US 5,031,526 A · Lubrication system for a print hammer mechanism and assembly

Abstract

A passive lubrication system for use in a high speed print hammer mechanism to provide continuous lubrication to all print hammers over the lifetime of the mechanism. A plurality of hammer elements are pivotally engaged by a common pivot pin element. The lubrication system comprises a hammer block and a reservoir block both made of sintered material and each containing a supply of lubricant. The hammer block supplies lubrication to the pivot pin/hammer element bearing interfaces by capillary action. The reservoir block in turn supplies lubricant to the hammer block by capillary action to replenish the supply of lubricant as depleted in the hammer block. The reservoir block has a porous microstructure in which the porosity is at least equal to but preferably in coarser than the porosity of the porous microstructure of the hammer block. In a high speed printer having plural hammer mechanisms, the lubrication system comprises a single reservoir block adapted for supplying lubricant simultaneously by capillary action to plural hammer blocks each containing a supply of lubricant and supplying lubricant to plural pivot pin elements by capillary action. In a printer having a hammer unit comprising multiple hammer mechanisms arranged in a single row, the lubrication system comprises multiple reservoir blocks each supplying lubricant simultaneously by capillary action to plural hammer blocks each of which supplies lubricant by capillary action to a pivot pin element which pivotally engages a plurality of spaced hammer elements all of which are arranged in a row.

Claims21

Dependent claims

In a printer apparatus having a plurality of hammer elements in pivotal engagement with a pivot element, said hammer elements and said pivot element having means forming bearing interfaces,

a passive lubrication system for supplying lubrication to said bearing interfaces comprising
a hammer block member made of sintered material having a porous microstructure impregnated with a supply of lubricant and having means adapted for applying said lubricant by capillary flow to said bearing interfaces, and
a reservoir block member made of sintered material with a porous microstructure impregnated with a supplementary supply of lubricant,
said reservoir block member being connected to said hammer block member in a manner whereby lubricant from said supplementary supply flows by capillary action to said hammer block member.

1 more element

A lubrication system for a printer apparatus having

a hammer unit assembly comprising a plurality of print hammer subassemblies,
said hammer subassemblies each having an elongated pivot pin means to form a support for a plurality of print hammer elements and hammer block means formed of sintered material containing a predetermined supply of lubricant,
spacer means formed integrally with each of said hammer block means and formed of the same material as said hammer block means so as to receive a flow of said lubricant from said hammer block means,
said spacer means having means defining an opening for receiving said elongated pivot pin means and being spaced apart for supporting individual ones of said hammer elements between adjacent spacers, and
and means for replenishing lubricant as depleted from said hammer block means, the improvement comprising
a single reservoir block member formed of sintered material containing a supplementary supply of lubricant, said plural hammer block means of said plurality of hammer subassemblies having microporous surfaces individually adjoining a common microporous surface of said reservoir block means to effect transfer of lubricant simultaneously from said supplementary supply to said hammer block means of said plurality of hammer subassemblies by capillary action.

3 more elements

A lubrication system for a printer apparatus having

a hammer unit assembly comprising a plurality of print hammer subassemblies,
said hammer subassemblies each having an elongated pivot pin means to form a support for a plurality of print hammer elements and
hammer block means formed of sintered material and each containing a predetermined supply of lubricant,
spacer means formed integrally with of the same material as said hammer block means so as to receive a flow of said lubricant from said hammer block means,
said spacer means having means defining an opening for receiving said elongated pivot pin means and being spaced apart for supporting individual ones of said hammer elements between adjacent spacers, and
means for replenishing lubricant as depleted from said hammer block means, the improvement comprising
plural reservoir block means formed of sintered material and each containing a supplementary supply of lubricant,
said plural reservoir block means each having a porous surface adjoining plural porous surfaces of a group of hammer block means to form plural interfaces for the simultaneous flow of lubricant from each of said plural reservoir block means to said group of hammer block means by capillary flow.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Lubrication system for a print hammer mechanism and assembly

Life of this patent

Lubrication system for a print hammer mechanism and assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21