Brush holder assembly monitoring apparatus, assembly, system and method

• US 8,618,943 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cutsforth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cutsforth Incorporated
• Inventors: Cutsforth, Robert S., Bourdeau, Denis Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): SHINGLES, KRISTIE D
• Application Number:
  US11/752,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20080291273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,413 Days
• Field of Search: 348/92, 709/201, 709/224, 340/635, 340/686.6
• US Class Current: 340/635
• 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, the method comprising:

providing a monitoring system including an imaging device in proximity to a brush holder assembly, the imaging device configured to capture an image of the brush holder assembly;

capturing an image of the brush holder assembly with the imaging device;

generating a signal based on the image;

inputting the signal to a processing unit; and

analyzing the signal to determine a condition of the brush holder assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the signal includes determining the wear rate of a brush of the brush holder assembly.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the signal includes determining the wear state of a brush of the brush holder assembly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the signal includes determining the life expectancy of a brush of the brush holder assembly.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the signal includes comparing actual conditions of a brush of the brush holder assembly with modeled conditions of a brush.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing unit includes a monitor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is analyzed with a software program.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of analyzing the signal includes using a pixel-by-pixel comparison technique.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of alerting personnel of an anomalous condition.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of alerting personnel of a threshold condition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold condition is the moment when the desired diminution of a brush of the brush holder assembly prior to replacement of the brush is reached.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of outputting a notification or scheduling a task.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is data representing a digital image.

14. A method for determining the wear of a brush of a brush holder assembly, the method comprising:

providing a brush and a marker for tracking longitudinal movement of the brush;

providing an imaging device in proximity to the brush holder assembly;

acquiring a first image of the marker with the imaging device;

acquiring a second image of the marker with the imaging device;

comparing the first image to the second image using an image analysis technique; and

evaluating a condition of the brush, comprising one or more of the wear rate of the brush, the wear state of the brush, or the life expectancy of the brush.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the image analysis technique is a pixel-by-pixel comparison technique.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein evaluating a condition of the brush includes determining the displacement of the marker from the first image to the second image.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein evaluating a condition of the brush includes comparing the position of the marker in the second image with the position of the marker in the first image.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a graphical representation of the condition of the brush.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising notifying personnel of an anomalous state of the brush.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising notifying personnel of a threshold state of the brush.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the threshold state is the moment when the desired diminution of the brush prior to replacement of the brush is reached.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of evaluating a condition of the brush includes comparing actual brush wear data with modeled brush wear data.

23. A system for monitoring the wear of a brush of a brush holder assembly, the system comprising:

a brush holder assembly including a brush;

a marker tracking longitudinal movement of the brush;

an imaging device in line of sight of the marker for acquiring images of the marker; and

a processing unit for evaluating data generated from the images.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing unit is remote from the imaging device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing unit includes a computer having a software program for evaluating data generated from the images.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing unit includes a monitor for displaying the images.

27. A system for monitoring the wear of brushes of brush holder assemblies, the system comprising:

a plurality of remote monitoring locations, wherein each remote monitoring location generates data regarding the position of one or more brushes of a brush holder assembly; and

a central control unit for receiving data from the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein each remote monitoring location has one or more imaging devices for acquiring images of a brush holder assembly.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the central control unit includes a computer having a software program for evaluating data from the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

30. An assembly for monitoring the wear of a brush of a brush holder assembly, the assembly comprising:

a brush;

a brush holder for guiding movement of the brush; and

a marker for tracking movement of the brush, the marker including one or more markings positioned on a portion of the marker.

31. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the one or more markings is one or more targets.

32. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the one or more markings are a plurality of graduation or tick marks.

33. The assembly of claim 32, wherein the plurality of graduation or tick marks form a vernier scale.

34. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the marker is attached to the brush.

35. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the brush includes an interlocking portion and the marker includes a complementary interlocking portion, wherein the marker is interlocked with the brush.

36. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the marker includes a first target and a second target spaced from the first target a predetermined distance, wherein the predetermined distance is equal to a desired diminution in length of the brush prior to replacement of the brush.