Compact outer-rotor brushless motor for a power tool

A brushless direct-current (BLDC) motor comprising:

• a motor housing having an open end;
• a stator housed within the motor housing;
• a rotor shaft extending through the motor housing;
• a rotor rotatably driven relative to the stator and mounted on the rotor shaft, wherein the rotor is an outer-rotor construction;
• and
• an end cap secured to the open end of the motor housing, wherein the end cap includes a radial body having a center pocket therein arranged to securely support a bearing of the rotor shaft and a stator mount having a substantially cylindrical body extending into an inner core of the stator to support the stator within the rotor;
• wherein the motor housing includes a main body having a solid metal cylindrical construction and a plurality of crimping projections projecting folded over a rear surface of the radial body of the end cap to securely retain the end cap to the motor housing,
• wherein the end cap further comprises a molded structure formed through at least a portion of the radial body, wherein the molded structure comprises:
• a first portion formed to axially constrain the bearing within the center pocket, and a second portion forming a support structure projecting from a front surface of the radial body to structurally support a positional sensor circuit board relative to the rotor.

A brushless direct-current (BLDC) motor comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a stator including a plurality of windings housed within the motor housing;
• a rotor shaft;
• a rotor rotatably driven relative to the stator and mounted on the rotor shaft, wherein the rotor is an outer-rotor construction;
• and
• a stator collar mounted to an end of the stator and supporting a plurality of stator terminals, wherein the plurality of stator terminals is electrically coupled to the plurality of stator windings and to a plurality of power wires to supply electric power to the plurality of windings,
• wherein each of the plurality of stator terminals includes a main body having at least a curved portion, a terminal tab extending from a first part of the main body for coupling to one of the plurality of power wires, and a wire receiving portion extending from a second part of the main body for coupling to at least one of the plurality of windings, and
• wherein the stator collar comprises a mold ring formed to support the plurality of stator terminals at set angular positions and at least partially capture both surfaces of the main body of the plurality of stator terminals.