Machine element or mechanism – Gearing – Lubrication
Patent
1989-12-19
1991-04-09
Moore, Richard E.
Machine element or mechanism
Gearing
Lubrication
184 624, B62D 506
Patent
active
050054376
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a device for cleaning lubricating oil in a gearbox.
2. The Related Art
It is common knowledge that improved lubrication and cooling of shafts and gear bearings as well as meshing teeth in high load gearboxes can be improved by means of a pressurized oil lubrication device. A lubricating oil pump, which delivers lubricating oil from an oil reservoir, preferably the oil pan of the gearbox, and feeds it specifically to the particularly heavily loaded gearbox elements, is arranged in or on the gearbox for this purpose. Filters are arranged in the suction line and, in the case of pumps disposed outside the gearbox, also in the delivery line in order to keep the contamination of the lubricating oil during the operation within bounds.
Determining the fineness of the filter is problematic. On the one hand, the finest dirt particles possible should be filtered out. On the other hand, the filter must be prevented from becoming clogged. Even if no general clogging develops, the flow rate through a very extensively clogged filter is considerably reduced, so that the lubricating and cooling of bearings that are especially at risk are impaired.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve the cleaning of lubricating oil in conjunction with its circulation in the gearbox by the simplest means possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforementioned and other objects of the present invention are achieved through a device for cleaning lubricating oil within a gearbox comprising: rotation chamber, the channel communicating with the filter and receiving lubricating oil therefrom; and discharge tube delivering lubricating oil centrifugally cleaned within the rotation chamber to shaft bearings, gear bearings and gears.
By utilizing the centrifugal force in the gearbox for removing dirt and metal particles from lubricating oil, it is possible to remove even very fine dirt particles without running the risk of reducing the amount of flow or completely stopping flow of the lubricating oil due to reduced flow rate, which could lead to the bearings running dry.
By arranging a rotation chamber in a gearbox shaft rotating at high speed, the lubricating oil is caused to rotate simply because of the increase in the diamater of a lubricant channel and the consequently reduced flow rate of the lubricating oil, so that the dirt particles will deposit on the outer surface of the rotation chamber. The cleaned lubricating oil can be subsequently conveyed from the center of this rotation chamber in a simple and known manner to the consumers, i.e., the shafts and gear bearings.
Thus, deposition of the dirt present in the lubricating oil on the outer surface of the rotation chamber is facilitated when the lubricating oil stream being delivered by the lubricating oil pump from a channel arranged transversely to the rotation space is interrupted via a tube extending in the longitudinal direction. The still contaminated lubricating oil will remain in an annular chamber close to the outer surface of the rotation chamber. If the lubricant channel from the lubricating oil pump is arranged tangentially to the outer surface rather than centrally, the still contaminated lubricating oil will enter even closer to the outer surface, and an additional twist will be imparted to it. This increases the centrifugal effect. By expanding this tube, the lubricating oil stream can be brought even closer to the outer surface. The dirt and abraded particles are compacted on the outer surface of the rotation chamber into a dirt film and adhere to it. The discharge tube extends into the rotation chamber, so that when the shaft has stopped, dirt particles that are not yet adhering or those which have not become immediately deposited on the end face will not enter the discharge. Using an annular magnet, at least over part of the outer surface, the cleaning of the lubricating oil can be further improved in terms of the removal of magnetic dirt particles, in addition
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patent: 3014634 (1961-12-01), Giascosa
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patent: 4813294 (1989-03-01), Vkai et al.
patent: 4907951 (1990-03-01), Wisner
Furer Gerd
Heinzelmann Karl-Fritz
Osterloff Kurt
Dubno Herbert
Moore Richard E.
Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG
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