Patent ID: 8056211

Claim:
A method for assembling a stator for an electric motor comprising: providing a plurality of stator components composed of generally insulated ferromagnetic particles, said plurality of stator components including a plurality of alignment protrusions and a plurality of alignment depressions; assembling said plurality of stator components such that at least a portion of said alignment protrusions and said alignment depressions engage to align said plurality of stator components and form a stator core; wrapping a wire around at least a portion of the stator core to form a stator winding; providing a first generally annular end plate and a second generally annular end plate; mounting said first and second end plates to axially opposite sides of said stator core such that said stator core is axially trapped and retained therebetween; applying a clamping load to the first and second end plates with a fastener such that the stator core is compressed therebetween; wherein said clamping load from said fastener is applied to said first and second end plates which distribute the clamping load to the stator core such that the plurality of components are held together without said fastener directly applying the clamping load to the stator core.