INTERNALLY

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to an electric hub motor assembly for fitting within a wheel hub of a vehicle for easy dismounting of the axle of the wheel from the vehicle frame. This invention more particularly relates to a hub motor assembly for fitting within a wheel hub of vehicles with one or more wheels, like those of monowheel, bike variants, scooty variants, scooter variants with a few seats, of two wheelers; auto rickshaws for personal and goods transport, and little heavier duties tempo, and the like of three wheelers, or five wheelers for easy dismounting of the axle of the wheel from the vehicle frame. This invention most particularly relates to a hub motor assembly for fitting within a wheel hub of front wheel of a bike or scooter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Over a period of time, it has been realized that use of fuel oils relates to generation of carbon dioxide. It has been agreed by many countries to reduce the environmental increase in carbon dioxide, hence it is necessary to move away from use of coal, fuel oils in the vehicles. In this direction various alternatives are being searched constantly. Use of fuel cells generating hydrogen gas, use of solar power, and use of electric power are being tried out. The use of battery operated electric motor has been the presently the most practicable replacement for the fuel oils petrol or diesel powered engine vehicles, particularly in two wheelers and three wheelers, and to some extent in four wheelers. Heavy duty vehicles for cargoes are also being slowly looking for alternatives. Electrical power is considered as clean environmentally green, and electric motors are used in all mobile vehicles like propellers of ships, fans of helicopters, engines of airplanes. Thus to drive the wheel of a vehicle by electric power, battery operated brushless DC (BLDC) motors are employed. In case of bikes, scooters, the wheel is mounted in the two arms of the fork or shock absorbers and the motor driving the wheel is mounted within the wheel hub. These are also called hub motors. When the wheel axle is same as that of the hub motor, the wheel and vehicle is compact. The hub motors is preferably fixed on the front wheel also called as a driving wheel, in the two or three wheeler vehicles. For speed control some hub-motors have gear system, and some are without gear system. With the advances in the electronic systems, speed control by electric power control is preferred over that by employment of gear systems.

The hybrid bikes or scooters have fuel engine on rear wheel, and power driven wheel in the front provides additional advantage of charging the battery, when the vehicle is running on the fueL Generally fuels used are diesel oil; petroleum, compressed natural gas (CNG); kerosene; ethanol mixed petroleum fractions.

Many a time there is a need to remove the wheel from the fork holding the wheel of the vehicle like bike, scooter, for servicing, repairs etc. However, that is not easy because the wheel axle is fixed to the frame in the two arms of the fork on either side of the wheel known as shock absorbers. There is therefore a long felt need to devise means to easily separate the wheel from the fork of the vehicle as and when required.

There is no prior art addressing this problem of easily detaching a wheel from the frame of the vehicle like bike or scooter, when the axle of the rotor of the hub-motor inside the wheel is also the axle of the wheel. Some relevant prior art is given below.

US 8950531 describes a hub-motor with rotor at the center and stator on the periphery, wherein the rotor rotates around the fixed axle using roller bearings, and thereby rotates the rotating case member of the hub-motor through a gear system. Preventive measures to reduce the wear and tear of the centrally fixed hub axle are emphasized. The flanges of the rotating member are connected to the bicycle tire by spokes. The two ends of the axle are fitted in the front ends of the two arms of the bicycle fork. The stator is fitted to the non-rotatable case-member of the hub motor which is firmly fixed to the axle. The axle of the hub-motor is fitted in the fork ends of the bicycle with nuts but it would not be easy to dismount the wheel from the bicycle, as and when required.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the invention is to devise an electric hub motor assembly for use in a vehicle for easily dismounting or mounting the wheel from the frame of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to make the device applicable to a wide range and different types of vehicles with simple modifications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

We have designed a detachable axle electric hub motor assembly for mounting internally in a wheel hub for driving a vehicle having at least one wheel, comprising

i. means to hold the stator steady in respect of the frame of the vehicle allowing the rotor to rotate a wheel at controlled speed

ii. means to detach and reattach the said wheel as and when required by releasing the axle from the frame thereby dismounting the hub motor and the wheel from the vehicle and iii. means for driving the vehicle through vehicle controls which control the power feed to the hub motor without the use of any gears. In one embodiment of the invention means to detach and reattach the said wheel as and when required releasing the said wheel along with the said hub motor is done by using a hollow shaft over the main axle shaft of the wheel, and mounting the stator of the said motor around it and further detachably clamping this hollow shaft to one arm of the fork. The means to hold the said stator steady in respect of the frame of the vehicle, comprises mounting the stator around the hollow cylinder with a central cavity for passing main axle through it into two arms of the frame on either side of the wheel and detachably locking the said hollow shaft, on one side arm.

In this embodiment the hollow shaft is clamped to the Telescopic Shock Absorbers (hereinafter referred to as TSA) with the help of a T plate fixed on it. And a C clamp fixed on the TSA. Thus the hollow cylindrical shaft is detachably locked on one side arm with the help of a T plate on the surface of the hollow cylinder enabling to clamp it with a C clamp fitted on that side arm of the vehicle frame when the side arms are of telescopic type shock absorbers.

The two ends of the main axle passing through the central cavity of the hollow cylinder and the two arms of the vehicle holding the wheel are detachably fixed by nut-bolt method.

The rotor is on the periphery of the stator. The cover plates on the two sides of the motor are screwed to the rotor. The external periphery of the rim of the rotor welded to the rim of tyre. The rotor and the side cover plates rotate around the hollow shaft axle on the bearings on it, and rotate the wheel on passing the current in the stator. The batteries and control box are fitted separately on the suitable position on the vehicle. The control box has sensors and host of electronic circuits for the functioning of the whole unit. Variations made in the throttle position by the rider responses by drawing corresponding amount of power from the battery pack and the entire system responds to the changes made by the rider and the motor speed varies by twisting the throttle. In this embodiment appropriate current is provided to the stator through wires from a battery pack going through a programmed control box having sensors and various other printed circuits connected to the ergonomically placed vehicle controls operated by the rider, finally passing the wires through the second cavity in the hollow cylinder to the stator fixed on the hollow cylinder.

In another embodiment of Spring Shock Absorbers (hereinafter called as SSA) version a means of clamping the hollow cylindrical shaft to the one arm of the SSA is achieved by providing an arc at the edge of the hollow cylindrical shaft projecting out of the cover plate.

The present invention is an electric hub motor assembly of electrical power driven wheel (preferably front driving wheel) which is to be held into and released easily from the two fork- members (shock absorbers) of a vehicle by releasing the main axle from the two forks of the vehicle and for charging the battery when the vehicle is running on fuel engine driving another wheel of the vehicle. The hub motor assembly comprises of a hollow cylindrical shaft having two cavities which is detachably attached to a shock absorber through T plates and C clamps or a C shaped arc on one of the surface edge of the hollow cylindrical shaft. An axle passing through the central cavity of the hollow cylindrical shaft is the main axle detachably fixed on two fork- members (shock absorbers) meant for holding the wheel. A T plate that is fixedly mounted on hollow shaft and also C clamps or C shaped arc that are detachably mounted on one shock absorber for holding and releasing T plate, thereby releasing the wheel on detaching the main axle.

The present invention also comprises of a stator that is fixedly mounted on hollow cylindrical shaft; driving the rotor on receiving current through wires passing through the second cavity of the hollow cylindrical shaft from a control unit and battery. The cover plates rotationally mounted on the centre shaft; supporting the rotor of the motor carrying the wheel on it; joined to each other by the rotor. The rotor with the rim of the wheel is fixed on its circumference on which is mounted the tyre of the wheel. The rotor being fitted on the cover plates supported by ball bearings on the hollow cylindrical shaft rotates and drives the wheel in both direction and desired speed without any gear system, as per controlled current provided in the stator.

The present invention also has a central processing unit comprising a controller, battery pack connected to the vehicle controls and to the stator thereby driving the vehicle without any gear system as per the forward and backward directions of the rider. The battery pack and the control box are placed at a suitable place on the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1: Schematic diagram of the hub motor assembly of one embodiment of the invention

Fig 2: Exploded Cross section diagram of one embodiment of the invention across the axle 7 - 7a of Fig 1

Fig 3 (a, b, c): Telescopic Shock Absorbers (TSA) Locking Mechanism

Fig 4 (a, b): Spring Shock Absorbers (SSA) Locking Mechanism

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One means to hold the stator firmly fixed in respect of the frame of the vehicle, as disclosed in this invention comprises mounting the stator around the hollow shaft and a detachable locking system that clamps the hollow shaft on one side of the stator to the arm on that side of the shock absorber such as Telescopic Shock Absorbers (TSA) and Spring Shock Absorbers (SSA) of the wheel of the vehicle. Another means to hold the stator firmly fixed in respect of the frame of the vehicle, as disclosed in this invention comprises mounting the stator around the hollow shaft and inserting the end of the hollow shaft having the peripheral C shaped arc into end of the SSA on that side.

Both systems in general can have different designs of detachably fixing the hollow shaft directly to the suspension absorbers (TSA or SSA). Designs used in the embodiments are illustrated in Fig. 3 and 4.

The means to detach and reattach the wheel as disclosed in this invention comprises provision of a hollow shaft over the detachable axle fitted in the shock absorbers of the vehicle, and locking and provision for locking and locking the hollow shaft from the frame of the vehicle, and provision of detaching the central solid axle fitted in the frame by the nut bolt system.

The means to control the speed of the wheel through a controller which is the central processing unit of the entire set up. It responds to the external changes made by the rider. The throttle incorporates a Hall Effect sensor which communicates with the sensors present inside the controller. Apart from the sensors, the controller has a host of other circuits that are vital to the functioning of the whole unit. Variations made in the throttle position by the rider are measured by the controller, calculations are made and the controller responds by drawing the corresponding amount of power from the battery pack. The power drawn gets conditioned by the controller and gets fed to the motor. The motor too has a sensor which communicates with the controller sensor in order to measure the magnitude of the incoming power as well as to let the controller know the motor pole positions. Thereby by twisting the throttle the motor speed varies.

In one embodiment of the present invention means to keep the stator of the electric hub motor at the centre, fixed to the TSA (fork) of the bike variant or scooty variant or scooter variant is achieved by a detachable locking system by clamping the central stator shaft to the TSA (fork). Means for making axle detachable and thereby making the wheel demountable is achieved by using external rotor motor with a hollow cylindrical shaft in this embodiment and passing a solid cylindrical axle in this embodiment, through said cylindrical hollow shaft and fitting the said axle in the two arms of the TSA on either side of the front wheel of the bike variant or scooty variant or scooter variant; and by detachably clamping the hollow shaft of the stator to the TSA. The stator mounted on the hollow shaft, the hollow shaft and the solid axle within it are steady and firmly fitted to the frame of the vehicle, while the rotor supported on the cover plates which are on the bearings on the hollow shaft, the tyre fitted on its periphery.

The vehicle is driven through vehicle controls which give directions such as to start, control the speed, forward and backward movement of the vehicle without the use of any gears is done by providing appropriate current to the stator through wires from a battery pack going through a programmed control box having sensors and various other printed circuits connected to the economically placed vehicle controls operated by the rider, finally passing the wires through the second cavity in the hollow cylinder to the stator fixed on the hollow cylinder. The battery pack and the control pack are placed at a suitable place on the vehicle. For stopping the vehicle the brakes are applied manually through the brake shoe pad on the wheel as shown in the Fig 1 and 2.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to Wheel Detachable Axle Electric Motor. This particularly relates to an electric hub motor used in the wheel of any one or more wheeler vehicles i.e. in a monowheel or bike variant or scooty variant or scooter variant. This invention more particularly relates to removing the axle of the wheel i.e. to detach it from the TSA or SSA (fork) of the one or more wheeler vehicles i.e. in a monowheel or bike variant or scooty variant or scooter variant. In another embodiment of the present invention wherein the bike or scooty or scooter has SSA which are formed by springs placed near the axle, on either side of the front wheel. The invention is basically same as in the embodiment one described above, except that there is a change done in locking system of the hollow shaft as shown in Fig 4a and 4b.

For the SSA mentioned in the above embodiment, fits in directly into the C shaped arc made on the outside of the cylindrical hollow shaft.

Thus the invention discloses design and construction of a hub motor used a monowheel or in the front wheel of any two wheeler vehicles comprising means to remove the axle of the wheel to easily detach the monowheel or the front wheel of the two wheeler vehicle from the fork of the bike i.e. in a bike variant or scooty variant or scooter variant for repairs when required.

This invention is useful for the vehicles with one or more wheelers running on petrol or diesel or gas as alternative or as a hybrid version. This invention is useful to charge the batteries when the vehicle it is running on fuels. This invention can also be used in different machines wherein electric motors are used.

At present in any two-wheeler where an electric motor is attached to the hub of the wheel, when there is damage or puncture to the wheel, it is difficult to remove the wheel without dismantling the electric hub motor from the body of the bike variant or scooty variant or scooter variant, thereby requiring special tools or going to a workshop. In a bike or scooty or scooter it is needed to have the axle detached from the wheel hub to pass it through the TSA or SSA (fork) to repair the front wheel.

Therefore, there is a long standing need to redesign the system of motor so that the axle can be detached and the wheel can be demounted from the vehicles such as monowheel, bike, scooty, scooter etc. easily. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH THE HELP OF THE DRAWINGS

This embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises an electric hub motor also known as axle release electric hub motor 9 in this invention, with rotor 4, and stator 1 fitted in the hub of a wheel 6 of a bike; the stator 1 has a cylindrical hollow shaft 2 fixed to the stator 1 and passing at right angle to the stator 1; the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 has been attached to the T locking system 11 and C clamps 12 which detachably fix the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 to the TSA 13 of the front wheel of the bike and thereby fixing the stator 1 to the right TSA 13a; the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 has a cavity 2a for the electrical wiring 2b of the motor, a T locking system 11 attached to it for locking-unlocking it to the right TSA 13a with bolts and nuts 14a;

an axle 7 passes through the cavity 3 of the stator 1 in the cylindrical hollow shaft 2, with its ends detachably fixed in the right TSA 13a and left TSA 13b; two cover plates right cover plate 9a and left cover plate 9b, encloses the electric hub motor 9, the rotor magnet 19 attached to the tyre rim 5 and tyre 6 rotating over the bearings 8 placed in the cavity 18 of cover plates 9a and 9b; water seals 10 placed at appropriate places as shown in the Fig 1 and 2; left cover plate 9b has a cavity 15 for brake shoe pads 16 operated by brake lever 17a in brake shoe cover plate 17.

As the axle 7 of the bike or scooty or scooter is detachable it is very easy to dismantle the front wheel for repairs.

For dismounting the wheel, electrical wires 2b are detached from the socket, some bolts 14a and axle nuts 7a of the axle 7 and those of C clamps system 14a are opened and the axle 7 is pulled out from right side TSA 13a, through the cavity 3 of the central cylindrical hollow shaft 2 of the stator 1 and left TSA 13b and then the entire wheel along with electric hub motor BLDC type 9, gets dismounted from the bike. The wheel can be repaired and then after keeping the wheel in the position between TSA 13a and 13b, the axle 7 is inserted back through the right TSA 13a, hollow cylindrical shaft 2 of the internal stator 1 and the left TSA 13b and bolted with axle nut 7a and also the T locking system 11 and C clamp 12 and are refitted with bolts 14a. This makes the repair job easy, and there is no need to remove electric motor for taking the tyre out for repairs.

This applies to scooty variants and scooter variants also.

The embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the present invention comprises of an axle release electric hub motor 9, which fits into the wheel of the vehicle. The tyre rim 5, into which the whole motor 9 is placed is of the same size as that of the rim already present in the vehicle. The rotor 4 is welded onto the inside of the tyre rim 5. The rotor 4 has screw holes along its circumference edge of either side. These holes are to screw the cover plates 9a and 9b by screws

14e onto the rotor 4. These cover plates form the external body of the hub motor 9. Left cover plate 9b, gets fixed with the break shoe cover 17 of the scooter. The speedometer socket 23 is on the break shoe cover 17. Magnets 19 are placed onto the internal circumference of the rotor 4.

The stator 1, is always stationary, it's only the rotor 4 that rotates. Stator winding plates 20, which are placed together and mounted onto the stator 1. Sensors 25 are placed along with the windings on the stator winding plate 20. Bolts 14c screw the two halves of the stator together.

Bolts 14d screw the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 to the stator 1. The cylindrical hollow shaft 2, passes through the centre of the stator 1. The cylindrical hollow shaft 2, passes beyond the cover plates 9a and 9b. T Locking system 11, is fixed onto the right side of the cylindrical hollow shaft 2. Bolts 14b are screwed the T Locking system 11 into the cavity slot 24 of the cylindrical hollow shaft 2. For a better view of T locking system 11 and C clamp 12, refer figure 3a, 3b and 3c. Cavity 2a is made in the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 to enable the electrical wire 2b to be interfaced with external connections. The cylindrical hollow shaft 2, has a central cavity 3, through which the axle 7 passes. There are two bearings 8 on either side placed onto the cylindrical hollow shaft 2. The bearings 8 facilitate the smooth rotation of the cover plates 9a and 9b. Water seals 10, makes the motor water resistant and is placed at joints between centre cylindrical shaft 2 and cover plates 9a and 9b and at joining of cover plates 9a and 9b with the rotor 4. The TSA 13a is clearly visible in figure 3a, 3b, 3c.

In the TSA an external T locking system 11, and the C clamp 12 are fitted onto the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 with the help of bolts 14a and 14b to prevent rotation of the cylindrical hollow shaft 2, thereby keeping the stator 1 stationary. The internal cavity 18 in cover plates 9a and 9b are where the bearings 8 are placed. The break shoe pad 16, break lever 17a and the speedometer 23 are part of break shoe cover plate 17.

For SSA 22 variants, the axle 7, C shaped arc cavity 21 on the outside cylindrical hollow shaft 2 which directly interlocks with the suspension and it is directly fitted and hence it does not require an external T locking system 11 and the C clamp 12. SSA 22, fits in directly into the C shaped arc cavity 21 made on the outside of the cylindrical hollow shaft 2.

The embodiment as illustrated in Fig 3a of the present invention shows a cylindrical hollow shaft

2, a T plate cavity slot 24 in the cylindrical hollow shaft 2, where the T locking system 11 gets fixed. Cavity 2a is for the motor wire 2b to be interfaced with external wiring. C arch cavity 21 is for the TSA or SSA to lock onto the cylindrical hollow shaft 2; a central hollow 3 in the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 is for the axle 7 to pass through. The embodiment as illustrated in Fig 3b of the present invention shows the T locking system 11 fixed to the T plate cavity slot 24 with the use of bolt 14b; C clamp 12 clamps to the Right TSA 13a to the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 with the use of bolt 14a.

The embodiment as illustrated in Fig 3c of the present invention shows the entire locking mechanism on the Right TSA 13a assembled together. The Right TSA 13a is locked to the cylindrical hollow shaft 2 by the C clamp 12 with the use of bolts 14a, T locking system 11 and the C cavity arch 21; the axle 7 passes through to the Right TSA 13a and the central cavity 3 of the cylindrical hollow shaft 2.

The embodiment as illustrated in Fig 4a & 4b shows the SSA 22 fitted and locked directly into the C arch cavity 21. The axle 7 passes through to the SSA 22 and the central cavity 3 of the cylindrical hollow shaft 2, thereby fixing the SSA 22 completely to the wheel assembly.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The advantages of the present invention are as follows:

1. The present invention can be fitted to any scooty or a spoke wheel bikes having break shoe pads.

2. The entire front wheel of the scooty or the bike can be removed easily for vehicle repair such as tyre repair or tyre change.

3. No fabrication and / or alterations the body of the scooty and / or bike is required during such repairs/fixing.

4. The present invention has drive unit on the front wheel. It can convert a fuel scooty and / or bike into a hybrid bike or an electric bike or a normal petrol bike.

Hybrid Mode: In this mode the electric motor will work along with the fuel engine upto the speed of 40km/hr. Upto 40 km it will take the load, thereafter, on the rider increasing the speed above 40 km/hr it will switch over to the fuel mode automatically with the help of the sensors.

Electric Mode: A person can use this motor only on electric mode the speed range of 0 - 80 km/hr.

Fuel Mode: A person can choose not to use the electric motor at all while using the scooty and / or bike. During this mode while the scooty and / or the bike is used on petrol mode, the electric motor acts like a generator and charges the motor batteries. For every km drive on the petrol mode you get the batteries charged to give same km on electric mode. Thus doubles the average.

he batteries can be charged in the fuel mode as well as by an electric plug point.

he centre plate of the stator acts as a heat sink since it is made of Aluminum (Al) while the motor is in use or in Petrol mode.

e present invention can be used in various vehicles such as monowheels, two wheelers like bike, motorcycle, power bicycle, scooter, scooty ; three wheelers like auto-rickshaw, tempo, four wheelers like cars, pickup vans, five wheelers like goods carriers

he present invention can be used on machines which have industrial applicability.