Electrically powered vehicles having motor and power supply contained within wheels

• US 6,802,385 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matra Manufacturing & Services SAS (Lagardère SA)
• Original Assignee: WaveCrest Laboratories LLC (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pyntikov, Alexander V., Benson, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US10/146,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.5, 180/65.6, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.8, 180/907, 180/220, 180/221, 180/65.4, 180/65.3, 180/206, 310/171, 310/156.12, 310/301, 310/268, 310/206, 310/201, 310/265, 310/266, 310/156.26, 310/156-8-1, 310/67.A, 310/254
• US Class Current: 180/220
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/04 motor-driven A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/045 Arrangement in a wheel, e.g. a spare wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/50 Structural details of electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/19 : Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 : Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/40 : Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/45 : Control or actuating devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/90 : Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An electrically powered vehicle has a motor, controller and power supply contained within a wheel compartment. A cylindrical stator frame is fixed on the wheel axle, with an inner surface of the stator frame defining a space for housing the power supply and controller circuitry. A plurality of electromagnet stator segments are mounted on an outer surface of the stator frame. A cylindrical rotor frame is coupled to the axle through bearings. An inner surface of the rotor frame supports a plurality of permanent magnets that surround the stator segments to form a radial air gap therebetween. Mounted to the outer surface of the rotor frame by appropriate supporting structure is a vehicle tire.

Claims

1. An electrically powered vehicle comprising a wheel, said wheel comprising:

an axle;

a cylindrical stator frame fixed on the axle, an inner surface of the stator frame defining a space for housing a power supply;

a plurality of electromagnet stator segments mounted on and distributed about an outer surface of the stator frame, wherein said stator frame is non-magnetic and said electromagnet stator segments are ferromagnetically isolated from each other;

a cylindrical rotor frame coupled to the axle through bearings, an inner surface of the rotor frame supporting a plurality of permanent magnets distributed to surround the stator segments to form a radial air gap therebetween; and

a tire mounted to an outer surface of the rotor frame, wherein the space in the cylindrical stator frame for housing the power supply is bounded in the radial direction by the axle and the inner surface of the stator frame and is bounded in the axial direction by a partition plate extending between the axle and the stator frame;

wherein the space in the cylindrical stator frame for housing the power supply is bounded in the radial direction by the axle and the inner surface of the stator frame and is bounded in the axial direction by a partition plate extending between the axle and the stator frame.

2. A vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a plurality of battery cells.

3. A vehicle as recited in claim 2, wherein the plurality of battery cells are D-cells.

4. A vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the cylindrical stator frame space comprises control elements for driving the electromagnet stator segments.

5. A vehicle as recited in claim 4, wherein the cylindrical stator frame space further comprises battery recharging circuitry.

6. A vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a bicycle and the wheel is a rear wheel.

7. A vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a bicycle and the wheel is a front wheel.

8. A vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of electromagnet stator segments are spatially separated from each other.

9. A vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of permanent magnets are spatially separated from each other.