US 12,480,576 B2
Lubrication and cooling system for rotatable components
Michael Abosch, San Francisco, CA (US); Emad Dlala, Pleasanton, CA (US); Barnaby James Gerard Lewis, San Francisco, CA (US); Mohammad Mahmoudi, Fremont, CA (US); Azat Suleimenov, Santa Clara, CA (US); Michael Tebbe, Hayward, CA (US); Balazs Palfai, Newark, CA (US); Jiajun Wu, San Jose, CA (US); Richard J. Biskup, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Jeremy Mayer, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to Atieva, Inc., Newark, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/705,057
Filed by Atieva, Inc., Newark, CA (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 6, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/077668
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 26, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/076798, PCT Pub. Date May 4, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/263,150, filed on Oct. 27, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2025/0012352 A1, Jan. 9, 2025
Int. Cl. F16H 57/04 (2010.01)
CPC F16H 57/0483 (2013.01) [F16H 57/043 (2013.01); F16H 57/0471 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fluid flow system for a rotatable shaft assembly, the fluid flow system comprising:
a first fluid flow device configured to be coupled in a first portion of a rotatable shaft, wherein an output shaft extends inside the rotatable shaft, the first fluid flow device including at least one physical feature configured to retain fluid in the rotatable shaft and guide a flow of the fluid in an axial direction in the rotatable shaft;
a second fluid flow device configured to be coupled in a second portion of the rotatable shaft, spaced axially apart from the first fluid flow device, the second fluid flow device including at least one physical feature configured to guide the flow of the fluid axially through the rotatable shaft, from the first fluid flow device toward the second fluid flow device, wherein the fluid is discharged along at least one discharge path from the rotatable shaft;
wherein the first fluid flow device includes:
a wall portion with an opening formed in a central portion thereof, the wall portion defining a first physical feature of the first fluid flow device;
a rim portion extending from a circumferential portion of the wall portion, the rim portion defining a mating surface configured to be coupled to a mating surface of the rotatable shaft such that the first fluid flow device rotates together with the rotatable shaft; and
a plurality of baffles arranged circumferentially along the rim portion and corresponding portions of the wall portion, the plurality of baffles defining a second physical feature of the first fluid flow device; and
wherein the second fluid flow device includes:
a wall portion with an opening formed in a central portion thereof;
a rim portion extending from a circumferential portion of the wall portion, defining a mating surface configured to be coupled to a mating surface of the rotatable shaft such that the second fluid flow device rotates together with the rotatable shaft;
a plurality of baffles arranged circumferentially along the rim portion and corresponding portions of the wall portion, the plurality of baffles defining a first physical feature of the second fluid flow device; and
a plurality of channels formed in the wall portion, in fluid communication with the opening, the plurality of channels defining a second physical feature of the second fluid flow device.