US 12,463,496 B2
Self-contained bearing and wireless power transmission device
Mathieu Hubert, Ann Arbor, MI (US); David Christopher Rybski, White Lake, MI (US); Gene A Kovacs, Brighton, MI (US); and William Robert George, Ypsilanti, MI (US)
Assigned to AKTIEBOLAGET SKF, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed by AKTIEBOLAGET SKF, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed on Mar. 6, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/596,727.
Prior Publication US 2025/0286429 A1, Sep. 11, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02K 5/173 (2006.01); B60K 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02K 5/1732 (2013.01) [B60K 7/0007 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bearing assembly with a power transmission device for transmitting electric power from a battery to an electric motor, the motor having a housing, an outer stator connected with the housing and an inner rotor mounted to a shaft, disposed within the stator and rotatable around a central axis extending through the shaft, the rotor having at least one electromagnetic coil, the bearing assembly comprising:
an annular carrier connectable with the housing and having a bore;
an outer ring disposed within the bore of the carrier and having an outer raceway and a transmitter coil spaced axially from the outer raceway, the transmitter coil being electrically connectable with the battery and configured to generate an electromagnetic field when current flows through the transmitter coil;
an inner ring disposable around the shaft and having an inner raceway and a receiver coil spaced axially from the inner raceway so as to be inductively coupled with the transmitter coil such that electric current is generated within the receiver coil when current flows through the transmitter coil, the receiver coil being electrically connectable with the at least one electromagnetic coil of the rotor such that electric current flows from receiver coil to the electromagnetic coil; and
a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the outer raceway and the inner raceway and rotatably coupling the outer ring with the inner ring to thereby couple the rotor shaft with the housing.