WO1995016167A1

WO1995016167A1 - Medium transporting device

Info

Publication number: WO1995016167A1
Application number: PCT/NL1994/000310
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dirk Jan Schipper; Gerrit Kornelis Koese; Hielke Dijkstra
Original assignee: Vogel Nederland B.V.
Priority date: 1993-12-07
Filing date: 1994-12-07
Publication date: 1995-06-15
Also published as: AU1203995A

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for transporting medium, for instance oil, grease or other lubricant from a medium supply (6, 14) to a receiving station (2, 3) movable rotatably relative thereto, which device comprises: a medium supply (6, 14); and a collecting member (12) disposed in stationary position relative to the receiving station (2, 3) and having an internal space (17) which is accessible from outside and in the peripheral wall (18) of which a substantially annular groove (19, 20) is present, which medium supply (6, 14) is adapted and placed for delivering medium into the groove (19, 20), to which groove connects a medium pump (123, 124) for drawing out of the groove and transporting medium to the receiving station (2, 3).

Description

MEDIUM TRANSPORTING DEVICE

The problem occurs, for instance in trucks, that rotating parts, or components arranged thereon, for example a cardan joint, must be regularly lubricated. Such a lubrication normally takes place in a standstill period during servicing.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which can be built into for instance the motor vehicle and enables a regular lubrication without standstill or servicing being necessary therefor. In respect of the above the invention provides a device for transporting medium, for instance oil, grease or other lubricant from a medium supply to a receiving station movable rotatably relative thereto, which device comprises: a medium supply,* and a collecting member disposed in stationary position relative to the receiving station and having an internal space which is accessible from outside and in the periph¬ eral wall of which a substantially annular groove is present, which medium supply is adapted and placed for deliv¬ ering medium into the groove, to which groove connects a medium pump for drawing out of the groove and transporting medium to the receiv- ing station.

It will be apparent that the invention is not re¬ stricted to the transporting of a lubricant. The trans¬ port of cooling water or even a gaseous medium also lies within the scope of the invention. The device according to the invention is embodied in open form, i.e. such that the use of seals can in princi¬ ple be dispensed with. The construction can hereby be very simple and reliable. The device according to the invention can transport the relevant medium without leakage. An additional advantage of the absence of seals is the low energy loss due to the absence of mutually rubbing surfaces.

The medium supply can for instance be adapted and placed for delivering a continuous flow or measured quantities of medium to the groove through the force of gravity. The groove, which generally rotates in absolute sense relative to the stationary medium supply, serves to collect and buffer a certain quantity of medium for transporting. An embodiment in which the groove is eccentric and the pump connects onto the groove in the zone radially furthest to the outside has the advantage that due to the centrifugal forces occurring during rotation the medium collects in the zone most remote from the rotation axis . The medium can be drawn off from this position by the pump for further transport.

In the case where a plurality of grooves are present it can be advantageous to give these grooves opposing eccentricities. It is thus possible to suffice without additional balancing means.

It is noted that the use of more than one groove and associated pump can have the advantage that different media can be circulated, while each pump can moreover have its own specific desired characteristic. A specific embodiment has the special feature that the pump is actuated by contact means with an actuating member present on the pump which co-acts with a contact member movable relative to the actuating member for actuating the pump. With such an embodiment the pump can be operated as required or in accordance with the wishes of the user.

In a particular embodiment the pump is actuated by contact means with an actuating member present on the pump which co-acts with a contact member which is sta- tionary relative to the medium source such that at each relative rotation the pump performs a pumping stroke. This embodiment can be suitable for instance for slow- running systems.

Recommended is a variant in which the pump is actu- ated by actuating means responding to centrifugal force. These actuating means can for instance be embodied as a spring-loaded plunger which in per se known manner feeds medium via a first non-return valve and discharges medium via a second non-return valve. Such a pump then only provides a pumping stroke when a determined speed of rotation is exceeded. The advantage of this embodiment is therefore that the desired very small dosage can general¬ ly be realized more easily and there is no longer a contact member subject to wear. Through a correct choice of the determining parame¬ ters, such as the relevant plunger diameter, the spring constant of the spring means etc., the final discharging pressure and the quantity of the medium can be selected as desired. Envisaged at this moment as fields of application, without any limitation in principle, are the following:

1. Cardan shafts for trucks, buses and other means of transport such as agricultural machines . The device is used here to lubricate universal joints, bearings and the like with oil or grease.

2. Marine propellers: universal joint.

3. Machines having for instance high-speed spindles which are equipped with tools provided with internal cooling channels. In this case the medium can be an oil, an emulsion or other coolant or lubricant.

4. Rolling trains. Lubrication of bearings and universal joints.

5. Aircraft construction. Lubrication of the adjust¬ ing mechanism for the rotors of a helicopter. The device according to the invention is very suit¬ able for lubricating parts or components on the end zones of rotating shafts to which there is no access or access is difficult. The invention can also be applied success¬ fully with rotating shafts of very great length on which are arranged objects for lubricating.

The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the annexed drawings. Herein:

Figure 1 shows a broken away perspective view of a rotating shaft with two cardan joints and a device ac- cording to the invention; Figure 2 shows partly in side view and partly in cross section a first embodiment of the device according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a partly broken away perspective view of a second embodiment;

Figure 4 is a view corresponding with figure 2 of a third embodiment;

Figure 5 shows partly in side view and partly in perspective view a fourth embodiment; and Figure 6 is a view corresponding with figure 5 of a fifth embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a shaft 1 driven by means which are not shown and provided on its ends with universal joints 2, 3 for coupling to respective other shafts. Shaft 1 bears a device 4 according to the invention. This device serves to transport a lubricant from a storage container 5, via a feed conduit 6 and discharge conduits 7, 8 to the universal joints 2 and 3. The storage container 5 is disposed in stationary position relative to shaft 1 and universal joints 2, 3. The device 4 is adapted in the manner to be described hereinafter to supply lubricant such as oil or grease from the stationary storage con¬ tainer 5 and the feed conduit 6 to the rotating universal joints 2, 3. Figure 2 shows that the shaft is provided on its peripheral surface with a ring 9 with conical screw thread 10. A device 11 according to the invention is screwed onto this conical screw thread.

The device 11 comprises an annular block 12 which is coupled rotatably via a bearing 13 to a stationary thro- ughfeed ring 14. Via a seal 15 and a labyrinth 16 the throughfeed ring 14 and the annular block 12 are mutually joined in substantially dust-tight manner.

The throughfeed ring 14 extends in an annular space 17 present in annular block 12, in the outer wall 18 of which space are arranged two annular grooves 19 and 20 respectively. As the figure shows, these grooves are placed eccentrically, this such that their deepest zone, i.e. that located radially furthest to the outside, connects onto an associated medium discharge conduit 21, 22. Via feed conduit 6 medium, in particular lubricant, is transported downward via respective feeds 23, 24 and there collected in the respective grooves 19, 10. This lubricant is then transported via discharge conduits 21, 22 to associated pumps 123, 124. These pumps transport the lubricant via discharge conduits 7, 8 to the univer¬ sal joints 2, 3.

The pumps 123 and 124 are identical. A short de¬ scription will therefore be limited to pump 123, which can otherwise be of any suitable type.

A weight 25 is guided slidably in radial direction and can thus displace a sealing ball 26. In the upper position, i.e. in figure 2 the pump 123, the force of gravity pulls the weight 25 downward and ball 26 is situated in its shown lowest position. During displace¬ ment to the lower position, i.e. the position of pump 124 in figure 2, the force of gravity pulls the weight 25 to the position radially furthest to the outside, carrying with it the ball 26. During the subsequently occurring upward directed displacement the ball 26 is again carried along by the weight 25 to the upper position shown in figure 2. A second ball 27 co-acts with a seat 28 and is loaded by a pressure spring 29. This structure forms a non-return valve. In this way the balls 26, 27 which are arranged in a throughfeed conduit 30 form a one-way pump which can pump the lubricant out of the groove 19 via the medium discharge conduit 21 and throughfeed conduit 30 to discharge conduit 27. The drawn embodiment makes use of the force of gravity to actuate the pumps 123, 124. The sealing ball 26 can also be spring-loaded, if desired in combination with a weight, such that the pumping action is obtained when the rotation speed is varied, wherein at certain times the rotation speed is exceeded, wherein the total movable mass undergoes a centrifugal force such that it urges the ball to the position located furthest to the outside counter to the action of the associated spring means . When the rotation speed is reduced to below the relevant value, the total mass, including the sealing ball 26, is once again urged to the position located radially furthest to the inside under the influence of the associated spring means. Thus is obtained in princi¬ ple the same pumping action as that elucidated in figure 2 with reference to pump 123, albeit under the influence of another force. Figure 3 shows a device 31 which, other than the device 11 according to figure 2, comprises three grooves 19, 20, 32. The groove 32 co-acts with a pump 33 which transports lubricant via a discharge conduit 34 to a receiving station. Figure 4 shows a device 35 according to the inven¬ tion in another embodiment. In this embodiment the thro¬ ughfeed ring 36, which corresponds functionally with throughfeed ring 14 according to figure 2, carries rise cams 37, 38 which, on rotation of the shaft 1 and thus the annular block 12, actuate a radially outward directed displacement of a pin 39, which is urged radially inward by spring means (not drawn) , and thus the ball 26. A forced control of ball 26 is realized in this manner. The structure of the pumps 40, 41 according to figure 4 is otherwise the same as that of pumps 123, 124 according to figure 2.

Figure 5 shows a device 42, wherein a throughfeed ring 43 of fibrous material such as felt is applied. This is held in position by a self-tapping screw 44 supported by a support 45.

Figure 6 shows a device 46 which corresponds sub¬ stantially with the device 35 according to figure 4. A throughfeed ring 47 serves to feed lubricant to the grooves 19, 20. It can be seen from figure 6 that the feed conduit 6 is placed relatively close to the dis¬ charge conduit 8. In the embodiment of figure 4 this distance is greater.

It can be seen more clearly in figure 6 than in the preceding figures that the conduit 6 branches into the outlets 23, 24.

*****

Claims

1. Device for transporting medium, for instance oil, grease or other lubricant from a medium supply to a receiving station movable rotatably relative thereto, which device comprises : a medium supply; and a collecting member disposed in stationary position relative to the receiving station and having an internal space which is accessible from outside and in the periph¬ eral wall of which a substantially annular groove is present, which medium supply is adapted and placed for deliv¬ ering medium into the groove, to which groove connects a medium pump for drawing out of the groove and transporting the medium to the receiving station.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove is eccentric and the pump connects onto the groove in the zone located radially furthest to the outside.

3. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump is actuated by contact means with an actuating member pres¬ ent on the pump which co-acts with a contact member which is movable relative to the actuating member for actuating the pump.

4. Device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the pump is actuated by contact means with an actuating member pres¬ ent on the pump which co-acts with a contact member which is stationary relative to the medium source such that at each relative rotation the pump performs a pumping stroke.

5. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump is actuated by actuating means responding to centrifugal force.

6. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the col¬ lecting member is enclosed by a housing which is station- ary relative to the medium supply and which protects the medium in the zone of the medium supply and the groove against direct influence, for instance by dust and dirt

*****