Bearing current discharge assemblies for electric vehicles

A method for manufacturing a current discharge assembly for an electric machine in an electric vehicle, the electric machine including a rotor shaft defining a shaft channel, the method comprising:

• providing a mounting bracket having a body defining a bracket channel extending therethrough;
• cutting at least one slot into the body of the mounting bracket;
• attaching a connector to the mounting bracket via the slot, the connector extending into the bracket channel;
• inserting a ground pipe into the bracket channel of the mounting bracket to contact the connector extending into the bracket channel, the ground pipe providing a lubricant into the shaft channel of the rotor shaft;
• inserting the ground pipe and the mounting bracket with the attached connector into the shaft channel of the rotor shaft so that the mounting bracket extends circumferentially along an outer diameter of the shaft channel, the mounting bracket is positioned between the connector and the rotor shaft, and the connector electrically couples the rotor shaft to the ground pipe when the rotor shaft is rotating to allow current to flow from the rotor shaft to the ground pipe via the connector;
• and
• forming a first plug and a second plug between the ground pipe and the rotor shaft to prevent the lubricant provided by the ground pipe from contacting the connector, the first plug positioned adjacent to a first side of the connector, and the second plug positioned adjacent to a second side of the connector opposing the first side, wherein the first plug and the second plug are attached to the mounting bracket.

A current discharge assembly for an electric machine in an electric vehicle, the current discharge assembly comprising:

• a rotor shaft defining a channel;
• a ground pipe extending into the channel and configured to provide a lubricant into the channel of the rotor shaft;
• a connector positioned within the channel of the rotor shaft and extending circumferentially between the rotor shaft and the ground pipe, the connector configured to electrically couple the rotor shaft to the ground pipe when the rotor shaft is rotating to allow current to flow from the rotor shaft to the ground pipe via the connector;
• a first plug and a second plug positioned in the channel between the ground pipe and the rotor shaft, the first plug positioned adjacent to a first side of the connector, the second plug positioned adjacent to a second side of the connector opposing the first side, and the first plug and the second plug configured to prevent the lubricant provided by the ground pipe from contacting the connector;
• and
• a mounting bracket extending circumferentially along an outer diameter of the ground pipe and positioned between the connector and the ground pipe, wherein the connector is attached to the mounting bracket, the mounting bracket having a tapering ring-shape with a diameter that increases from a first end of the mounting bracket to a second, opposing end of the mounting bracket.