ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS

摘要

A connector for an electric motor transmits power from an external source to armature-mounted coils of the motor. The connector comprises two terminals (3, 4) to which power is supplied and two conical conductive tracks (6, 7) mounted on an insulating base (5) and electrially connected to the terminals (3, 4). In electrical contact with the conductive tracks (6, 7) is a bearing assembly (13) in the form of four cone-shaped rollers (14) mounted within a cage housing (15). Each roller (14) comprises inner and outer conductive cone portions (16, 17) separated by an insulating spacer (18). In electrical contact with the bearing assembly (13) on the side opposite the conductive tracks (6, 7) are a further pair of conical conductive tracks (21, 22) which are connected to switching circuitry (30) on a ceramic substrate (28), the circuitry serving to effect sequential connection of power to the motor coils. In an alternative arrangement, two of the four cone-shaped rollers (14) are replaced by two pairs of cone-shaped rollers and two non-conductive dummy rollers.