US 12,240,599 B2
Systems and methods for lifter motor cooling in EVTOL aircraft
Karthik Kumar Bodla, Houston, TX (US); Bharat Tulsyan, San Jose, CA (US); Christopher M. Heath, Avon, OH (US); Kerry Manning, Parker, CO (US); and Alan D. Tepe, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to Archer Aviation Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Archer Aviation, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/163,372.
Application 18/163,372 is a continuation of application No. 18/055,268, filed on Nov. 14, 2022, granted, now 11,613,350.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/378,680, filed on Oct. 7, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0116627 A1, Apr. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. B64C 29/00 (2006.01); B64D 33/08 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 29/0033 (2013.01) [B64D 33/08 (2013.01)] 44 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
31. A propeller apparatus for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, comprising:
a propeller;
a support structure of the VTOL aircraft;
an electric engine mounted to the support structure and configured to rotate the propeller, the electric engine being located within an enclosure;
a first heat transfer element that is thermally coupled to the electric engine, wherein at least part of the first heat transfer element is located external to the enclosure;
a first air inlet for a first cooling path and a second air inlet for a second cooling path located at an upper side of the support structure, wherein the first air inlet and the second air inlet are each configured to receive downwash from the propeller during a lift phase;
the first cooling path configured to direct a first portion of the downwash from the first air inlet to the first heat transfer element;
the second cooling path configured to direct a second portion of the downwash from the second air inlet to a second heat transfer element that is thermally coupled to the electric engine; and
a first air outlet configured to exhaust the first portion of the downwash from the first heat transfer element.