# US 5,708,317 A · DC motor designed for asset recovery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,708,317 A - Document ID: US5708317A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/620,818 - Filed: 1996-03-25 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1996-03-25 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: Robert P. Siegel; Walter Bujalski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5708317A ## CPC - H01R 39/58: Means structurally associated with the current collector for indicating condition thereof, e.g. for indicating brush wear - H02K 5/148: {Slidably supported brushes} - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract An electric motor including a housing defining an aperture therethrough is disclosed. The motor also includes an armature mounted in the housing and a brush mounted in the housing and slidably connected to the armature. The housing substantially encloses the armature and the brush. The aperture is positioned with respect to the brush so that the brush may be visible through the aperture and so that the remaining usable life of the brush may be visually determined while the electric motor is assembled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric motor, comprising: a housing defining an aperture therethrough; an armature mounted in said housing; and a brush, mounted in said housing and having an end slidably connected to said armature in contact zone said housing substantially enclosing said armature and said brush, the aperture being positioned with respect to the brush so that at least a portion of the end of the brush may be visible through the aperture, whereby remaining usable life of said brush may be directly visually observed while the electric motor is assembled. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An electric motor according to claim 1, wherein said brush comprises a visual indicator thereon representative of the remaining usable life of said brush. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An electric motor according to claim 2, wherein said visual indicator comprise marks, at least one of said marks so positioned with respect to said brush so as to represent a minimum length of said brush for use in a rebuilt machine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An electric motor according to claim 3, wherein said marks comprise spaced apart parallel lines, said lines being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said brush. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) An electric motor according to claim 3, wherein said marks are etched. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) An electric motor according to claim 3, wherein said marks are engraved. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) An electric motor according to claim 2, wherein: said brush further comprises a coating thereon; and said visual indicator comprise a mark on said coating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) An electric motor according to claim 2, further comprising a cover secured to said housing and at least partially covering the aperture. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An electric motor according to claim 8, wherein said cover comprises a plug. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) An electric motor according to claim 8, wherein said cover comprises a label. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) An electric motor according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of said cover is transparent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) An electric motor according to claim 2, wherein said housing comprises: a peripheral portion extending radially beyond said armature; a first end portion secured to said peripheral portion; and a second end portion spaced from said first end portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An electric motor according to claim 12, wherein the aperture is located in the peripheral portion of said housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An electric motor according to claim 12, wherein the aperture is located in at least one of said first end portion and said second end portion of said housing. ### Claim 15 An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having an electric motor to rotate mechanical components, comprising: a housing defining an aperture therethrough; an armature mounted in said housing; and a brush, mounted in said housing and having an end slidably connected to said armature in a contact zone, said housing substantially enclosing said armature and said brush, the aperture being positioned with respect to the brush so that at least a portion of the end of the brush may be visible through the aperture, whereby remaining usable life of said brush may be directly visually observed while the electric motor is assembled. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A printing machine according to claim 15, wherein said brush comprises a visual indicator thereon representative of the remaining usable life of said brush. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A printing machine according to claim 16, wherein said visual indicator comprise marks, at least one of said marks so positioned with respect to said brush so as to represent a minimum length of said brush for use in a rebuilt machine. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A printing machine according to claim 17, wherein said marks comprise spaced apart parallel lines, said lines being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said brush. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A printing machine according to claim 17, wherein said marks are etched. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) A printing machine according to claim 17, wherein said marks are engraved. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) A printing machine according to claim 16, wherein: said brush further comprises a coating thereon; and said visual indicator comprise a mark on said coating. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) A printing machine according to claim 16, further comprising a cover secured to said housing and at least partially covering the aperture. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A printing machine according to claim 22, wherein said cover comprises a plug. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) A printing machine according to claim 22, wherein said cover comprises a label. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) A printing machine according to claim 22, wherein at least a portion of said cover is transparent. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) An printing machine according to claim 15, wherein said housing comprises: A peripheral portion extending radially beyond said armature; and a first end portion secured to said peripheral portion; and a second end portion spaced from said first end portion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A printing machine according to claim 26, wherein the aperture is located in the peripheral portion of said housing. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) A printing machine according to claim 26, wherein the aperture is located in at least one of said first end portion and said second end portion of said housing. ### Claim 29 A method of determining the suitability of an electric motor used in a new machine for use in a rebuilt machine, comprising the steps of: placing a visual indicator which represents the minimum length of the brush for a motor suitable for use in a rebuilt machine on an electric motor brush; forming an opening in an electric motor housing; utilizing the motor in a new machine; viewing the brush through the opening; and observing whether the visual indicator remains on the electric motor. ### Claim 30 An electric motor for use in a machine and for possible, further, later use in a rebuilt machine, comprising: a housing defining an aperture therethrough; an armature mounted in said housing; a brush, mounted in said housing and slidably connected to said armature, said housing substantially enclosing said armature and said brush; and a visual indicator co-operable with said brush for indicating the minimum length of the brush for use in the rebuilt machine, whereby the suitability of reusing the motor in the rebuilt machine may be visually observed while the electric motor is assembled.