US 11,754,186 B2
Grounding brush seals
James Christopher Muskat, Mooresville, IN (US); and Sean Andrew Morgan, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Nov. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/950,766.
Prior Publication US 2022/0154829 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. F16J 15/3288 (2016.01); H02K 5/124 (2006.01); H02K 11/40 (2016.01)
CPC F16J 15/3288 (2013.01) [H02K 5/124 (2013.01); H02K 11/40 (2016.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a housing defining an axis;
a shaft positioned along the axis;
a stator coupled to the housing;
a rotor coupled to the shaft;
a first shaft bearing and a second shaft bearing coupled to the housing, wherein the first and second shaft bearings are each configured to contact the shaft to permit rotation of the shaft;
a bearing lubrication system fluidically coupled to the first and second shaft bearings, wherein the bearing lubrication system is configured to lubricate the first and second shaft bearings using a lubricant; and
a first shaft seal and a second shaft seal coupled to the housing and forming a barrier across an air gap in a shaft opening between the housing and the shaft, wherein the first and second shaft seals are each configured to substantially seal the lubricant within a bearing chamber of a respective first or second shaft bearing or sump of the bearing lubrication system, and wherein at least one of the first or second shaft seals comprises a brush seal configured to discharge a shaft voltage-induced current from the shaft to an external ground of the system.