US 11,722,032 B2
Electric motor assembly
Jaeho Kim, Seoul (KR); and Sunghyun Kim, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Oct. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/512,132.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0187834 (KR), filed on Dec. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0209620 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. H02K 5/20 (2006.01); H02K 5/173 (2006.01); H02K 7/08 (2006.01); H02K 9/06 (2006.01); H02K 21/14 (2006.01)
CPC H02K 5/207 (2021.01) [H02K 5/1735 (2013.01); H02K 7/085 (2013.01); H02K 9/06 (2013.01); H02K 21/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric motor assembly, comprising:
an outer housing;
an impeller disposed in the outer housing;
an inner housing disposed in the outer housing and spaced apart from the impeller, the inner housing being concentric with the outer housing;
a stator disposed in the inner housing; and
a rotor rotatably disposed in the stator, the rotor and the stator defining an air gap therebetween,
wherein the inner housing and the outer housing are spaced apart from each other to thereby define a first air flow path therebetween, the first air flow path being configured to carry air in an axial direction based on rotation of the impeller,
wherein the inner housing has a closed end portion and an open end portion, the closed end portion being located adjacent to the impeller in the axial direction,
wherein the impeller defines a cavity that has an annular shape extending in a circumferential direction, the cavity being recessed from a surface of the impeller facing the closed end portion of the inner housing in the axial direction,
wherein the inner housing and the impeller are configured to, based on rotation of the impeller, define an air pressure between the impeller and the closed end portion of the inner housing to be lower than atmospheric pressure,
wherein the inner housing defines a part of a second air flow path that extends through an inside of the inner housing, the second air flow path including (i) an axial through section extending in the axial direction through the inside of the inner housing, (ii) the cavity, and (iii) a gap defined between the impeller and the closed end portion of the inner housing, and
wherein the second air flow path is configured to, based on rotation of the impeller, guide air inside of the inner housing to the gap defined between the impeller and the closed end portion of the inner housing via the axial through section and the cavity by a pressure difference.