TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure generally relates to monitoring systems for monitoring brushes and brush holder assemblies that may be used in electrical devices and/or slip ring assemblies. More specifically, the disclosure relates to monitoring apparatus, assemblies, systems and methods of monitoring the wear of a brush in a brush holder assembly.

BACKGROUND

A purpose of a brush in an electrical device is to pass electrical current from a stationary contact to a moving contact surface, or vice versa. Brushes and brush holders may be used in electrical devices such as electrical generators, electrical motors, and/or slip ring assemblies, or sliding connection applications, for example, slip ring assemblies on a rotating machine such as a rotating crane or a linear sliding connection on a monorail. Brushes in many electrical devices are blocks or other structures made of conductive material, such as graphite, carbon graphite, electrographite, metal graphite, or the like, that are adapted for contact with a conductive surface or surfaces to pass electrical current.

In some designs, a brush box type brush holder, or other type of brush holder, may be used to support the brush during operation. The brush and brush box may be designed such that the brush can slide within the brush box to provide for continuing contact between the brush and the conductive surface contacted by the brush. Over time, the brush will be reduced in size, or get shorter (i.e., diminish in longitudinal length), for example, as the wear surface of the brush in frictional contact with the conductive surface wears down. Once a brush has worn beyond a threshold amount, a brush may need to be replaced and/or maintenance may need to be performed.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments relate to an apparatus, assembly, system and/or method for monitoring a brush holder assembly and/or detecting wear of a brush in a brush holder assembly.

Accordingly, one exemplary embodiment relates to a method of monitoring a brush holder assembly and/or detecting wear of a brush in a brush holder assembly. The method may include sending data from one or more, or a plurality of remote monitoring locations to a central control unit, where the data may be evaluated in order to monitor states of brush holder assemblies at a plurality of remote facilities.

Another exemplary embodiment relates to a method of monitoring a brush holder assembly. A signal representing an image of a brush holder assembly may be generated by an imaging device in proximity to the brush holder assembly and then inputted to a processing unit. The signal may then be analyzed in order to determine a condition of the brush holder assembly, such as the wear state, wear rate, or life expectancy of a brush of the brush holder assembly. In some instances, an output signal may be generated to alert personnel of an anomalous or threshold condition of the brush, or schedule technician intervention.

Another exemplary embodiment relates to a method of determining the wear of a brush. The method may include acquiring a first image of a marker tracking longitudinal movement of the brush. After acquiring a second or subsequent image of the marker, a comparison of the first image and the second image using a comparative imaging technique, such as pixel-by-pixel comparison or visual inspection, may be performed in order to evaluate a condition of the brush, such as the wear rate, wear state, or life expectancy of the brush.

Another exemplary embodiment relates to a system for monitoring a brush holder assembly and/or detecting wear of a brush in a brush holder assembly. The system may include an imaging device in line of sight of the brush holder assembly and/or the marker of a brush holder assembly and a processing unit for evaluating data constituting images generated by the imaging device.

Another exemplary embodiment relates to a system for monitoring brush holder assemblies and/or the wear of brushes of brush holder assemblies. The system may include a plurality of remote monitoring locations, wherein each remote monitoring location generates data regarding a brush holder assembly, such as the position of one or more brushes of a brush holder assembly, at the remote monitoring location, and a central control unit for receiving the data from the plurality of remote monitoring locations.

Another exemplary embodiment relates to an assembly for monitoring a brush holder assembly and/or detecting wear of a brush in a brush holder assembly. The assembly may include a brush, a brush holder for guiding movement of the brush, and a marker for tracking movement of the brush.

Yet, another exemplary embodiment relates to an apparatus for a brush holder assembly which may be used in monitoring a brush holder assembly and/or detecting wear of a brush in a brush holder assembly. The apparatus may include a marker, which may include one or a plurality of indicia or markings, such as targets and/or graduation or tick marks, for tracking movement of a brush in a brush holder assembly.

The above summary of some example embodiments is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the invention.

