Patent ID: 7576459
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: H02K

Abstract:
1. An electric machine, comprising: a housing defining at least a portion of an internal fluid circuit; a main rotor assembly rotationally mounted within the housing; a main stator winding set mounted within the housing and at least partially surrounding at least a portion of the main rotor assembly; a temperature sensor disposed within the stator winding set and configured to sense a parameter representative of an amount of power passing through the stator winding set and to supply a sensor signal representative thereof; the temperature sensor positioned externally of the fluid circuit; a fluid supply conduit coupled to the housing and including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the fluid supply conduit fluid inlet coupled to receive a flow of fluid, the fluid supply conduit fluid outlet in fluid communication with the internal fluid circuit; a fluid return conduit coupled to the housing and including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the fluid return conduit fluid inlet in fluid communication with the internal fluid circuit; a control unit coupled to receive the sensor signal and operable, in response thereto, to supply a fluid flow control signal based on the sensed parameter; and a fluid flow regulator in fluid communication with the fluid supply conduit fluid inlet, the fluid flow regulator coupled to receive the fluid flow control signal and operable, in response thereto, to control the flow of fluid into the fluid supply conduit to a minimum fluid flow rate, a maximum fluid flow rate, or one of a plurality of fluid flow rates between the minimum and maximum fluid flow rates.