Seal assemblies for in-wheel outer rotor electric motors

An in-wheel electric motor, comprising:

• a stator including a seal plate;
• a rotor circumscribing the stator, the rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator;
• a bearing located between the rotor and the stator;
• and
• a lip seal located radially outward from the bearing, the lip seal including a base and a flexible lip, the base coupled to the rotor, the flexible lip extending from and movable relative to the base, the flexible lip configured to engage the seal plate when the rotor is rotating relative to the stator at a rotational speed less than a threshold rotational speed, the flexible lip further configured to be spaced apart from the seal plate of the stator when the rotor is rotating relative to the stator at a rotational speed greater than or equal to the threshold rotational speed.

An in-wheel electric motor, comprising:

• a stator including a seal plate;
• a rotor circumscribing the stator, the rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator;
• a bearing located between the rotor and the stator;
• a bearing seal coupled to the bearing;
• and
• a lip seal located radially outward from the bearing and the bearing seal, the lip seal including a base and a flexible lip, the base coupled to the rotor, the flexible lip extending from and movable relative to the base, the flexible lip configured to engage the seal plate when the rotor is rotating relative to the stator at a rotational speed less than a threshold rotational speed, the flexible lip further configured to be spaced apart from the seal plate of the stator when the rotor is rotating relative to the stator at a rotational speed greater than or equal to the threshold rotational speed.