US 5,327,034 A · Electrically motorized wheel assembly

Abstract

The electrically motorized wheel assembly comprises a hollow shaft having a first opening at one end thereof and a second opening, the first opening receiving conductors from outside of the assembly; a stator coaxial with and fixedly attached to the shaft, the stator being provided with a hollow portion and coils; a rotor coaxial with the stator and mounted for rotation about the stator; and converting system for converting an input electrical current to a variable AC electrical current, the converting system including power electronics fixedly mounted within the hollow portion, input terminals for receiving the input electrical current and output terminals for delivering the variable AC electrical current; whereby, to provide the variable AC current to the coils of the stator.

Claims65

Dependent claims

An electrically motorized wheel assembly comprising:

a hollow shaft having a first opening at one end thereof and a second opening, said first opening receiving conductors from outside of said assembly;
a stator coaxial with and fixedly attached to said shaft, said stator being provided with a hollow portion and coils;
a rotor coaxial with said stator and mounted for rotation about said stator;
a converter converting an input electrical current to a variable AC electrical current, said converter including power electronics fixedly mounted within said hollow portion, said converter also including input terminals receiving said input electrical current and output terminals delivering said variable AC electrical current to said coils of said stator.

1 more element

A motorized wheel assembly comprising:

a hollow shaft having a first opening at one end thereof and a second opening, said first opening being for receiving conductors from outside of said assembly;
a stator having a central portion adapted to receive and be attached to said shaft, a support extending radially from said central portion, a peripheral circular pole piece comprising metallic strips wound with coils, and a hollow portion, said pole piece being fixed onto peripheral ends of said support, said support being provided with openings to reduce its weight;
a rotor including a housing having a cylindrical wall having an inner surface provided with a magnetic means surrounding said stator and separated therefrom by an air-gap, said housing also comprising inner and outer walls mounted on both sides of said cylindrical wall, said second opening of said shaft being open into said housing;
two bearings respectively associated with said walls, and respectively mounted on both sides of said shaft so that said rotor can be rotated with respect to said stator;
and
an electrical converter for converting an input electrical current to a variable AC electrical current, said converter including power electronics fixedly mounted within said hollow portion, input terminals for receiving said input electrical current, an output terminals for delivering said variable AC electrical current, whereby, to provide said variable AC current to said coils of said stator;
an assembly wherein said magnetic means of said rotor is made of a series of permanent magnets;
said assembly further comprising a rim fixed onto said housing in a manner to extend around said cylindrical wall of said housing, and a layer made of elastomer and mounted between said rim and cylindrical wall, said rim being adapted to receive a tire;
an assembly wherein said converter comprises:
a DC/AC converter having an input for receiving a direct current from said input terminals, and three outputs for generating three phase AC currents into said output terminals;
and
a microprocessor unit connected to said DC/AC converter for controlling its operation;
an assembly wherein;
said stator is cross-shaped and has four arms;
said DC/AC converter is made of three converter units that generate respectively said three phase AC currents, said units being fixed respectively onto three of said four arms;
and
said microprocessor unit is fixed onto the fourth of said arms;
said assembly further comprising two circular supply bus connected to said converter and microprocessor units, whereby said direct current can be distributed to said DC/AC converter and microprocessor units by means of said bus;
an assembly wherein said shaft has its first end provided with a connecting means by which said assembly can be connected to a supporting member;
an assembly wherein said connecting means is made of an annular member having an outer edge regularly provided with recesses alternating with projections so that said annular member can be engaged and locked with a complementary part of the corresponding supporting member;
an assembly in combination with said supporting member which is a knuckle-jointed connecting rod, wherein:
said projections of said outer edge have width that varies in the circumferential direction,
said complementary part of said knuckle-jointed connecting rod has an annular section having a sufficient diameter so that said annular section can be slid over said outer edge,
said annular section has recesses and projections adapted to cooperate with the corresponding projections and recesses of said outer edge, said projections of said annular section having width that varies in the circumferential direction so that said annular section can be slid over said outer edge and rotated with respect with said outer edge to be wedged in an assembled position;
said assembly in combination with said supporting member further comprising a key member having tongues that can be inserted in cavities that are produced when said annular section is rotated with respect to said annular section is rotated with respect to said outer edge to lock said outer edge with respect to said annular member;
an assembly wherein said air-gap is positioned at a predetermined distance R.sub.1 from the central axis of said shaft, said rim has a surface for receiving a tire that is positioned at a predetermined distance R.sub.2 from the central axis of said shaft, and R.sub.1 /R.sub.2 is substantially between 0.65 and 0.91.

23 more elements

A motorized wheel assembly comprising:

a hollow shaft having a first opening at one end thereof and a second opening, said first opening being for receiving conductors from outside of said assembly;
a stator having a central portion adapted to receive and be attached to said shaft, a support extending radially from said central portion, a peripheral circular pole piece comprising metallic strips wound with coils, and a hollow portion, said polo piece being fixed onto peripheral ends of said support, said support being provided with openings to reduce its weight;
a rotor including a housing having a cylindrical wall having an inner surface provided with a magnetic means surrounding said stator and separated therefrom by an air-gap, said housing also comprising inner and outer walls mounted on both sides of said cylindrical wall, said second opening of said shaft being open into said housing;
two bearings respectively associated with said walls, and respectively mounted on both sides of said shaft so that said rotor can be rotated with respect to said stator;
and
an electrical converter converting an input electrical current to a variable AC electrical current, said converter including power electronics fixedly mounted within said hollow portion, input terminals for receiving said input electrical current, an output terminals for delivering said variable AC electrical current, whereby, to provide said variable AC current to said coils of said stator;
an assembly wherein said magnetic means of said rotor is a pole piece made of metallic strips wound with a coil, said stator is provided with brushes that are connected to an output of said converter, and said rotor is provided with conductive contact surfaces disposed in a manner to cooperate with said bushes, said contact surfaces being connected to the coil of said rotor;
an assembly wherein said stator is cross-shaped and has four arms;
said assembly further comprising a rim fixed onto said housing in a manner to extend around said cylindrical wall of said housing, and a layer made of elastomer and mounted between said rim and cylindrical wall, said rim being adapted to receive a tire;
an assembly wherein said converter comprises:
a DC/AC converter having an input for receiving a direct current from said input terminals, and four outputs for generating respectively a DC current for said coil of said rotor, and three phase AC currents for said coils of said stator;
a microprocessor unit connected to said DC/AC converter for controlling its operation;
an assembly wherein said AC/DC converter comprises a first converter unit that generates said DC current for said coil of said rotor, and three converter units that generates respectively said three phase AC currents;
an assembly wherein said shaft has its first end provided with a connecting means by which said assembly can be connected to a supporting member;
an assembly wherein said connecting means is made of an annular member having an outer edge regularly provided with recesses alternating with projections so that said annular member can be engaged and locked with a complementary part of the corresponding supporting member;
an assembly in combination with said supporting member which is a knuckle-jointed connected rod, wherein:
said projections of said outer edge have width that varies in the circumferential direction,
said complementary part of said knuckle-jointed connecting rod has an annular section having a sufficient diameter so that said annular section can be slid over said outer edge,
said annular section has recesses and projections adapted to cooperate with the corresponding projections and recesses of said outer edge, said projections of said annular section having width that varies in the circumferential direction so that said annular section can be slid over said outer edge and rotated with respect with said outer edge to be wedged in an assembled position;
said assembly in combination with said supporting member further comprising a key member having tongues that can be inserted in cavities that are produced when said annular section is rotated with respect to said outer edge to lock said outer edge with respect to said annular member;
an assembly wherein said air-gap is positioned at a predetermined distance R.sub.1 from the central axis of said shaft, said rim has a surface for receiving a tire that is positioned at a predetermined distance R.sub.2 from the central axis of said shaft, and R.sub.1 /R.sub.2 is substantially between 0.65 and 0.80.

18 more elements

A motorized wheel assembly comprising:

a hollow shaft having a first opening at one end thereof and a second opening, said first opening being for receiving conductors from outside of said assembly;
a stator having a central portion adapted to receive and be attached to said shaft, a support extending radially from said central portion, a peripheral circular pole piece comprising metallic strips wound with coils, and a hollow portion, said polo piece being fixed onto peripheral ends of said support, said support being provided with openings to reduce its weight;
a rotor including a housing having a cylindrical peripheral wall having an inner surface provided with a magnetic means surrounding said stator and separated therefrom by an air-gap, said housing also comprising inner and outer walls mounted on both sides of said cylindrical peripheral wall, said second opening of said shaft being open into said housing;
two bearings respectively associated with said walls, and respectively mounted on both sides of said shaft so that said rotor can be rotated with respect to said stator;
and
an electrical converter converting an input electrical current to a variable AC electrical current, said converter including power electronics fixedly mounted within said hollow portion, input terminals for receiving said input electrical current, and output terminals for delivering said variable AC electrical current, whereby, to provide said variable AC current to said coils of said stator;
an assembly wherein said magnetic means of said rotor is a pole piece made of metallic strips wound with a coil, whereby electrical current can be induced in said coil of said rotor by means of an electromagnetic field produced by electrical current injected into said coils of said stator;
said assembly further comprising a rim fixed onto said housing in a manner to extend around said cylindrical wall of said housing, and a layer made of elastomer and mounted between said rim and cylindrical wall, said rim being adapted to receive a tire;
an assembly wherein said converter comprises:
a DC/AC converter having an input for receiving a direct current from said input terminals, and three outputs for generating three phase AC currents into said output terminals;
and
a microprocessor unit connected to said DC/AC converter for controlling its operation;
an assembly wherein:
said stator is cross-shaped and has four arms;
said DC/AC converter is made of three converter units that generate respectively said three phase AC currents, said units being fixed respectively onto three of said four arms;
and
said microprocessor unit is fixed onto the fourth of said arms;
said assembly further comprising two circular supply distribution bus connected to said DC/AC converter and microprocessor units, whereby said direct current can be distributed to said DC/AC converter and microprocessor units by means of said bus;
an assembly wherein said shaft has its first end provided with a connecting means by which said assembly can be connected to a supporting member;
an assembly wherein said connecting means is made of an annular member having an outer edge regularly provided with recesses alternating with projections so that said annular member can be engaged and locked with a complementary part of the corresponding supporting member;
an assembly in combination with said supporting member which is a knuckle-jointed connected rod, wherein:
said projections of said outer edge have width that varies in the circumferential direction,
said complementary part of said knuckle-jointed connecting rod has an annular section having a sufficient diameter so that said annular section can be slid over said outer edge,
said annular section has recesses and projections adapted to cooperate with the corresponding projections and recesses of said outer edge, said projections of said annular section having width that varies in the circumferential direction so that said annular section can be slid over said outer edge and rotated with respect with said outer edge to be wedged in an assembled position;
said assembly in combination with said supporting member further comprising a key member having tongues that can be inserted in cavities that are produced when said annular section is rotated with respect to said outer edge to lock said outer edge with respect to said annular member;
an assembly wherein said air-gap is positioned at a predetermined distance R.sub.1 from the central axis of said shaft, said rim has a surface for receiving a tire that is positioned at a predetermined distance R.sub.2 from the central axis of said shaft, and R.sub.1 /R.sub.2 is substantially between 0.65 and 0.80.

23 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrically motorized wheel assembly

Life of this patent

Electrically motorized wheel assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims65