Resilient connectors for a generator/motor rotor

• US 5,358,432 A
• Filed: 05/18/1993
• Issued: 10/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rasmussen, Paul C., Nygard, Robert, Rink, Frederick J. Jr., Jenkins, Thomas B., Hopeck, James F., Archibald, James B., Shih, True T.
• Primary Examiner(s): PIRLOT, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/062,728
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 439/700, 439/824, 439/825, 439/842, 439/843, 439/851-857, 439/861, 439/885, 439/654
• US Class Current: 439/825
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/17 with spring member on the pin
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/51 applicable to rotors only

Abstract

A connector design for connecting rotor coil end turns and an exciter/rectifier assembly to a rotor bore copper conductor in a dynamoelectric machine. The design includes a terminal stud or pin sized to be closely received in a telescoping manner in a cylindrical receptacle which is fixedly attached to the rotor windings. A similar cylindrical receptacle extends from the other end of the rotor toward the exciter/rectifier assembly. The stud or pin in each case is also modified to include grooves for accepting resilient, sliding electrical contacts so that a resilient electrical contact is obtained when the stud is positioned within the receptacle. The connector elements are also sufficiently rigid as to withstand shock, centrifugal forces at operational speeds, and rotation direction reversal, but which also allows sufficient radial and axial movement to accommodate coil movement associated with rotor temperature and speed changes while simultaneously maintaining a low resistance current path.

Claims

1. In a dynamoelectric machine having a rotor bore conductor extending between a field winding and an exciter/rectifier assembly, a first resilient electrical connection between said bore conductor and said field winding and a second resilient electrical connection between said bore conductor and said exciter/rectifier assembly;

said first resilient electrical connection comprising a first receptacle member attached to said field winding, and a first terminal stud extending from said bore conductor, said first terminal stud having at least a first resilient connector band located circumferentially about said first terminal stud, said terminal stud and said at least one connector band telescopingly engaged within said first receptacle member; and

said second resilient electrical connection comprising a second receptacle member attached to said bore conductor and a second terminal stud extending from said exciter/rectifier assembly, said second terminal stud having at least a second resilient connector band circumferentially located about said second terminal stud, said second terminal stud and said second resilient connector band telescopingly received within said second receptacle member.

2. The dynamoelectric machine of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second resilient connector bands comprises a pair of laterally spaced end strips connected by a plurality of spaced louver elements.