Integrated Assembly of a Gearbox and Electric Motor with Shared Cooling Features

A vehicle comprising:

• a propeller;
• an electric motor comprising:
• (i) at least one stator having a plurality of wire windings that generate a magnetic field when an electric current is provided therethrough, (ii) a rotor comprising a spindle and configured to interact with the magnetic field to cause the spindle to rotate, and (iii) at least one cooling jacket comprising a channel;
• a gearbox comprising (i) a gearbox housing mounted to the at least one cooling jacket of the electric motor, (ii) at least one gear disposed within the gearbox housing, wherein the spindle of the rotor extends within the gearbox housing to engage and rotate the at least one gear of the gearbox as the spindle rotates, and (iii) a gearbox output shaft coupled to the propeller, wherein the gearbox output shaft rotates as the spindle of the electric motor and the at least one gear of the gearbox rotate, wherein the gearbox contains fluid, such that the fluid circulates from the gearbox through the channel of the at least one cooling jacket;
• and
• a bearing disposed at least partially within the gearbox housing and configured to support the spindle.

A method comprising:

• providing an electric motor comprising:
• (i) at least one stator having a plurality of wire windings that generate a magnetic field when an electric current is provided therethrough, (ii) a rotor comprising a spindle and configured to interact with the magnetic field to cause the spindle to rotate, and (iii) at least one cooling jacket comprising a channel;
• providing a gearbox, wherein the gearbox comprises a gearbox housing and at least one gear disposed within the gearbox housing;
• mounting the gearbox housing to the at least one cooling jacket of the electric motor;
• extending the spindle of the rotor within the gearbox housing to engage and rotate the at least one gear of the gearbox as the spindle rotates, wherein the gearbox contains fluid, such that the fluid circulates from the gearbox through the channel of the at least one cooling jacket during operation of the electric motor;
• and
• mounting a bearing at least partially within the gearbox housing such that the bearing supports the spindle.