Electric Motor Venting Layout to Keep Respiratory Membranes Dry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing configurations that use cooling liquids in electric motors face issues with reduced air permeability due to liquid impregnation in respiratory membranes, leading to increased part count and case size, and separate covers increase costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An electric motor unit design that incorporates a gas passage with a respiratory membrane allowing air passage, featuring a cooling device that injects liquid towards the stator, and interposes electrical components like bus bar groups between the cooling device's injection port and the gas passage opening to prevent liquid impregnation, using the electrical components as barriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional motor unit with separate mounting is used, then the motor can be easily replaced, but the overall vehicle assembly complexity increases and installation space is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The motor unit combines the motor (10) and generator (20) into a single integrated assembly that mounts to the vehicle frame as one unit. The motor and generator are positioned adjacent to each other with shared mounting structures, eliminating the need for separate mounting brackets and fasteners for each component, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining replaceability.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor unit serves multiple functions simultaneously - the motor (10) provides propulsion while the generator (20) provides electrical power generation. This multi-functional integration allows a single assembly to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate components, reducing overall assembly complexity without sacrificing functionality or ease of replacement.
2Ease of operation
If separate mounting brackets and fasteners are used for motor and generator, then individual component installation is simplified, but the overall installation time and fastener quantity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The motor unit uses a unified mounting structure where the motor (10) and generator (20) share common mounting brackets and fasteners. This consolidation reduces the total number of fasteners required and eliminates the need for separate mounting operations, thereby reducing installation time while maintaining ease of assembly through standardized interfaces.
3Area of stationary object
If the motor and generator are mounted far from each other, then each component has sufficient mounting space, but the vehicle assembly space is excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The motor unit arranges the motor (10) and generator (20) in a compact configuration where components are positioned adjacent to each other and partially interlocked. The generator is positioned with its drive end facing the motor, allowing the components to nest together efficiently, minimizing the overall volume occupied while providing adequate space for mounting operations and maintenance access.
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 design effectively suppresses cooling liquid impregnation into the respiratory membrane, maintaining air permeability and reducing part count and cost without increasing the case size, while efficiently cooling the motor components.
Implementation Method 1
a motor (10) having an input shaft (11) and a drive shaft (12) that is driven by the motor (10)
Implementation Method 2
a generator (20) having an armature shaft (21) and a field shaft (22)
Data Source
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AI summary
An electric motor unit includes: a case; a stator accommodated in the case; a rotor which is rotatably held inside the stator; a rotation shaft which is provided in the rotor and is rotatably supported by the case; a cooling device which injects a cooling liquid toward the stator; a gas passage which has a respiratory membrane that allows air to pass through and penetrates from an inner wall surface to an outer wall surface of the case; and a predetermined electrical component arranged between an injection port of the cooling device and an inner wall surface side opening of the gas passage