Conductive arrangement with reinforced base plate
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102024206366
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-08-28
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-05
- Publication Date
- 2025-02-06
Smart Images
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to bearings and more particularly relates to grounding devices for preventing electrical current or charge from flowing through a bearing.Bearings used in electric machines such as motors, generators, and similar devices may be damaged when electric current or electric charge flows through the bearing. This is particularly detrimental to the bearing raceways. Devices such as ground brushes have been developed to provide an alternative path for current arising from charge accumulating in a shaft to thereby prevent such current from flowing through the bearing. These devices often include an annular holder having an outer rim that frictionally engages the bore of a housing or hub at a position adjacent the bearing, and a plurality of conductive fibers attached to the holder and spaced circumferentially about the entire outer surface of the shaft to form a relatively solid fiber ring. This causes current to flow from the shaft through the fibers and the holder and then into the housing.However, some axial space is required for mounting the conductive assembly in the housing bore, especially as the conductive assembly should have some minimum distance from the bearing to prevent conductive fibers becoming dislodged during use from entering the bearing and damaging it. This space requirement reduces the axial compactness of the shaft and of the housing or of the hub. In addition, the heat generated in the electric machine may cause different thermal expansions of the bearing, the bore and / or the conductive arrangement. This allows the holder rim to disengage from the bore, allowing the conductive assembly to shift axially or resulting in increased radial interference between the conductive fibers and the shaft, resulting in substantially increased friction.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one aspect, the present invention is an electrically conductive assembly for preventing current flow through the raceways of a bearing, comprising an inner ring disposed about a shaft and an outer ring disposed within a bore of an outer member, wherein the shaft or outer member is rotatable about a central axis passing through the shaft and the outer member has an outer mounting surface spaced radially outwardly from the bore. The conductive assembly includes an annular base plate formed of a conductive material, having a center line coaxial with the central axis, and having an annular main body with an inner radial end and an outer radial end, and at least one integral mounting tab extending radially outward from the outer radial end of the main body. The at least one tab is connectable to the mounting surface of the outer member to secure the conductive assembly to the outer member at a position axially spaced from the bearing. At least one stiffening flange extends axially from the inner radial end of the plate main body, the outer radial end of the plate main body and / or an outer periphery of the at least one mounting tab and extends at least partially circumferentially around the inner radial end of the plate main body, the outer radial end of the plate main body and / or an outer periphery of the at least one mounting tab. Further connected to the base plate is an inner annular conductor having an inner radial end engageable with the shaft such that an electrically conductive path extends between the shaft and the outer member through the inner conductor and the base plate.In another aspect, the present invention is again an electrically conductive arrangement for preventing current flow through the raceways of a bearing. The conductive assembly includes a base plate formed of a conductive material, having a center line coaxial with the center axis, and having a circular central hub, the central hub having a cylindrical axial portion with an inner circumferential surface defining a circular bore, and a radial portion extending radially inward from the axial portion. The base plate also includes at least one integral mounting tab extending radially outward from the axial portion of the central hub, the at least one tab being connectable to the mounting surface of the outer member to secure the conductive assembly to the outer member at a position axially spaced from the bearing. Further, an inner annular conductor is disposed within the bore of the central hub and has an inner radial end engageable with the shaft. Thereby, an electrically conductive path extends between the shaft and the outer member through the inner conductor and the base plate.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGSThe foregoing summary, as well as the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For purposes of illustrating the invention, the drawings, drawn to scale, show embodiments that are presently preferred. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to the arrangements and means in exactly the form shown herein. The following can be seen in the drawings: FIG. 1 is a broken front view of a first embodiment of the conductive assembly according to the present invention, showing a first construction of a base plate shown disposed around a shaft and mounted to an outer member; FIG. 2 is a broken-away, axial cross-sectional view of an upper portion of the conductive assembly of FIG. 1 shown disposed about a shaft, mounted to an outer member, and spaced from a bearing; FIG. 3 is a front view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4- 4 of FIG. 3 ; FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5- 5 of FIG. 3 ; FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 8 is a front view of the conductive assembly of the first embodiment shown with a second base plate construction; FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 8 ; FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 8 ; FIG. 11 is a front view of the conductive assembly of the first embodiment shown with a third construction of the base plate; FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 11 ; FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 11 ; FIG. 14 is a front view of the conductive assembly of the first embodiment shown with a fourth construction of the base plate; FIG. 15 is a front perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 14 ; FIG. 16 is a rear perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 14 ; FIG. 17 is a front view of a second embodiment of the conductive assembly; FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 17 ; FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 17 ; FIG. 20 is an axial cross-sectional view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 17 ; FIG. 21 is another, partially axial cross-sectional view of the conductive assembly of FIG. 17 shown extending through a stiffening rib; FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 20 ; and Figure 23 is a side view of a preferred conductor.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIn the following description, for convenience only, certain terminology will be used, which is not limiting. The words "inner", "inward" and "outer", "outward" refer to directions leading to or from a designated center line or geometric center of a described element, wherein the concrete meaning is readily recognizable from the context of the description. Furthermore, as used herein, the words "connected" and "coupled" are intended to include direct connections between two elements without other elements therebetween, as well as indirect connections between elements with one or more other elements therebetween. The terminology includes the words expressly mentioned above, their derivatives, and words of similar import.Reference will now be made in detail to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate like elements throughout. In Figs. 1-23, an electrically conductive arrangement 10 is shown for preventing current flow through the raceways RI, RO of a bearing 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the bearing 1 has an inner ring 2 disposed around a shaft 3, an outer ring 4 disposed within a bore 5 of an outer member 6, and a plurality of rolling elements 7. the rolling elements 7 each roll simultaneously in the raceways RI, RO to rotatably couple the bearing rings 2, 4. Thereby, the bearing 1 rotatably couples the shaft 3 and the outer member 6 such that the shaft 3 or the outer member 6 is rotatable about a central axis AC passing through the shaft 3. Furthermore, the outer element 6 may be a housing, an axle, a hub, etc. and has at least one outer mounting surface 8, which preferably runs radially and is spaced radially outwards from the bore 5. The bearing 1, the shaft 3 and the outer member 6 are all components of a motor or other electric machine M (for example, a generator) or other machine having rotatable components likely to store electric charge or transfer electric current.In any event, the conductive assembly 10 basically comprises a conductive base plate 12 connected to the outer member 6 and an inner annular conductor 14 connected to the base plate 12 and engageable with the shaft 3. Thereby, the conductive arrangement 10 provides one or more electrically conductive paths extending between the shaft 3 and the outer member 6 through the inner conductor 14 and the base plate 12 to redirect and prevent electric charge or current from flowing through the raceways RI, RO, so that damage to both the raceways RI, RO and the rolling elements 7 is avoided.More specifically, the base plate 12 has a center line LC coaxial with the center axis AC in the assembled state, and is formed of a conductive material, preferably a conductive metallic material, most preferably steel, but may also be formed of another metallic material such as aluminum or copper, a conductive polymer, graphite, etc. The base plate 12 has a generally circular main body 20 which completely encloses the centerline LC and at least one, preferably two, integral mounting tabs 22 which extend radially outwardly from the main body 20. Each mounting tab 22 is connectable to the outer radial mounting surface 8 of the outer member 6 to secure the conductive assembly 10 to the outer member 6 at a position axially spaced from the bearing 1. Although two mounting tabs 22 are presently preferred and illustrated, the base plate 12 alternatively need have only a single mounting tab 22, or may have three or more correspondingly spaced mounting tabs 22.In a preferred embodiment, the main body 20 is substantially flat, and the base plate 12 further includes at least one, and preferably a plurality of, stiffening flanges 26 that extend axially from the inner periphery of the main body 20 and / or the outer periphery of the main body 20 and / or the outer periphery of the mounting tabs 22 and extend at least partially circumferentially around the inner periphery of the main body 20 and / or the outer periphery of the main body 20 and / or the outer periphery of the mounting tabs 22, as shown in FIGS. 1-16. In another preferred embodiment, the main body 20 is formed as a circular hub 28 provided with a bore 29 for receiving the conductor 14, and each mounting tab 22 preferably has at least one, and preferably two, elongated stiffening ribs 27 extending radially between the central hub 28 and an outer radial end 22b of the tab 22, as shown in Figures 17-22.Further, the inner conductor 14 has an outer radial end 14b connected to the base plate 12, an inner radial end 14a engageable with the outer surface 3a of the shaft 3, and opposed first and second axial ends 14c and 14d, respectively. Preferably, as described in detail below, the conductor 14 is formed as a conductive "brush assembly" 69 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced conductive fibers 72 extending inwardly from substantially the entire periphery of the inner radial end 14a of the conductor 14. The conductive fibers 72 are preferably disposed within an annular holder 70 formed of a conductive material and attached to the main body 20, as discussed below.Thanks to the presence of a base plate 12 and a connected conductor 14, each surrounding the centre line LC and thus also the shaft 3, the conductor 14 engages almost the entire circumference of the shaft 3. Thus, the conductor 14 provides conductive paths for accumulated charge in the shaft 3 that are more effectively distributed throughout the shaft periphery and serves substantially as a barrier to the ingress of foreign objects into the bore 5 of the outer member 6. By connecting the base plate 12 to the outer surface 8 of the outer member 6, the conductive assembly 10 also avoids the thermal expansion problems of known conductive assemblies having an annular rim coupled to the inner surface of a bore, particularly the potential separation of a holder rim or excessive friction applied by conductive fibers against the shaft, as discussed in the background of the invention.Further, by omitting a part of the bore space required for mounting the conductive assembly 10, the axial length of the shaft 3 and the housing 6 can be reduced, thereby increasing the axial compactness of the subject machine M. Moreover, the base plate 12 of both embodiments has substantially greater stiffness by providing the base plate 12 with stiffening flanges 26 or by forming the main body 20 as a hub 28 and forming stiffening ribs 27 on the one or more mounting tabs 22, thereby reducing potential vibrations of the conductive assembly 10. Having described the basic components and functions above, these and other elements of the conductive assembly 10 of the present invention will now be described in more detail below.Reference is now made to Figs. 1-16. As discussed above, the first embodiment of the conductive assembly 10 includes a base plate 12 provided with stiffening flanges 26 in one of various arrangements, as will be described in detail below. In all constructions of the first embodiment, the plate main body 20 is substantially flat and generally circular and has an inner radial end 20a defining a central opening 21 sized to clearancely receive the shaft 3 and an opposite outer radial end 20b. The main body 20 further includes a first axial end 20c having a flat continuous radial surface 21A and an opposing second axial end 20b having a flat continuous radial surface 21B. As will be discussed below, the conductor 14 is disposed against the first radial surface 21A.Further, each mounting tab 22 has an inner radial end 22a integral with the outer radial end 20b of the main body 20, an outer radial end 22b spaced radially outward from the inner end 22a, an outer rim or periphery 23, a first axial end 22c, and a second axial end 22d. Each tab 22 is preferably generally rectangular with a curved outer end 22b, but may be of any other suitable shape. Moreover, each of the mounting tabs 22 preferably includes a fastener opening 24 for receiving a separate one of the two fasteners 25, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. More specifically, each fastener 25 is engageable with the outer member 6 to connect the base plate 12 to the outer member 6, and preferably to be threaded with a threaded aperture (not shown) extending inwardly from the outer radial mounting surface 8. However, the mounting tabs 22 may also include two or more fastener openings 24 or may be attached to the outer surface 8 by other suitable means, such as by separate clamping elements attached to the outer member 6, by frictionally engaging an axial portion of the mounting tabs 22 with a circumferential or axially transverse mounting surface 8, etc. (alternatives not shown).We remain with Figures 1-16. The main body 20 preferably includes a plurality of integral mounting tabs 30 each extending axially from the main body 20 and spaced circumferentially about the centerline LC. Each mounting tab 30 engages the inner conductor 14 to connect the conductor 14 to the base 12. More specifically, each mounting tab 30 includes an axial portion 32 extending from the outer radial end 20a of the annular plate 20 and a radial portion 34 axially spaced from the annular plate 20 and extending inwardly from the axial portion 32. Thus, the conductor 14 is axially received between the plate main body 20 and the radial portion 34 of each tab 30.In the preferred base plate 12 formed by embossing a flat blank, each mounting tab 30 is formed by cutting a generally C-shaped opening 31 in the blank (not shown) such that the tab 30 is generally formed as a flat finger (not shown) located within the opening 31, is integral with and extends radially outwardly from a remainder of the main body 20. The finger is then bent twice to circumferentially the outer radial end 14b of the conductor 14, while the aperture 31 provides a recess for lubricant flow to and from the bearing 1. However, the base plate 12 or the conductive assembly 10 may alternatively be formed such that the inner conductor 14 is attached to the base plate 12 by any other suitable means, such as by separate clip members attaching the conductor 14 to the plate main body 20, by fastening means extending through the conductor 14 and the base plate 12, etc.Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6-16, in all presently preferred constructions of the first embodiment, the at least one stiffening flange 26 includes both at least one inner stiffening flange 40 and at least one outer stiffening flange 42. The at least one inner stiffening flange 40 extends axially from the inner end 20a of the plate main body 20 and is formed in all presently preferred constructions as a single flange 40 which is continuous and extends completely around the centre line LC of the base plate 12. In certain applications, the inner stiffening flange 40 may be formed, i.e., axially and diametrically sized, and disposed relative to the centerline LC such that the flange 40 may be inserted into an open end of the bore 6 such that the conductive assembly 10 is at least generally centered about the shaft 3 (the structure not shown).Furthermore, the at least one outer stiffening flange 42 extends axially from the outer radial end 20 bof the main body and / or from the outer periphery 23 of at least one of the two mounting lugs 22. Preferably, each outer stiffening flange 42 extends in a first axial direction D 1 from the first axial end 20 cof the main body 20 and / or from the first axial end 22 cof the lug 22, while the one or more inner stiffening flanges 40 extend in a second, opposite axial direction D 2 from the second axial end 20 dof the plate main body 20.Reference is now made to Figures 3 and 6-10. In both a first construction and a second construction of the base plate 12 of the first embodiment, the two mounting tabs 22 are circumferentially spaced about the centerline LC by about one hundred eighty degrees (180°). In the first construction of Figs. 3-7, the outer stiffening flange 42 is formed as a single continuous outer stiffening flange 44 that extends around the entire perimeter 23 of each of the two tabs 22 and around the two portions (not shown) of the outer radial end 22b of the main body 22 that extend between the two mounting tabs 22. In the first construction, the main body 20 is sized with a substantial radial extent, i.e., between the inner and outer radial ends 20a, 20b, such that each of the recess openings 31 is generally square or rectangular and is radially disposed between the inner and outer radial ends 20a, 20b so as to be fully enclosed.In the second construction shown in Figs. 8-10, the at least one outer stiffening flange 42 comprises first and second outer stiffening flanges 46, 47 spaced about the centerline LC. More specifically, the first outer flange 46 extends around the entire perimeter 23 of one of the two mounting tabs 22 and partially around the outer end 20 bof the main body 20. The second outer stiffening flange 47 extends around the entire perimeter 23 of the other of the two mounting tabs 22 and partially around the outer end 20 bof the main body 20. More specifically, each outer flange 46, 47 has a central portion 46a, 47a, respectively, which extends entirely around the one tab 22 and two outer portions 46b, 46c and 47a, 47c, respectively, which extend from the central portion 46a, 47a and around a separate portion of the outer radial end 20b of the main body.Furthermore, the base plate 12 of the second construction has two enclosed recess openings 31 which are located between the center line LC and a separate mounting bracket 22 and are each square / rectangular, while the remaining recess openings 31 have "open ends". Preferably, the second construction is formed by a base plate 12 of the first construction in that two arcuate portions located between the two mounting brackets 22 are cut from the main body 20. However, the second construction can also be formed in any other suitable manner. In any case, the second construction may be used in an application in which the space is limited on each lateral side of the two mounting brackets 22.Reference is now made to Figs. 11-16. In both a third design and a fourth design of the conductive arrangement 10 of the first embodiment, the two mounting tabs 22 are spaced circumferentially around the center line LC by approximately ninety degrees (90°), preferably slightly more than ninety degrees (for example 95°). These two constructions are formed for applications in which the one or more mounting surfaces 8 do not run continuously around the central axis AC and two sections of the surface 8 spaced apart by one hundred eighty degrees are not available. In the third construction of Figs. 11-13, the outer stiffening flange 42 is formed as a single, continuous outer stiffening flange 48 which extends around a substantial portion of the periphery 23 of each of the two tabs 22 and around a circumferentially larger portion of the outer radial end 22b of the main body 22 which extends between the two mounting tabs 22. In the third construction, a larger portion of the main body 20 having a substantial radial extent, i.e., between the inner and outer radial ends 20a, 20b, is sized such that most of the recess openings 31 are generally square / rectangular and are radially disposed between the inner and outer radial ends 20a, 20b to be enclosed, with only a single opening 31 having an open end. The third construction provides clearance in a quadrant of the base plate 20 between the two mounting brackets 22.In the fourth construction shown in Figs. 14-16, the at least one stiffening flange 42 comprises a first outer stiffening flange 49 extending around a portion of the perimeter of one of the two mounting tabs 22 and partially around the outer end 20b of the main body 20, and a second outer stiffening flange 50 extending around a portion of the other of the two mounting tabs 22 and partially around the outer end 20b of the main body 20. In the fourth construction, a single recess opening 31 is surrounded, while the remaining openings 31 have open ends. The fourth construction is used in applications where space is limited around a substantial portion of the perimeter of the main body 20.Although four example base plate designs of the conductive assembly 10 of the first embodiment are shown and illustrated that differ by the circumferential length and continuity of the one or more outer flanges 42, the one or more inner and outer stiffening flanges 40, 42 may also be formed in any other suitable manner. For example, the at least one inner flange 40 may be formed as two or more circumferentially extending inner flanges 40 and with any suitable circumferential and axial length (not shown). Similarly, one or more of the present outer flanges 42 may alternatively be formed as two or more separate flange portions separated by circumferential gaps (not shown). The scope of the present invention includes these and all other suitable configurations or constructions of the plate main body 20, the mounting brackets 22 and the stiffening flanges 26.Referring to Figs. 17-22, in the second embodiment of the conductive assembly 10, the main body 22 of the base plate 12 is formed as a circular central hub 28 having inner and outer radial ends 28a, 28b, the two mounting flanges 22 each extending from the outer radial end 28b of the central hub 28. The circular hub 28 includes a cylindrical axial portion 60 and a radial portion 62 extending radially inward from the axial portion 60. More specifically, axial portion 60 includes first and second axial ends 60a, 60b, an inner circumferential surface 61A defining circular bore 29, and an opposing outer circumferential surface 61B, as best shown in FIG. 22. The radial portion 62 extends inward from the first axial end 60 aof the axial portion 60, and the two mounting tabs 22 each extend radially outward from the second axial end 60 bof the axial portion 60. As mentioned above, the inner conductor 14 is disposed within the bore 29 (shown in FIG. 22) of the central hub 28, with the first axial end 14c disposed against the radial hub portion 62.Preferably, the central hub 28 further includes a plurality of integral retainer tabs 64 spaced circumferentially about the centerline LC and extending radially inward from the second axial end 60 bof the axial hub portion 60 and disposed against the second axial end 14 dof the conductor 14. Furthermore, the central hub 28 also preferably includes a plurality of stiffening flanges 66 extending radially outward from the second axial end 60 bof the axial hub portion 60 and spaced circumferentially about the centerline LC. Each stiffening flange 66 is circumferentially disposed between a separate pair of the retainer tabs 66.Further, the two mounting tabs 22 are circumferentially spaced about the centerline LC by about one hundred eighty degrees (180°), and each mounting tab 22 has an inner radial end 22 aintegral with the outer radial end 20 bof the main body 20 and an outer radial end 22 bradially spaced outward from the inner end 22 a. Each tab 22 is preferably generally rectangular with a curved outer end 22b, but may be of any other suitable shape. Moreover, each of the mounting tabs 22 preferably includes a fastener aperture 24 for receiving a fastener (neither shown) engageable with the outer member 6 to connect the base plate 12 to the outer member 6. Alternatively, each mounting tab 22 may have two or more fastener openings 24, or may be attached to the outer surface 8 by other suitable means (no alternatives shown).Referring to FIGS. 17-19, as discussed above, each mounting tab 22 includes at least one stiffening rib 27 that extends radially between the central hub 28 and an outer radial end 22b of the mounting tab 22. Preferably, each tab 22 has two ribs 27 spaced apart the circumferential width of the tab 22. As with the stiffening flanges 26, the ribs 27 serve to increase the stiffness of the base plate 12 to reduce possible vibrations of the conductive assembly 10. Furthermore, each mounting tab 22 preferably also has a recess opening 67 that extends radially outward from the tab inner radial end 22 aand abuts a separate one of the retainer tabs 64.Reference is now made to Figs. 4, 5 and 21-23. In both embodiments of the conductive assembly 10, the inner conductor 14 is preferably a conductive brush assembly 69, as mentioned above, having an outer annular conductive retainer 70 and a plurality of conductive fibers 72 extending radially inward from the annular retainer 70 and configured to engage the shaft 3. Preferably, the fibers 72 have a diametrical excess of up to five millimeters (5 mm) (i.e., the fibers 17 bend). Each conductive fiber 72 is preferably formed of carbon, but may alternatively be formed of a metallic material (e.g., copper, aluminum), a conductive polymeric material, or another suitable material.Further, the annular conductive holder 70 has a closed outer radial end 70a forming the outer radial end 14b of the conductor, an open inner radial end 70b, an annular channel 74 extending radially outward from the inner radial end 70b, and two circumferential ends 71A, 71B. Preferably, the annular conductive retainer 70 is formed to include an outer base wall 76 and a pair of side walls 78A, 78B extending radially inward from the base wall 76 and forming the circumferential annular channel 74. In addition, the annular holder 70 is preferably formed from a conductive metallic material, most preferably aluminum, but may also be formed from another metallic material, such as steel or copper, a conductive polymeric material, or another electrically conductive material.Further, the plurality of conductive fibers 72 are circumferentially spaced around the center line LC of the conductor 14 and are preferably evenly distributed along the entire arc-shaped circumference (not shown) between the circumferential ends 71A, 71B of the annular holder 70. Each conductive fiber 72 has an outer radial end 72a disposed within the channel 76 of the retainer 74 and at least one inner radial end 72b engageable with the shaft 3. Preferably, the annular conductor 14 further comprises an annular conductive wire 80 disposed within the retainer channel 74 and generally formed as a ring. Each conductive fiber 72 is curved about the annular wire / ring 80 such that each fiber 72 has two inner radial ends 72b engageable with the shaft 3 and is generally U- or V-shaped.Although the conductor 14 preferably includes the annular holder 70 and the plurality of conductive fibers 72, the conductor 14 may be formed in any other suitable manner. For example, the conductor 14 may be formed as an arcuate solid member (not shown) formed from a flexible, electrically conductive polymeric material, graphite, or other electrically conductive material.Representative, non-limiting examples of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach those skilled in the art further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the above detailed description may not be required to practice the invention in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of the invention. Moreover, various features of the representative examples described above, as well as the various independent and dependent claims below, may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provide additional useful embodiments within the meaning of the present teaching.It is intended to disclose all features disclosed in the specification and / or the claims separately and independently from each other and independently from the compositions of the features in the embodiments and / or the claims for the purpose of original written disclosure and for the purpose of limiting the claimed subject matter. Moreover, it is intended that all value ranges or indications of groups of entities disclose any possible intermediate value or entity for the purpose of original written disclosure as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be varied within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
An electrically conductive arrangement (10) for preventing current flow through the raceways of a bearing (1) having an inner ring (2) disposed about a shaft (3) and an outer ring (4) disposed within a bore (5) of an outer member (6), the shaft (3) or outer member (6) being rotatable about a central axis (Ac) passing through the shaft (3), the outer member (6) having an outer mounting surface (8) spaced radially outwardly from the bore (5), the conductive arrangement (10) comprising: a base plate (12) formed of a conductive material having a central axis (Lc) coaxial with the central axis (Ac), and having: an annular main body (20) having an inner radial end (20a) and an outer radial end (20b), at least one integral mounting tab (22) extending radially outward from the outer radial end of the main body (20), the at least one tab (22) being connectable to the mounting surface (8) of the outer member (6) to secure the conductive assembly (10) to the outer member (6) at a position axially spaced from the bearing (1), and at least one stiffening flange (26) extending axially from and at least partially circumferentially around at least one of the inner radial end (20a) of the plate main body (20), the outer radial end (20b) of the plate main body (20), and an outer periphery of at least one of the two mounting tabs (22); an inner annular conductor (14) connected to the base plate (12) and having an inner radial end (14a) engageable with the shaft (3) such that an electrically conductive path between the shaft (3) and the outer member (6) extends through the inner conductor (14) and the base plate (12).The conductive assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one stiffening flange (26) comprises at least one inner stiffening flange (40) extending axially from the inner end (20a) of the plate main body (20) and at least one outer stiffening flange (42) extending axially from the outer radial end (20b) of the plate and / or from the outer periphery of the at least one mounting tab (22).The conductive assembly of claim 2, wherein the plate main body (20) has a first axial end (20c) and an opposing second axial end (20d), wherein the at least one outer stiffening flange (42) extends in a first axial direction from the first axial end (20c) of the plate main body (20) and the at least one inner stiffening flange (40) extends in a second, opposing axial direction from the second axial end (20d) of the plate main body (20).The conductive assembly of any of the preceding claims 2 or 3, wherein the at least one stiffening flange (26) comprises an inner stiffening flange (40), the inner stiffening flange (40) being continuous and extending entirely around the centerline (Lc) of the base plate (12).The conductive assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one mounting tab comprises two mounting tabs (22) and the stiffening flange (26) comprises at least one outer stiffening flange (42), the at least one outer stiffening flange (42) comprising one of: a continuous outer stiffening flange (44) extending around the entire circumference of each of the two tabs (22) and around two portions of the outer radial end of the main body between the two mounting tabs; a first outer stiffening flange (46) extending around the entire circumference of one of the two mounting tabs (22) and partially around the outer end of the main body (20), and a second outer stiffening flange (47) extending around the entire circumference of the other of the two mounting tabs (22) and partially around the outer end of the main body (20); a continuous outer stiffening flange (48) extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of a first of the two mounting tabs (22), around a portion of the outer radial end of the main body (20) and around a portion of the perimeter of the other of the two mounting flanges; and a first outer stiffening flange (49) extending around a portion of the perimeter of one of the two mounting tabs (22) and partially around the outer end of the main body (20), and a second outer stiffening flange (50) extending around a portion of the other of the two mounting tabs (22) and partially around the outer end of the main body (20).The conductive assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one mounting tab (22) includes at least one aperture (24) for receiving a fastener for connecting the base plate (12) to the outer member (6).The conductive assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one mounting tab comprises two mounting tabs (22) spaced circumferentially about the centerline (Lc) of the baseplate (12) by an angle, the angle having a value of about ninety degrees or about one hundred eighty degrees.The conductive assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the annular plate (12) includes a plurality of integral mounting tabs (30) each extending axially from the main body (20) and spaced circumferentially about the centerline (Lc), each tab (30) engaging the inner conductor (14) to connect the conductor (14) to the baseplate (20).The conductive assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the mounting tabs (30) is formed by cutting and bending a separate portion of the main body (20) such that a plurality of recess openings (31) are formed in the main body (20) adjacent to at least a portion of the mounting tabs (30).The conductive assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the inner conductor (14) comprises: an annular conductive holder (70) disposed against the base plate (12) and having an outer radial end (70a), an inner radial end (70b), and an annular channel (74) extending radially outward from the inner radial end (70b); and a plurality of conductive fibers (72) circumferentially spaced about the centerline (Lc), each fiber having an outer radial end (72a) disposed within the channel (76) of the holder (14) and at least one inner radial end (72b) engageable with the shaft (3).