Electric motor for a water pump

Abstract

An electric coolant or water pump with a housing including and a housing sleeve adapted to receive a bearing assembly. An integral shaft bearing assembly is mounted inside the housing sleeve. The integral shaft bearing assembly includes a shaft, an outer bearing ring, and at least one bearing located between the shaft and the outer bearing ring. An impeller is connected to the shaft and located in the pump chamber. An electric motor is mounted to the housing, with the electric motor including a stator connected to an outside of the housing sleeve and a rotor mounted to the shaft on an opposite end from the impeller. The rotor is located opposite from and rotatable relative to the stator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric pump, comprising:
 a housing, and a housing sleeve adapted to receive a bearing assembly connected to the housing;   an integral shaft bearing assembly mounted inside the housing sleeve, the integrated shaft bearing assembly including a shaft, an outer bearing ring, and at least one bearing element located between the shaft and the outer bearing ring;   an impeller connected to the shaft and located in the pump chamber;   an electric motor mounted to the housing, the electric motor including a stator connected to an outside of the housing sleeve and a rotor mounted to the shaft on an opposite end from the impeller, the rotor being located opposite from and being rotatable relative to the stator.   
     
     
         2 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor is cup-shaped and extends from the opposite end of the shaft about the housing sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , wherein the stator includes a stator iron connected to an outside of the housing sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one bearing element comprises a row of rolling elements. 
     
     
         5 . The electric pump of  claim 4 , wherein the shaft includes a bearing raceway for the row of rolling elements. 
     
     
         6 . The electric pump of  claim 4 , wherein the rolling elements are separated by cages. 
     
     
         7 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , wherein the integral shaft bearing assembly includes two rows of rolling elements as the at least one bearing element located between the shaft and the outer bearing ring. 
     
     
         8 . The electric pump of  claim 7 , further comprising bearing seals located between the shaft and the outer bearing ring located at each of the rows of rolling elements. 
     
     
         9 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal located between the shaft and the housing, separating the at least one bearing element from the pump chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes an integrated cooling fan. 
     
     
         11 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , further comprising permanent magnets connected to the rotor. 
     
     
         12 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a pump chamber, an inlet and an outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor is located outside of and rotatable relative to about the stator. 
     
     
         14 . The electric pump of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is for a coolant.