In-wheel electric motors

• US 20050045392A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BluWav Systems LLC (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: BluWav Systems LLC (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pavlov, Kevin, Maslov, Boris A., Pyntikov, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/736,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20050045392A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.510
• CPC Class Codes: 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; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/18 Reluctance machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/141 consisting of C-shaped cores
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/187 to inner stators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 16/04 Machines with one rotor and two stators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/22 with magnets rotating around the armatures, e.g. flywheel magnetos
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2213/09 Machines characterised by the presence of elements which are subject to variation, e.g. adjustable bearings, reconfigurable windings, variable pitch ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 29/00 Motors or generators having non-mechanical commutating devices, e.g. discharge tubes or semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/28 Layout of windings or of connections between windings windings for pole-changing H02K17/06, H02K17/14, H02K19/12, H02K19/32
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/183 wherein the turbine is a wind turbine adaptation of a wind turbine to an electric generator F03D9/25
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/0077 Characterised by the use of a particular software algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/08 Reluctance motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/34 Modelling or simulation for control purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Improved in-wheel, near-wheel and direct-drive electric motors for cars and other vehicles. This motor can be cheaper, lighter, more powerful, more efficient, and more reliable than other direct-drive motors. Its high torque-density and high performance allow it to produce the same peak power as heavier, bigger motors. That helps greatly with the handling issues caused by too much unsprung mass. The motor control system can adapt to the vehicle'"'"'s operating conditions (like starting, accelerating, turning, braking, and cruising at high speeds). That provides better performance. The motor'"'"'s low-voltage, low-current design helps reduce heat and weight and leads to lower motor cost. The motor can still operate with some faults, offering “get home” capability. It offers all the benefits of in-wheel motors: efficiency, compactness, direct traction control, quiet, simple driveline. And it adds to those benefits, while reducing or eliminating the drawbacks other in-wheel motors.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

two or more wheels, and

one or more electric motors, each mounted in an in-wheel, near-wheel, or direct-drive manner,

wherein at least one motor is an in-wheel motor with torque density of at least 20 Nm/kg and comprises a multiphase machine having a rotor, a stator, the stator comprising a plurality of stator core elements, the plurality of stator core elements being arranged in groups, each group of stator core elements being associated with a corresponding one of the phases of the multiphase machine, the stator core elements in each group being structurally and electromagnetically isolated from the stator core elements in each other group, and a controller for controlling electrical flow in each group of stator core elements independently of electrical flow in each other group, whereby each phase of the multiphase machine is controlled independently of each other phase.

2. A car or other vehicle with two or more wheels and one or more electric motors to move the vehicle,

where at least one motor is an in-wheel motor with torque density of at least 20 Nm/kg.

3. A car or other vehicle with two or more wheels and one or more electric motors to move the vehicle,

where at least one motor is a near-wheel motor with torque density of at least 20 Nm/kg.

4. A car or other vehicle with two or more wheels and one or more electric motors to move the vehicle,

where each motor is mechanically linked with only one wheel of the vehicle and the torque density of at least one motor is at least 20 Nm/kg.

5. A car or other vehicle with two or more wheels and one or more electric motors to move the vehicle,

where each motor directly drives one or more wheels of the vehicle and the torque density of at least one motor is at least 20 Nm/kg.

6. A car or other vehicle with two or more wheels and one or more electric motors to move the vehicle,

where at least one motor is an in-wheel motor with each of its electromagnetic circuits being sufficiently isolated so that electromagnetic and electrical interference between the circuits is substantially eliminated in order to increase the effective response of the motor to control and optimization.

7. A car or other vehicle with two or more wheels and one or more electric motors to move the vehicle,

where at least one motor is an in-wheel motor with a motor control scheme that can be dynamically adapted to user inputs, machine operating conditions and machine operating parameters.