# US 5,710,468 A · End frame assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,710,468 A - Document ID: US5710468A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/518,256 - Filed: 1995-08-23 - Granted: 1998-01-20 - Earliest claimed: 1995-08-23 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Inventors: Ralph E. Church; Richard W. Shuler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710468A ## CPC - H02K 5/15: Mounting arrangements for bearing-shields or end plates - H02K 5/1672: {radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor (H02K5/1677 takes precedence)} - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract An end frame assembly for an electric motor is described. In one embodiment, the assembly includes an endshield, a bearing, an oil wick, and an oil well cover. The oil well cover has at least one endshield engagement tang for aligning with and being secured within an oil well cover engagement opening in the endshield and at least one bearing alignment finger for assisting in maintaining the bearing oriented with respect to a rotor shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An end frame assembly for an electric motor, the motor comprising a stator having a rotor bore and a rotor positioned within the rotor bore, the rotor having a shaft extending therefrom, said assembly comprising: an endshield comprising a rotor shaft opening formed therein, said endshield further comprising at least one oil well cover engagement opening and at least one stator core engagement opening; a bearing comprising a rotor shaft opening therein, said bearing configured to be aligned with the rotor shaft opening formed in said endshield; an oil wick comprising a bearing opening sized to at least partially receive said bearing; an oil well cover comprising at least, one endshield engagement tang for aligning with and being secured within the oil well cover engagement opening in said endshield, a rotor shaft opening, and a plurality of bearing alignment fingers radially spaced around the rotor shaft opening in said oil well cover for assisting in maintaining said bearing oriented in a desired position with respect to the rotor shaft; and said endshield further comprising a bearing seat for assisting in maintaining said bearing oriented with respect to the rotor shaft and a plurality of bearing alignment finger openings, each of the fingers openings being configured to align with one of said bearing alignment fingers of said oil well cover and to have a portion of said finger pass therethrough. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein two pairs of diametrically opposed finger openings are formed in said endshield, the openings being contiguous with and extending radially from the rotor shaft opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said oil well cover further comprises a partial enclosure, and said oil well cover partial enclosure and said endshield substantial enclose said oil wick and said bearing when fully assembled. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said oil well cover partial enclosure has a substantially rectangular shape and said oil well cover further comprises four endshield engagement tangs, one of said tangs extending from each comer of said oil well cover partial enclosure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said oil well cover further comprises two pairs of diametrically opposed bearing alignment fingers, said bearing alignment fingers being equally and radially spaced around the rotor shaft opening formed in said oil well cover. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said oil well cover further comprises an extended boss aligned with and extending from the rotor shaft opening of said oil well cover. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said endshield is substantially rectangular shaped and further comprises two stator core engagement openings formed therein, said engagement openings being formed at opposing sides of the rotor shaft opening formed in said endshield. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said endshield further comprises four oil well cover engagement openings configured for receiving said endshield engagement tangs of said oil well cover. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said endshield further comprises a plurality of alignment extensions extending from said endshield for facilitating maintaining alignment between said endshield and the motor stator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said endshield is formed of thermoplastic and said alignment extensions comprise a plurality of alignment bosses configured to extend into alignment openings in the motor stator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said endshield further comprises a plurality of support bosses extending from each stator core engagement opening and a plurality of rigidity members. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said endshield is formed of aluminum and said extensions comprise a plurality of teeth configured to extend into slots in the motor stator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 12 wherein said endshield further comprises ground tabs. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bearing is a porous sleeve bearing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An end frame assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said oil wick has a substantially rectangular shape and wherein two pairs of diametrically opposed finger openings are formed therein, the finger openings being contiguous with and extending radially from the bearing opening formed through said wick. ### Claim 16 A method of assembling an end frame assembly for an electric motor, the motor comprising a stator having a rotor bore and a rotor positioned within the rotor bore, the rotor having a rotor shaft extending from at least one end thereof, the end frame assembly comprising an endshield having a bearing seat, a bearing, an oil wick, and an oil well cover, the oil well cover including a rotor shaft opening and a plurality of bearing alignment fingers radially spaced around the rotor shaft opening, the oil well cover further including a plurality of endshield engagement tangs and the endshield having a plurality of tang openings, said method comprising the steps of: positioning the bearing on the bearing seat of the endshield so that rotor shaft openings in the bearing and endshield are substantially coaxially aligned; placing the oil wick on the endshield so that the bearing is at least partially within a bearing opening in the oil wick; and engaging the oil well cover to the endshield so that the oil well cover and the endshield substantially enclose the bearing and the oil wick and so that the bearing alignment fingers of the oil well cover extend at least partially through the oil wick and into contact with the bearing so that the bearing alignment fingers and the bearing seat of the endshield cooperate to orient the bearing, engaging the oil well cover to the endshield comprising the steps of: aligning each engagement tang of the oil well cover with one of the tang opening in the endshield; and forcing each tang through the respective aligned tang opening in the endshield so that each tang snaps into engagement with the endshield. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein the endshield has a plurality of alignment extensions which mate with alignment openings formed in the stator core, and said method further comprises the steps of: inserting each alignment extension of the endshield into one of the respective alignment openings in the stator core; and securing the endshield to the stator core. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the rotor shaft extends through the endshield and bearing and at least partially through the oil well cover. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising the step of securing the end frame assembly to the motor stator using at least one threaded bolt. ### Claim 20 An endshield comprising a plurality of alignment extensions configured for mating with a stator core, said endshield having a rotor shaft opening, at least one oil well cover engagement opening and at least one stator core engagement opening, said endshield further comprising a bearing seat and at least one pair of diametrically opposed finger openings, the finger openings being contiguous with and extending radially from the rotor shaft opening and sized to receive at least a portion of respective bearing alignment fingers of the oil well cover. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) An endshield in accordance with claim 20 wherein said endshield is substantially rectangular shaped and two stator core engagement openings are formed therein, said engagement openings being formed at opposing sides of the rotor shaft opening. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) An endshield in accordance with claim 20 wherein four oil well cover engagement openings are formed in said endshield. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) An endshield in accordance with claim 20 wherein said endshield is formed of thermoplastic and said alignment extensions comprise a plurality of alignment bosses. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) An endshield in accordance with claim 23 wherein said endshield further comprises a plurality of support bosses extending from each stator core engagement opening and a plurality of rigidity members. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) An endshield in accordance with claim 20 wherein said endshield is formed of aluminum and said extensions comprise a plurality of teeth configured to extend into slots in the motor stator. ### Claim 26 An oil well cover for coupling to an endshield having at least one engagement opening and a plurality of finger slots, said cover comprising at least one endshield engagement tang for aligning with and being secured within the oil well cover engagement opening, a rotor shaft opening, and a plurality of bearing alignment fingers radially spaced around said rotor shaft opening for being at least partially inserted within respective finger slot. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) An oil well cover in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a partial enclosure, and said oil well cover partial enclosure and the endshield substantially enclosing an oil wick and a bearing when fully assembled. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) An oil well cover in accordance with claim 26 having a substantially rectangular shape and comprising four endshield engagement tangs, one of said tangs extending from each corner of said cover. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) An oil well cover in accordance with claim 26 comprising two pairs of diametrically opposed bearing alignment fingers, said bearing alignment fingers being equally and radially spaced around the rotor shaft opening formed in said oil well cover. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) An oil well cover in accordance with claim 26 further comprising an extended boss aligned with and extending from the rotor shaft opening. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) An oil well cover in accordance with claim 26 wherein said oil well cover is formed of thermoplastic. ### Claim 32 A motor comprising a stator having a rotor bore, a rotor having a rotor shaft, and at least one end frame assembly that carries a bearing and supports said rotor in the rotor bore of said stator, said end frame assembly comprising an endshield including a rotor shaft opening, said endshield further including at least one oil well cover engagement opening and at least one stator core engagement opening, said end frame assembly further comprising a bearing having a rotor shaft opening therein and an oil wick, said bearing configured to be aligned with the rotor shaft opening in said endshield and said oil wick having a bearing opening, the bearing opening in said oil wick sized to at least partially receive said bearing, said end frame assembly further comprising an oil well cover having at least one endshield engagement tang for aligning with and being secured within the oil well cover engagement opening in said endshield, a rotor shaft opening, and a plurality of bearing alignment fingers radially spaced around the rotor shaft opening for assisting in maintaining said bearing oriented in a desired position with respect to said rotor shaft said endshield further comprising a bearing seat for assisting in maintaining said bearing oriented with respect to said rotor shaft and a plurality of bearing alignment finger openings, each of the finger openings being configured to align with one of said bearing alignment fingers of said oil well cover and to have a portion of said finger pass therethrough. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) A motor in accordance with claim 32 wherein said endshield further comprises a plurality of alignment extensions extending from said endshield for facilitating maintaining alignment between said endshield and said stator. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A motor in accordance with claim 33 wherein said endshield is formed of thermoplastic and said alignment extensions comprise a plurality of alignment bosses configured to extend into alignment openings in said stator. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) A motor in accordance with claim 33 wherein said endshield is formed of aluminum and said extensions comprise a plurality of teeth configured to extend into slots in the motor stator. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) A motor in accordance with claim 33 wherein said bearing is a porous sleeve bearing. ### Claim 37 (depends on 33) A motor in accordance with claim 33 wherein said oil wick has a substantially rectangular shape and wherein two pairs of diametrically opposed finger openings are formed therein, the finger openings being contiguous with and extending radially from the bearing opening formed through said wick.