Abstract

A floating sleeve bearing assembly for supporting the shaft of an electric motor, the shaft having an axis of rotation and the motor having a stator. The sleeve bearing assembly includes a bearing having therein a bore for receiving the shaft. The bearing has a plurality of cylindrical outer surface portions that are centered on respective axes which are substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation and which all lie in the same plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The sleeve bearing assembly also includes a bearing support bracket having an axis and including a main body fixable relative to the stator. The bracket further includes a plurality of circuitously spaced resilient projections extending from the main body and generally parallel to the bracket axis. Each of the projections has an inwardly facing surface which is convex at the intersection of the surface with a plane substantially perpendicular to the bracket axis, and is concave at the intersection of the surface with a plane including the bracket axis. Together, the projections define a socket centered on the bracket axis for housing the bearing, such that each projection engages a respective one of the cylindrical outer surface portions so as to allow angular movement of the bearing within the socket to compensate for axial misalignment between the axis of rotation and the bracket axis, while at the same time substantially preventing rotation of the bearing about the axis of rotation.