Device with a screw plug and a range of devices

• US 7,624,618 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2002
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Company KG (BV Beteiligung GmbH & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Company KG (BV Beteiligung GmbH & Company KG)
• Inventors: Mueller, Matthias, Zimmermann, Heinrich, Bolz, Heinrich, Bader, Antonius
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers; David A.
• Application Number:
  US10/487,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20040208725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,702 Days
• Field of Search: 73/350.1, 73/350.7, 73/350.9, 73 3511- 3513, 736/49, 736/52, 738/665, 164/04, 411/190, 411/378, 411/381, 411/382, 411/395, 116/404
• US Class Current: 73/35.09
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/0408 Sump drainage devices, e.g. valves, plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 33/004 Sealing; Insulation by means of washers F16B43/001
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 35/00 Screw-bolts; Stay-bolts; Screw-threaded studs; Screws; Set screws F16B33/008 takes precedence; joining sheets or plates using screws with two separate threads F16B5/0275; using screws with adjustment sleeves F16B5/0283; thread cutting screws F16B25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 35/041 Specially-shaped shafts shape of thread F16B33/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 35/06 Specially-shaped heads special shape in order to rotate the bolt F16B23/00 ; separate hook adaptors for bolts F16B43/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 43/001 for sealing or insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0408 Exchange, draining or filling of transmission lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence

Abstract

A device having at least one screw plug for screwing into a first tapped hole of a housing or housing part of the device, the at least one screw plug including a device for sealing, such as a sealing ring, for the connection to the housing in a manner forming a seal, e.g., against the escape of oil. Introduced into the screw plug is a second tapped hole by which a sensor is releasably connectable, e.g., is able to be screwed in. The screw plug includes an end stop for conducting acoustical waves and for the simultaneous mechanical limit for screwing in the screw plug.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

sensing means for sensing at least one of vibrations and acoustic vibrations at least in a subrange of a range between 0 Hz and 10 MHz; and

at least one screw plug for screwing into a first tapped hole of a housing, the at least one screw plug including means for sealing a connection to the housing to form a seal, the at least one screw plug including a second tapped hole for releaseably connecting to the sensing means, the at least one screw plug including an end stop for conducting acoustical waves and arranged as a mechanical limit for screw-in of the screw plug.

2. A production series, comprising:

a sensor configured as at least one of a vibration sensor and a sensor arranged to detect acoustic vibrations at least in a subrange of a range between 0 Hz and 10 MHz; and

a plurality of devices, each device including at least one screw plug configured to be screwed into a first tapped hole of a housing, the at least one screw plug including a seal arrangement configured to seal a connection to the housing to form a seal, the at least one screw plug including a second tapped hole configured to releaseably connected to the sensor, the at least one screw plug including an end stop configured to conduct acoustical waves and arranged as a mechanical limit for screw-in of the screw plug, the production series including at least two sizes, each size including a different screw plug, the different screw plugs for the at least two sizes configured to connect to a same sensor.

3. The production series according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is releaseably connectable by an external thread to the second tapped hole.

4. The production series according to claim 2, wherein the second tapped hole and an external form of the screw plug are uniformly configured for the at least two sizes, at least one of an external thread, the end stop and the seal arrangement configured differently for the at least two sizes.

5. The production series according to claim 4, wherein the external form includes an external hexagon.

6. A device, comprising:

a sensor configured as at least one of a vibration sensor and a sensor arranged to detect acoustic vibrations at least in a subrange of a range between 0 Hz and 10 MHz; and

at least one screw plug configured to be screwed into a first tapped hole of a housing, the at least one screw plug including a seal arrangement configured to seal a connection to the housing to form a seal, the at least one screw plug including a second tapped hole releaseably connected to the sensor, the at least one screw plug including an end stop configured to conduct acoustical waves and arranged as a mechanical limit for screw-in of the screw plug.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the seal arrangement includes a seal ring.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the seal arrangement is configured to seal the connection to the housing against escape of oil.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the second tapped hole is releaseably connected to the sensor by a screw connection.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein the seal arrangement is configured to be increasingly compressed during screw-in to a maximum value in accordance with the end stop.

11. The device according to claim 6, wherein the seal arrangement is positionable between two sealing surfaces, the sealing surfaces each having a direction of surface normal parallel to an axial direction of threads of the screw plug, a distance between the sealing surfaces reduceable by screw-in of the screw plug up to a value in accordance with the end stop.

12. The device according to claim 6, wherein the end stop is arranged on a larger diameter than the seal arrangement, the end stop arranged as a housing-part-forming protection for the seal arrangement in a screwed-in position of the screw plug.

13. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device is arranged as at least one of a gear unit and a geared motor.

14. The device according to claim 6, wherein the second tapped hole includes a countersink, the sensor including an external thread corresponding to the second tapped hole and a cone section corresponding to the countersink.

15. The device according to claim 6, wherein the seal arrangement is configured for impervious connection to the housing.

16. The device according to claim 6, wherein the screw plug is configured to contact a sealing surface of the housing, the sealing surface including a surface quality configured to produce an impervious connection between the screw plug and the housing by the seal arrangement.

17. The device according to claim 6, wherein the housing is arranged as a housing of a gear unit, the first tapped hole arranged straight through the housing and arranged to at least one of remove and pour out of lubricant.

18. The device according to claim 6, wherein the screw plug includes an external thread configured to screw into the first tapped hole.

19. The device according to claim 6, wherein the screw plug is arranged to seal a straight-through housing opening of a housing fillable with oil.

20. The device according to claim 6, wherein acoustical vibrations are transmittable via the first tapped hole, the second tapped hole and the end stop and in accordance with mutually contacting surfaces, a tightening torque of the sensor against the screw plug and a tightening torque of the screw plug against the housing with a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio for detection by the sensor.

21. The device according to claim 6, wherein the screw plug and the housing are formed of a metallic material.

22. The device according to claim 6, wherein the first tapped hole is arranged as a straight through tapped hole.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the screw plug arranged as an oil drain plug.

24. The device according to claim 6, wherein the screw plug is arranged to project from the housing in a screwed-in state with an external form protrusion, the screw plug releaseable and reconnectable with a tool releaseably connectable with the external form protrusion with form locking.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the external form protrusion includes an external hexagon.

26. The device according to claim 6, wherein the housing is arranged as a housing of a gear unit including a lubricant.

27. The device according to claim 26, wherein the lubricant includes oil.