Brush holder marking system and associated maintenance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874492-B2
Application number	US-201514755844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2012
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A marking system for knowing precisely at which location on an electrical device a used brush and associated brush holder assembly were positioned to evaluate whether abnormal brush wear, abnormal operation or other anomaly is occurring and performing maintenance and/or replacement of components as needed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of monitoring a brush holder assembly, the method comprising:
mounting a brush holder assembly at a position on an electrical generator, the position being one of a plurality of possible positions corresponding to one of a plurality of mounting members secured to a stationary structure of the electrical generator to which the brush holder assembly is mounted to;
recording the position of the brush holder assembly in a computer;
removing the brush holder assembly from the electrical generator after a brush of the brush holder assembly has worn; and
inspecting the removed brush holder assembly to evaluate a condition of one or more components of the brush holder assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining previous dates that maintenance was performed on a brush holder assembly at the position on the electrical generator.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining previous dates that brush replacement was performed on a brush holder assembly at the position on the electrical generator.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining a wear rate of the brush of the brush holder assembly removed from the electrical generator.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining if the wear rate of the brush of the brush holder assembly removed from the electrical generator falls within a nominal wear rate range.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
initiating inspection of the electrical generator if the wear rate of the brush of the brush holder assembly removed from the electrical generator falls outside of the nominal wear rate range.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
marking indicia on the brush holder assembly indicative of the position on the electrical generator from which the brush holder assembly was removed from.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the brush holder assembly includes an imprintable material layer for receiving the indicia from a marker.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the marker includes raised indicia and the indicia is a depression in the imprintable material layer.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the indicia on the brush holder assembly is uniquely identifiable to the position on the electrical generator.

11. A method of monitoring a brush holder assembly, the method comprising:
mounting a first brush holder assembly at a position on an electrical generator, the position being one of a plurality of possible positions corresponding to one of a plurality of mounting members secured to a stationary structure of the electrical generator to which the first brush holder assembly is mounted to;
recording the position of the first brush holder assembly in a computer;
removing the first brush holder assembly from the electrical generator after a brush of the first brush holder assembly has worn;
mounting a second brush holder assembly at the position on the electrical generator after removing the first brush holder assembly;
removing the second brush holder assembly from the electrical generator after a brush of the second brush holder assembly has worn; and
comparing a wear rate of the brush of the second brush holder assembly to a wear rate of the brush of the first brush holder assembly.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the wear rate of the brush of the first brush holder assembly is determined based on a duration of time the brush of the first brush holder assembly was in service on the electrical generator.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wear rate of the brush of the second brush holder assembly is determined based on a duration of time the brush of the second brush holder assembly was in service on the electrical generator.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining if the wear rate of the brush of the second brush holder assembly removed from the electrical generator falls within a nominal wear rate range.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining if the wear rate of the brush of the first brush holder assembly removed from the electrical generator falls within a nominal wear rate range.

Assignees

• Cutsforth Inc

Inventors

• Cutsforth Robert S

Classifications

• B41G7/00

  Auxiliary perforating apparatus associated with printing devices (apparatus or machines for carrying-out printing operations combined with operations other than perforating B41F19/00) · CPC title

• G01M13/00 Primary

  Testing of machine parts · CPC title

• H02K13/00

  Structural associations of current collectors with motors or generators, e.g. brush mounting plates or connections to windings (supporting or protecting brushes or brush holders in motor casings or enclosures H02K5/14); Disposition of current collectors in motors or generators; Arrangements for improving commutation · CPC title

• H01R39/41 Primary

  cartridge type · CPC title

• G01B11/00

  Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques · CPC title