Brush assemblies
AssigneeEnergy Conversion Systems Holdings, LLC
InventorsMichael Walter Nedriga, Pimol Ballard Vonkchalee, Shepard Lynn Hockaday, Alvin Leon Farthing, Otway Archer Southall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Detailed are brush assemblies for electric motors. The assemblies may include retention springs or other mechanisms designed to bias brushes away from surfaces of commutators during assembly of the motors. Such retention mechanisms additionally may be fitted into cavities in associated cover plates following motor assembly. The cover plates further may include tabs which, in use of the motor, assist in supporting side surfaces of the brushes and in orienting the plate relative to a corresponding brush card.
Claims20
A brush assembly for an electric motor, the brush assembly comprising:
- a brush card having an opening configured and dimensioned for receiving a commutator, the opening including a wall and a channel located along the wall, the channel including a channel side wall;
- a brush coupled to and supported by the brush card, and positioned to contact, in the event one is received in the opening, a commutator;
- and
- a resilient member including a restraining section and a flange, the flange being configured and dimensioned to be received in the channel;
- wherein the resilient member is further adapted to assume a deflected position, and is mounted to the brush card at the opening in the deflected position such that the restraining section addresses the brush so as to restrain a movement thereof in at least one direction relative to the brush card, and such that the flange is received in the channel, and engages the channel side wall.
A brush assembly for an electric motor, comprising:
- a brush card having an opening configured and dimensioned for receiving a commutator, the opening including a wall and a channel located along the wall, the channel including a channel side wall;
- a brush coupled to and supported by the brush card, and positioned adjacent the opening such that the brush is positioned to contact, in the event one is received in the opening, a commutator;
- and
- a resilient member including a restraining section and a flange configured and dimensioned to be received in the channel, the resilient member being further adapted to be assume a deflected position, and being received in the opening in the deflected position such that the restraining section is positioned adjacent the brush, thereby restraining the brush from moving inward relative to the opening, and the flange is received in the channel and engages the channel side wall.
A brush assembly for an electric motor, comprising:
- a brush card having a opening extending in a first direction and configured and dimensioned for receiving a commutator inserted into the brush card along the first direction, the opening including a wall and a channel extending in the first direction along the wall;
- a brush coupled to and supported by the brush card, and positioned adjacent the opening such that the brush extends radially inward relative to the opening, and is positioned to contact, in the event one is received in the opening, a commutator;
- and
- a resilient member including a first curved leg, a second curved leg, and a central span disposed between the first and second curved legs and configured and dimensioned to be received in and translate along the channel, and to key the resilient element rotationally relative to the opening;
- wherein the resilient member is adapted to be assume a deflected position in which the first and second curved legs are flexed relative to each other about the central span, and the resilient member is received in the opening in the deflected position such that one of the first and second curved legs is positioned in operative contact with the brush, and is permitted to restrain the brush from moving radially inward relative to the opening;
- and
- wherein the resilient member is further adapted to receive an urging force applied along the first direction from a commutator inserted into the brush card opening, and to react to the urging force by moving substantially in translation along the first direction at least until the one of the first and second legs is translated out of such operative contact with the brush.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.