Thermally enhanced hub motor
AssigneeFuture Motion, Inc.
InventorsKyle Jonathan DOERKSEN, Dan BLACHINSKY, Julian DE LA RUA, Clyde HANCOCK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses and methods relating to hub motors having enhanced thermal characteristics may include a hub motor having a stator comprising steel and a central axle (e.g., a mandrel and shaft) comprising a material with a substantially higher thermal conductivity than the stator (e.g., aluminum). Heat may be transferred from the stator through the axle of the motor to an outside heat sink. Manufacturing of thermally enhanced hub motors may include extrusion and/or cryogenic fitting methods relating to the central mandrel and shaft.
Claims20
An electric vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- a wheel assembly including a rotatable ground-contacting element;
- a hub motor configured to rotate the ground-contacting element to propel the electric vehicle, the hub motor including:
- a rotor,
- a stator disposed concentrically within the rotor, such that the rotor is configured to rotate about the stator, and
- an axle portion formed as a single piece and coupled to the frame, the axle portion having a central shaft extending axially from a mandrel fixed concentrically within the stator, an outer surface of the mandrel in direct contact with the stator;
- wherein the axle portion consists of a single material having a thermal conductivity substantially higher than the stator, and the mandrel is connected to the central shaft by a plurality of connection members that are unitary with the mandrel and the central shaft.
An electric vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one wheel assembly coupled to the frame and including a rotatable ground-contacting element;
- a hub motor corresponding to each wheel assembly and configured to rotate the corresponding ground-contacting element to propel the electric vehicle, each hub motor including:
- a stator disposed concentrically within the ground-contacting element, and
- an axle portion formed as a single piece having a central shaft extending axially from a mandrel fixed concentrically within the stator, the mandrel having an outer diameter larger than the central shaft, an outer surface of the mandrel in direct contact with the stator, the central shaft and the mandrel comprising material having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the stator;
- wherein the axle portion of each hub motor is in thermal communication with the frame, and the mandrel is connected to the central shaft by a plurality of connectors unitary with the mandrel and the central shaft.
An electric vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one wheel assembly coupled to the frame and including a rotatable ground-contacting element;
- a hub motor corresponding to each wheel assembly and configured to rotate the corresponding ground-contacting element to propel the electric vehicle, each hub motor including:
- a stator disposed concentrically within the ground-contacting element, and
- an axle portion formed as a single piece having a central shaft extending axially from a mandrel fixed concentrically within the stator, the mandrel having an outer diameter larger than the central shaft, an outer surface of the mandrel in direct contact with the stator, the central shaft and the mandrel comprising material having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of the stator;
- wherein the axle portion of each hub motor is in thermal communication with the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.