Patent ID: 7573166

Claim:
A rotary electric machine comprising: a housing including an end frame; an electric motor disposed within the housing, the motor including an armature and an armature shaft, the armature being subjected to an electromagnetic force to provide a torque to the armature shaft; a plain bearing comprising a hollow cylindrical wall that has an axial length between opposed ends of the hollow cylindrical wall and retains an end portion of the armature shaft along the axial length; and a hollow bearing mount formed on the end frame within which the plain bearing is mounted, the hollow bearing mount supporting the plain bearing in abutment with one of the opposed ends of the axial length of the plain bearing so as to have the axial length of the plain bearing bear a thrust load transmitted from the armature shaft, wherein the other of the ends of the axial length of the plain bearing extends outside an open end of the bearing mount through which the end portion of the armature shaft is inserted, wherein the bearing mount has an inner shoulder formed on an inner wall of the bearing mount, the inner shoulder supporting the plain bearing in abutment with the one of the opposed ends of the axial length, and wherein the end portion of the armature shaft is smaller in diameter than a major portion of the armature shaft to form an outer shoulder between the end portion and the major portion, and wherein the plain bearing is placed in abutment by another of the ends of the axial length with the outer shoulder of the armature shaft.