Apparatus for long-term bearing lubrication
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorWolfgang Kofink
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In order to improve the lubrication of relatively moving parts of machinery, in particular of bearings carrying rotating shafts, there is provided a lubricant reservoir adjacent to the bearing in which a movable transport member is located. The transport member may be, for example, a spring, one end of which is attached to the shaft rotating in the bearing so that the centrifugal force imparted to the spring causes its free end to enter into the lubricant reservoir whereupon, when the shaft is slowed down or stopped, the elasticity of the spring causes its return to a rest position, during which lubricant is positively displaced in the direction of the bearing. The motion of the transport member may also be effected by other external influences, for example by a magnetic field.
Claims9
An apparatus for long-term lubrication of a bearing (3) connecting a rotary shaft (1) and a stationary part (6), comprising:
- a housing (7) for holding said bearing and for defining a lubricant reservoir (8) to retain lubricant therein communicating with said bearing (3);
- and
- an elastic movable lubricant transport element (11), disposed within said reservoir and being capable of movement between at least a first, preparatory position (A) and a second, rest position (B), movement of said lubricant transport element between said first position (A) and said second position (B) being in a direction to move and transport lubricant by engagement of said transport element with lubricant in the reservoir from said reservoir (8) toward said bearing (3), said transport element being subjected to application of a moving force which depends on the rotation of the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.