Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Tienli Wang

Michael W Degner

Edward Chan-Jiun Jih

Guangyin Lei

Prasad Dev Hanumalagutti

Jun Kikuchi

Ming Su

A vehicle electric machine may include a stator having end windings extending axially from the stator. A rotor may be disposed within the stator and including an endcap having an outer face defining outlets and a furrowed outer periphery with an edge configured to distribute coolant released from the outlets onto the outer face to different axial locations of the end windings during rotation. The furrowed outer periphery may taper toward an in inner flat portion. The outlets may be contained within the inner flat portion. The furrowed outer periphery may be symmetric about any axis perpendicular to and passing through an axis of rotation of the rotor. The outer face may further define channels extending from the outlets to the edge. The channels may be recessed in the outer face. The furrowed outer periphery may define concentric circumferential ridges.

Electric machine rotor endcap

A vehicle power module assembly including a stacked array of module frames, a manifold, and a pair of endplates is provided. The stacked array of module frames may each define a passthrough in registration with other of the passthroughs to define a manifold cavity, a power stage cavity, and a plurality of outlets open to the respective passthroughs and oriented relative to the power stage cavities to deliver coolant therebetween. The manifold may be disposed within the manifold cavity and defines a manifold inlet open to an inlet chamber and manifold ports for alignment with the plurality of outlets. One of the endplates may define an inlet open to the manifold inlet and another one of the endplates may define an outlet open to a manifold outlet. The inlets, outlets, and ports are arranged with one another to provide a coolant path between the endplate inlet and endplate outlet.

Power module assembly and manifold

A power-module assembly includes a plurality of power modules that each have a power stage with opposing major sides and minor sides surrounded by a frame. The frame extends past the major sides and cooperates with the major sides to define pockets on each side of the power module. The modules are arranged in a stack such that pockets adjacent to each other cooperate to form coolant chambers interleaved with the modules.

Power-module assembly for a vehicle

A vehicle power module assembly including an array of frames each defining a passthrough and step is provided. The frames may be stacked such that the passthroughs are in at least partial registration with one another and the steps align to define an inlet manifold having first and second chambers extending a length of the array. The chambers may be partially open to one another such that the steps influence a momentum of coolant traveling from the first to the second chamber. A pair of endplates may be disposed on either end of the array and configured to retain the frames therebetween. Each of the frames may further define a pair of channels and may be arranged with one another to define a power stage cavity therebetween. A power stage may be disposed within the power stage cavity.

A vehicle power module assembly is provided. The vehicle power module assembly may include a multi-level housing defining first and second chambers, an inlet opening into the first chamber, and an outlet opening from the second chamber. The housing may be configured such that the chambers form a stepped manifold to influence momentum of a coolant flow between the inlet and outlet. A frame may support the housing and is located proximate to at least one power inverter. A screen may be disposed in at least one of the chambers to promote coolant flow uniformity to the outlet. The frame assembly may include a plurality of frames stacked in an array, and each frame may define a channel in at least partial registration with the outlet.

Vehicle power module assemblies and manifolds

A power inverter includes a plurality of power modules stacked in an array. A plurality of coolant chambers are interleaved with the modules. Each of the chambers includes an inlet and an outlet interconnected by a coolant path configured to circulate coolant within the chamber. Fins project into the coolant path and are configured to alter shape based on a temperature of the coolant to alter a turbulence associated with the coolant.

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Troy, MI, United States of America

Tienli Wang