Lubricant supported electric motor with wheel support

Abstract

A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator extending along an axis, and a rotor rotatably disposed around the stator in radially surrounding and spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber. A lubricant is disposed in the support chamber for supporting the rotor around the stator. A wheel rim is fixedly attached to the rotor and is disposed in surrounding relationship with the rotor and the stator. Thus, in a first aspect, rotation of the rotor is directly transferred to the wheel rim such that the wheel rim rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotor. In accordance with another aspect, the rotor is rotatably disposed within the stator, and a planetary gear reduction mechanism is operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lubricant supported electric motor comprising:
 a stator extending along an axis;   a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed around the stator in radially surrounding and spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and rotor;   a lubricant disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor around the stator; and   a wheel rim fixedly attached to the rotor and disposed in surrounding relationship with the rotor and the stator, wherein rotation of the rotor is directly transferred to the wheel rim such that the wheel rim rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotor.   
     
     
         2 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the stator is fixedly attached to an axle extending along the axis and configured for attachment to a vehicle chassis. 
     
     
         3 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a casing fixedly attached to the rotor for rotation therewith, the casing extending axially from the rotor in surrounding relationship with the stator and the axle to define an interior cavity disposed therebetween; and   the interior cavity disposed in fluid communication with the at least one support chamber.   
     
     
         4 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 3 , further comprising a seal extending between the casing and the axle for retaining the lubricant within the interior cavity during rotation of the rotor and the casing. 
     
     
         5 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the stator defines a passageway disposed in fluid communication with the at least one support chamber for introducing the lubricant. 
     
     
         6 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 the axle defining a fluid channel disposed in fluid communication with the passageway; and   a pump disposed in fluid communication with the channel for pumping the lubricant serially through the fluid channel and the passageway to the at least one support chamber.   
     
     
         7 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the axle defines an outlet disposed in fluid communication with the internal cavity and the pump for draining the lubricant from the at least one support chamber and the internal cavity back towards the pump. 
     
     
         8 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the axle defines a wiring channel disposed in communication with the stator for transferring current to the stator. 
     
     
         9 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the pump includes a thermal control mechanism for cooling or heating the lubricant pumped to the support chamber to a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         10 . A lubricant supported electric motor comprising:
 a stator extending along an axis;   a rotor extending along the axis and rotatably disposed radially within the stator in spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber extending between the stator and rotor;   a lubricant disposed in the at least one support chamber for supporting the rotor within the stator;   a wheel rim disposed in radially surrounding relationship with the stator and the rotor; and   a planetary gear reduction mechanism operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator.   
     
     
         11 . A lubricant supported motor as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the planetary gear reduction mechanism includes a sun gear disposed along the axis, a plurality of a planet gears engaged with and circumferentially disposed around the sun gear, and a ring gear engaged with and circumferentially disposed around the planet gears; and wherein the rotor is interconnected with the sun gear, the stator is interconnected with the plurality of planet gears, and the wheel rim is interconnected with the ring gear to establish the operable interconnection of the planetary gear reduction mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a planet carrier interconnected to the stator and defining a plurality of pins disposed in circumferentially fixed relationship about the axis, and   each of the plurality of planet gears rotatably supported by one of the plurality of pins to establish the operable connection between the stator and the plurality of planet gears.   
     
     
         13 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the planet carrier includes an inner body portion disposed within the wheel rim in axially aligned relationship with the rotor and the stator and an outer body portion disposed axially outside of and in spaced relationship with the inner body portion, and each of the plurality of pins extending between the inner and outer body portions. 
     
     
         14 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the inner body portion is disposed radially between the stator and the wheel rim. 
     
     
         15 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the outer body portion is fixedly attached to a vehicle chassis. 
     
     
         16 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 13 , where the stator defines at least one passageway disposed in fluid communication with the at least one support chamber, the planet carrier defines at least one channel extending through the plurality of pins and disposed in fluid communication with the at least one passageway, and a pump disposed in fluid communication with the at least one channel for pumping the lubricant serially through the at least one channel and the at least one passageway to the support chamber. 
     
     
         17 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising a seal extending between the ring gear and the outer body portions of the planet carrier for retaining the lubricant within the support chamber. 
     
     
         18 . A lubricant supported electric motor as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the inner body portion of the planet carrier is disposed in spaced relationship with the wheel rim to define an outer gap, and the at least one passageway of the stator is disposed in fluid communication with the outer gap to deliver the lubricant to the outer gap in addition to the support chamber.