A brush assembly for transmitting electrical power to a rotating component includes one or more electrically conductive brushes, a housing configured to receive the one or more brushes and hold the one or more brushes in alignment with an opposing surface, and one or more brush carriers. Each carrier is configured to receive and clip onto a respective brush such that each of the one or more brushes can be removed from its respective carrier by unclipping the carrier from the brush.

A monitoring apparatus configured for monitoring a carbon brush of a brush holder assembly of an electrical machine. The monitoring apparatus may include a flexible sensor and a signal processing circuit for processing a signal received from the flexible sensor. The flexible sensor may have an electrical resistance that varies based on a radius of curvature of the flexible sensor, wherein the radius of curvature of the flexible sensor may be associated with a deflection of a spring providing a force to engage the carbon brush with a rotating component of the electrical machine. The signal processing circuit may be coupled to the sensor and may be configured to determine a measure of a wear state of the carbon brush using information about the variable resistance of the flexible sensor.

A monitoring apparatus configured for monitoring a carbon brush of a brush holder assembly of an electrical machine. The monitoring apparatus may include a flexible sensor and a signal processing circuit for processing a signal received from the flexible sensor. The flexible sensor may have an electrical resistance that varies based on a radius of curvature of the flexible sensor, wherein the radius of curvature of the flexible sensor may be associated with a deflection of a spring providing a force to engage the carbon brush with a rotating component of the electrical machine. The signal processing circuit may be coupled to the sensor and may be configured to determine a measure of a wear state of the carbon brush using information about the variable resistance of the flexible sensor.

The disclosure relates to a wear measuring system for friction elements, in particular for brushes and the like, as well as to a method for measuring the wear of friction elements, comprising at least one consumable friction element, a holding device for movably positioning the friction element relative to a friction surface, and a measuring device for determining a wear status of the friction element relative to a wear length of the friction element, wherein the measuring device has a potentiometer, wherein the potentiometer is mechanically coupled with the friction element in such a way that a movement by the friction element relative to the friction surface induces a movement by the potentiometer.

The disclosure relates to a wear measuring system for friction elements, in particular for brushes and the like, as well as to a method for measuring the wear of friction elements, comprising at least one consumable friction element, a holding device for movably positioning the friction element relative to a friction surface, and a measuring device for determining a wear status of the friction element relative to a wear length of the friction element, wherein the measuring device has a potentiometer, wherein the potentiometer is mechanically coupled with the friction element in such a way that a movement by the friction element relative to the friction surface induces a movement by the potentiometer.

A brush holder assembly for use in an electrical generator having a moving conductive surface may include a brush holder, such as a brush box, that is configured to be removably mounted to a mounting element on the electrical generator. A carbon brush may be slidingly disposed with the brush holder and may be biased into sliding contact with the moving conductive surface. The brush holder assembly includes a handle that is moveable between an unlocked position in which the brush holder is removable from the mounting element and a locked position in which the brush holder is secured relative to the mounting element. A circuit board is disposed within the handle and includes a sensor that provides an indication of an occurrence of an anomalous and/or threshold condition of the carbon brush.

A brush holder assembly for use in an electrical generator having a moving conductive surface may include a brush holder, such as a brush box, that is configured to be removably mounted to a mounting element on the electrical generator. A carbon brush may be slidingly disposed with the brush holder and may be biased into sliding contact with the moving conductive surface. The brush holder assembly includes a handle that is moveable between an unlocked position in which the brush holder is removable from the mounting element and a locked position in which the brush holder is secured relative to the mounting element. A circuit board is disposed within the handle and includes a sensor that provides an indication of an occurrence of an anomalous and/or threshold condition of the carbon brush.

A system for transferring current between a rotating element and a fixed element, comprising—a support in the general shape of a sheet (10) comprising a conductive portion (11) electrically connected to the fixed element—a brush holder (20) mounted on the support (10) and supporting a brush (30) that is pushed into contact against the rotating element—electrical connection means (42) for connecting the conductive portion (11) of the support to a cable (40) that is joined to the brush (30), wherein a resistive element (12) is situated between the brush (30) and the conductive portion (11) of the support (10) and prevents current from flowing directly between the conductive portion and the brush.

Disclosed herein is a brush wear indicator comprising and brush (3) moveable within a holder (2). The brush (3) is urged against a collector surface (10) of a rotor by a spring (4) which is mounted to a bracket (6) supported by the holder (2). A proximity sensor (5) is mounted to either a) the spring (4) or the brush (3), or b) a non-moveable part of the indicator which includes the bracket and configured to determine the distance to a) the non-moveable parts or b) the spring (4) or brush (3), respectively. The proximity sensor (5) in electrical communication with a CPU configured to determine the amount of wear that has occurred to the at least one brush (3) depending on the distance determined by the sensor (5) between the spring (4) or the brush (3) and the non-moveable parts.

Disclosed herein is a brush wear indicator comprising and brush (3) moveable within a holder (2). The brush (3) is urged against a collector surface (10) of a rotor by a spring (4) which is mounted to a bracket (6) supported by the holder (2). A proximity sensor (5) is mounted to either a) the spring (4) or the brush (3), or b) a non-moveable part of the indicator which includes the bracket and configured to determine the distance to a) the non-moveable parts or b) the spring (4) or brush (3), respectively. The proximity sensor (5) in electrical communication with a CPU configured to determine the amount of wear that has occurred to the at least one brush (3) depending on the distance determined by the sensor (5) between the spring (4) or the brush (3) and the non-moveable parts.