Patent ID: 6445099
Filing Date: 2002-09-03
Classification: F16C,H02K

Abstract:
An electrical generator which comprises:a housing assembly; a stator assembly fixedly mounted with respect to the housing assembly; a bearing assembly supported by housing assembly, the bearing assembly including main bearings having an internal clearance between the main bearings; a shaft supported for rotation in the bearing assembly and extending through the housing assembly and through the internal clearance in the main bearings; a rotor assembly mounted on the shaft for rotation the therewith inside the stator assembly; and a bearing failure detector mounted adjacent to the bearing assembly, the bearing failure detector providing a bearing function signal indicating that the bearing assembly is properly operating and that the internal clearance of the main bearings has not become enlarged by a predetermined amount, the detector ceasing the provision of the bearing function signal upon sensing an enlargement in the internal clearance of the main bearings by a predetermined amount, which enlargement indicates the need for replacement of the bearing assembly.