Wheel assembly defining a motor/generator

摘要

The present document describes a wheel assembly defining a motor/generator. The wheel assembly comprises a plurality of stator units coaxially provided within a rotor. The stator units comprise a plurality of spokes co-centrically provided around a hub/shaft and a coil provided around at least a portion of the spokes for generating an electrical field. The rotor comprises a plurality of magnets provided on an inner periphery of the rotor facing the spokes. The rotor is rotatably attached to the hub/shaft of the stator for rotating around the stator units when the coils are activated. The coils and/or the stator units may be selectively activated and deactivated to avoid overheating.

主权项

1. A vehicle comprising:
a chassis; a power source; at least one wheel assembly defining a motor, the wheel assembly being attached to the chassis and comprising: two or more wheel shaped stator units, each stator unit having a plurality of spokes co-centrically provided around a hub/shaft, the hub/shaft being attached to the chassis of the vehicle; a coil wrapped around at least some of the spokes for generating a magnetic field; a wheel shaped rotor adapted to receive the stator units therein, the rotor being rotatably attached to the hub/shaft and comprising a plurality of magnets provided on an inner periphery of the rotor facing the spokes, wherein the magnets are arranged so that adjacent magnet poles have opposite magnetic polarities; wherein interaction between magnetic fields generated by the coils and magnetic fields generated by the magnets cause the rotor to rotate around the stator a driver control unit for receiving driving commands; a computer operably connected to the driver control unit for controlling operation of the coils and an intensity of an electric current fed into the coils from the power source in accordance with the driving commands, wherein the coils of each stator unit are activated or deactivated to avoid overheating.