EARTH AND/OR SEALING ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS

• US 20140369821A1
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pope Electric Motors Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Pope Electric Motors Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Finck, Peter
• Application Number:
  US14/366,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20140369821A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/174.5
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/02 by non-contact sealings, e.g. of labyrinth type for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator F01D11/08
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/40 Structural association with grounding devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/10 with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/124 Sealing of shafts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shaft earth and/or sealing assembly for use with housed rotating equipment such as electric motors to earth the shaft and also provide an IP69K-rated seal that is flame and spark resistant.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A sealing assembly for an electric motor having a rotatable drive shaft, a housing and at least one bearing, said sealing assembly including:

a bearing cap associated with said at least one bearing and mounted to an end of said motor housing, said bearing cap accommodating a slinger in contact with said shaft, the slinger being rotatable together with said shaft;

a slinger cover disposed on an outer end of said bearing cap, the slinger cover defining a chamber between the slinger cover and the slinger, said slinger cover and slinger including axially extending, close tolerance surfaces forming a labyrinth between an exterior of the slinger cover and inside said chamber.

11. The sealing assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said close tolerance labyrinth surfaces includes an inner surface of the slinger cover adjacent the shaft including an axially extending, annular male portion and two annular female portions on either side thereof.

12. The sealing assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said close tolerance labyrinth surfaces includes an outer surface of the slinger adjacent the shaft including two axially extending male portions and one female portion there between.

13. The sealing assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the male portion of the slinger cover is adapted to extend inside the female portion of the slinger, and the male portions of the slinger extend inside the two female portions of the cover.

14. The sealing assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said chamber includes a portion in which an electrically conductive material is accommodated to enable contact between said electrically conductive material and a surface of the slinger.

15. The sealing assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said electrically conductive material is a sacrificial portion of an earth brush that is spring biased against said slinger surface.

19. The sealing assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the slinger cover includes a socket extending from an exterior of said slinger cover to inside said chamber, said earth brush being shaped for insertion into said socket and said socket being positioned such that when the earth brush is inserted, the sacrificial portion contacts the slinger.

20. The sealing assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein said electrically conductive material further includes electrically conductive lubricant which fills said chamber.

21. The sealing assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said electrically conductive material is conductive lubricant which fills said chamber.

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)