US 12,103,400 B2
In-wheel motor including a torque limiter for limiting a torque between a rotor cover and a connection member
Shin Kurosaki, Toki (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/654,882.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-043166 (JP), filed on Mar. 17, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0297529 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. H02K 1/30 (2006.01); B60K 7/00 (2006.01); H02K 7/00 (2006.01); H02K 7/116 (2006.01)
CPC B60K 7/0007 (2013.01) [H02K 1/30 (2013.01); H02K 7/003 (2013.01); H02K 7/006 (2013.01); H02K 7/116 (2013.01); B60K 2007/0038 (2013.01); B60K 2007/0092 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An in-wheel motor in which an outer-rotor type motor is arranged in a wheel of a vehicle and in which a flange of a support shaft rotated by a torque delivered from the outer-rotor type motor is connected to the wheel, comprising:
a cylindrical stator;
a cylindrical rotor that is arranged around the stator while maintaining a predetermined clearance from an outer circumferential surface of the stator;
a rotor cover that covers an outer circumference of the outer-rotor type motor;
a connection member that connects the rotor cover to the wheel; and
a torque limiter configured to limit a torque transmitted between the rotor cover and the connection member, wherein
the rotor cover comprises:
a cylindrical section in which the rotor is fitted onto an inner circumferential surface, and
a side wall section that extends radially inwardly from an end portion of the cylindrical section at an outboard side in a width direction of the vehicle, bends toward an inboard side at a radially inner side of the stator, and further extends radially inwardly,
the connection member has an annular plate-like shape, and comprises an inner circumferential section fixed to the flange of the support shaft and an outer circumferential section joined to a radially inner end of the side wall section,
the torque limiter comprises a key formed integrally with the outer circumferential section of the connection member in an axial direction while protruding radially outwardly from the outer circumferential section, and a keyway formed in the radially inner end of the side wall section of the rotor cover at a position corresponding to the key of the connection member, and
the key is adapted to limit the torque transmitted between the rotor cover and the connection member by being broken.