Reservoir overfill protection

A lubricant reservoir comprising:

• a housing defining a reservoir;
• a fill valve mounted to the housing, wherein the fill valve includes a valve stem extending through a top surface of the housing and into the reservoir;
• an actuator disposed within the housing and dividing the housing into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the actuator is configured to shift upward in response to a rising level of lubricant in the lower portion of the housing;
• a valve actuator spaced from a top surface of the actuator, wherein the valve actuator is configured to shift the valve stem from an open position, where lubricant flows to the reservoir through the fill valve, to a closed position, where the valve stem blocks the flow of lubricant through the fill valve;
• and
• an elastic member biasing the valve actuator away from the upper surface of the actuator, wherein the elastic member is configured to compress during an overfill state such that the valve actuator remains static relative to a side wall of the housing as the actuator shifts upward in response to the overfill state;
• and
• a plate spring disposed between the actuator and the top surface of the housing.

A lubricant reservoir, comprising:

• a housing defining a reservoir;
• a fill valve mounted to the housing, wherein the fill valve includes a valve stem extending through a top surface of the housing and into the reservoir;
• an actuator disposed within the housing and dividing the housing into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the actuator is configured to shift upward in response to a rising level of lubricant in the lower portion of the housing;
• a valve actuator spaced from a top surface of the actuator, wherein the valve actuator is configured to shift the valve stem from an open position, where lubricant flows to the reservoir through the fill valve, to a closed position, where the valve stem blocks the flow of lubricant through the fill valve;
• and
• an elastic member biasing the valve actuator away from the upper surface of the actuator, wherein the elastic member is configured to compress during an overfill state such that the valve actuator remains static relative to a side wall of the housing as the actuator shifts upward in response to the overfill state;
• and
• wherein the actuator includes an air vent valve extending between the upper surface of the actuator and a lower surface of the actuator.

A lubricant reservoir comprising:

• a housing defining a reservoir;
• a fill valve mounted to the housing, wherein the fill valve includes a valve stem extending through a top surface of the housing and into the reservoir;
• an actuator disposed within the housing and dividing the housing into an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the actuator is configured to shift upward in response to a rising level of lubricant in the lower portion of the housing;
• a valve actuator spaced from a top surface of the actuator, wherein the valve actuator is configured to shift the valve stem from an open position, where lubricant flows to the reservoir through the fill valve, to a closed position, where the valve stem blocks the flow of lubricant through the fill valve;
• and
• an elastic member biasing the valve actuator away from the upper surface of the actuator, wherein the elastic member is configured to compress during an overfill state such that the valve actuator remains static relative to a side wall of the housing as the actuator shifts upward in response to the overfill state;
• and
• a fill tube extending from the fill valve and into the lower portion through the valve actuator and the actuator.

An overfill protection mechanism comprising:

• an actuator configured to shift upwards in response to an overfill event, the actuator comprising:
• an upper surface;
• a lower surface;
• and
• a wall extending from the upper surface and defining a valve protection chamber;
• a valve actuator movably disposed within the valve protection chamber, wherein the valve actuator is configured to contact and actuate a fill valve from an open position to a closed position;
• and
• an elastic member disposed within the valve protection chamber, wherein the elastic member biases the valve actuator towards an upper end of the valve protection chamber and is configured to compress within the valve protection chamber such that valve actuator remains static relative to the fill valve and is movable relative to the actuator as the actuator shifts upward in response to the overfill event.

A method of preventing damage to a fill valve for a lubricant reservoir during an overfill event, the method comprising:

• supplying lubricant to the lubricant reservoir so that an actuator moves upward as the lubricant reservoir fills with lubricant;
• engaging a valve with a valve actuator disposed on and supported by the actuator when the actuator reaches a full position;
• and
• preventing damage to the valve when the actuator moves upward beyond the full position by maintaining a position of the valve actuator relative to the lubricant reservoir as the actuator shifts upward.