Motor assembly for vehicle and vehicle

By integrating semiconductor heat transfer modules and finned block designs into the motor assembly, the Peltier effect is utilized to achieve efficient heat transfer of the cooling medium, solving the problem of low heat transfer efficiency in existing motor cooling systems, simplifying the structure and reducing costs.

CN121663881APending Publication Date: 2026-03-13斯特兰蒂斯汽车集团
View PDF 0 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-09-12
Publication Date
2026-03-13

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing electric motor cooling systems have low heat transfer efficiency, complex structure, and are difficult to maintain.

Method used

The motherboard and fin block design with integrated semiconductor heat transfer modules utilizes the Peltier effect to form hot and cold surfaces on the motherboard surface. Heat is transferred through the cooling medium and dissipated to the outside air. Combined with automatic switching between cooling and charging modes, the structure is simplified and the heat transfer efficiency is improved.

Benefits of technology

It improves the heat transfer efficiency of the electric motor assembly, simplifies the cooling system structure, reduces manufacturing costs, and is suitable for various vehicles.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN121663881A_ABST
    Figure CN121663881A_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric motor assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a housing delimiting a chamber having an opening, the chamber being filled with a cooling medium; the rotor and the stator are accommodated in the cavity, and at least parts of the rotor and the stator are immersed in the cooling medium; a heat transfer system fitted to the opening to close the chamber and including a main board integrated with a plurality of semiconductor heat transfer modules, the main board including a first surface oriented toward an interior of the chamber to contact a cooling medium and a second surface oriented toward an exterior of the chamber; the battery is electrically connected with the mainboard, the heat transfer system has a cooling mode, and in the cooling mode, the first surface forms a cold surface, and the second surface forms a hot surface, so that heat of the cooling medium is absorbed and conducted to external air. According to the motor assembly, the mainboard integrated with the plurality of semiconductor modules is arranged to dissipate heat of the cooling medium, the heat transfer efficiency is improved, and the motor assembly is simple in structure and can be widely applied to various types of vehicles.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates generally to the field of electric motor cooling technology, and more specifically, to an electric motor assembly for a vehicle, and a vehicle including such an electric motor assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Because the electric motor in a vehicle generates a lot of heat during operation, a cooling system is needed to keep the motor's temperature within a safe operating range to ensure its reliability.

[0003] Existing electric motors are typically cooled by a flowing cooling medium that fills their housing, requiring an external heat exchanger to cool the medium. This design results in low heat transfer efficiency and increases the complexity and maintenance difficulty of the cooling system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of this invention is to provide an electric motor assembly for vehicles to overcome at least one of the shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, the electric motor assembly according to the invention simplifies the structure of the cooling system and improves heat transfer efficiency.

[0005] To this end, a first aspect of the present invention provides an electric motor assembly for a vehicle, characterized in that it comprises: a housing defining a cavity having an opening, the cavity being filled with a cooling medium; a rotor and a stator housed in the cavity and at least partially immersed in the cooling medium; a heat transfer system fitted to the opening to close the cavity, and including a main board integrating a plurality of semiconductor heat transfer modules, the main board including a first surface oriented toward the interior of the cavity to contact the cooling medium and a second surface oriented toward the exterior of the cavity; and a battery electrically connected to the main board, wherein the heat transfer system has a cooling mode in which the first surface forms a cold surface and the second surface forms a hot surface to absorb and conduct heat from the cooling medium to the outside air.

[0006] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the heat transfer system further includes a finned block comprising a substrate fitted to the opening to close the chamber, wherein a surface of the substrate oriented toward the interior of the chamber is abutted against a second surface of the main board, and a plurality of fins are integrally extended from a surface of the substrate oriented toward the exterior of the chamber to contact the exterior air.

[0007] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the heat transfer system further includes a heat transfer material layer disposed between the substrate of the main board and the finned block.

[0008] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the cooling mode, the temperature difference between the first surface and the second surface is 40°C to 50°C.

[0009] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the heat transfer system further has a charging mode in which the first surface forms a hot surface and the second surface forms a cold surface, such that the current generated in the heat transfer system charges the battery.

[0010] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the heat transfer system is configured to select the cooling mode when the temperature of the cooling medium is greater than or equal to a temperature threshold, and to select the charging mode when the temperature of the cooling medium is lower than the temperature threshold.

[0011] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, the heat transfer system is configured to automatically connect to the high-pressure circuit or the low-pressure circuit of the vehicle, and to allow selection of the cooling mode or the charging mode in the high-pressure circuit or the low-pressure circuit.

[0012] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of semiconductor heat transfer modules are arranged in a matrix on the motherboard.

[0013] A second aspect of the invention provides a vehicle including an electric motor assembly according to a first aspect of the invention.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the electric motor assembly according to the present invention has several beneficial effects, especially: the main board integrating multiple semiconductor modules is provided, and the heat of the cooling medium is absorbed by the cold surface formed when the main board is powered on, without the need to set an additional heat exchanger for the cooling medium outside the motor housing, thus improving the heat transfer efficiency of the electric motor assembly; in addition, this electric motor assembly has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, has low cost, and can be widely used in various types of vehicles. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Other features and advantages of the invention will be better understood through the following detailed description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar parts.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the location of the electric motor assembly according to the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of one embodiment of the electric motor assembly according to the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the motor assembly;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a 3D view of the mainboard of the motor assembly;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling mode of the motor assembly;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the charging mode of the electric motor assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The implementation and use of specific embodiments are discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of particular ways of implementing and using the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0023] In this specification, the directional expressions used to describe the structural positions of various components, such as "up" and "down," are not absolute but relative. These directional expressions are appropriate when the components are arranged as shown in the figure, but they should be changed accordingly when the positions of the components in the figure change.

[0024] A preferred embodiment of the electric motor assembly D according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the electric motor assembly D of the present invention mainly includes a housing 100, a stator 210, a rotor 220, a heat transfer system 300, and a battery 400. The housing 100 defines a chamber 110 having a bottom opening 120, the chamber 110 being filled with a cooling medium (e.g., cooling oil) 130. The rotor 220 and stator 210 are housed in the chamber 110 and are at least partially immersed in the cooling medium 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the stator 210 is arranged around the rotor 220, and at least the portion of the rotor 220 located below its shaft and a corresponding portion of the stator 210 are immersed in the cooling medium 130.

[0026] The heat transfer system 300 is fitted into the opening 120 to enclose the chamber 110 and includes a main board 310 integrating a plurality of semiconductor heat transfer modules 320. The main board 310 includes a first surface 311 oriented toward the interior of the chamber 110 to contact the cooling medium 130 and a second surface 312 oriented toward the exterior of the chamber 110. The plurality of semiconductor heat transfer modules 320 are arranged, for example, in a matrix on the main board 310.

[0027] Preferably, the heat transfer system 300 further includes a finned block 330, which includes a substrate 331 assembled to the opening 120 to seal the chamber 110 by means of welding, screw connection, etc. The surface of the substrate 331 oriented toward the inside of the chamber 110 is attached to the second surface 312 of the main board 310, and the surface of the substrate 331 oriented toward the outside of the chamber 110 integrally extends a plurality of densely arranged fins 332 that are in contact with the outside air, so as to improve heat dissipation efficiency by increasing the heat dissipation area, so that heat can be transferred from the substrate 331 to the outside air 350 (e.g., ...) more quickly. Figure 4 (As shown).

[0028] Preferably, the heat transfer system 300 further includes a heat transfer material layer 340, such as a thermal pad or thermal adhesive layer, disposed between the main board 310 and the substrate 331 of the finned block 330. The heat transfer material layer 340 can not only distribute heat evenly, but also enhance the adhesion between the main board 310 and the finned block 330, and has a certain resistance to vibration and impact, enabling the heat transfer system 300 to maintain good heat dissipation performance during long-term operation.

[0029] The battery 400 is electrically connected to the motherboard 310. According to the Peltier effect, when current passes through the motherboard 310, which integrates multiple semiconductor heat transfer modules 320, the surface of the motherboard 310 will absorb or release heat due to the energy conversion of the semiconductor material.

[0030] like Figure 4 As shown, the heat transfer system 300 has a cooling mode in which current flows from the positive terminal of the battery 400 to the main board 310. In this mode, the first surface 311 forms a cold surface, and the second surface 312 forms a hot surface, absorbing and conducting the heat from the cooling medium 130 to the external air 350. More specifically, heat from the stator 210 and rotor 220 is transferred to the cooling medium 130 via convection heat transfer, and further transferred to the first surface 311 of the main board 310. Then, heat from the first surface 311 is transferred to the second surface 312 via conduction heat transfer, and further transferred to the fins 332 of the finned block 330. When the vehicle is running, the airflow generated by the vehicle speed allows for rapid conduction of heat from the finned block 330 to the external air 350 via convection heat transfer.

[0031] Preferably, in the cooling mode, when the heat transfer system 300 is powered on, a temperature difference of 40°C to 50°C is formed between the first surface 311 and the second surface 312 of the motherboard 310. For example, when the heat transfer system 300 is powered on, the temperature of the first surface 311 drops to approximately 0°C, and the temperature of the second surface 312 rises to approximately 50°C. Therefore, the temperature of the second surface 312 is significantly higher than the ambient temperature (e.g., approximately 35°C), so that the motor assembly D can achieve a better cooling effect.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, the heat transfer system 300 can also have a charging mode, in which the first surface 311 forms a hot surface and the second surface 312 forms a cold surface, so that the current generated in the heat transfer system 300 can charge the battery 400. For example, in the charging mode, when the heat transfer system 300 is powered on, the temperature of the first surface 311 rises to about 80°C and the temperature of the second surface 312 drops to about 35°C, so that electrons in the motherboard 310 can flow in the opposite direction, and the generated current can flow from the motherboard 310 towards the battery 400 to charge the battery 400.

[0033] Furthermore, the heat transfer system 300 can automatically connect to the vehicle's high-voltage or low-voltage circuit according to the user's needs, and allows selection of cooling or charging modes within the high-voltage or low-voltage circuit. This ensures power matching between the battery 400 and the heat transfer system 300, guaranteeing efficient system operation and effective energy utilization. For example, the battery 400 can be the vehicle's power battery pack, electrically connected to the main board 310 to form a high-voltage circuit; the battery 400 can also be an auxiliary battery, electrically connected to the main board 310 to form a low-voltage circuit.

[0034] For example, when the vehicle is traveling at high speed or accelerating, the electric motor assembly D generates a large amount of heat under high load conditions, and the heat transfer system 300 needs greater power to quickly reduce the motor temperature. An automatic switch determines and controls the heat transfer system 300 to connect to the high-voltage circuit cooling mode to provide higher cooling power.

[0035] Similarly, when the vehicle decelerates or stops, the load on the electric motor assembly D decreases or it is in normal working condition, reducing the required cooling power. The automatic switch then controls the heat transfer system 300 to switch back to the low-pressure circuit cooling mode to save power.

[0036] Preferably, such as Figure 5 As shown, in this motor assembly D, the heat transfer system 300 can be connected to a high-pressure circuit or a low-pressure circuit by setting a converter 410 (e.g., a booster and a buck converter).

[0037] The heat transfer module 30 is preferably configured to select a cooling mode when the temperature of the cooling medium 130 is greater than or equal to a temperature threshold, and to select a charging mode when the temperature of the cooling medium 130 is lower than the temperature threshold. For example, when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the cooling medium 130 is greater than or equal to the temperature threshold (e.g., set to 90°C), the automatic switch controls the heat transfer system 300 to connect to the cooling mode of the high-pressure circuit or the low-pressure circuit; when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the cooling medium 130 is lower than the temperature threshold, the automatic switch controls the heat transfer system 300 to connect to the charging mode of the high-pressure circuit or the low-pressure circuit.

[0038] The technical content and features of the present invention have been disclosed above. However, it is understood that those skilled in the art can make various changes and improvements to the above-disclosed concept under the creative idea of ​​the present invention, but all of these shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0039] The above description of the embodiments is exemplary and not restrictive, and the scope of protection of the present invention is determined by the claims.

Claims

1. An electric motor assembly (D) for a vehicle (V), characterized in that, include: A housing (100) that defines a chamber (110) having an opening (120) and the chamber (110) being filled with a cooling medium (130); A rotor (220) and a stator (210) are housed in the chamber (110) and are at least partially immersed in the cooling medium (130); A heat transfer system (300) is fitted to the opening (120) to close the chamber (110) and includes a main board (310) integrating a plurality of semiconductor heat transfer modules (320), the main board (310) including a first surface (311) oriented toward the interior of the chamber (110) to contact the cooling medium (130) and a second surface (312) oriented toward the exterior of the chamber (110); and A battery (400) is electrically connected to the motherboard (310). The heat transfer system (300) has a cooling mode in which the first surface (311) forms a cold surface and the second surface (312) forms a hot surface to absorb and conduct the heat of the cooling medium (130) into the outside air (350).

2. The motor assembly (D) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat transfer system (300) further includes a finned block (330) comprising a substrate (331) fitted to the opening (120) to close the chamber (110), the surface of the substrate (331) oriented toward the interior of the chamber (110) being attached to a second surface (312) of the main board (310), and the surface of the substrate (331) oriented toward the exterior of the chamber (110) integrally extending a plurality of fins (332) in contact with the exterior air (350).

3. The motor assembly (D) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heat transfer system (300) further includes a heat transfer material layer (340) disposed between the main board (310) and the substrate (331) of the fin block (330).

4. The motor assembly (D) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, In the cooling mode, the temperature difference between the first surface (311) and the second surface (312) is 40°C to 50°C.

5. The motor assembly (D) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The heat transfer system (300) also has a charging mode in which the first surface (311) forms a hot surface and the second surface (312) forms a cold surface, such that the current generated in the heat transfer system (300) charges the battery (400).

6. The motor assembly (D) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The heat transfer system (300) is configured to select the cooling mode when the temperature of the cooling medium (130) is greater than or equal to a temperature threshold, and to select the charging mode when the temperature of the cooling medium (130) is lower than the temperature threshold.

7. The motor assembly (D) according to claim 5, characterized in that, The heat transfer system (300) is configured to automatically connect to the high-pressure circuit or the low-pressure circuit of the vehicle (V), and to allow selection of the cooling mode or the charging mode in the high-pressure circuit or the low-pressure circuit.

8. The motor assembly (D) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The plurality of semiconductor heat transfer modules (320) are arranged in a matrix on the motherboard (310).

9. A vehicle (V) comprising an electric motor assembly (D) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.