System for lubricating and cooling a mechanical assembly

• US 7,500,542 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2004
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Original Assignee: Eurocopter
• Inventors: Baixas, Andre, Maret, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): FENSTERMACHER, DAVID MORGAN
• Application Number:
  US10/915,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20050056490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 184/6.4, 184/6.11, 184/6.12, 184/6.26, 184/50.2, 184/55.1, 184/57, 60/390.8, 60/390.91, 746/06.A
• US Class Current: 184/6.26
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/14 Direct drive between power plant and rotor hub
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0412 Cooling or heating; Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 17/00 Lubrication of machines or apparatus working under extreme conditions additives to lubricating oil or lubricating grease C10M
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 7/32 Mist lubrication splash lubrication F16N7/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2189 Cooling

Abstract

A lubricating and cooling system for a mechanical assembly includes a first path having a reservoir of lubricating and cooling liquid and a second path having a source of pressurized gas. A feed mechanism receives the lubricating and cooling liquid from the first path and the pressurized gas from the second path and outputs the pressurized gas and liquid. First and second spray nozzles spray the pressurized gas and liquid onto the mechanical assembly. The first path has a pressure and flow limiter arranged between the reservoir and the first and second spray nozzles so that the first and second spray nozzles are fed with the lubricating and cooling liquid at a pressure no greater than 2 bar (2×105 Pascal).

Claims

1. A system for lubricating and cooling a mechanical assembly, said system comprising:

a main lubricating and cooling device circulating a stream of lubricating and cooling liquid through said mechanical assembly at a relatively high pressure; and

an auxiliary backup lubricating and cooling device set in operation automatically or manually in response to a condition that said main device becomes defective, said backup device comprising;

a first path comprising at least one reservoir of lubricating and cooling liquid that operates to feed said lubricating and cooling liquid provided under pressure;

a second path comprising at least one source of pressurized gas that operates to output pressurized gas from said source;

a feed mechanism that receives said lubricating and cooling liquid provided by said first path and said pressurized gas provided by said second path and outputs said pressurized gas and liquid;

at least a first spray nozzle and a second spray nozzle that each receive said pressurized gas and liquid output from said feed mechanism, for spraying said pressurized gas and liquid onto said mechanical assembly; and

said first path further comprising a pressure and flow limiter arranged between said reservoir and said first and second spray nozzles, and wherein;

said first and second spray nozzles are fed with the lubricating and cooling liquid from said reservoir at a pressure at most equal to 2 bar (2·

10⁵ pascal).

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second spray nozzles are fed with the lubricating and cooling liquid at a pressure roughly equal to 1 bar (10⁵ pascal).

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reservoir of the lubricating and cooling liquid is arranged some distance away from said mechanical assembly so that said lubricating and cooling liquid contained in said reservoir does not experience the effect of the heat given off by said mechanical assembly.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lubricating and cooling liquid contained in said reservoir is pressured by said source of pressurized gas.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said source of pressurized gas feeding said spray nozzle is formed by a compressor stage of said mechanical assembly.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a splitter that receives said lubricating and cooling liquid from said first path and said pressurized gas from said second circuit path and that outputs said pressurized gas and liquid to said feed mechanism, wherein said at least one first spray nozzle comprises a plurality of first spray nozzles and said at least one second spray nozzle comprises a plurality of second spray nozzles, said first spray nozzles and said second spray nozzles being fed with the pressurized gas and with the lubricating and cooling liquid through said splitter and said feed mechanism.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said feed mechanism comprises first and second feed devices that receive said pressurized gas and liquid from said splitter and wherein all the nozzles in said plurality of first spray nozzles are fed with the pressurized gas and with the lubricating and cooling liquid by said first feed device and all the nozzles in said plurality of second spray nozzles are fed with the pressurized gas and with the lubricating and cooling liquid by said second feed device.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source of pressurized gas is not integral with the reservoir.