Importance

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Abstract

A conductive fiber brush including a brush stock composed of plural conductive fibers or strands of fibers at least some of which may have plural bends along the length of the fibers or strands. The fibers may have a diameter less than 0.2 mm and are arranged in contacting engagement with each other with the touching points among the fibers or strands maintaining elastic tension between the fibers or strands and thereby maintaining voids between the fibers or strands to produce a packing fraction between 1 and 50% and in extreme cases up to 70% but generally between 10-20% depending on the various factors, including the materials used, the current densities to be conducted, and the sliding speeds under operation. The plural bends are implemented by producing fibers or strands having a regular or irregular spiral, wavy, saw-tooth, triangular, and/or rectangular pattern, or other undulating pattern. Optionally, the voids in brush stock may be partially filled with a strengthening, lubricating, abrasive, and/or polishing material, and may be wrapped in an outer sheath, slid into a casing, or provided with an other covering of all or part of the area of the brush stock, be infiltrated or sprayed at the surface with some material, have an increased packing fraction at the surface and/or have some or all of the touching points between the fibers or strands soldered, welded or otherwise thermally joined. Optionally also, the friction among the fibers may be reduced through light lubrication applied by rinsing the brush or brush stock in a lubricant. In one embodiment, the fiber brush is employed in a brush loading device having a hydrostatically controlled brush holder wherein the force exerted on the brush is controlled by a metallic or other conductive hydrostatic fluid which at the same time conducts the current to the brush.

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First Claim