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US 8,585,413 B2Granted
Rotary electrical contact device and method for providing current to and/or from a rotating member
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorJeffrey P. Koplow
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorJeffrey P. Koplow
Estimating the term…
Examples of rotary electrical connectors include a first pair and a second pair of opposing sheaves coupled together by intersecting first shaft connecting the first pair of opposing sheaves and a second shaft connecting the second pair of opposing sheaves, and at least partially electrically conductive belt disposed about respective perimeters of the first pair and second pair of opposing sheaves and adapted to remain in contact with at least a portion of the respective perimeters of the sheaves during motion of said sheaves. In example devices, one of the plurality of sheaves may remain stationary during operation of the device while the remaining sheaves rotate and/or orbit around a center axis of the stationary sheave, the device being configured to couple current between a stationary power source and a rotating member through the electrically conductive belt.
A device for maintaining electrical contact between a first member and a second member, the first member being configured to move relative to the second member, the device comprising:
A method of providing electrical current to or from a rotating member, the method comprising:
An electrical interface for a motor-generator, the interface comprising a rotary electrical contact device including a stationary portion and a rotary portion and a belt configured to provide, using a rolling contact, an electrically conductive path between the stationary portion and the rotary portion thereby allowing the rotary portion to maintain electrical contact with a conductor on a rotating member of the motor-generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.