Lubrication collector and thermal transfer assistance device for a motorized conveyor pulley and method

• US 20030017898A1
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Emerson Power Transmission Manufacturing L.P. (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Power Transmission Manufacturing L.P. (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hill, Jason J.
• Application Number:
  US10/245,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20030017898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 474/197
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0482 Gearings with gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 31/02 Oil catchers; Oil wipers oil-scraping rings for pistons F16J9/20 ; cleaning means for indicating or measuring dip members, e.g. dipstick wipers G01F23/045

Abstract

A pulley housing with a cylindrical exterior surface and a cylindrical interior surface is provided. A pair of shafts at opposite ends of the pulley housing mount the pulley housing for rotation about the pair of shafts. A motive source operatively connected with the pulley housing is adapted to drive the pulley housing in rotation. A wiper is positioned and adapted to wipe thermal transfer fluid from the interior surface of the pulley housing and to direct the thermal transfer fluid into thermally conductive contact with the motive source, preferably with both sides thereof, such that the thermal transfer fluid absorbs heat directly from the motive source. A method of cooling a conveyor pulley includes redirecting the thermal transfer fluid into thermally conductive contact with the motive source such that heat is directly transferred from the motive source to the redirected thermal transfer fluid.

Claims

1. A conveyor pulley comprising:

a pulley housing having a cylindrical exterior surface and a cylindrical interior surface;

a pair of shafts at opposite ends of the pulley housing mounting the pulley housing for rotation about the pair of shafts;

a motive source operatively connected with the pulley housing adapted to drive the pulley housing in rotation; and

a wiper positioned and adapted to wipe a thermal transfer fluid from the interior surface of the pulley housing and to direct the thermal transfer fluid into thermally conductive contact with the motive source such that the thermal transfer fluid absorbs heat directly from the motive source.

2. A conveyor pulley according to claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer fluid is a lubricant.

3. A conveyor pulley according to claim 2, further including a fluid directing part adapted to direct the lubricant to a contacting interface between two components of the motive source moving relative to each other.

4. A conveyor pulley according to claim 1, wherein the motive source further comprises a housing with at least one access opening adapted to permit the flow of the thermal transfer fluid into an interior of the motive source housing.

5. A conveyor pulley according to claim 4, wherein the motive source housing is a component of an electric motor having windings and wherein the access opening is adapted to enable the thermal transfer fluid to flow over the electric motor windings.

6. A conveyor pulley according to claim 1, wherein the wiper is further positioned and adapted to generate a cascade of thermal transfer fluid.

7. A conveyor pulley according to claim 1, wherein the wiper is adapted to cause a cascade of the thermal transfer fluid.

8. A conveyor pulley according to claim 1, wherein the motive source further comprises at least one of a transmission and a motor and wherein the wiper extends substantially the entire length of one of the transmission, the motor, and the conveyer pulley.

9. A conveyor pulley according to claim 1, wherein the wiper is spaced from the motive source and adapted to cause at least a portion of the thermal transfer fluid to flow between the wiper and the motive source.

10. A conveyor pulley according to claim 1, wherein the wiper is further adapted to direct a sufficient quantity of thermal transfer fluid into thermally conductive contact with the motive source such that a temperature of the conveyor pulley is reduced by at least about 10% over an identical conveyor pulley without the wiper.

11. A conveyor pulley comprising:

a pulley housing having a cylindrical exterior surface and a cylindrical interior surface and an interior volume surrounded by the interior surface;

a pair of shafts at opposite ends of the pulley housing supporting the pulley housing for rotation about the pair of shafts;

a motive source in the pulley housing and operatively connected with the pulley housing adapted to drive the pulley housing in rotation; and

a wiper positioned and adapted to direct a thermal transfer fluid into thermally conductive contact with a portion of the motive source on a side of the motive source and to direct another portion of the thermal transfer fluid into thermally conductive contact with an opposite side of the motive source, such that the thermal transfer fluid absorbs heat from each of the sides of the motive source.

12. A conveyor pulley according to claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer fluid is a lubricant.

13. A conveyor pulley according to claim 12, further including a fluid directing part adapted to direct the lubricant to a contacting interface between two parts of the motive source moving relative to each other.

14. A conveyor pulley according to claim 11, wherein the motive source further comprises a housing with at least one access opening adapted to permit the flow of the thermal transfer fluid into an interior of the motive source housing.

15. A conveyor pulley according to claim 14, wherein the motive source housing is a component of an electric motor having windings and wherein the access opening is adapted to enable the thermal transfer fluid to flow over the electric motor windings.

16. A conveyor pulley according to claim 11, wherein the wiper is further positioned and adapted to generate a cascade of thermal transfer fluid.

17. A conveyor pulley according to claim 11, wherein the wiper is adapted to cause a cascade of the thermal transfer fluid.

18. A conveyor pulley according to claim 11, wherein the motive source further comprises at least one of a transmission and a motor and wherein the wiper extends substantially the entire length of one of the transmission, the motor, and the conveyer pulley.

19. A conveyor pulley according to claim 11, wherein the wiper is spaced from the motive source and adapted to cause at least a portion of the thermal transfer fluid to flow between the wiper and the motive source.

20. A conveyor pulley according to claim 11, wherein the wiper is further adapted to direct a sufficient quantity of thermal transfer fluid into thermally conductive contact with the motive source such that a temperature of the conveyor pulley is reduced by at least about 10% over an identical conveyor pulley without the wiper.

21. A method of cooling a conveyor pulley being driven by a motive source in rotating motion which causes thermal transfer fluid to cling to an interior surface of an outer wall of the conveyor pulley, the method comprising the step of:

redirecting the thermal transfer fluid which is clinging to the interior surface into thermally conductive contact with the motive source such that heat is directly transferred from the motive source to the redirected thermal transfer fluid;

transferring at least a portion of the heat transferred to the thermal transfer fluid from the motive source to the outer wall of the conveyor pulley for dissipation;

thereby cooling the conveyor pulley.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of providing a lubricant as the fluid transfer medium.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising directing a portion of the lubricant to a contacting interface between two parts of the motive source moving relative to each other.

24. A method according to claim 21, further comprising directing a portion of the thermal transfer fluid into an interior of the motive source.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein the redirecting step further comprises causing a portion of the thermal transfer fluid to contact a side of the motive source and another portion of the thermal transfer fluid to contact an opposite side of the motive source.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein the redirecting step redirects a sufficient amount of thermal transfer fluid that a temperature of the conveyor pulley is reduced by at least about 10% over an identical conveyor pulley which functions without the redirecting step.

27. A method according to claim 21, wherein the redirecting step redirects a sufficient amount of thermal transfer fluid that a temperature of the conveyor pulley is reduced by at least about 15 degrees F. over an identical conveyor pulley which functions without the redirecting step.