Abstract: A rotor assembly for an electric motor includes a shaft extending along and rotatable about an axis. The rotor assembly also includes a lamination stack coupled to the shaft, a plurality of magnets including a first magnet coupled to the lamination stack, and a plurality of pole pieces spaced radially outward from the shaft. Each pole piece of the plurality of pole pieces is separate from the lamination stack. The plurality of pole pieces includes a first pole piece, and the first and second magnets are disposed between the lamination stack and the first pole piece. The rotor assembly further includes a plurality of spacers including a first spacer disposed between the first pole piece and the lamination stack to reduce flux leakage of the first magnet.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rotor assembly for an electric motor is disclosed. The rotor assembly includes a lamination stack extending along an axis, a plurality of magnets including a first and second magnet each coupled to the lamination stack, and a plurality of pole pieces including a first pole piece spaced from the lamination stack and separate from the lamination stack. The rotor assembly also includes a plurality of spacers including a first spacer spaced from the lamination stack. The method includes the step of disposing the first magnet and the second magnet between the lamination stack and the first pole piece. The method also includes the step of disposing the first spacer between the lamination stack and the first pole piece to reduce flux leakage between the lamination stack and the first pole piece.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for an electric motor includes a shaft, a lamination stack, a plurality of magnets including a first magnet, and a plurality of pole pieces including a first pole piece. The first magnet is disposed between the lamination stack and the first pole piece, and each pole piece has an outer pole surface. The rotor assembly also includes a sleeve including an outer sleeve body disposed about the outer pole surface of each pole piece to retain each of the pole pieces with respect to the lamination stack, and a plurality of spacers extending from the outer sleeve body radially inward toward the shaft. The plurality of spacers includes a first and second spacer, and the first and second spacers are disposed between the first pole piece and the lamination stack to reduce flux leakage of the first magnet.