Brush holder assembly monitoring apparatus, assembly, system and method

• US 10,249,999 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cutsforth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cutsforth Incorporated
• Inventors: Cutsforth, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shingles, Kristie D
• Application Number:
  US15/413,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20170133807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 700160, 709217
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4065 Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50185 Monitoring, detect failures, control of efficiency of machine, tool life
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0208 characterized by the configuration of the monitoring system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0218 characterised by the fault detection method dealing with either existing or incipient faults
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/58 Means structurally associated with the current collector for indicating condition thereof, e.g. for indicating brush wear
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/002 Maintenance of line connectors, e.g. cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/20 for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/14 Means for supporting or protecting brushes or brush holders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring a brush holder assembly and/or detecting wear of a brush in a brush holder assembly are disclosed. One method includes sending data from a plurality of remote monitoring locations to a central control unit, where the data may be evaluated in order to monitor states of brushes at a plurality of remote electrical facilities. For example, multiple images of a marker tracking longitudinal movement of the brush may be acquired. A comparison of the images, for example, a comparative imaging technique, such as pixel-by-pixel comparison, may then be performed in order to evaluate a condition of the brush, such as the wear rate, wear state, or life expectancy of the brush.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a brush holder assembly of an electrical device including a carbon brush, the carbon brush of the brush holder assembly being in contact with a rotating conductive surface, the brush holder assembly permitting linear movement of the carbon brush toward the rotating conductive surface as the carbon brush wears, the method comprising:

acquiring data indicative of linear displacement of the carbon brush relative to the brush holder assembly; and

evaluating the data to estimate a remaining life expectancy of the carbon brush.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving the data at a central control unit off-site from the brush holder assembly.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating the data is performed at the central control unit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

scheduling maintenance of the brush holder assembly.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

routing personnel to inspect the brush holder assembly.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

scheduling distribution or delivery of a replacement brush for the brush holder assembly.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating the data includes comparing actual acquired data with modeled data.

8. A method of monitoring a brush holder assembly of an electrical device including a carbon brush, the carbon brush of the brush holder assembly being in contact with a rotating conductive surface, the brush holder assembly permitting linear movement of the carbon brush toward the rotating conductive surface as the carbon brush wears, the method comprising:

acquiring data indicative of linear displacement of the carbon brush relative to the brush holder assembly; and

evaluating the data to estimate a current wear rate of the carbon brush.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of evaluating the data includes comparing actual acquired data with modeled data.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

receiving the data at a central control unit off-site from the brush holder assembly.

11. A method of monitoring a brush holder assembly of an electrical device at a plurality of remote monitoring locations, the brush holder assembly at each of the plurality of remote monitoring locations including a carbon brush in contact with a rotating conductive surface, the brush holder assembly permitting linear movement of the carbon brush toward the rotating conductive surface as the carbon brush wears, the method comprising:

acquiring data indicative of linear displacement of each of the carbon brushes relative to the respective brush holder assembly at each of the plurality of remote monitoring locations;

evaluating the data to estimate a remaining life expectancy of each of the carbon brushes being monitored; and

receiving the data at a central control unit in communication with the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of evaluating the data is performed with a processing unit at each of the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of evaluating the data is performed with a processing unit at the central control unit.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

alerting personnel of an anomalous or threshold condition at one of the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of scheduling maintenance at one of the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of routing personnel to one of the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of scheduling distribution or delivery of a replacement brush to one of the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of remote monitoring locations are networked with the central control unit.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of evaluating the data includes comparing actual acquired data with modeled data.