Electric motor bearing assembly and method

A method of assembling an electric motor, the method comprising:

• rotationally supporting a first end of a rotor within a housing to thereby cantilever the rotor relative to the housing;
• positioning a stator assembly, including a stator and a printed circuit board attached to an end of the stator, along the rotor such that an opposite, second end of the rotor protrudes from the stator assembly;
• sliding a bearing along a rotor shaft proximate the second end of the rotor, the bearing including an inner race and an outer race, the inner race of the bearing permitted to slide along the rotor shaft due to a radial clearance defined between an inner diameter of the inner race and the rotor shaft;
• clamping the inner race to the rotor shaft to thereby rotationally unitize the inner race with the rotor shaft with the radial clearance present between the inner race and the rotor shaft;
• sliding a bearing mount over the outer race, the bearing mount including an interface element configured to apply a frictional force to the outer race to prevent rotation of the outer race relative to the bearing mount;
• and
• securing the bearing mount to one of the housing or the stator assembly.

An electric motor comprising:

• a stator;
• a rotor at least partially received within the stator, the rotor including a rotor shaft;
• a bearing including an inner race coupled to the rotor shaft and an outer race;
• a bearing mount including a pocket in which the outer race is at least partially received;
• a clamp assembly configured to apply a clamping force to the inner race to thereby rotationally unitize the inner race with the rotor shaft;
• and
• an interface element positioned between the outer race and the bearing mount, the interface element configured to apply a frictional force to the outer race to prevent rotation of the outer race relative to the bearing mount in response to rotation of the rotor shaft,
• a first radial clearance defined between an inner diameter of the bearing and the rotor shaft, the first radial clearance configured to permit sliding of the bearing along the rotor shaft, the first radial clearance present after the clamp assembly rotationally unitizes the inner race with the rotor shaft;
• and
• a second radial clearance defined between an outer diameter of the bearing and the bearing mount.