Drive Housing with Shared Cooling Channels for Stator and Gearbox

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric drive systems require separate cooling circuits for the stator and gearbox, necessitating additional material and space.

Innovation Solution

A single cooling circuit is integrated into the housing, with separate channels for the stator and gearbox, allowing shared cooling medium flow through interconnected channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate housings are produced for the stator and rotor, then assembly flexibility is improved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the stator housing and rotor housing into a single integrated housing structure that encloses both the stator and rotor assemblies. This merging eliminates the need to produce and assemble separate housings, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the ability to accommodate different stator and rotor configurations through modular internal design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single housing structure serves multiple functions: it encloses the stator assembly, encloses the rotor assembly, provides mounting surfaces for both components, and facilitates heat dissipation for the entire drive system. This multi-functional design improves assembly flexibility while simplifying manufacturing compared to producing specialized separate housings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate housings are produced for the stator and rotor, then customization options are improved, but production time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomization optionsVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is designed with segmented or modular features that allow different stator and rotor assemblies to be installed within the single housing structure. This segmentation enables customization options for different drive configurations while maintaining a unified housing that can be produced in fewer steps, thereby reducing production time compared to manufacturing multiple separate housings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If the drive system is pre-assembled before housing, then alignment precision is improved, but handling difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidhandling difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent provides mounting surfaces and attachment features on the housing structure that enable precise alignment of the stator and rotor assemblies during the housing assembly process. By incorporating alignment features directly into the housing design, the system achieves high alignment precision without requiring the stator and rotor to be pre-assembled as a complete unit, thereby reducing handling difficulty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4126577B1Housing for a drive system, and method for producing a housing for a drive system
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP4126577B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4126577B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4126577B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a housing for drive system, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising: a first housing portion for receiving a stator of the drive system; and a second housing portion for receiving a transmission arrangement, a first coolant channel for cooling the stator being formed in or on the first housing portion, and a second coolant channel for cooling the transmission arrangement being formed in or on the second housing portion, and the first coolant channel being fluidically connected to the second coolant channel such that a coolant can be conducted through the first coolant channel into the second coolant channel.