Direct drive electric traction motor

• US 7,658,251 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harry K. James
• Original Assignee: Harry K. James
• Inventors: James, Harry K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris; Lesley
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALTERS, JOHN DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US11/533,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20080066980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.5, 180/65.51, 310/67.R, 310/75.C, 310/75.D, 310/75.R
• US Class Current: 180/65.51
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0038 the motor moving together with the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• 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 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A direct drive traction vehicle motor system for a wheeled vehicle includes an electric motor rotor for mechanically attachment to a vehicle wheel for rotational movement with the vehicle wheel. An attachment structure is concentrically mounting the rotor to the vehicle wheel. An electric motor stator is mounted in a concentric relationship with the rotor. A mechanical structure is coupled between the vehicle and the stator for inhibiting rotation of the stator. An electric drive circuit is electrically coupled to the motor stator for exciting the motor stator to impart a rotational force on the vehicle wheel through the rotor.

Claims

1. A direct drive traction vehicle motor system for a wheeled vehicle including a vehicle wheel removably attachable to a vehicle axle hub by a wheel mounting structure, the motor system comprising:

a passive electric motor rotor for mechanical attachment to the wheel mounting structure for rotational movement with the vehicle wheel;

an attachment structure for concentrically mounting the rotor in a fixed relation to the vehicle wheel, the attachment structure including the wheel mounting structure;

an active electric motor stator mounted in a concentric relationship with the rotor;

a mechanical structure coupled between the vehicle and the stator for inhibiting rotation of the stator;

an electric drive circuit electrically coupled to the motor stator for exciting the motor stator to impart a rotational force on the vehicle wheel through the rotor;

wherein an electromotive force is applied to the wheel by the rotor without any use of reduction gearing; and

wherein said wheel mounting structure includes lug bolts and lug nuts, and said rotor includes a hub portion with a bolt opening pattern, the rotor mechanically attached relative to the wheel by mounting of the rotor on said lug bolts and securing of said lug nuts on the lug bolts, and wherein said attachment structure comprises said lug bolts, said lug nuts and said hub portion.

2. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle wheel is a non-steerable wheel.

3. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle wheel is a steerable wheel.

4. The motor system of claim 1, further comprising a bearing system for coupling the stator to the rotor for maintaining a concentric relationship between the rotor and the stator while allowing relative rotational movement between the rotor and the stator.

5. The motor system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical structure coupled between the vehicle and the stator for inhibiting rotation of the stator comprises a strut member.

6. The motor system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical structure coupled between the vehicle and the stator for inhibiting rotation of the stator comprises a structure adapted to permit relative movement between the stator and a vehicle body member.

7. The motor system of claim 6, wherein said mechanical structure comprises a telescoping structure mounted between the vehicle body member and said stator.

8. The motor system of claim 6, wherein said mechanical structure comprises a slide structure.

9. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said the mechanical structure coupled between the vehicle and the stator for inhibiting rotation of the stator comprises an arm attached mechanically between a vehicle axle carrying the vehicle wheel or a vehicle suspension unit.

10. The motor system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, and the motor system acts as an alternate or supplemental motive power source for the vehicle.

11. The motor system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes an electrical generator or alternator to generate electrical power from the internal combustion engine and a vehicle battery, and said electrical drive circuit receives electrical power generated by said electrical generator or alternator or said battery.

12. The motor system of claim 1, further comprising an adaptor plate structure disposed between the rotor and the vehicle axle.

13. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said hub portion further includes a stator axle protruding there from concentric to the vehicle axle, and the stator is mounted to said stator axle through a stator bearing assembly permitting relative rotation between the stator axle and the stator.

14. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said mechanical structure is adapted to support electrical cabling connected to said stator and said electrical drive circuit.

15. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said rotor, said stator and said electrical drive circuit are adapted to function as an induction motor system.

16. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said induction motor system is a three phase motor system with interior stator and outside rotor configuration.

17. The motor system of claim 15, wherein induction motor system is a squirrel cage motor system.

18. The motor system of claim 17, wherein said squirrel cage motor system is a double squirrel cage winding system.

19. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said rotor, said stator and said attachment structure are adapted to retrofit to a vehicle without modification of the vehicle wheel.

20. The motor system of claim 1, wherein said wheel has a nominal rim diameter of 22½

inches or 24½

inches.

21. A direct drive traction vehicle motor system for a vehicle including a vehicle wheel removably attachable to a vehicle axle hub by lug bolts and lug nuts, the motor system comprising:

a passive electric motor rotor for mechanically attachment to the vehicle wheel and axle hub by use of the lug bolts and lug nuts;

the rotor including a hub portion with a hole mounting pattern adapted to receive the lug bolts therethrough to concentrically mount the rotor relative to the vehicle wheel;

an electric motor stator mounted in an interior concentric relationship with the rotor by a bearing arrangement;

a mechanical structure for inhibiting rotation of the stator;

an electrical wiring connection to the stator for delivering excitation electrical drive signals to the stator; and

wherein an electromotive force is applied without any use of reduction gearing to the wheel by the rotor in response to electrical excitation of the stator.

22. The motor system of claim 21, wherein the rotor includes a rotor core and a set of permanent magnets mounted in the rotor core.

23. The motor system of claim 21, wherein the rotor includes a rotor core and a set of winding conductor bars.

24. The motor system of claim 21, wherein induction motor system is a squirrel cage motor system.

25. The motor system of claim 23, wherein said squirrel cage motor system is a double squirrel cage winding system.

26. A direct drive traction vehicle motor system for a wheeled vehicle having at least two axles, each axle with at least two wheels mounted on the axle by a wheel mounting structure including respective hubs and lug bolts, the motor system comprising:

first and second electric motor rotors, each for mechanically attachment to one of said at least two wheels by use of said wheel mounting structure for rotational movement with the vehicle wheel;

first and second attachment structures each for concentrically mounting one of said rotors to one of said vehicle wheels, the attachment structure including said wheel mounting structure with the respective hubs and lug bolts;

first and second active electric motor stators each mounted in a inner concentric relationship with a corresponding one of the first and second rotors by a bearing arrangement;

first and second stator rotation inhibiting mechanical structures, each coupled between the vehicle and a corresponding one of the first and second stators for inhibiting rotation of the stator;

an electric drive circuit electrically coupled to the first and second motor stators for exciting the motor stators to impart rotational forces on the vehicle wheels through the rotors; and

wherein an electromotive force is applied to the first and second wheels by the first and second rotors without any use of reduction gearing.

27. The motor system of claim 26, wherein said first and second vehicle wheels are non-steerable wheels.

28. The motor system of claim 26, wherein said first and second vehicle wheels are steerable wheels.

29. The motor system of claim 26, further comprising a bearing system for coupling the stator to the rotor for maintaining a concentric relationship between the rotor and the stator while allowing relative rotational movement between the rotor and the stator.

30. The motor system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, and the motor system acts as an alternate or supplemental motive power source for the vehicle.

31. The motor system of claim 26, wherein the vehicle includes an electrical generator or alternator to generate electrical power from the internal combustion engine and a vehicle battery, and said electrical drive circuit receives electrical power generated by said electrical generator or alternator or said battery.

32. The motor system of claim 26, wherein said rotor, said stator and said electrical drive circuit are adapted to function as an induction motor system.

33. The motor system of claim 26, wherein said induction motor system is a three phase motor system with interior stator and outside rotor configuration.

34. The motor system of claim 33, wherein induction motor system is a squirrel cage motor system.

35. The motor system of claim 34, wherein said squirrel cage motor system is a double squirrel cage winding system.

36. The motor system of claim 26, wherein said rotor, said stator and said attachment structure are adapted to retrofit to the vehicle without modification of the vehicle wheel.