Abstract: A disposable filter including an integrated sensor is provided for filtering a working fluid and monitoring the working fluid and/or the performance of the filter. The filter includes a housing with an inlet and an outlet with filter media disposed within the housing in a flow path defined between the inlet and the outlet. The integrated sensor is disposed within the housing, where the integrated sensor monitors a characteristic of the working fluid or other performance characteristic of the filter. The sensor assembly may include a communication module. The sensor assembly may include a RF tank circuit with a capacitor plate, which may be disposed adjacent a bypass structure that is disposed adjacent the outlet. Movement of a moveable part of the bypass structure in response to a pressure buildup will cause a shift in a resonant frequency of the tank circuit.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator and a rotor and a drive hub. The rotor is moveable relative to the stator and a gap is defined between the rotor and the stator. A lubricant is disposed within the gap to support the rotor relative to the stator and provide a bearing mechanism. The drive hub is coupled to the rotor such that rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the drive hub. The drive hub may be connected to the rotor via a coupler member that is torsionally stiff and axially and radially compliant. The stator may be fixed relative to a connection structure that extends radially within the stator. The connection member may support the drive hub for rotation. Lubricant is supplied via a passageway extending through the connection member into a chamber that includes the gap.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator presenting an stator raceway, and a rotor movable relative to the stator and presenting a rotor raceway disposed in spaced relationship with the stator raceway to define a gap therebetween. A lubricant is disposed in the gap for supporting the rotor relative to the stator. The stator defines at least one hydrostatic support chamber disposed in radially recessed relationship relative to the stator raceway and in fluid communication with the gap. The stator also defines a passageway disposed in fluid communication with the at least one hydrostatic support chamber for providing lubricant to the at least one hydrostatic support chamber and the gap. A flow restriction mechanism is disposed in fluid communication with the passageway for controlling and balancing a supply and pressure of the lubricant in the hydrostatic support chamber.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor including a stator presenting a stator raceway, and a rotor extending along an axis and rotatable relative to the stator. The rotor presents a rotor raceway disposed in spaced relationship with the stator raceway to define a gap there between. A lubricant is disposed in the gap for supporting the rotor relative to the stator. The rotor includes a plurality of rotor poles arranged adjacent the rotor raceway in circumferentially spaced relationship with one another, and the stator includes a plurality of stator poles extending radially towards the rotor in circumferentially spaced relationship with one another along the stator raceway. A plurality of stator coil windings are wrapped around the plurality of stator poles and individually controllable for generating a magnetic force to center the rotor within the stator with carefully-timed adjustments to magnetic fields generated by the stator.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator presenting an outer raceway and a rotor extending along an axis and rotatably disposed within the stator. The rotor presents an inner raceway disposed in spaced relationship with said outer raceway to define at least one hydrostatic support chamber disposed therebetween. A lubricant is disposed in the hydrostatic support chamber for supporting the rotor within the stator. A monitoring port is disposed in fluid communication with the at least one hydrostatic support chamber, and a sensor is coupled with the monitoring port for monitoring an operating characteristic of the lubricant disposed in said at least one hydrostatic support chamber. This monitored operating characteristic is then used to determine a real-time operating condition of the lubricant supported electric motor.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator presenting a stator raceway, and a rotor movable relative to the stator about an axis. The rotor presents a rotor raceway disposed in radially spaced and opposing relationship with the stator raceway to define a gap therebetween. A lubricant is disposed in the gap for supporting the rotor relative to the stator. The stator raceway includes a bearing structure comprised of a plurality of hydrodynamic surfaces aligned in parallel relationship along the stator raceway and a plurality of hydrostatic pockets disposed in radially recessed relationship relative to the hydrodynamic surfaces.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor includes an outer stator and an inner stator each extending around an axis in radially spaced relationship with one another. A rotor is rotatably disposed between the inner and outer stators to define an inner gap extending radially between the rotor and the inner stator and an outer gap extending radially between the rotor and the outer stator. A lubricant is disposed in both of the inner and outer gaps for supporting the rotor radially between the inner and outer stators. The lubricant supported motor with a two-sided radial flux configuration results in improved rotor-to-stator system stiffness to allow the lubricant supported electric motor to be used in high shock and high vibration environments, while also providing high torque in a small and lightweight design package.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator presenting an outer raceway and a rotor extending along an axis and rotatably disposed within the stator to present an inner raceway disposed in spaced relationship with said the raceway to define a gap therebetween. A lubricant is disposed in the gap for supporting the rotor within the stator. At least one of the outer raceway or the inner raceway are profiled with a non-circular, cross-sectional shape for maintaining consistent support of the rotor over a wide range of operating speeds and dynamic situations encountered by the lubricant supported electric motor during operation.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator presenting an outer raceway and a rotor extending along an axis and rotatably disposed within the stator. The rotor presents an inner raceway disposed in spaced relationship with the outer raceway to define a gap therebetween, and a lubricant is disposed in the gap for supporting the rotor within the stator. At least one of the outer raceway or the inner raceway is movable radially towards or away from the other to adjust the gap and optimize operation of the lubricant supported electric motor.

Abstract: A lubricant supply system for an electric vehicle includes a lubricant supported electric motor and a lubricant supply line extending from a high pressure source to the lubricant supported electric motor for supplying lubricant to the lubricant supported electric motor. In one arrangement, at least one powertrain component is disposed in fluid communication with the lubricant supply line and fluidly connected in parallel with the lubricant supported electric motor for supplying lubricant to the powertrain component. In an alternative arrangement, the powertrain component is fluidly connected in series with and downstream from the lubricant supported electric motor for supplying lubricant from the lubricant supported electric motor to the powertrain component.

Abstract: A driveline assembly for a vehicle including at least one primary shaft rotatable about an axis. At least one reducer assembly is coupled with the at least one primary shaft. The reducer assembly includes a sun gear rotatable with the primary shaft. A plurality of planet gears are rotatable about the sun gear. A ring is positioned about the planet gears. A planet carrier is rotatably connected to a center of each of the planet gears. An output shaft is fixed to the planet carrier. A sliding clutch fixes the ring to a ground in a high torque position to provide a gear reduction, and fixes the ring to the planet carrier in a low torque position to provide a 1:1 gear ratio. A method for operating such a driveline assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A control system for a driveline of a vehicle and method of operating the control system are provided. The system includes a base torque calculation module in communication with a plurality of vehicle controllers. The base torque calculation module determines and outputs a wheel torque command signal. A torque modulation module generates a periodic torque modulation signal based on the wheel torque command signal and a plurality of tire parameters. An adder module adds the periodic torque modulation signal to the wheel torque command signal and outputs a modulated wheel torque command signal to a wheel torque generator to linearize a tire characteristic of the plurality of tires of the vehicle. A slip and force determining module determines and outputs a plurality of slip estimates and estimated forces and a plurality of tire parameters to the torque modulation module, the plurality of vehicle controllers, and base torque calculation module.

Abstract: An omni-directional anemometer may include a housing, a cavity, and a plurality of ports in fluid communication with the atmosphere. The ports may include at least one sensor configured to measure air pressure. The robust housing may be formed by additive manufacturing, casting, machining, or molding. The anemometer may include a controller configured to determine wind speed and direction using the air pressure measurement signals from the at least one sensor. The anemometer may include a communication module configured to send and/or receive signals from the at least one sensor and the controller using wired and/or wireless communication. The communication module may send or receive signals to or from a network, a server, a vehicle, a structure, and/or a user interface. The anemometer may include a power supply connected to the at least one sensor, controller and/or communication module.

Abstract: A driveline assembly for a vehicle including at least one primary shaft rotatable about an axis. At least one reducer assembly is coupled with the at least one primary shaft. The reducer assembly includes a sun gear rotatable with the primary shaft. A plurality of planet gears are rotatable about the sun gear. A ring is positioned about the planet gears. A planet carrier is rotatably connected to a center of each of the planet gears. An output shaft is fixed to the planet carrier. A sliding clutch fixes the ring to a ground in a high torque position to provide a gear reduction, and fixes the ring to the planet carrier in a low torque position to provide a 1:1 gear ratio. A method for operating such a driveline assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A system and method for cell balancing within a battery module includes local sensing and switching at each of the battery cells. A switching circuit is associated with each one of the battery cells to connect or functionally disconnected the battery cell from the battery module. A module controller generates one or more parameter threshold values as maximum operating values for each of the battery cells. Each cell has a cell controller associated therewith to monitor one or more cell parameters, which are communicated to a summing module via a shared monitoring line, averaged, and communicated to the module controller. The cell controllers each receive a parameter threshold value via a shared control line and command the associated switching circuit to functionally disconnect and to bypass the battery cell if the cell parameter exceeds the corresponding parameter threshold value. Methods of checking the battery module are also provided.

Abstract: A driveline assembly for an electric vehicle for driving a pair of wheels. The driveline assembly includes an electric motor having an output shaft. A differential is coupled with the output shaft and is configured to receive torque from the output shaft. A pair of primary shafts are each coupled with the differential and configured to receive torque from the differential. A pair of end reducers are each configured to receive torque from one of the primary shafts and provide a gear reduction and torque multiplying effect at a wheel output. A controller is connected to the electric motor and is configured to superimpose a torque fluctuation at the output shaft to counteract vibrations in the driveline assembly.

Abstract: A distributed system for monitoring and control of a vehicle includes a supervisory controller with a first computer readable storage media for monitoring and storing a plurality of operational parameters regarding a physical system of the vehicle. The supervisory controller communicates with a server via two different communications networks. Method steps are provided for characterizing and predicting functional details of a system state of the physical system using the model parameters and at least one operational parameter of the physical system, and for using values obtained by the server regarding a plurality of different vehicles in order to improve the monitoring and control of the vehicle. A method is also provided to determine and report any operational parameters miss a corresponding performance target. A method is also provided for changing the storage or transmission of operational parameters based on their relative importance.

Abstract: A lubricant supported electric motor includes a stator extending along an axis, and a rotor rotatably disposed around the stator in radially surrounding and spaced relationship to define at least one support chamber. A lubricant is disposed in the support chamber for supporting the rotor around the stator. A wheel rim is fixedly attached to the rotor and is disposed in surrounding relationship with the rotor and the stator. Thus, in a first aspect, rotation of the rotor is directly transferred to the wheel rim such that the wheel rim rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotor. In accordance with another aspect, the rotor is rotatably disposed within the stator, and a planetary gear reduction mechanism is operably interconnected to the rotor, the stator, and the wheel rim and configured to rotate the wheel rim in response to rotation of the rotor within the stator.

Abstract: An electric motor includes a stator and a rotor movably disposed within the stator to define a gap therebetween. A central shaft extends outwardly from the rotor, and a bearing element is disposed in supporting relationship with the central shaft for providing bearing support of the rotor within the stator. A lubricant is disposed in the gap for providing additional or auxiliary lubricant support of the rotor within the stator. In an alternative arrangement, the central shaft is operably connected with a drive assembly, which is operably connected with a wheel hub assembly. In this arrangement, the bearing element is disposed in supporting relationship with the wheel hub assembly. In either arrangement, the wheel end electric motor includes both lubricant support as well as bearing support for optimizing performance of the electric motor in shock load environments.

Abstract: A system for controlling an electric motor including a rotor supported by a lubricant upon a stator with a plurality of stator poles and stator windings includes monitoring a radial position and rotor angle of the rotor by a controller. The system includes generating adjustments by the controller to cause the stator poles to apply a net radial force to the rotor. This net radial force may be used, for example to cause the rotor to be centered upon a central axis of the electric motor and may be particularly advantageous for a lubricant supported rotor. A motor drive provides an AC current to the stator windings as well as phase current adjustments of the electrical current in one or more of the stator windings to apply the net radial force to the rotor in a direction perpendicular to the drive axis.