BEARING WITH REDUCED FLUTING

• Main Authors: LAMB, PHILIP S, BRAMEL, RODNEY, SILBERNAGEL, ROBERT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 22.05.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AMUSEMENTS; APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING,CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; BEARINGS; BLASTING; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES; ELECTRICITY; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; GAMES; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERATION; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; SHAFTS; SPORTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRAINING EQUIPMENT; WEAPONS

A non-conductive insulating ring (210) is inserted between a motor bell (130) and a motor bearing (135) that supports a motor shaft (110). Stray currents that normally discharge through the moto r shaft and the motor bearing to the motor bell are prevented due to the non-conductive nature of the insulating ring. Additionally, the motor shaft may be grounded to provide a low-impedance alternative path to stray shaft currents. When a fast-switching frequency converter is used to drive the motor shaft, additional arrangements such as a common mode choke, reduction of the switching frequency of the converter, and reduction of the turn-of/off rate of a semiconductor device used in the converter, may be provided to further reduce the stray currents flowing through the motor b earings.