US 12,422,485 B2
Apparatus and method for detecting a liquid contaminant in a rotating cavity of an electric machine
Marius Cloutier, Longueuil (CA); and André Brunelle, Longueuil (CA)
Assigned to VIBROSYSTM INC., Longueuil (CA)
Appl. No. 18/255,734
Filed by VIBROSYSTM INC., Longueuil (CA)
PCT Filed Dec. 2, 2021, PCT No. PCT/CA2021/051717
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 2, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/115949, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 9, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/221,560, filed on Jul. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/121,512, filed on Dec. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0003975 A1, Jan. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. G01R 31/34 (2020.01); F03B 13/10 (2006.01); H02K 7/18 (2006.01); H02K 11/20 (2016.01)
CPC G01R 31/34 (2013.01) [F03B 13/10 (2013.01); H02K 7/1823 (2013.01); H02K 11/20 (2016.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric machine comprising:
a stator,
a rotor rotatably coupled to said stator and having an internal cavity,
a magnetic field source mounted to said stator and transmitting a magnetic field across a gap between said stator and said rotor;
an interrogation circuit mounted to said rotor and having a coil magnetically coupled to said magnetic field source across said gap via said magnetic field, and a distal circuit portion having electrical contacts separated by a spacing fluidly communicating with the cavity, the interrogation circuit configured for influencing the magnetic field when a change in an impedance of said liquid occurs in the spacing; and
a detection circuit mounted to said stator, the detection circuit having a coil electromagnetically coupled to said magnetic field and a detector configured for detecting the influence of the interrogation circuit on the magnetic field;
wherein the rotor has a hollow body delimiting the internal cavity, a plurality of circular openings circumferentially distributed around said hollow body, and a corresponding plurality of blades rotatably mounted within said circular openings to rotate individually about a center of said circular openings for pitch variability, the internal cavity being filled with liquid.