Abstract: An electric power unit comprises an AC electric motor, a power assembly, and a control assembly. The AC electric motor has a housing and an output shaft supported in the housing, the housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the output shaft protruding from the first end. A combination of the power assembly and of the control assembly forms a DC to AC inverter. The power assembly receives DC power from a DC power source and converts the DC power into AC power. The control assembly controls a transmission of the AC power from the power assembly to the AC electric motor. The power assembly is disposed on a longitudinal side of the housing, the longitudinal side extending between the first and second ends of the housing. The control assembly is mounted on the second end of the housing.

Abstract: A speed control device, whereby individual motor phases of an electronically commutated multiphase electric motor are supplied via corresponding individual phase shifters from a constant voltage supply unidirectionally and unpulsed during time blocks which are derived from stored time block pulse patterns specific to certain speeds. The speed control device permits setting a variety of speeds with relatively little expense and with low operating losses. The speed control device further provides a simple device for setting intermediate speeds by means of low-frequency switching between at least two time block pulse patterns.