Motor and bearing structure for motor

An electric motor, comprising:

• at least one support;
• a shaft defining an axis and rotatably mounted on the at least one support;
• a radially-extending rotor coupled to the shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a ball bearing assembly including an inner race, an outer race, and at least one ball bearing located between the inner race and outer race, and coupled between the shaft and the at least one support for rotating the shaft and rotor relative to the support;
• and
• means axially spaced adjacent to the rotor and extending within an approximate arc for magnetically attracting the rotor in approximately the axial direction of the shaft and, in turn, applying a preload to the ball bearing assembly.

An electric motor, comprising:

• at least one support;
• a shaft defining an axis and rotatably mounted on the at least one support;
• a radially-extending rotor coupled to the shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a ball bearing assembly including an inner race, an outer race, and at least one ball bearing located between the inner race and outer race, and coupled between the shaft and the at least one support for rotating the shaft and rotor relative to the support;
• and
• at least one lubricant-impregnated bearing rotatably supporting the shaft and rotor on the at least one support, and slidably contacting at least one of (i) the outer race of the ball bearing assembly for rotating with the shaft and rotor relative to the outer race, and (ii) the inner race of the ball bearing assembly for rotating with the shaft and rotor relative to the inner race.

An electric motor, comprising:

• at least one support;
• a shaft defining an axis and rotatably mounted on the at least one support;
• a radially-extending rotor coupled to the shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a ball bearing assembly including an inner race, an outer race, and at least one ball bearing located between the inner race and outer race, and coupled between the shaft and the at least one support for rotating the shaft and rotor relative to the support;
• means for rotatably supporting the shaft and rotor and slidably contacting at least one of (i) an outer peripheral surface of the outer race of the ball bearing assembly for rotating with the shaft and rotor relative to the outer race, and (ii) an inner peripheral surface of the inner race of the ball bearing assembly for rotating with the shaft and rotor relative to the inner race.

An electric motor, comprising:

• at least one support;
• a shaft defining an axis and rotatably mounted on the at least one support;
• a radially-extending rotor coupled to the shaft and rotatable therewith;
• a ball bearing assembly including an inner race, an outer race, and at least one ball bearing located between the inner race and outer race, and coupled between the shaft and the at least one support for rotating the shaft and rotor relative to the support;
• at least one preload magnet fixedly coupled to the at least one support, axially spaced adjacent to the rotor, and extending along an approximate arc, to thereby magnetically attract the rotor in approximately the axial direction of the shaft and, in turn, apply a preload to the ball bearing assembly;
• and
• at least one lubricant-impregnated bearing rotatably supporting the shaft and rotor on the at least one support, and slidably contacting at least one of (i) the outer race of the ball bearing assembly for rotating with the shaft and rotor relative to the outer race, and (ii) the inner race of the ball bearing assembly for rotating with the shaft and rotor relative to the inner race.

A thin electric motor, comprising:

• a rotary shaft defining a axis of rotation;
• a stationary support extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft;
• a rotor fixedly coupled with the shaft to rotate integrally with the shaft, the rotor extending radially outward from the shaft and substantially parallel to the support;
• a ball bearing assembly having an outer race, an inner race, and a plurality of balls rotatably supported between the races, the inner race being fixedly coupled with the shaft and the outer race being fixedly coupled with the stationary support to rotatably support the shaft on the stationary support;
• and
• a lubricant-impregnated member interposed between the rotor and the ball bearing assembly, wherein the lubricant-impregnated member is fixedly coupled with the rotor and in sliding contact with the outer race.

A thin electric motor, comprising:

• a rotary shaft defining an axis of rotation;
• a stationary support extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft;
• a rotor fixedly coupled with the shaft to rotate integrally with the shaft, the rotor extending radially outward from the shaft and substantially parallel to the support;
• a ball bearing assembly having an outer race, an inner race, and a plurality of balls rotatably supported between the races, the outer race being fixedly coupled with the rotor and the inner race being fixedly coupled with the stationary support to rotatably support the rotor on the stationary support;
• and
• a lubricant-impregnated member interposed between the shaft and the ball bearing assembly, wherein the lubricant-impregnated member is fixedly coupled with the shaft and is in sliding contact with the inner race.