Abstract: A brushless DC motor includes a stator, a rotor, and motor terminals mounted on the stator. Each motor terminal includes a planar portion extending circumferentially from the end insulator, a wire-receiving member extending from a first end of the planar portion and folded over an outer surface of the planar portion away from the center axis of the stator at an angle of less than 90 degrees, and a tab portion extending from a second end of the planar portion parallel to the center axis of the stator. A circuit board is disposed adjacent the motor including power switches mounted thereon for energizing the stator windings. Slots are formed in the circuit board to align with and securely receive the tab portions of the motor terminals, thus electrically connecting the motor terminals to the power switches.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a tool housing and a brushless DC (BLDC) motor disposed within the tool housing. The motor includes a stator assembly and a rotor assembly having a rotor lamination stack mounted on a rotor shaft to rotate therewith. The power tool also includes a power module for driving the motor, which includes: a printed circuit board, power switches operatively connected to the motor disposed on a first surface of the printed circuit board, positional sensors disposed on a second surface of the printed circuit board around a periphery of a center portion of the printed circuit board, and a heat sink having a substantially planar surface facing the second surface of the printed circuit board and disposed between the motor and the printed circuit board. The heat sink includes a through-hole therein sized to axially expose the positional sensors in the direction of the motor.