Patent ID: 7299915

Claim:
A motorized pulley, comprising: a housing having a hollow internal region and being rotatably coupleable to a support structure, wherein the housing at least partially defines an external surface of the motorized pulley; an electric motor disposed in the hollow internal region comprising: a motor core having a rotor; and an end cap secured to an end of the motor core, the end cap having a bearing assembly allowing relative rotation between the end cap and the housing, the end cap being adapted to be secured to the support structure and being formed of a thermally conductive material to allow heat generated in the motor core to be transferred to the support structure, the end cap at least partially defining an external surface of the motorized pulley; and a rotatable element coupled to the rotor, the rotatable element extending through a center hole in the end cap past an outer surface of the end cap; and a gear assembly disposed in the hollow interior region and configured to transmit torque from the rotatable element to the housing to cause rotation of the housing with respect to the support structure; and a fan mounted on the rotatable element external to the hollow interior region; the fan forcing cooling air through the support structure adjacent the end cap into the hollow interior region to cool the motor core and the end cap during operation of the electric motor.