Apparatus and methods for providing an electrical connection between a bore copper and field windings of a dynamoelectric machine

• US 6,347,968 B1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Squillacioti, Leonard Paul, Hamilton, Robert Gerald, Zawoysky, Ronald Joseph, Blakelock, Thomas Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ta, Tho Tho
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCAMEY, ANN M
• Application Number:
  US09/741,160
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 439/843, 439/801
• US Class Current: 439/843
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/187 with spring member in the socket
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/0006 Disassembling, repairing or modifying dynamo-electric machines repairing of cooling fluid boxes H02K15/0093
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/0062 Manufacturing the terminal arrangement per se; Connecting the terminals to an external circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/51 applicable to rotors only

Abstract

A generator has a bore connector having a threaded radial opening for receiving a sectional terminal stud. The terminal stud includes an adapter section having threads on a radial inner end thereof for threaded engagement with the bore copper and a recess at its opposite end. An outer section of the terminal stud is received in the recess, making electrical connection therewith through an electrical connector. The outer section is maintained in the radial bore of the rotor by a threaded nut. The rotational orientation of the adapter section is fixed by its threaded engagement with the bore copper, while the outer section can be inserted without regard to rotational orientation, thereby facilitating refurbishment of the generator without remachining the bore copper.

Claims

1. In a dynamoelectric machine having a rotor, a radial bore in said rotor, and a bore connector extending generally in an axial direction along a portion of said rotor and having a generally radially outwardly opening threaded aperture, apparatus for electrically connecting said bore connector and field windings of the machine comprising a terminal stud including an adapter section and an outer section, said adapter section having a threaded end portion for threaded engagement with said bore connector in said threaded aperture thereof, an opposite end of said adapter section having a recess, said outer section having an electrical contact portion at one end thereof for electrical connection with said adapter portion, a multi-contact electrical connector in said recess for electrically coupling said sections to one another, said sections being axially aligned with one another with said electrical contact portion of said outer section received in said recess without rotational orientation of said outer section, said outer section having a leaf copper at an opposite end thereof for engaging the field windings of said machine whereby the outer section is assembled to the adapter section without regard to the rotational orientation of the adapter section relative to the bore connector caused by the threaded connection between the adapter section and bore connector.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a retainer engaging a shoulder on said terminal stud and threadedly engaged with said rotor.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including electrical insulation about portions of said outer terminal stud section electrically insulating said rotor and said terminal stud relative to one another.

4. In a dynamoelectric machine having a rotor and a radial bore in the rotor, a bore connector extending generally in an axial direction along a portion of said rotor and having a generally radially outwardly opening aperture and a terminal stud, a method of connecting the bore connector and a field winding, comprising the steps of:

(a) screwthreading a threaded end of an adapter section of the terminal stud into the radially outwardly opening aperture of the bore connector;

(b) inserting one end portion of an outer section of said terminal stud into a recess formed on the opposite end of said adapter section from said threaded end to effect an electrical contact between said adapter section and said outer section; and

(c) securing leaf copper on an opposite end of the outer section to the field winding.

5. A method according to claim 4 including disposing an annular spring within said recess and engaging said spring with said one end of said outer section and walls of said recess to form an electrical connection between said outer section and said adapter section.

6. A method according to claim 4, including prior to step (a) removing a terminal stud adapter screwthreaded into the bore connector and subsequent thereto, retrofitting said outer section and said adapter section in said radial bore in accordance with steps (a), (b) and (c).

7. A method according to claim 4 wherein step (b) is performed without regard to the rotational orientation of the outer section relative to the adapter section.