Method of assembling brushless electric motors

A method of assembling a motor comprising the steps of:

• affixing a printed circuit board having electrical components including a sensor to a surface of a housing;
• providing a stator having a stator support means with a first snap engagement means formed therein, said stator support means further receiving an electromagnet having a bottom surface;
• providing a locating means at a central position in said housing to extend from an interior surface thereof and terminating in an upper end portion, said locating means having a second snap engagement means formed adjacent to said housing surface and disposed away from said upper end portion;
• assembling said stator with said locations means by means of said first and second snap engagement means such that the snap engagement locates said electromagnet bottom surface of a predetermined, preferred distance from said sensor;
• and
• affixing a rotor to said housing.

A method of assembling brushless electric motors comprising:

• molding a planar array of printed circuit boards, said printed circuit boards each having an integral means for attaching adjacent printed circuit boards in said array to one another;
• assembling each of said printed circuit boards with a plurality of electrical components including a triggering sensor, the printed circuit boards also including a commutation circuit;
• molding a corresponding plurality of stator support means;
• assembling said stator support means with electrical connectors;
• forming at least one electromagnet on said stator support means, thereby forming a stator;
• assembling each one of said stators with a corresponding one of said printed circuit boards, thereby forming stator - printed circuit board assemblies;
• electrically connecting said printed circuit boards to said corresponding stator electromagnets;
• separating said stator - printed circuit board assemblies from one another;
• assembling each of said stator-printed circuit board assemblies with a corresponding locating means centrally positioned within a motor housing;
• and
• affixing a rotor to said locating means.

A method of assembling a motor from an array of molded printed circuit boards each printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical components that comprise an electrical commutation circuit and each having an integral projection with a first engagement means adjacent a free end portion thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

• affixing a stator at a second engagement means to a printed circuit board first engagement means forming a stator - printed circuit board assembly;
• electrically connecting for each of said stator - printed circuit board assemblies said stator to said printed circuit board;
• separating said stator - printed circuit board assemblies from said array;
• affixing each of said stator - printed circuit board assemblies at a third engagement means thereof to a corresponding fourth engagement means of a locating means within a housing;
• and
• affixing a rotor to said locating means.

A method of assembling brushless electrical motors from an array of molded printed circuit boards each printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical components that comprise an electrical commutation circuit, including a sensor, and each printed circuit board having a first attachment means and an integral projection with a precisely located surface at the free end portion thereof with said sensor mounted on said surface, said method comprising the steps of:

• affixing a stator, at a second attachment means thereof, to corresponding ones of said printed circuit board first attachment means to form assemblies such that said sensor is positioned at a selected angular distance between and displacement from poles of an electromagnet formed on said stator;
• electrically connecting said stators to said printed circuit boards;
• separating said assemblies from said array;
• affixing each of said assemblies at a third attachment means thereof to a corresponding fourth attachment means of a locating means extending from an inner surface of corresponding housing;
• and
• affixing a rotor to each of said locating means.