Bearing lubrication system

#This invention relates to bearing lubrication systems in general and more specifically the lubrication of sleeve bearings.

#Sleeve bearing systems are well-known in the art and are used in a wide variety of machine systems to support rotating shafts. A typical sleeve bearing installation is a hydrodynamic system, in which a thin film of lubricating fluid, typically a petroleum-based or synthetic oil, forms a thin film or fluid “wedge” that provides support for a shaft rotating within the sleeve bearing. In a passively lubricated sleeve bearing system, a sump provided in the bearing housing contains the lubricating fluid (e.g., oil) for the bearing. One or more oil rings encircling the shaft are caused to rotate by the rotation of the shaft in the sleeve bearing. As the oil ring rotates, its lower portion dips into the oil contained in the sump. Continued rotation of the oil ring carries some of the lubricating oil to the top of the sleeve bearing, where it is deposited at or near the bearing/shaft interface. Thus, the oil ring provides the sleeve bearing with a continuous supply of lubricating fluid so long as the shaft is rotating.

#While ring oiling systems of the type described above work well and are widely used, they only supply lubricant to the sleeve bearing when the shaft is rotating. The bearing is not supplied with lubricant during those times when the shaft is not rotating.

#Illustrative and presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment of a bearing lubrication system according to the present invention as it may be used in conjunction with a sleeve bearing system having ring-type oilers;

#FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method for lubricating a bearing;

#A bearing lubrication system 10 according to one embodiment of the invention is best seen in FIG. 1 and may comprise a pump 12 having an inlet 14 and an outlet 16. The inlet 14 of pump 12 is fluidically connected to a lubricating fluid sump 18, whereas the outlet 16 of pump 12 is fluidically connected to a bearing 20. A pump control system 22 operatively connected to the pump 12 operates the pump 12 on an intermittent basis to provide a controlled amount of lubricating fluid 24 to the bearing 20.

#Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 simultaneously, bearing lubrication system 10 may be operated in accordance with process 28 to provide a controlled amount of lubricating fluid 24 to bearing 20. A first step 30 in process 28 involves detecting a lubrication signal 32 (FIG. 1). As will be described in greater detail below, lubrication signal 32 may comprise any of a wide range of signals that are interpreted or regarded by pump control system 22 as a call to deliver a controlled amount of lubricating fluid 24 to bearing 20. For example, the lubrication signal 32 may comprise a start-up signal produced by a machine control system 34 operatively connected to pump control system 22. That is, the provision of the controlled amount of lubricating fluid 24 to bearing 20 is based on a sensed operational state of the machine. Alternatively, the lubrication signal 32 could be provided by other systems and/or devices. For example, lubrication signal 32 could originate from a switch 36 operatively connected to pump control system 22. Switch 36 may be activated by a system operator (not shown) in order to command the bearing lubrication system 10 to provide a controlled amount of lubricating fluid 24 to bearing 20. Lubrication signal 32 may also originate from a timer 38 operatively associated with pump control system 22.

#Regardless of the particular system or device that provides the lubrication signal 32 to pump control system 22, once pump control system 22 receives a lubrication signal 32, it will activate pump 12 at step 40. Pump 12 will then begin to pump lubricating fluid 24 from sump 18 to bearing 20. Pump 12 will continue to pump lubricating fluid 24 to the bearing 20 until a controlled or desired amount of lubricating fluid 24 has been provided to the bearing 20. By way of example, in one operational scenario, the controlled amount of lubricating fluid 24 that is delivered to bearing 20 is about 177 ml (about 6 fluid ounces), although a greater or lesser controlled amount may be delivered depending on the particular application and machine.