Rotor shaft
AssigneeMetal Forming & Coining Corporation
InventorsTimothy John Cripsey, Robert Herston, Nicholas Brockett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotor shaft for an electric motor includes an axially extending tubular body having an inner circumferential surface defining a hollow interior thereof with at least a portion of the hollow interior configured to receive a coolant therein. A plurality of circumferentially spaced splines extends radially inwardly from the inner circumferential surface into the portion of the hollow interior configured to receive the coolant therein. Each of the splines is configured to provide a heat exchanging structure for transferring heat from the rotor shaft to the coolant. The splines are one of integrally formed with the tubular body or provided as inserts captured by the tubular body during a flow forming process.
Claims20
A rotor shaft for an electric motor comprising:
- an axially extending tubular body having an inner circumferential surface defining a hollow interior thereof, at least a portion of the hollow interior configured to receive a coolant therein;
- and
- a plurality of circumferentially spaced splines extending radially inwardly from the inner circumferential surface into the at least a portion of the hollow interior configured to receive the coolant therein, each of the splines configured to provide a heat exchanging structure for transferring heat from the rotor shaft to the coolant.
A method of manufacturing a rotor shaft for an electric motor comprising the steps of:
- providing a mandrel having an indentation formed in an outer circumferential surface thereof;
- positioning a cooling insert in the indentation;
- positioning a circumferential wall of a shaft preform around the outer circumferential surface of the mandrel;
- and
- flow forming the circumferential wall towards the cooling insert to capture the cooling insert.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.