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EP-4742512-A1 - A PROPULSION UNIT AND AIR MOBILITY APPARATUS

EP4742512A1EP 4742512 A1EP4742512 A1EP 4742512A1EP-4742512-A1

Abstract

A propulsion unit of an air mobility apparatus includes a stator, a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator, and an inverter disposed radially inward relative to the stator in a radial direction of the stator and electrically connected to the stator. The propulsion unit further includes a propeller connected to the rotor and a cooling housing that is disposed adjacent to the stator and the inverter and that includes a cooling channel, the cooling housing being in contact with at least one component of the inverter.

Inventors

  • LEE, SUNG HO
  • JUN, HYUN WOO
  • LEE, JAE JOON
  • YOO, HOAN JU
  • LEE, DONG SU
  • HWANG, YUN KYUNG
  • CHOI, JONG HUN
  • LEE, HONG WOOK
  • JEUN, JAE YOUNG
  • SHIN, KWON SU
  • AN, JEONG UK
  • LIM, KI TACK
  • JANG, YONG SOK
  • YEO, KYUNG KU
  • Kim, Chee Mann
  • LEE, KYUNG JUN
  • Lee, Kam Chun

Assignees

  • Hyundai Motor Company
  • Kia Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251013

Claims (17)

  1. A propulsion unit comprising: a stator; a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator; and an inverter disposed radially inward relative to the stator in a radial direction of the stator and electrically connected to the stator.
  2. The propulsion unit of claim 1, wherein the stator is disposed radially outward relative to the rotor.
  3. The propulsion unit of claim 1, further comprising: a cooling housing that is disposed adjacent to the stator and the inverter and that includes a cooling channel, the cooling housing being in contact with at least one component of the inverter.
  4. The propulsion unit of claim 3, wherein the cooling housing comprises: a hub; a rim portion that is disposed at an outside of the hub in the radial direction and defines the cooling channel; and an arm that connects the hub to the rim portion.
  5. The propulsion unit of claim 4, wherein one side of the at least one component of the inverter is in contact with the rim portion, and wherein the inverter further comprises a substrate that is in contact with another side of the at least one component of the inverter.
  6. The propulsion unit of claim 5, wherein the at least one component is fixed to an inner surface of the rim portion.
  7. An air mobility apparatus comprising a propulsion unit, wherein the propulsion unit comprises: a propeller; a stator; a rotor connected to the propeller and configured to rotate relative to the stator; an inverter electrically connected to the stator; and a cooling housing that is disposed adjacent to the stator and the inverter and that includes a cooling channel, the cooling housing being in contact with at least one component of the inverter.
  8. The air mobility apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cooling housing comprises: a hub; a rim portion that is disposed at an outside of the hub and defines the cooling channel; and an arm that connects the hub to the rim portion.
  9. The air mobility apparatus of claim 8, wherein one side of the at least one component of the inverter is in contact with the rim portion, and wherein the inverter further comprises a substrate that is in contact with another side of the at least one component of the inverter.
  10. The air mobility apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one component is fixed to an inner surface of the rim portion.
  11. The air mobility apparatus of claim 7, wherein the inverter is one of a first inverter and a second inverter that are are provided at separate circuits and configured to operate independently.
  12. The air mobility apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first inverter is disposed at a first side of a reference line passing through a center of the rotor, and wherein the second inverter is disposed at a second side of the reference line opposite to the first side.
  13. The air mobility apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first inverter and the second inverter are disposed symmetrically with respect to the reference line.
  14. The air mobility apparatus of claim 7, wherein the stator and the inverter overlap with each other in a radial direction of the stator.
  15. The air mobility apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cooling channel is one of a plurality of cooling channels that are defined in the cooling housing and positioned between the stator and the inverter in the radial direction.
  16. The air mobility apparatus of claim 15, wherein the inverter is positioned radially between an axial center of the propeller and the stator.
  17. The air mobility apparatus of claim 7, wherein the inverter is disposed radially inward relative to the stator in a radial direction of the stator, and wherein the stator is disposed radially outward relative to the rotor in the radial direction.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an air mobility apparatus, and more particularly, to an air mobility apparatus including a propulsion unit. BACKGROUND An air mobility apparatus is a transportation means capable of transporting people or cargo over a city and flying using a propulsion unit. In some cases, the propulsion unit of the air mobility apparatus may include a drive unit including a motor and an inverter that supplies electric power to the motor. In some cases, the motor may include a stator and a rotor connected to a shaft, where the shaft is connected to the propeller. The rotor may rotate by electromagnetic interaction with the stator, and as the rotor rotates, the shaft and propeller may rotate. In some cases, where the motor does not have a space therein, an inverter may be separately built and assembled to the motor. The inverter separately built from the motor, may increase a size of the propulsion unit. In some cases, where the motor and the inverter are positioned apart from each other, a path connecting the motor and the inverter may become lengthy. In some cases, in order to cool the inverter, an additional cooling unit, in addition to a cooling unit of the motor, may be provided, which may lead to structural complexity of the propulsion unit and an increase of a size of the propulsion unit. SUMMARY According to one aspect of the subject matter described in this application, a propulsion unit includes a stator, a rotor configured to rotate relative to the stator, and an inverter disposed radially inward relative to the stator in a radial direction of the stator and electrically connected to the stator. Implementations according to this aspect can include one or more of the following features. For example, the propulsion unit can include a cooling housing that is disposed adjacent to the stator and the inverter and that includes a cooling channel, the cooling housing being in contact with at least one component of the inverter. In some examples, the stator can be disposed radially outward relative to the rotor. In some implementations, the cooling housing can include a hub, a rim portion that is disposed at an outside of the hub in the radial direction and defines the cooling channel, and an arm that connects the hub to the rim portion. In some examples, one side of the at least one component of the inverter is in contact with the rim portion, and the inverter can further include a substrate that is in contact with another side of the at least one component of the inverter. In some examples, the at least one component can be fixed to an inner surface of the rim portion. According to another aspect, an air mobility apparatus includes a propulsion unit, where the propulsion unit includes a propeller, a stator, a rotor connected to the propeller and configured to rotate relative to the stator, an inverter electrically connected to the stator, and a cooling housing that is disposed adjacent to the stator and the inverter and that includes a cooling channel, the cooling housing being in contact with at least one component of the inverter. Implementations according to this aspect can include one or more of the following features. For example, the cooling housing can include a hub, a rim portion that is disposed at an outside of the hub and defines the cooling channel, and an arm that connects the hub to the rim portion. In some examples, one side of the at least one component of the inverter can be in contact with the rim portion, and the inverter can further include a substrate that is in contact with another side of the at least one component of the inverter. In some examples, the at least one component can be fixed to an inner surface of the rim portion. In some implementations, the inverter is one of a first inverter and a second inverter that are provided at separate circuits and configured to operate independently. In some examples, the first inverter can be disposed at a first side of a reference line passing through a center of the rotor, and the second inverter can be disposed at a second side of the reference line opposite to the first side. In some examples, the first inverter and the second inverter can be disposed symmetrically with respect to the reference line. In some examples, the stator and the inverter overlap with each other in a radial direction of the stator. In some implementations, the cooling channel can be one of a plurality of cooling channels that are defined in the cooling housing and positioned between the stator and the inverter in the radial direction. In some examples, the inverter can be positioned radially between an axial center of the propeller and the stator. In some examples, the stator can be disposed radially outward relative to the rotor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing example imp