Tesla, Inc.

Benjamin Dellal

Scott Michael Graves

Eric Bellemare

Luke Ottaway

Bozhi Yang

Alexander Hain

Leif E Olsen

Lev Fedoseyev

Tomas Vianna Martins

Ethan Swint

Yufei Zhu

Diego Alberto Silva Rodriguez

An electric pump system and method of operating the same involves pumping a fluid through a fluid passageway defined in a mechanical pump from a pump inlet to a hollow shaft of a motor, through the hollow shaft to an internal motor cavity defined by a housing of the motor, and through another fluid passageway defined in the motor housing and mechanical pump that leads to a pump outlet. The system and method further involve pumping the fluid through another fluid passageway defined in the mechanical pump from yet another pump inlet to the pump outlet. The temperature of fluid exiting the hollow shaft can be assessed and used by an electronic control unit (ECU) of the electric pump system to control the same. The electric pump system can be part of a cooling and lubrication system for an electric vehicle transmission, gearbox, differential or transfer case, for example.

Electric pump system and method with hollow shaft and temperature sensor

An electric drive unit and method of assembling the same is disclosed. The electric drive unit includes a rotor having a rotor shaft, and gear shaft, where the rotor shaft is inserted into the gear shaft. The gear shaft is supported by two bearings, while the rotor shaft supported directly at one end by a bearing and at the other by the gear shaft. A wave spring is also disclosed that provides an axial loading to the rotor shaft. Also disclosed is a balancing ring secured to an end of the rotor via a locknut. The balancing ring can be machined in order to balance the rotor. The rotor shaft can be connected to the gear shaft via a spline connection. The rotor shaft can bear against the gear shaft via a pilot journal and pilot bore defined on the rotor shaft and gear shaft respectively.

Electric drive unit with gear shaft, rotor shaft and three bearings

Electric pump system and method

Method of making an electric drive unit having a gear shaft and rotor shaft with three bearings

An electric motor includes a case, a stator that includes end-windings, a rotor coupled to the case via at least one rotor bearing, at least one drive motor fluid pump, and drive motor electronics. The rotor includes a hollow cylindrical body, a first shaft portion, and a second shaft portion, a fluid feed tube having a fluid receive end and a fluid feed end, the fluid feed end extending into the hollow cylindrical body, and a plurality of fluid exit ports. The drive motor electronics power the stator with or without causing rotation of the rotor. The drive motor fluid pump pumps fluid into the hollow cylindrical body via the fluid feed tube, pumps the fluid out of the plurality of fluid ports, and onto the stator end-windings to collect heat from the rotor and the stator. The heated fluid may be used for heating a battery.

Electric motor waste heat mode to heat battery

Systems and method for cooling and lubricating power transmission systems include providing oil to an oil tube and then to a rotor shaft via the oil tube. Oil may also be provided through at least one channel defined in an end of the oil tube inserted into an annular region of the rotor shaft, through at least one channel defined in an end of the gear shaft and between the end and a shoulder of the rotor shaft and through at least one channel defined in side surface of the rotor shaft in a region of rotor shaft inserted into the gear shaft. Such systems and method can also include providing oil a fluid passageway in a bearing shim plate via an inlet tube. Oil may also be provided through a radial gap adjacent a bearing shim plate outlet and chamber defined in the bearing shim plate.

Electric drive unit cooling and lubrication system with bearing shims and rotor shaft channel

Electric drive unit with gear shaft and rotor shaft

An electric motor includes a case, a stator that includes a stator laminaiton and end-windings, a rotor coupled to the case via at least one rotor bearing. The rotor includes a hollow cylindrical body, a first shaft portion, and a second shaft portion. The hollow cylindrical body includes an inner wall, an outer wall, a first distal end, and a second distal end. The first shaft portions couples to the first distal end and the second shaft portion couples to the second distal end. The second shaft portion includes a fluid feed tube formed therewith having a fluid receive end and a fluid feed end, the fluid feed end extending to a central inner portion of the hollow cylindrical body. A plurality of fluid exit ports adjacent the first distal end and the second distal end of the hollow cylindrical body spray fluid onto components of the stator.

Electric motor heating/cooling system

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Benjamin Dellal