Systems and Methods for Preventing Electrical Arcing Between Components of an ESP Motor

An electric motor comprising:

• a stator having a bore therethrough;
• a rotor, wherein the rotor is mounted on a shaft and electrically coupled to the shaft, and wherein the rotor and shaft are rotatably positioned within the bore of the stator;
• and
• a conductive roller assembly having a roller rotatably mounted on a roller support structure,
• wherein the roller is electrically coupled to the roller support structure,
• wherein the roller support structure is secured to the stator and electrically coupled to the stator,
• wherein the roller is positioned against the shaft and is thereby electrically coupled to the shaft, and
• wherein when the shaft rotates, the roller rolls against a surface of the shaft and maintains contact with the shaft, thereby maintaining an electrically conductive pathway between the stator and the rotor.

A method for reducing an electric potential between a stator and a rotor of an electric motor, the method comprising:

• providing an electric motor having a stator and a rotor, wherein the stator has a bore therethrough, wherein the rotor is mechanically and electrically coupled to a shaft, and wherein the rotor and shaft are rotatably positioned within the bore of the stator;
• providing a conductive roller assembly having a roller rotatably mounted on a roller support structure;
• and
• maintaining an electrically conductive pathway between the stator and the rotor by securing the roller support structure to the stator, and
• positioning the roller against the shaft, wherein when the shaft rotates, the roller rolls against a surface of the shaft and maintains contact with the shaft.