# US 9,882,447 B2 · Electric machine, assembly and associated method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,447 B2 - Document ID: US9882447B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/734,103 - Filed: 2015-06-09 - Published: 2016-12-15 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-09 - Assignees: Regal Beloit America, Inc. - Applicants: Regal Beloit America, Inc. - Inventors: John Edward Raczek; Christopher Thomas Ohrmundt; Jeffrey Patrick Nelessen; Laura Michelle Reamer; Allen Jonathan Barkholz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882447B2 ## CPC - H02K 5/1732: {radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor (H02K5/1737 takes precedence)} - F16C 23/08: self-adjusting - F16C 35/063: Fixing them on the shaft (with interposition of an element F16C35/07) - F16C 35/073: between shaft and inner race ring - F16C 2226/62: with pins, bolts or dowels - F16C 2380/26: Dynamo-electric machines or combinations therewith, e.g. electro-motors and generators - H02K 5/15: Mounting arrangements for bearing-shields or end plates - H02K 2213/09: Machines characterised by the presence of elements which are subject to variation, e.g. adjustable bearings, reconfigurable windings, variable pitch ventilators - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS ## Abstract An electric machine is provided. The electric machine includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is rotatably secured to the stator. The electric machine further includes a shaft secured to the rotor and a sleeve. The sleeve defines a bore and an outer periphery of the sleeve. The sleeve is slidably secured to the shaft. The electric machine further includes a bearing defining a bore of the bearing. At least a portion of the bore of bearing is fixedly secured to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the sleeve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric machine, comprising: a stator; a rotor rotatably secured to said stator; a shaft secured to said rotor, said shaft defining a sleeve engaging feature; a sleeve defining a bore and an outer periphery thereof, said sleeve slidably secured to said shaft, said shaft defining a shaft engaging feature; and a bearing comprising a rolling element bearing including an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of rolling element, the inner race defining a bore thereof, the bore of the inner race fixedly secured to the outer periphery of said sleeve, said sleeve engaging feature and said shaft engaging feature cooperating to prohibit substantial rotational relative motion between said sleeve and said shaft and to permit substantial axial motion between said shaft and said sleeve so as to prevent axial loading of the inner race relative to the outer race caused by relative axial motion of the shaft relative to the sleeve. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sleeve engaging feature comprises a protrusion extending from the outer periphery of said shaft; and wherein said shaft engaging feature comprises a wall defining a void formed in the bore of the sleeve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sleeve engaging feature comprises a wall defining a void formed in the outer periphery of said shaft; and wherein said shaft engaging feature comprises a protrusion extending from the bore of the sleeve. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electric machine in accordance with claim 3, wherein said protrusion comprises a pin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The electric machine in accordance with claim 2, wherein said protrusion comprises a pin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The electric machine in accordance with claim 3, wherein said sleeve engaging feature comprises a first wall defining a first void formed in the of the outer periphery of said shaft; wherein said shaft engaging feature comprises a second wall defining a second void formed in the bore of said sleeve; and further comprising a member adapted to cooperate with the first wall and the second wall to prohibit substantial rotational relative motion between said sleeve and said shaft and to permit substantial axial motion between said shaft and said sleeve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electric machine in accordance with claim 6, wherein said member comprises a key. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electric machine in accordance with claim 1: wherein said shall defines first and second spaced apart circumferential grooves formed in the outer periphery of said shaft; and wherein at least a portion of the bore of said sleeve is axially positioned between the grooves. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electric machine in accordance with claim 8, further comprising first and second seals respectively positioned at least partially in the first and second grooves. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electric machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a lubricant positioned between said shaft and the sleeve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electric machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a second bearing spaced from the first mentioned bearing and defining a second bearing bore, at least a portion of the second bearing bore of said bearing fixedly secured to said shaft. ### Claim 12 An assembly for use in an electric machine having a stator and a rotor, said assembly comprising: a shaft secured to the rotor, said shaft defining a sleeve engaging feature; a sleeve defining a bore and an outer periphery thereof, said sleeve slidably secured to said shaft, said sleeve defining a shaft engaging feature; and a bearing defining a bore thereof, at least a portion of the bore of said bearing fixedly secured to at least a portion of the outer periphery of said sleeve, said sleeve engaging feature and said shaft engaging feature cooperating to prohibit substantial rotational relative motion between said sleeve and said shaft and to permit substantial axial motion between said shaft and said sleeve so as to prevent axial loading of the inner race relative to the outer race caused by relative axial motion of the shaft relative to the sleeve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The assembly in accordance with claim 12: wherein said bearing comprises a rolling element bearing including an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of rolling elements; and wherein the inner race of said bearing is fixedly secured to the outer periphery of said sleeve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The assembly in accordance with claim 12, wherein said sleeve engaging feature comprises a protrusion extending from the outer periphery of said shaft; and wherein said shaft engaging feature comprises a wall defining a void formed in the bore of the sleeve. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The assembly in accordance with claim 12: wherein said sleeve engaging feature comprises a first wall defining a first void formed in the of the outer periphery of said shaft: wherein said shaft engaging feature comprises a second wall defining a second void formed in the bore of said sleeve; and further comprising a member adapted to cooperate with the fast wall and the second wall to prohibit substantial rotational relative motion between said sleeve and said shaft and to permit substantial axial motion between said shaft and said sleeve. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The assembly in accordance with claim 14, wherein said member comprises a key. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The assembly in accordance with claim 12: wherein said shaft defines first and second spaced apart circumferential grooves formed in the outer periphery of said shaft; and wherein at least a portion of the bore of said sleeve is axially positioned between the grooves. ### Claim 18 A method for securing a bearing to a shaft in an electric machine, comprising: providing an electric machine housing; providing a rolling element bearing including an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of rolling element, the inner race defining a bore thereof; fixedly securing the outer race of the bearing to the housing; fixedly securing a sleeve to the bore of the inner race; and providing a first wall defining a first void formed in the of the outer periphery of the shaft; providing a second wall defining a second void formed in the bore of the sleeve; providing a member; adapting the member to cooperate with the first void and the second void; prohibiting substantial rotational movement between the sleeve and the shaft; and permitting substantial axial movement between the sleeve and the shaft, so as to prevent axial loading of the inner race relative to the outer race caused by relative axial motion of the shaft relative to the sleeve. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the step of providing a member comprises providing a key. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the step of providing a member comprises providing a rectangular key.