Belt structures for rotary electrical contact device
| DWPI Title: Rotary electrical contact device has belt that extends around portion of each of first, second, third, and fourth sheaves such that belt makes electrical contact with each of four sheaves, and comprises first and second helical coils |
| Abstract: Technologies pertaining to a rotary electrical contact device are described herein. A rotary electrical contact device comprises a first sheave that is disposed about a first axis and a second sheave that rotates about the first axis or a second axis that is parallel to the first axis. The device further includes two planetary sheaves that revolve around the first and second sheaves, and a belt that makes contact with each of the sheaves, the belt comprising a co-wound inner helical coil and outer helical coil. As the first sheave rotates, the planetary sheaves revolve about the first and second sheaves and cause the belt to deform and roll along the second sheave. The belt makes rolling contact with the four sheaves. The belt is electrically conductive such that as the belt rolls along the sheaves, the belt maintains electrical contact between the first sheave and the second sheave. |
| Use: Rotary electrical contact device. |
| Advantage: The conductive belt can be placed under tension to improve contact of the belt with the sheaves and lower the electrical resistance of the rotary electrical contact device. The spring force results in mechanical positive contact between the inner and outer electrically conductive coils, thus providing increased electrical conductivity along the longitudinal axis of the belt. The core element can enable the belt to be placed under tension without significant deformation of the belt. An outer helical coil can be composed of a harder material than the inner helical coil so that the outer helical coil exhibits greater durability when contacting the sheaves. |
| Novelty: The rotary electrical contact device (100) has a first sheave (102) that is positioned about a first axis (114), a second sheave (104), a third sheave, and a fourth sheave, such that the third sheave and the fourth sheave revolve around the first axis during operation of the device, and a belt (110) extends around a portion of each of the first, second, third, and fourth sheaves such that the belt makes electrical contact with each of the four sheaves. The belt comprises a first helical coil, and a second helical coil that is wound around the first helical coil. |
| Filed: 5/23/2019 |
| Application Number: US16420670A |
| Tech ID: SD 14859.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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