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US 5,509,381 AGranted
Method of and means for cooling and lubricating an alternator
AssigneeOrmat Industries Ltd.
InventorUriyel Fisher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alternator of an internal combustion engine is cooled by oil circulated from an engine crankcase. The oil is sprayed directly on the rotor and stator components. Two pumps deliver oil to and from the alternator, respectively.
Claims17
Apparatus including:
- (a) housing defining an interior cavity;
- (b) a shaft having an axial bore rotatably mounted in said housing and passing through said cavity, said shaft having axial ends;
- (c) a alternator in said cavity for generating electrical power in response to rotation of said shaft including a rotor rigidly mounted on said shaft, and a stator rigidly mounted on said housing in operative relationship to said rotor;
- (d) pump means, internal to said housing, for pumping oil into said axial bore and for removing oil from said cavity;
- (e) said shaft having apertures for effecting the spraying of oil from said bore into said cavity for cooling said rotor and stator;
- and
- (f) wherein said pump means includes a first pump for pumping oil into said axial bore, and second pump for purging oil from said cavity, each pump having a rotor rigidly attached to said shaft.
4 more elements
In combination:
- (a) an internal combustion engine having a lubrication system that includes a crankcase sump for containing lubricating oil, and means for lubricating the engine with oil from said sump;
- (b) a alternator having an input shaft for generating power in response to rotation of the shaft;
- (c) means for coupling the input shaft to the engine so that operation thereof drives the alternator;
- (d) a rotatable pump having inlet and outlet ports;
- (e) means coupling said pump to said shaft for effecting rotation of the pump in response to rotation of said shaft;
- (f) means connecting the inlet port of said pump to said sump;
- and
- (g) means connecting the outlet port of the pump to spray means directed toward said alternator for cooling the same with oil from said sump;
- (h) said alternator including a housing having a cavity, bearing means rotatably mounting said input shaft in said cavity, a rotor in said cavity rigidly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, and a stator in said cavity mounted on said housing, said shaft having axial ends that extend beyond each and of the rotor, an axial bore connected to the outlet of said pump, and apertures in the axial ends of said shaft for spraying oil in said cavity and cooling said rotor and stator;
- and
- (i) wherein said cavity has a sump for collecting sprayed oil, and further including a second pump for returning oil to the sump in the cavity to the crankcase sump.
8 more elements
In combination:
- (a) an internal combustion engine having a lubrication system that includes a crankcase sump for containing lubricating oil, and means for lubricating the engine with oil from said sump;
- (b) a alternator having an input shaft for generating power in response to rotation of the shaft;
- (c) means for coupling the input shaft to the engine so that operation thereof drives the alternator;
- (d) a rotatable pump having inlet and outlet ports;
- (e) means coupling said pump to said shaft for effecting rotation of the pump in response to rotation of said shaft;
- (f) means connecting the inlet port of said pump to said sump;
- and
- (g) means connecting the outlet port of the pump to spray means directed toward said alternator for cooling the same with oil from said sump;
- (h) said alternator including a housing having a cavity, bearing means rotatably mounting said input shaft in said cavity, a rotor in said cavity rigidly connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, and a stator in said cavity mounted on said housing, said shaft having axial ends that extend beyond each and of the rotor, an axial bore connected to the outlet of said pump, and apertures in the axial ends of said shaft for spraying oil in said cavity and cooling said rotor and stator;
- and
- (i) a pressure regulator interposed between the outlet port of said rotatable pump and the axial bore in said shaft.
8 more elements
A method for cooling the alternator of an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:
- (a) pumping oil from the crankcase sump of the engine into the interior of said alternator;
- (b) collecting oil in the interior of said alternator;
- and
- (c) purging collected oil back to the crankcase sump;
- and
- (d) using one pump to pump oil from the crankcase sump, and using another pump to pump oil back to the crankcase sump.
3 more elements
Apparatus including:
- (a) a housing defining an interior cavity;
- (b) a shaft having an axial bore rotatably mounted in said housing and passing into said cavity, said shaft having axial ends;
- (c) a alternator in said cavity for generating electrical power in response to rotation of said shaft including a rotor rigidly mounted on said shaft, and a stator rigidly mounted on said housing in operative relationship to said rotor;
- and
- (d) a first pump mounted on said shaft and responsive to rotation for pumping oil into said axial bore, and a second pump mounted on said shaft and responsive to rotation for removing oil from said cavity;
- (e) said shaft having apertures which effect the spraying of oil from said bore into said cavity for cooling said rotor and stator.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.