Motor bearing with rotor centralization

A method for maintaining a position of a rotor section in an electric motor, the method comprising:

• providing a stator having a stator bore therethrough, wherein one or more rotor sections are positioned within the stator bore and wherein a shaft is positioned within a rotor bore through the rotor sections;
• positioning a plurality of rotor bearing assemblies within the stator bore, wherein each rotor bearing assembly includes a bearing and a bearing sleeve that rotates within the bearing;
• and
• for each of the bearing assemblies, securing the bearing to the stator and securing the bearing sleeve to at least one of the rotor sections and to the shaft, wherein each end of the bearing sleeve has a conically tapered contact surface that contacts the corresponding rotor section and centers the rotor section with respect to an axis of rotation of the bearing assembly.

A rotor bearing assembly for a motor, the rotor bearing assembly comprising:

• a bearing that is configured to be secured within a bore of a stator;
• and
• a bearing sleeve that is configured to be secured to at least one rotor section;
• wherein the bearing sleeve has a bore therethrough which accepts a motor shaft;
• wherein the bearing sleeve has first and second ends, wherein each of the first and second ends has a conically tapered contact surface, wherein when a rotor section contacts the conically tapered contact surface of the rotor bearing assembly, the conically tapered contact surface centers the rotor section with respect to an axis of rotation of the rotor bearing assembly.