Patent ID: 8269384

Claim:
An electric machine for a vehicle comprising: a housing; a rotor positioned within the housing and configured to rotate about an axis; a stator positioned between the rotor and an outer wall of the housing, the stator including a core comprising a front end, a rear end, an inner portion and an outer portion surrounding the inner portion, the stator further including stator windings positioned on the inner portion of the stator core; and a plurality of substantially axial air passages extending from the front end to the rear end of the stator core, the plurality of substantially axial air passages positioned between the inner portion of the stator core and the housing, wherein the substantially axial air passages extend through openings formed in the outer portion of center laminations of the stator core, the center laminations positioned between a front portion of the housing and a rear portion of the housing; and wherein the front portion of the housing includes a plurality of elongated axial ribs that engage the outer portion of front laminations of the stator core, wherein the rear portion of the housing includes a plurality of elongated axial ribs that engage the outer portion of rear laminations of the stator core, and wherein each of the substantially axial air passages is provided as an unobstructed air channel extending between adjacent axial ribs and through the openings in the center laminations of the stator core.