# US 2021/0344253 A1 · Motor cooling fan > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0344253 A1 - Document ID: US20210344253A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/864,461 - Filed: 2020-05-01 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-01 - Assignees: Nidec Motor Corporation - Applicants: Nidec Motor Corporation - Inventors: Richard L. Eason; Chetan O. Modi; Kevin L. West - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210344253A1 ## CPC - H02K 9/06: with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft - F04D 29/281: {for fans or blowers} - F04D 29/30: Vanes - H02K 1/223: {Rotor cores with windings and permanent magnets (for additional excitation in synchronous motors or generators H02K21/042; in synchronous motors having additional short-circuited winding for starting as an asynchronous motor H02K21/46)} - H02K 5/15: Mounting arrangements for bearing-shields or end plates - H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) - F04D 25/082: {the unit having provision for cooling the motor} - H02K 2213/03: Machines characterised by numerical values, ranges, mathematical expressions or similar information - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) ## Abstract An electric motor assembly includes a stator, rotor, housing, rotatable shaft, and cooling fan. The stator and rotor are at least partly housed in the housing. The shaft is associated with the rotor to rotate about an axis. The cooling fan is fixed to and thereby rotates with the shaft to induce airflow within the housing. The cooling fan includes a wheel plate projecting radially relative to the shaft. The cooling fan further includes a plurality of radial blades that project axially from the wheel plate. The blades define a series of radial channels. The wheel plate defines an axial plate opening therethrough in alignment with a respective one of the channels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric motor assembly comprising: a stator; a rotor rotatable relative to the stator; a housing in which the stator and rotor are at least partly housed; a rotatable shaft associated with the rotor to rotate about an axis; and a cooling fan within the housing, said cooling fan being fixed to and thereby rotating with the shaft to induce airflow within the housing, said cooling fan including a wheel plate projecting radially relative to the shaft, said cooling fan including a plurality of radial blades that project axially from the wheel plate, said blades defining a series of radial channels, said wheel plate defining an axial plate opening therethrough in alignment with a respective one of the channels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 1, said cooling fan including a hub adjacent the shaft, said wheel plate and said blades projecting radially outward from the hub. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 1, said rotor including the shaft, a rotor core fixed to the shaft, and a plurality of circumferentially arranged magnets supported on rotor core. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 1, said wheel plate presenting a peripheral plate margin spaced from and circumscribing the shaft, with the plate margin at least partly defining the plate opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 4, each of said blades presenting a radially outboard end, said plate margin extending adjacent to at least one of the outboard ends. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 1, each of said channels being defined between a corresponding adjacent pair of the blades, said plate opening being defined between a first pair of the blades corresponding with the respective one of the channels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: a second pair of said blades presenting a closed one of the channels, with the wheel plate spanning and being devoid of a plate opening in alignment with the closed one of the channels. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 7, said wheel plate presenting a peripheral plate margin spaced from and circumscribing the shaft, said second pair of said blades presenting radially outboard ends that do not project beyond the peripheral margin. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 8, said plate margin at least partly defining the plate opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 9, said plate margin having a discontinuous circular shape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 1, each of said channels being defined between a corresponding adjacent pair of the blades, said wheel plate defining a plurality of axial plate openings, each being aligned with respective channels of first pairs of the blades. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 11, second pairs of said blades presenting closed one of the channels, with the wheel plate spanning and being devoid of a plate opening in alignment with the closed ones of the channels. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 12, said first and second pairs of blades circumferentially alternating in series about the shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 13, said wheel plate presenting a peripheral plate margin spaced from and circumscribing the shaft, said plate margin at least partly defining the plate opening. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 13, said cooling fan including an equal number of first pairs of blades and second pairs of blades. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 1, each of said blades being flat so that the cooling fan is configured to induce air flow when spun in either one of opposite rotational directions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 1, said blades cooperatively presenting opposite axial margins of the cooling fan, with the wheel plate at least partly enclosing one of the axial margins and the other axial margin being open. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 1, said housing presenting a motor housing chamber, said housing including a spoked endshield that presents an endshield opening in fluid communication with the motor housing chamber, said cooling fan being positioned adjacent the endshield to induce air flow through the endshield opening. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: a controller housing attached relative to the spoked endshield, with the controller housing and the spoked endshield defining a controller chamber; and a controller operably received in the controller chamber, said cooling fan being configured to induce air flow within the motor housing chamber and the controller chamber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The electric motor assembly as claimed in claim 19, said blades cooperatively presenting opposite axial margins of the cooling fan, with the wheel plate at least partly enclosing one of the axial margins and the other axial margin being open, said cooling fan being positioned such that the open axial margin of the cooling fan is adjacent to the endshield.