Air-operated device and method for lubricating components with elimination of lubricant waste
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F01M-001/00
F01M-011/00
F16N-007/34
B05B-005/025
B05B-007/00
A61M-011/06
출원번호
US-0483931
(2009-06-12)
등록번호
US-8356696
(2013-01-22)
발명자
/ 주소
Carroll, Brian
Neu, Michael
Petty, Chris
Headley, Dudley
McCoy, David
Smith, Stephen
출원인 / 주소
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
2인용 특허 :
19
초록▼
A system and method for lubricating components where the lubricant is applied in mist form within a substantially enclosed cavity. The cavity contains a draining aperture which collects excess lubricant for subsequent re-use by the system. The cavity is defined by a spray head that includes a base h
A system and method for lubricating components where the lubricant is applied in mist form within a substantially enclosed cavity. The cavity contains a draining aperture which collects excess lubricant for subsequent re-use by the system. The cavity is defined by a spray head that includes a base having attached thereto a cover plate with an opening adapted to receive therethrough a component to be lubricated. The cavity and lubrication chamber prevents the escape of excess lubricant. The collection and reuse of excess lubricant provides a closed loop system that reduces lubricant waste.
대표청구항▼
1. A spray head for lubricating components, comprising: a base;a cover plate attached to the base and having an opening adapted to receive therethrough a component to be lubricated, an area between the base and cover plate defining a substantially enclosed cavity;a groove in the base for receiving a
1. A spray head for lubricating components, comprising: a base;a cover plate attached to the base and having an opening adapted to receive therethrough a component to be lubricated, an area between the base and cover plate defining a substantially enclosed cavity;a groove in the base for receiving a lubricant;an aperture in fluid communication with the groove and a source of lubricant to fill at least a portion of the groove with the lubricant;a nozzle in fluid communication with the groove;a pressurized air source in fluid communication with the nozzle and selectively operable to supply a burst of pressurized air to the groove to atomize and project lubricant from the groove and onto a component to be lubricated; anda draining aperture in the cavity for returning excess lubricant to the source of lubricant. 2. The spray head of claim 1, further comprising a gasket between the cover plate and the base. 3. The spray head of claim 1, further comprising a lubrication chamber surrounding the spray head. 4. The spray head of claim 1, further comprising interchangeable cover plates, each having a different opening. 5. A system for lubricating components, comprising: a reservoir containing lubricant;a lubrication chamber including an enclosed spray head, the spray head further comprising: a base,a cover plate attached to the base and having an opening adapted to receive therethrough a component to be lubricated, an area between the base and cover plate defining a substantially enclosed cavity when the component to be lubricated is present,a groove in the base for receiving a lubricant,an aperture for emitting a lubricant mist onto a component to be lubricated while the component resides in the cavity, the aperture in fluid communication with the lubricant groove and a source of lubricant and adapted to fill at least a portion of the groove with the lubricant,an air nozzle in fluid communication with the aperture, anda draining aperture in the cavity for returning excess lubricant to the lubricant reservoir,a supply line for transporting lubricant from the reservoir to the aperture of the spray head;a supply line for transporting pressurized air to the air nozzle of the spray head;a drainage line for returning excess lubricant from the spray head to the reservoir;a pump that respectively forces lubricant and air through corresponding supply lines to the aperture and air nozzle of the spray head, the pump in fluid communication with the lubricant reservoir and a supply of pressurized air and selectively operable to supply a burst of pressurized air to the air nozzle to atomize and project lubricant from the groove and onto a component to be lubricated; andan actuator in electrical communication with the pump. 6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a gasket between the cover plate and the base of the spray head. 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the pump is a pneumatic pump in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air, the pump including a lubricant pump portion and an air pump portion. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the pump operates in sequence to supply lubricant to the spray head prior to supplying pressurized air to the spray head. 9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a pulse generator associated with the lubricant pump portion of the pump, the pulse generator limiting the amount of lubricant supplied to the spray head when the lubricant pump portion of the pump is activated. 10. The system of claim 5, further comprising a check valve in the lubricant supply line for preventing a backflow of lubricant. 11. The system of claim 5, wherein the aperture includes a lubricant orifice for emitting lubricant. 12. The system of claim 5, wherein the spray head includes multiple apertures, each having an air nozzle. 13. The system of claim 5, further comprising: multiple apertures;a lubricant groove in communication with the apertures and provided to receive and contain an amount of lubricant supplied through the aperture;a lubricant orifice in each aperture through which lubricant is supplied to the lubricant groove; andan air nozzle exiting into each aperture, the air nozzles in fluid communication with the air pump portion of the pump for supplying a burst of pressurized air to atomize and eject lubricant from the lubricant groove and onto a component to be lubricated. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the air nozzles are directed toward a center of the cavity. 15. The system of claim 5, wherein at least the lubricant reservoir, lubrication chamber and pump are attached to a framework. 16. A system for lubricating components, comprising: a reservoir containing lubricant;a pump assembly in fluid communication with the lubricant reservoir and a source of pressurized air, the pump assembly including a lubricant pump portion and an air pump portion;a lubrication chamber including an enclosed spray head, the spray head further comprising: a base,a cover plate attached to the base and having an opening adapted to receive therethrough a component to be lubricated, an area between the base and cover plate defining a substantially enclosed cavity when the component to be lubricated is present,a lubricant groove residing within the cavity, the lubricant groove for receiving and containing an amount of lubricant,a plurality of apertures opening into the lubricant groove,a lubricant orifice in each aperture for supplying lubricant to the lubricant groove, the lubricant orifices in fluid communication with the lubricant pump portion of the pump assembly,an air nozzle exiting into each aperture, the air nozzles in fluid communication with the air pump portion of the pump assembly, anda draining aperture in the cavity for returning excess lubricant to the lubricant reservoir,supply lines for transporting lubricant from the lubricant pump portion of the pump assembly to the lubricant orifices of the spray head;supply lines for transporting pressurized air from the air pump portion of the pump assembly to the air nozzles of the spray head;a drainage line for returning excess lubricant from the drainage aperture of the spray head to the lubricant reservoir; andan actuator in electrical communication with the pump;wherein, upon activation of the actuator, the lubricant pump portion of the pump assembly causes lubricant to be transferred from the lubricant reservoir to the lubricant groove in the spray head; andwherein, subsequent thereto, the air pump portion of the pump assembly sends a burst of pressurized air to the air nozzles, thereby atomizing and ejecting at least a portion of the lubricant in the lubricant groove onto a component to be lubricated. 17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a pulse generator associated with the lubricant pump portion of the pump assembly, the pulse generator limiting the amount of lubricant supplied to the spray head when the lubricant pump portion of the pump assembly is activated. 18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a check valve in the lubricant supply lines for preventing a backflow of lubricant. 19. A method for lubricating components, comprising: (a) providing a lubrication system, the lubrication system further comprising: a reservoir containing lubricant;a lubrication chamber including an enclosed spray head, the spray head further comprising: a base,a cover plate attached to the base and having an opening adapted to receive therethrough a component to be lubricated, an area between the base and cover plate defining a substantially enclosed cavity when the component to be lubricated is present,at least one aperture for emitting a lubricant mist onto a component to be lubricated while the component resides in the cavity, the at least one aperture in fluid communication with a source of lubricant and a lubricant groove, anda draining aperture in the cavity for returning excess lubricant to the lubricant reservoir,a supply line for transporting lubricant from the reservoir to the at least one aperture of the spray head;a supply line for transporting pressurized air to the at least one aperture of the spray head;a drainage line for returning excess lubricant from the spray head to the reservoir;a pump that forces lubricant and air through corresponding supply lines to the at least one aperture of spray head, the pump in fluid communication with the lubricant reservoir and a supply of pressurized air; andan actuator in electrical communication with the pump,(b) passing a component to be lubricated through the opening in the cover plate of the spray head and into the cavity;(c) engaging the actuator, which activates the pump to first transfer lubricant to the spray head so as to at least partially fill the lubricant groove therewith, and to subsequently transfer pressurized air to the spray head;(d) using said pressurized air to atomize and eject lubricant from the lubricant groove into the cavity and onto the component to be lubricated;(e) collecting excess lubricant in the base of the spray head; and(f) returning the excess lubricant to the reservoir via the drainage aperture and drainage line for subsequent reuse.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (19)
Lin Peter T. (E. Brunswick NJ), Apparatus for coating recorded discs with a lubricant.
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