Grounding device for electric machine and methods of assembling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9685843-B2
Application number	US-201514730911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A grounding device for an electric machine, having a rotating component and a stationary component, includes a core fabricated from a non-conductive material and a plurality of conductive fibers coupled to the core and extending therefrom. The plurality of conductive fibers are configured to electrically couple the rotating component with the stationary component such that an electrostatic charge on the rotating component is directed through the plurality of conductive fibers to the stationary component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A grounding device for an electric machine having a rotating component and a stationary component, said grounding device comprising:
a core; and
a plurality of conductive fibers coupled to said core and extending therefrom such that at least one conductive fiber of said plurality of conductive fibers contacts the rotating component and such that at least one conductive fiber of said plurality of conductive fibers contacts the stationary component, said plurality of conductive fibers configured to electrically couple the rotating component with the stationary component such that an electrostatic charge on the rotating component is directed through said plurality of conductive fibers to the stationary component.

2. The grounding device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said core and said plurality of conductive fibers are positioned within a bore formed in the stationary component.

3. The grounding device in accordance with claim 1 , said core and said plurality of conductive fibers are positioned radially inward of a spring mechanism, wherein at least one conductive fiber of said plurality of conductive fibers contacts the spring mechanism and is electrically coupled with the stationary component.

4. The grounding device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said core comprises a first portion coupled to the stationary component and a second portion positioned within an opening defined by the rotating component, wherein said plurality of conductive fibers are coupled to said second portion.

5. The grounding device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said core is fabricated from an electrically non-conductive material.

6. The grounding device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said core comprises at least one of a substantially circular shape, at least one arc-shaped segment, and at least one substantially spherical element.

7. The grounding device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of said core and said plurality of conductive fibers is flexible.

8. An electric machine comprising:
a rotating component;
a stationary component coupled to a ground; and
a grounding device conductively coupled between said rotating component and said stationary component, wherein said grounding device comprises:
a core; and
a plurality of conductive fibers coupled to said core and extending both radially inward from and radially outward from said core, wherein said plurality of conductive fibers are configured to electrically couple said rotating component with said stationary component such that an electrostatic charge on said rotating component is directed through said plurality of conductive fibers to said stationary component.

9. The electric machine in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said rotating component comprises at least one of a shaft, a bearing inner race, and a rotor core.

10. The electric machine in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said stationary component comprises at least one of a housing, a spring mechanism, a bearing outer race, and a stator.

11. The electric machine in accordance with claim 8 further comprising
at least one bearing comprising an inner race and an outer race;
a housing comprising a bore formed therein, wherein said at least one bearing and said grounding device are positioned within said bore.

12. The electric machine in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said grounding device is positioned proximate said at least one bearing such that said plurality of conductive fibers contact said inner race and at least one of said outer race and said housing.

13. The electric machine in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said grounding device does not contact said at least one bearing.

14. The electric machine in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said core is fabricated from an electrically non-conductive material.

15. The electric machine in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said core comprises at least one of a substantially circular shape, at least one arc-shaped segment, and at least one substantially spherical element.

16. The electric machine in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said stationary component comprises a bore formed therein, wherein said core and said plurality of conductive fibers are positioned within said bore.

17. A method of assembling an electric machine,
said method comprising:
providing a rotating component;
coupling a stationary component to a ground; and
positioning a grounding device between the rotating component and the stationary component, wherein the grounding device includes a core and a plurality of conductive fibers coupled to the core and extending therefrom, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of conductive fibers are configured to electrically couple the rotating component with the stationary component such that an electrostatic charge on the rotating component is directed through the plurality of conductive fibers to the stationary component, wherein the grounding device is positioned such that the core contacts only the plurality of conductive fibers.

18. The method in accordance with claim 17 , wherein positioning a grounding device comprises:
positioning at least one bearing having an inner race and an outer race within a bore formed in a housing;
positioning the grounding device within the bore proximate the at least one bearing such that said plurality of conductive fibers contact said inner race and at least one of said outer race and said housing.

19. The method in accordance with claim 17 , wherein positioning a grounding device comprises positioning the grounding device such that at least one conductive fiber of the plurality of conductive fibers contacts at least one rotatable bearing.

20. The method in accordance with claim 17 , wherein positioning a grounding device comprises positioning the core and the plurality of conductive fibers in a bore formed in the stationary component.

21. A grounding device for an electric machine having a rotating component and a stationary component, said grounding device comprising:
a core comprising a first portion coupled to the stationary component and a second portion positioned within an opening defined by the rotating component; and
a plurality of conductive fibers coupled to said second portion and extending therefrom, said plurality of conductive fibers configured to electrically couple the rotating component with the stationary component such that an electrostatic charge on the rotating component is directed through said plurality of conductive fibers to the stationary component.

22. A grounding device for an electric machine having a rotating component and a stationary component, said grounding device comprising:
a core fabricated from an electrically non-conductive material; and
a plurality of conductive fibers coupled to said core and extending therefrom, said plurality of conductive fibers configured to electrically couple the rotating component with the stationary component such that an electrostatic charge on the rotating component is directed through said plurality of conductive fibers to the stationary component.

23. An electric machine comprising:
at least one rotatable bearing comprising an inner race and an outer race;
a housing coupled to a ground, wherein said housing comprises a bore formed therein, wherein said at least one bearing and said grounding device are positioned within said bore; and
a grounding device conductively coupled between said at least one rotatable beari

Assignees

• Regal Beloit America Inc

Inventors

• Post Steven W
• Vatkar Shirish M
• Henry Joseph A
• Smith Michael David
• Muehlbauer Gerald R

Classifications

• Y10T29/49012

  Rotor · CPC title

• H02K11/40 Primary

  Structural association with grounding devices · CPC title

• H02K5/1735

  radially supporting the rotary shaft at only one end of the rotor (H02K5/1737 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K11/0089 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic