ELECTRIC MACHINE HAVING ROTOR COOLING ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. An end cap for a rotor, comprising:
- a ring-shaped body having an inner axial surface that is generally planar and configured to engage the rotor, and an outer axial surface that is located opposite the inner axial surface; and
an annular groove formed within the outer axial surface, the annular groove having an inner radial side surface with concave curvature.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cooling assembly is disclosed for use with an electric machine having bearings, a shaft rotatably supported by the bearings, a rotor connected to the shaft, and a stator annularly surrounding the rotor. The cooling assembly may have an end cap configured to engage an end of the rotor and the shaft to thereby axially locate the rotor relative to the shaft. The end cap may include an annular groove formed therein to receive a flow of cooling oil. The cooling assembly may further have an annular baffle axially connected to an end of the end cap and extending radially inward at least partially across an opening of the annular groove, and a slinger axially connected to the annular baffle opposite the end cap. The slinger may include a recess formed therein that is configured to trap the cooling oil after it flows through the annular baffle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An end cap for a rotor, comprising:
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a ring-shaped body having an inner axial surface that is generally planar and configured to engage the rotor, and an outer axial surface that is located opposite the inner axial surface; and an annular groove formed within the outer axial surface, the annular groove having an inner radial side surface with concave curvature. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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2. The end cap of claim I, wherein a cross-section of the annular groove is asymmetrical.
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4. The end cap of claim I, wherein the annular groove has a flat axial bottom, and the inner radial side surface is tangential with the flat axial bottom.
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5. The end cap of claim I, further including an inner annular flange configured to engage a shaft and thereby axially locate the rotor relative to the shaft.
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6. A cooling assembly for an electric machine having bearings, a shaft rotatably supported by the bearings, a rotor connected to the shaft, and a stator annularly surrounding the rotor, the cooling assembly comprising:
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an end cap configured to engage an end of the rotor and the shaft to thereby axially locate the rotor relative to the shaft, the end cap having an annular groove formed therein to receive a flow of cooling oil; an annular baffle axially connected to an end of the end cap and extending radially inward at least partially across an opening of the annular groove; and a slinger axially connected to the annular baffle opposite the end cap, the slinger forming a channel that is configured to trap cooling oil after it flows past the annular baffle. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of cooling an electric machine, comprising:
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directing cooling oil axially into an annular groove in a rotor end cap; directing the cooling oil to circulate radially outward within the annular groove; directing the cooling oil axially out of the annular groove and into a radial channel; and allowing the cooling oil to move radially inward and spill over a lip at an axial end of the radial channel. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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- 19. The method of claim 19, wherein directing the cooling oil axially out of the annular groove includes directing the cooling oil through a hole in an annular baffle.
Specification