Sealed motor with internal cooling features

An electric motor comprising:

• a stator having a stator core, a plurality of stator teeth extending radially from the stator core, and a plurality of stator windings wound around the plurality of stator teeth;
• a rotor rotatably positioned relative to the stator and having a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnets secured to the rotor core in magnetic interface with the plurality of stator windings;
• a motor spindle coupled to the rotor and extending along a center axis;
• a first end cap formed on a first side of the stator;
• a second end cap formed on a second side of the stator and secured to the first end cap to form a compartment around the stator and the rotor, wherein the second end cap comprises thermally-conductive material;
• and
• a plurality of gap pads mounted on corresponding axial ends of the plurality of windings and in contact with the second end cap, the plurality of gap pads being made of thermally-conductive and electrically-insulating material to provide a direct thermal pathway from the plurality of windings to the second end cap;
• wherein the rotor core comprises an outer annular body surrounding the stator configured to support the plurality of permanent magnets, and a radial wall extending from the outer annular body between the stator and the first end cap and coupled to the motor spindle;
• wherein the rotor core further includes a plurality of peripheral openings formed in the radial wall, and a plurality of ribs formed between the plurality of peripheral openings and configured to generate an airflow circulated through the electric motor.

An electric motor comprising:

• a stator having a stator core, a plurality of stator teeth extending radially from the stator core, and a plurality of stator windings wound around the plurality of stator teeth;
• a rotor rotatably positioned relative to the stator and having a rotor core and a plurality of permanent magnets secured to the rotor core in magnetic interface with the plurality of stator windings;
• a motor spindle coupled to the rotor and extending along a center axis;
• a first end cap formed on a first side of the stator;
• a second end cap formed on a second side of the stator and secured to the first end cap to form a compartment around the stator and the rotor, wherein the second end cap comprises thermally-conductive material, a radial body adjacent an end of the stator core and an outer annular body that surrounds a perimeter of the stator core;
• a plurality of gap pads mounted on corresponding axial ends of the plurality of stator windings and in contact with the radial body of the second end cap, the plurality of gap pads being made of thermally-conductive and electrically-insulating material to provide a direct thermal pathway from the plurality of stator windings to the second end cap;
• and
• a stator terminal electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stator windings and projecting axially through a slot of formed in the radial body of the second end cap, wherein at least one of the gap pads is located between the slot and the outer annular body.