotor. A midportion of this gas flow passageway, furthermore, extends axially along the housing at a position radially spaced from the interior chamber and this midportion is thermally coupled to the liquid coolant passageway formed in the housing. A fan attached to the rotor circulates gas through the interior chamber and gas flow passageway during operation of the generator thereby cooling the generator.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.