Device for a gear
First Claim
1. A device for conveying lubricant from a gear housing through an external treatment unit, the device comprising:
- a gear housing adapted for being partially filled with a pool of liquid lubricant;
an external unit fixed to the gear housing to which the lubricant is to be conveyed for treatment in the external unit and from which the treated lubricant is to be conveyed back to the gear housing;
a rotatable gear wheel supported for rotation in the gear housing in a direction of rotation and at a location in the gear housing such that the gear wheel contacts lubricant partially filling the gear housing and moves the lubricant in the housing, the gear wheel supplies kinetic energy for conveying the lubricant;
an inlet duct having an inlet, the inlet duct extending from the inlet through the gear housing to the external unit for delivering the lubricant for treatment from the gear housing into the external unit, the inlet of the inlet duct being located in the vicinity of a periphery of the gear wheel and in the gear housing, the inlet being positioned, and the inlet duct having a direction such that;
(i) the lubricant flows into the inlet in a direction essentially tangential to the gear wheel periphery; and
(ii) the kinetic energy from the gear wheel rotating through the lubricant conveys the lubricant through the external unit for treatment; and
an outlet connection having an outlet duct opening into the external unit for receiving treated lubricant from the external unit and for conveying the lubricant from the external unit back into the gear housing.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for conveying lubricant oil from a gear housing through an external treatment unit for treatment or reconditioning, and back to the gear housing. The gear housing is adapted for being partially filled with a liquid lubricant or oil. The external treatment unit is fixed to the gear housing unit. A rotatable gear wheel in the gear housing moves the lubricant into an inlet duct leading to the external unit. The inlet to the inlet duct is in the vicinity of the periphery of the gear wheel in the gear housing. The inlet into the inlet duct is located generally in the vicinity of the surface of the pool of lubricant and at least in part beneath the surface. A separate outlet connection from the external unit receives reconditioned lubricant. That connection has an outlet back into the gear housing, above the surface of the pool. The inlet and outlet ducts are so sized, shaped and placed that the pressure generated by the kinetic energy of the gear wheel provides a flow through the external unit that also permits or enables the reconditioning action of the external unit. For example, the external unit may comprise an oil filter, or other means for reconditioning the lubricant.
26 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A device for conveying lubricant from a gear housing through an external treatment unit, the device comprising:
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a gear housing adapted for being partially filled with a pool of liquid lubricant; an external unit fixed to the gear housing to which the lubricant is to be conveyed for treatment in the external unit and from which the treated lubricant is to be conveyed back to the gear housing; a rotatable gear wheel supported for rotation in the gear housing in a direction of rotation and at a location in the gear housing such that the gear wheel contacts lubricant partially filling the gear housing and moves the lubricant in the housing, the gear wheel supplies kinetic energy for conveying the lubricant; an inlet duct having an inlet, the inlet duct extending from the inlet through the gear housing to the external unit for delivering the lubricant for treatment from the gear housing into the external unit, the inlet of the inlet duct being located in the vicinity of a periphery of the gear wheel and in the gear housing, the inlet being positioned, and the inlet duct having a direction such that; (i) the lubricant flows into the inlet in a direction essentially tangential to the gear wheel periphery; and (ii) the kinetic energy from the gear wheel rotating through the lubricant conveys the lubricant through the external unit for treatment; and an outlet connection having an outlet duct opening into the external unit for receiving treated lubricant from the external unit and for conveying the lubricant from the external unit back into the gear housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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13. A device for conveying lubricant from a gear housing through an external treatment unit, the device comprising:
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a gear housing adapted for being partially filled with a pool of liquid lubricant; an external unit fixed to the gear housing to which the lubricant is to be conveyed for treatment in the external unit and from which the treated lubricant is to be conveyed back to the gear housing; a rotatable gear wheel supported for rotation in the gear housing in a direction of rotation at a location in the gear housing such that the gear wheel contacts lubricant partially filling the gear housing and moves the lubricant in the housing, such that the gear wheel supplies kinetic energy for conveying the lubricant; and a mounting section on the gear housing comprising; an inlet duct having an inlet, the inlet duct extending from the inlet through the gear housing to the external unit for delivering the lubricant for treatment from the gear housing into the external unit, the inlet of the inlet duct being located in the vicinity of a periphery of the gear wheel and in the gear housing, the inlet being positioned, and the inlet duct having a direction such that; (i) the lubricant flows into the inlet in a direction essentially tangential to the gear wheel periphery; and (ii) the kinetic energy from the gear wheel rotating through the lubricant conveys the lubricant from the inlet through the inlet duct to the external unit, for delivering the lubricant for treatment from the gear housing into the external unit; and an outlet connection having an outlet duct opening into the external unit for receiving treated lubricant from the external unit and conveying the lubricant from the external unit back into the gear housing, the outlet duct opening into the gear housing at a position located above the surface of the pool of lubricant with which the gear housing is partially filled.
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Specification