Direct Drive Electric Traction Motor Wheel Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicles face inefficiencies in fuel consumption and operational costs, particularly due to the limitations of internal combustion engines, and there is a need for improved traction systems that can efficiently manage energy across various vehicle types and sizes.
Innovation Solution
The development of a direct drive electric traction motor system, where the electric motor is directly attached to the vehicle wheel, allowing for free rotation of the rotor while inhibiting stator rotation, thereby optimizing torque and energy distribution across the operating profile, from startup to cruising speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a direct drive electric motor is attached to the wheel, then fuel consumption is reduced and operational efficiency is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electric motor is directly integrated with the wheel assembly, merging the propulsion system with the wheel structure. This eliminates the need for separate transmission components and reduces overall system complexity while improving fuel efficiency through direct electric drive.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel assembly is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the wheel structure and the motor housing. The stator is mounted directly on the wheel, allowing the wheel to function as both a rolling component and a structural support for the propulsion system.
2Power
If the stator is inhibited from rotating while the rotor rotates freely, then torque management is optimized, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mounting the motor on a fixed chassis and allowing the wheel to rotate independently, the patent inverts the approach by mounting the stator on the rotating wheel itself. The stator is designed to rotate with the wheel while the rotor remains relatively stationary, reversing traditional motor mounting conventions to achieve optimized torque management.
Solution Approach 2:
A bearing assembly serves as an intermediary component between the stator and the wheel hub, allowing the stator to rotate freely with the wheel while maintaining proper alignment. This bearing intermediary reduces the manufacturing precision requirements by providing mechanical tolerance compensation.
3Use of energy by moving object
If electric power is used to replace internal combustion engine, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the adaptability to different vehicle types and sizes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The direct drive electric motor system is designed as a universal solution that can be adapted to various vehicle types and sizes. The wheel-integrated motor design allows for scalability across different applications, from passenger vehicles to heavy-duty trucks, by adjusting motor parameters while maintaining the same fundamental architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric motor system achieves adaptability through parameter changes rather than structural redesign. By adjusting motor power, torque characteristics, and control parameters, the same basic direct drive system can be optimized for different vehicle types and weight classes, maintaining fuel efficiency across diverse applications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces internal combustion engine load and fuel consumption by providing efficient torque and speed management, enhancing vehicle performance and reducing operational costs through the use of electric power generated by the vehicle or trailer, suitable for various vehicle types including passenger vehicles and heavy-duty trucks.
Implementation Method 1
a direct drive electric traction motor configured for direct attachment to the wheel of a vehicle
Implementation Method 2
A bearing assembly may be employed to hold the stator such that concentricity between rotor and stator is sufficiently maintained to allow free rotation of the rotor
Data Source
AI summary
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.