Method of providing a heat shield in an electric motor

1. A method of providing a heat shield on an electric motor, the motor having a housing and an endcap coupled to an end of the housing, the endcap including a bearing pocket constructed and arranged to cover a bearing structure, the method including,

coupling a heat shield directly to the motor so as to surround and cover the bearing pocket and to define a distal end of the motor, and

ensuring that a portion of the heat shield is spaced from and in non-contacting arrangement with the bearing pocket, such that ambient heat radiates to the heat shield and not directly to the bearing pocket of the endcap.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a plurality of tabs and the endcap includes slots with each slot receiving an associated tab, and wherein the heat shield includes mounting slots therein, the coupling step including:

receiving a tab in a slot of the endcap and in a mounting slot of the heat shield, and

deforming the tab to secure the heat shield and endcap to the housing.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of deforming includes using a knife edge to cut and spread the tab to extend beyond a width of the mounting slot.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the heat shield includes a generally bowl-shaped portion and a planar peripheral portion, the mounting slots being spaced along the planar peripheral portion of the heat shield.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the heat shield is constructed and arranged to reflect radiating heat.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the heat shield is composed of aluminum.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the heat shield is composed of metal.