# US 5,345,777 A · Electric automobile > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,345,777 A - Document ID: US5345777A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/148,180 - Filed: 1993-11-05 - Granted: 1994-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 1990-05-24 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Hirokazu Sekino; Issei Yamakoshi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5345777A ## CPC - H02K 9/20: wherein the cooling medium vaporises within the machine casing - B60H 1/00007: {Combined heating, ventilating, or cooling devices (control systems or mechanisms B60H1/00642)} - B60H 1/00392: {for electric vehicles having only electric drive means} - B60H 1/323: {characterised by comprising auxiliary or multiple systems, e.g. plurality of evaporators, or by involving auxiliary cooling devices} - B60K 1/00: Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) - B60K 1/02: comprising more than one electric motor - B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric} - B60K 11/02: with liquid cooling - B60L 1/003: {to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors} - B60L 1/02: to electric heating circuits - H02K 9/197: in which the rotor or stator space is fluid-tight, e.g. to provide for different cooling media for rotor and stator - B60K 17/356: having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels - B60K 2001/001: {one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle} - B60K 2001/003: {with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units} - B60K 2007/0038: {the motor moving together with the wheel axle} - B60K 2007/0092: {the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle} - B60L 2220/42: with use of more than one motor - B60L 2220/46: Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel - B60L 2240/34: Cabin temperature - B60L 2240/36: Temperature of vehicle components or parts - B60L 2240/425: Temperature - B60L 2260/28: Four wheel or all wheel drive - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An electric automobile comprises a wheel driving motor (8, 10, 15, 21, 50, 80) and a refrigerating system for air-conditioning the interior of an electric automobile. The refrigerating system has a compressor (7, 22, 57), an outdoor heat exchanger (6, 25, 53), an expansion valve (3a, 3b, 13, 27, 28, 55, 58), and an indoor heat exchanger (4, 29, 54) connected in series by a refrigerant pipe. The wheel driving motor (8, 10, 15, 21, 50, 80) is provided within the refrigerating system, and the wheel driving motor is cooled directly by the refrigerating system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric automobile comprising: a wheel driving motor for driving a driving wheel of an electric automobile; and a refrigerating system in which a refrigerant flows, and which comprises a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger connected one after another by refrigerant pipes. pipes, the wheel driving motor being provided within the refrigerating system, whereby the wheel driving motor is cooled directly by the refrigerant, wherein the wheel driving motor comprises a sealing shell, a stator within the sealing shell, and a rotor provided inside the stator and having a driving shaft, the sealing shell having an inlet pipe connected thereto for supplying the refrigerant into the interior of the sealing shell, and an outlet pipe connected thereto for discharging the refrigerant out of the interior of the sealing shell, a flange within said sealing shell having an interior in which said stator is securely supported and shad rotor is rotatably supported, said refrigerant flowing into the interior of said flange via said inlet pipe to directly contact said stator and said rotor and flowing out of the interior of said flange via said outlet pipe after cooling the stator and rotor, said shell having opposite sides and ends, said inlet pipe and outlet pipe being located at respective opposite sides and ends of the shell to be in diagonally opposed relation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric automobile according to claim 1, wherein the refrigerating system further includes a change-over valve whereby the refrigerant flow is made reversible. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electric automobile according to claim 2, wherein the refrigerating system is so constructed that in a cooling mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by an indoor heat exchanger expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger and then cools the air around the indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded in parallel by a motor expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger and then cools the wheel driving motor, and that, in a heating mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by the motor expansion valve after passing through the indoor heat exchanger and then cools the wheel driving motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The electric automobile according to claim 2, wherein the refrigerating system is so constructed that, in a cooling mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by an indoor heat exchanger expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger, and then cools the air around the indoor heat exchanger and the wheel driving motor in series, and that, in a heating mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by a motor expansion valve after passing through the indoor heat exchanger and then cools the wheel driving motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The electric automobile according to claim 2, wherein the refrigerating system is so constructed that, in a cooling mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by an indoor heat exchanger expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger and then cools the air around the indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded in parallel by a motor expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger and then cools the wheel driving motor, and that, in a heating mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by the motor expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger, then cools the wheel driving motor, and next heats the air around the indoor heat exchanger by waste heat from the wheel driving motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electric automobile according to claim 1, wherein the sealing shell has a wick disposed on the inner surface thereof for efficiently diffusing the refrigerant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electric automobile according to claim 1, wherein the sealing shell is provided with an accumulator for separating the refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant, and the outlet pipe is connected to the accumulator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electric automobile according to claim 1, wherein the wheel driving motor is integrally joined to the compressor of the refrigerating system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electric automobile according to claim 1, wherein said flange has a hollow space surrounding said stator, said inlet pipe and said outlet pipe communicating with said hollow space for flowing said refrigerant into said hollow space and directly into contact with said stator for conducting heat from said stator directly to said refrigerant. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electric automobile according to claim 1, wherein in said refrigerant system, said outdoor heat exchanger is connected after said compressor, said driving motor and said indoor heat exchanger being connected to an outlet of said outdoor heat exchanger via respective expansion valves, said compressor having an inlet connected to said outlet pipe of said driving motor and an outlet of said indoor heat exchanger for receiving refrigerant therefrom. ### Claim 11 An electric automobile comprising: a wheel driving motor for driving a driving wheel of an electric automobile; and a refrigerating system in which a refrigerant flows, and which comprises a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger connected one after another by refrigerant pipes, the wheel driving motor being provided within the refrigerating system, whereby the wheel driving motor is cooled directly by the refrigerant, wherein the wheel driving motor comprises a sealing shell, a stator within the sealing shell, and a rotor provided inside the stator and having a driving shaft, the sealing shell having an inlet pipe connected thereto for supplying the refrigerant into the interior of the sealing shell, and an outlet pipe connected thereto for discharging the refrigerant out of the interior of the sealing shell, a flange within said sealing shell having an interior in which said stator is securely supported and said rotor is rotatably supported, said refrigerant flowing into the interior of said flange via said inlet pipe to directly contact said stator and said rotor and flowing out of the interior of said flange via said outlet pipe after cooling the stator and rotor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electric automobile according to claim 11, wherein the refrigerating system further includes a change-over valve whereby the refrigerant flow is made reversible. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electric automobile according to claim 11, wherein the sealing shell has a wick disposed on the inner surface thereof for efficiently diffusing the refrigerant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electric automobile according to claim 11, wherein the sealing shell is provided with an accumulator for separating the refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant and a gaseous refrigerant, and the outlet pipe is connected to the accumulator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The electric automobile according to claim 11, wherein the wheel driving motor is integrally joined to the compressor of the refrigerating system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The electric automobile according to claim 11, wherein said rotor has a wheel for holding a tire on the periphery thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The electric automobile according to claim 11, wherein said flange has a hollow space surrounding said stator, said inlet pipe and said outlet pipe communicating with said hollow space for flowing said refrigerant into said hollow space and directly into contact with said stator for conducting heat from said stator directly to said refrigerant. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The electric automobile according to claim 11, wherein in said refrigerant system, said outdoor heat exchanger is connected after said compressor, said driving motor and said indoor heat exchanger being connected to an outlet of said outdoor heat exchanger via respective expansion valves, said compressor having an inlet connected to said outlet pipe of said driving motor and an outlet of said indoor heat exchanger for receiving refrigerant therefrom. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An automobile according to claim 1, wherein the indoor heat exchanger is disposed int he electric automobile for cooling a cabin of the automobile, said refrigerant flowing in a closed, refrigerant system to said wheel driving motor and to said indoor heat exchanger. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) An automobile according to claim 11, wherein the indoor heat exchanger is disposed in the electric automobile for cooling a cabin of the automobile, said refrigerant flowing in a closed, refrigerant system to said wheel driving motor and to said indoor heat exchanger. ### Claim 21 An electric automobile comprising: a wheel driving motor for driving a driving wheel of an electric automobile; and a refrigerating system in which a refrigerant flows, and which comprises a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger connected one after another by refrigerant pipes, the wheel driving motor being provided within the refrigerating system, whereby the wheel driving motor is cooled directly by the refrigerant, wherein the wheel driving motor comprises a sealing shell, a stator within the sealing shell, and a rotor provided inside the stator and having a driving shaft, the sealing shell having an inlet pipe connected thereto for supplying the refrigerant into the interior of the sealing shell, and an outlet pipe connected thereto for discharging the refrigerant out of the interior of the sealing shell, a flange within the sealing shell having an interior in which the stator is securely supported and the rotor is rotatably supported, the refrigerant flowing into the interior of the flange via the inlet pipe to directly contact the stator and the rotor and flowing out of the interior of the flange via the outlet pipe after cooling the stator and rotor, the refrigerating system further including a change-over valve whereby the refrigerant flow is made reversible. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The electric automobile according to claim 21, wherein the refrigerating system is so constructed that in a cooling mode, the refrigerating is adiabatically expanded by an indoor heat exchanger expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger and then cools the air around the indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded in parallel by a motor expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger and then cools the wheel driving motor, and, in a heating mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by the motor expansion valve after passing through the indoor heat exchanger and then cools the wheel driving motor. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The electric automobile according to claim 21, wherein the refrigerating system is so constructed that, in a cooling mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by an indoor heat exchanger expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger, and then cools the air around the indoor heat exchanger and the wheel driving motor in series, and, in a heating mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by a motor expansion valve after passing through the indoor heat exchanger and then cools the wheel driving motor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The electric automobile according to claim 21, wherein the refrigerating system is so constructed that, in a cooling mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by an indoor heat exchanger expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger and then cools the air around the indoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded in parallel by a motor expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger and then cools the wheel driving motor, and, in a heating mode, the refrigerant is adiabatically expanded by the motor expansion valve after passing through the outdoor heat exchanger, then cools the wheel driving motor, and next heats the air around the indoor heat exchanger by waste heat from the wheel driving motor.