System and method for monitoring the status of one or more components of an electrical machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11616413-B2
Application number	US-202217736274-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2022
Priority date	Oct 4, 2018
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

Example brush holder assemblies of an electric machine are disclosed. An example brush holder assembly of an electric machine includes a carbon brush including an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The brush holder assembly also includes one or more lead wires extending out of the carbon brush at an insertion point on the upper surface and a first cavity extending into the carbon brush from the upper surface at a location spaced away from the insertion point of the one or more lead wires and unobstructed by the one or more lead wires.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for a brush holder assembly of an electric machine, comprising:
a carbon brush including an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface,
one or more lead wires extending out of the carbon brush at an insertion point on the upper surface;
a first cavity extending into the carbon brush from the upper surface at a first location spaced away from the insertion point of the one or more lead wires and unobstructed by the one or more lead wires; and
a second cavity extending into the carbon brush from the upper surface at a second location spaced away from the insertion point of the one or more lead wires and unobstructed by the one or more lead wires;
wherein the first and second cavities are in a spaced apart relationship to receive first and second projections of a spacer against the upper surface of the carbon brush.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spacer including a first projection extending into the first cavity and a second projection extending into the second cavity.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a wear state monitor coupled to the spacer, wherein the wear state monitor is designed to measure an angular displacement of the wear state monitor as the wear state monitor rotates.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the brush further includes a length measured from the upper surface to the lower surface, wherein the length is diminished from an initial length as the lower surface of the carbon brush wears away during use and wherein the measured angular displacement of the wear state monitor correlates to the diminished length of the carbon brush.

5. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein engagement of the first projection in the first cavity of the carbon brush and the second projection in the second cavity is configured to retain the spacer in a fixed relationship with the carbon brush.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second projections each extend away from a bottom surface of the spacer.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first and second projections are removable from the first and second cavities, respectively.

8. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first cavity includes a tapered surface and the second cavity includes a tapered surface.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first projection includes a tapered surface designed to mate with the tapered surface of the first cavity, and the second projection includes a tapered surface designed to mate with the tapered surface of the second cavity.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second projections are designed to engage the carbon brush simultaneously when inserted into the first and second cavities, respectively.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shape of both the first projection and the second projection is designed to mate with the first cavity and the second cavity, respectively.

12. A method of assembling a brush holder assembly of an electrical device, comprising:
aligning first and second projections of a spacer with first and second cavities in an upper surface of a carbon brush, the carbon brush including one or more lead wires extending out of the carbon brush at an insertion point on the upper surface, wherein the first and second cavities are spaced away from the insertion point;
inserting the first and second projections into the first and second cavities to releasably attach the spacer to the carbon brush; and
inserting the carbon brush into a brush holder mounted on the electrical device.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, positioning a coiled portion of a spring against an upper surface of the spacer.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising coupling a wear state monitor within the coiled portion of the spring.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising evaluating a diminution in length of the carbon brush due to angular displacement of the wear state monitor.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first cavity includes a tapered surface and the second cavity includes a tapered surface.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first projection includes a tapered surface designed to mate with the tapered surface of the first cavity, and the second projection includes a tapered surface designed to mate with the tapered surface of the second cavity.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second projections are designed to engage the carbon brush simultaneously when inserted into the first and second cavities, respectively.

Assignees

• Cutsforth Inc

Inventors

• Cutsforth Robert S
• Cutsforth Dustin L
• Harrison David William Drury
• Bruey Douglas Christopher

Classifications

• H01R39/58 Primary

  Means structurally associated with the current collector for indicating condition thereof, e.g. for indicating brush wear · CPC title

• H02K5/146

  Pivotally supported brushes or brush holders · CPC title

• H01R39/41

  cartridge type · CPC title

• H01R39/388

  characterised by the material of the brush holder · CPC title

• H02K5/148 Primary

  Slidably supported brushes · CPC title