# US 11,028,882 B2 · Methods and apparatus for a rolling bearing assembly with electrical discharge damage protection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,028,882 B2 - Document ID: US11028882B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/558,923 - Filed: 2019-09-03 - Published: 2020-03-05 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-04 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: Matthew Roman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028882B2 ## CPC - F16C 41/002: {Conductive elements, e.g. to prevent static electricity} - F16C 19/06: with a single row or balls - F16C 19/52: with devices affected by abnormal or undesired conditions - F16C 33/7816: {Details of the sealing or parts thereof, e.g. geometry, material} - F16C 33/7853: {with one or more sealing lips to contact the inner race} - F16C 33/7856: {with a single sealing lip} - F16C 2202/32: Conductivity - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS ## Abstract Provided is disclosure for an example providing protection from electrical discharges for a rolling bearing assembly, where the rolling bearing assembly comprises an inner ring with an inner ring raceway, an outer ring with an outer ring raceway, rolling elements configured to roll or rotate between the inner ring raceway and the outer ring raceway, and at least one electrically conductive part with a first end and a second end, where the first end is configured to electrically contact the inner ring and the second end is configured to electrically contact the outer ring. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bearing assembly, comprising: an inner ring comprising an inner ring raceway; an outer ring comprising an outer ring raceway; rolling elements configured to roll or rotate between the inner ring raceway and the outer ring raceway; at least one electrically conductive part with a first end and a second end; and a seal between the at least one electrically conductive part and the rolling elements, wherein: the first end comprises first electrically conductive brush filaments configured to electrically contact the inner ring, and the second end comprises second electrically conductive brush filaments configured to electrically contact the outer ring. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein: the first electrically conductive brush filaments are removably coupled to the first end, and the second electrically conductive brush filaments are removably coupled to the second end. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a sealing lip that contacts one of the inner ring or the outer ring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The bearing assembly of claim 3, wherein the sealing lip is a flexible sealing lip. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrically conductive part comprises at least one discrete part that is not a ring. ### Claim 6 A bearing assembly, comprising: an inner ring comprising an inner ring raceway; an outer ring comprising an outer ring raceway; rolling elements configured to roll or rotate between the inner ring raceway and the outer ring raceway; at least one brace; and electrically conductive brush filaments, fastened to the at least one brace, with a first end and a second end, wherein: the at least one brace does not directly contact either of the inner ring or the outer ring, and the first end is configured to directly electrically contact the inner ring and the second end is configured to directly electrically contact the outer ring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The bearing assembly of claim 6, comprising a seal between the rolling elements and one or both of the at least one brace and the electrically conductive brush filaments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The bearing assembly of claim 7, wherein the seal comprises a sealing lip that contacts one of the inner ring or the outer ring. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The bearing assembly of claim 7, wherein the seal, the at least one brace, and the electrically conductive brush filaments are coupled together. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The bearing assembly of claim 7, wherein two or more of adjacent ones of the seal, the at least one brace, and the electrically conductive brush filaments are removably coupled together. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The bearing assembly of claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive brush filaments is on only one side of one of the rolling elements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The bearing assembly of claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive brush filaments is a conductive ring. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The bearing assembly of claim 6, wherein the electrically conductive brush filaments comprise at least one discrete part that is not a ring. ### Claim 14 A rolling bearing assembly with electrical discharge damage protection, comprising: an inner ring and an outer ring, the inner ring including an inner ring raceway and the outer ring including an outer ring raceway; a plurality of rolling elements, the plurality of rolling elements are supported to roll on the inner ring raceway and the inner ring raceway; and a seal extending radially between the outer ring and the inner ring, the seal including a fixed seal end that is fixed to one of the inner ring or the outer ring and a flexible sealing lip that contacts the other one of the inner ring or the outer ring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The rolling bearing assembly of claim 14, comprising at least one electrically conductive ring. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The rolling bearing assembly of claim 15, wherein the seal is integrally connected to the at least one electrically conductive ring. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The rolling bearing assembly of claim 15, wherein the at least one electrically conductive ring has electrically conductive brush filaments fixed to at least one end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The bearing assembly of claim 1, comprising at least one brace fastened to the at least one electrically conductive part. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The bearing assembly of claim 18, wherein the at least one brace does not directly contact either of the inner ring or the outer ring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The bearing assembly of claim 18, comprising a seal between the rolling elements and one or both of the at least one brace and the electrically conductive part.