System and method for monitoring the status of one or more components of an electrical machine
AssigneeCutsforth, Inc.
InventorsRobert S. Cutsforth, Dustin L. Cutsforth, David William Drury Harrison, Douglas Christopher Bruey
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims18
A brush holder assembly for an electric machine, comprising:
- a brush holder couplable to the electric machine;
- a carbon brush slidably disposed within the brush holder, the carbon brush including an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and a first cavity extending into the carbon brush from the upper surface;
- a spring including a first end coupled to the brush holder and a second end;
- and
- a spacer disposed over the upper surface, the spacer including a first projection extending into the first cavity;
- wherein a coiled portion of the spring proximate the second end is engaged with the spacer;
- wherein the spacer includes one or more arcuate surfaces configured to cradle the coiled portion of the spring;
- wherein the spacer is configured to be decoupled from the carbon brush in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface.
A brush holder assembly for an electric machine, comprising:
- a brush holder couplable to the electric machine;
- a carbon brush slidably disposed within the brush holder, the carbon brush including an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and a first cavity extending into the carbon brush from the upper surface;
- wherein the lower surface of the carbon brush is configured to engage a rotating surface of the electric machine when the brush holder is coupled to the electric machine;
- a spring including a first end coupled to the brush holder and a second end;
- and
- a spacer juxtaposed with the upper surface of the carbon brush, the spacer including a first projection extending away from a bottom surface of the spacer and into the first cavity;
- wherein a coiled portion of the spring is cradled by an arcuate surface of the spacer;
- wherein the spring is configured to apply a force to the carbon brush urging the lower surface of the carbon brush toward the rotating surface of the electric machine when the brush holder is coupled to the electric machine;
- wherein the spacer is configured to be decoupled from the carbon brush in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.