# US 2021/0281149 A1 · In-wheel motor with cooling system

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- Number: US 2021/0281149 A1
- Document ID: US20210281149A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/191,677
- Filed: 2021-03-03
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-04
- Assignees: Mando Corporation
- Applicants: Mando Corporation
- Inventors: Mohammad ISLAM; Christian ROSS; Christopher William LUTZ; Tomy SEBASTIAN; Md Sariful ISLAM
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210281149A1

## CPC

- H02K 9/20: wherein the cooling medium vaporises within the machine casing
- B60B 27/0052: {the element being a brake disc}
- B60B 27/0068: {the element being a sensor}
- B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric}
- G01B 7/30: for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
- G01D 5/14: influencing the magnitude of a current or voltage
- G01D 5/145: {influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06)}
- G01D 11/245: {Housings for sensors}
- H02K 1/2706: Inner rotors
- H02K 7/006: {Structural association of a motor or generator with the drive train of a motor vehicle}
- H02K 7/085: {radially supporting the rotary shaft at only one end of the rotor (H02K7/086, H02K7/09 take precedence)}
- H02K 7/102: with friction brakes
- H02K 7/14: Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans (with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06)
- H02K 9/225: {Heat pipes}
- H02K 9/227: {Heat sinks}
- H02K 11/0094: {Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices}
- H02K 11/21: Devices for sensing speed or position, or actuated thereby (specially adapted for machines having non-mechanical commutating devices H02K29/06, H02K29/14)
- H02K 11/215: Magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-effect or magneto-resistive elements
- H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence)
- B60K 2007/0038: {the motor moving together with the wheel axle}
- B60K 2007/0092: {the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle}
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A vehicle wheel assembly comprises a wheel for mounting a tire thereon and having an inner space; and an in-wheel motor mounted in the inner space of the wheel and comprising: a rotor connected to the wheel and configured to rotatable relative to a stator, the stator configured to drive the rotor, an electronic device comprising a circuit board and electronics mounted on the circuit board and configured to control the in-wheel motor, two-phase dielectric material, and covers coupled with the stator to form a hermetic enclosure. The electronic device and the two-phase dielectric material are contained in the hermetic enclosure formed by the wall of the stator and the covers coupled with stator, and the two-phase dielectric material is in contact with the wall of the stator and the electronic device to cool the stator and the electronic device by transitioning between a liquid phase and a gaseous phase, conduction, and convection.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle wheel assembly comprising:
a wheel for mounting a tire thereon and having an inner space; and
an in-wheel motor mounted in the inner space of the wheel and configured to drivingly rotate the wheel, the in-wheel motor comprising:
a rotor coupled to the wheel;
a stator comprising a wall, wherein the rotor is configured to be rotatable relative to the stator, and the stator is configured to drive the rotor;
an electronic device comprising a circuit board and electronics mounted on the circuit board, the electronic device configured to control the in-wheel motor;
two-phase dielectric material; and
one or more covers coupled with the stator to form a hermetic enclosure, wherein the electronic device and the two-phase dielectric material are contained in the hermetic enclosure formed by the wall of the stator and the one or more covers coupled with stator, and the two-phase dielectric material is in contact with the wall of the stator and the electronic device so that the two-phase dielectric material changes temperature of the stator and the electronic device by transitioning between a liquid phase and a gaseous phase.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the two-phase dielectric material is configured to be transitionable between the liquid phase and the gaseous phase in a predetermined operating temperature range.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein a boiling point of the two-phase dielectric material is between 30° C. and 100° C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein 30% to 90% of a volume of the hermetic enclosure formed by the wall of the stator and the one or more covers coupled with stator is filled with the two-phase dielectric material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more covers coupled with the stator comprise two covers, wherein at least one of the two covers has a shape protruding toward another of the two covers to be coupled with each other.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more covers coupled with the stator comprise two covers, each cover having an outer portion fixed to the stator and an inner portion coupled with another cover.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more covers coupled with the stator have a heat sink on an outer surface of the one or more covers so that heat transferred from the two-phase dielectric material to the one or more covers is dissipated through the heat sink.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronics of the electronic device positioned in the hermetic enclosure formed by the wall of the stator and the one or more covers comprise a single electronic control unit configured to control the first and second switch modules for controlling the in-wheel motor and a brake actuator configured to apply brake to the wheel or the rotor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 8, further comprising a wire electrically connecting the circuit board contained within the hermetic enclosure to the brake actuator disposed outside the hermetic enclosure so that the single electronic control unit mounted on the circuit board controls the brake actuator.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronics of the electronic device positioned in the hermetic enclosure formed by the wall of the stator and the one or more covers comprise:
a first switch module configured to control current supplied to conductors of the stator;
a second switch module configured to control power supplied to a brake actuator configured to apply brake to the wheel or the rotor; and
a single electronic control unit configured to control the first and second switch modules.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronics of the electronic device positioned in the hermetic enclosure formed by the wall of the stator and the one or more covers comprise a first switch module configured to control current supplied to conductors of the stator and an electronic control unit configured to control the first switch module for controlling the in-wheel motor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronics of the electronic device positioned in the hermetic enclosure formed by the wall of the stator and the one or more covers comprise a second switch module configured to control power supplied to a brake actuator configured to apply brake to the wheel or the rotor, and an electronic control unit configured to control the second switch module for controlling the brake actuator.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the hermetic enclosure formed by the wall of the stator and the one or more covers coupled with stator hermetically encloses the two-phase dielectric material to prevent leakage of the two-phase dielectric material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more covers coupled with the stator has a cavity in which a bearing assembly with which the rotor is rotatably coupled is disposed.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a magnet mounted to a center portion of the rotor rotatably coupled with a bearing assembly and arranged at a rotation axis of the wheel; and
a rotary sensor disposed in sensing relationship with the magnet mounted to the center portion of the rotor, the rotary sensor configured to be responsive to rotation of the magnet for generating a signal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 15, wherein the rotary sensor and the magnet of the rotor mounted to the center portion of the rotor are arranged to be collinear with the rotation axis of the wheel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 15, wherein:
at least a part of the center portion of the rotor, which is coupled with the bearing assembly and the magnet is mounted to, is positioned inside an inner cavity of the stator, and
other magnets included in the rotor radially surround an outer surface of the stator.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 15, further comprising a wire electrically connecting the circuit board contained within the hermetic enclosure and the rotary sensor disposed outside the hermetic enclosure so that an electronic control unit mounted on the circuit board receives the signal generated by the rotary sensor. 19, The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 15, wherein the magnet of the rotor mounted to the center portion of the rotor and the rotary sensor are disposed between the bearing assembly and a vehicle frame or body.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The vehicle wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the in-wheel motor is configured to have 48 stator slots and 40 rotor poles.