US3885176A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dynamoelectric machine with improved bearing lubrication system
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1972-09-25
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Granted: 1975-05-20
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Expires: 1992-09-25
Abstract
Abstract Bearing system includes felt lubricant storage material or extrudable lubricating material with a felt feed wick arranged to transfer lubricant from the reservoir to at least one bearing journal. Feed wick is constructed to transfer lubricant from the lubricant storage material to the body of the feed member and so that the extrudable lubricant retaining material is in contact with cut fibers or cross-grained surfaces of the feed wick. The feed wick is devised to avoid excessive contact pressures and corresponding feed surface deterioration. A thrust and bearing feeding portion of the feed wick makes predominantly radial (as opposed to predominantly axial) contact with selected portions of a thrust member so as to substantially reduce if not eliminate undesirable compression and densification of such feeding portion. Also disclosed is structure that prevents or retards movement of contaminants into the system. In an illustrated form, such structure includels a rubbing seal cooperating with a raised portion of a lubricant reservoir defining end cap. Grease is provided between the seal and end cap so as to maintain lubricant along the rubbing interface of the parts. The raised portion of the end cap also contributes to prevention of contamination of the lubrication system. This portion also contributes to the retention of lubricant for the rubbing interface. Improved oil returning means are also provided that establish relationships with lubricant reservoir covers such that lubricant loss is reduced.
Inventors
- 👤 Eldon R Cunningham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:40
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K5/00; H02K5/04; H02K5/16; H02K5/167; H02K5/1672; F; F16; F16C; F16C17/00; F16C17/02; F16C33/00; F16C33/02; F16C33/04; F16C33/06; F16C33/10; F16C33/1025; F16C33/103; F16C33/104; F16C2380/00; F16C2380/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A dynamoelectric machine including a shaft, a rotor mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith; bearing means including at least one sleeve type bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; and a lubrication system for the bearing means including a lubricant reservoir with lubricant retaining material disposed therein; said bearing having a lubricant admitting passage for permitting a flow of lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to a bearing surface of the bearing; and a feed wick for transferring lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to said bearing surface; said feed wick including a projection in the lubricant admitting passage of said bearing and in engagement with the shaft, said feed wick being compressively retained between the shaft and a wall portion of the lubricant reservoir to prevent inadvertent displacement of said projection from engaging relation with the shaft; the material forming said feed wick defining at least one cut out region along a line extending in generally normal relation to the shaft and through said projection, whereby excessive contact pressures between the shaft and projection are prevented.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
A dynamoelectric machine including a shaft, a rotor mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith; bearing means including at least one sleeve type bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; and a lubrication system for the bearing means including a lubricant reservoir with lubricant retaining material disposed therein; said bearing having a lubricant admitting passage for permitting a flow of lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to a bearing surface of the bearing; and a feed wick for transferring lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to said bearing surface; said feed wick including a projection in the lubricant admitting passage of said bearing and in engagement with the shaft, said feed wick being compressively retained between the shaft and a wall portion of the lubricant reservoir to prevent inadvertent displacement of said projection from engaging relation with the shaft; the material forming said feed wick defining at least one cut out region along a line extending in generally normal relation to the shaft and through said projection, whereby excessive contact pressures between the shaft and projection are prevented.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
98 words
The dynamoelectric machine of claim 1 wherein a thrust transmitting member is carried by the shaft and movable into engagement with a stationary thrust bearing surface, said thrust transmitting member including a lip extending axially along said shaft; and wick means for transferring lubricant to said lip, said wick including a thrust wick disposed to establish predominantly radial contact with the lip of the thrust transmitting member whereby axial movement of the thrust transmitting member toward the stationary thrust surface will cause radial movement of a lubricant feeding surface portion of the thrust wick away from the shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
The dynamoelectric machine of claim 1 wherein a lubricant retaining mass is contained in the lubricant reservoir; said lubricant retaining mass comprises a flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material; said feed wick is a fibrous material, said cut out region of the wick is established by at least one cross-grained surface; and the extrudable material is in contact with said at least one cross-grained surface thereby to enhance the lubricant transfer rate from the lubricant retaining material to the feed wick.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The dynamoelectric machine of claim 3 wherein the contact pressure between the wick projection and shaft is transmitted through the feed wick to cause at least slight compression of the extrudable lubricant retaining material disposed within the cut out portion of the feed wick.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The dynamoelectric machine of claim 3 wherein at least one rubbing seal is provided along an exterior of the lubricant reservoir thereby to retard the movement of contaminants into the lubricant reservoir.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
180 words
A dynamoelectric machine having a rotor assembly including a shaft rotatable about an axiS of revolution; bearing means rotatably supporting the shaft including at least one sleeve bearing with a lubricant admitting passage therein; a lubricant reservoir for retaining lubricant to be supplied to the sleeve bearing; and means for transferring lubricant from the lubricant reservoir along the lubricant admitting passage to a bearing surface; said means for transferring comprising a feed wick compressively retained in the lubricant reservoir and having a projecting portion extending into the passage of the bearing and having at least a portion thereof contacting the shaft; said feed wick having a cut out portion spaced from said projecting portion and positioned, relative to the lubricant admitting passage and feed wick projecting portion so that it is at least approximately located along a line passing through the surface of the shaft, the axis of revolution of the shaft, and the shaft contacting portion of the projecting portion so that the feed wick projecting portion engages the surface of the shaft with a relatively reduced contact pressure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
180 words
A dynamoelectric machine having a rotor assembly including a shaft rotatable about an axiS of revolution; bearing means rotatably supporting the shaft including at least one sleeve bearing with a lubricant admitting passage therein; a lubricant reservoir for retaining lubricant to be supplied to the sleeve bearing; and means for transferring lubricant from the lubricant reservoir along the lubricant admitting passage to a bearing surface; said means for transferring comprising a feed wick compressively retained in the lubricant reservoir and having a projecting portion extending into the passage of the bearing and having at least a portion thereof contacting the shaft; said feed wick having a cut out portion spaced from said projecting portion and positioned, relative to the lubricant admitting passage and feed wick projecting portion so that it is at least approximately located along a line passing through the surface of the shaft, the axis of revolution of the shaft, and the shaft contacting portion of the projecting portion so that the feed wick projecting portion engages the surface of the shaft with a relatively reduced contact pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The dynamoelectric machine of claim 6 further including a mass of a flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material; the cut out portion of the feed wick being established by at least one cross-grained wick surface; and the extrudable material being in contact with said cross-grained surface and pressed thereagainst thereby to enhance the rate of lubricant transfer from the lubricant retaining material to said wick member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
The dynamoelectric machine of claim 7 further including a lubricating system for the sleeve bearing comprising a lubricant retaining material and a perforated retainer, said perforated retainer permitting lubricant circulation from the sleeve bearing to the lubricant retaining material and constraining particles of the lubricant retaining material from radial movement toward the shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
136 words
An electric motor comprising a rotor assembly including a shaft; a stator assembly; a bearing system at one end of the stator assembly including a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; said bearing system including a lubricant retaining reservoir having spaced apart first and second end wall defining members; a first seal supported for rotation with the shaft in rubbing engagement with the exterior of the first end wall defining member; a second seal supported for rotation with the shaft in rubbing engagement with the exterior of the second end wall defining member; at least one of the seals and its associated end wall defining member establishing a cavity therebetween; and a quantity of lubricant disposed in the cavity for lubricating the rubbing interface of the at least one seal and its associated end wall defining member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
136 words
An electric motor comprising a rotor assembly including a shaft; a stator assembly; a bearing system at one end of the stator assembly including a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft; said bearing system including a lubricant retaining reservoir having spaced apart first and second end wall defining members; a first seal supported for rotation with the shaft in rubbing engagement with the exterior of the first end wall defining member; a second seal supported for rotation with the shaft in rubbing engagement with the exterior of the second end wall defining member; at least one of the seals and its associated end wall defining member establishing a cavity therebetween; and a quantity of lubricant disposed in the cavity for lubricating the rubbing interface of the at least one seal and its associated end wall defining member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The electric motor of claim 9 wherein at least said associated end wall defining member is provided with a circumferentially extending barrier portion and said at least one of the seals may sling water radially away from the shaft and exteriorly of the associated end wall defining member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
The electric motor of claim 9 wherein a lubricant retaining material is disposed within the lubricant retaining reservoir and a perforated member is disposed interiorly of the first and second end wall defining members, said perforated member permitting a flow of lubricant from the vicinity of the shaft to the lubricant retaining material and inhibiting movement of the lubricant retaining material radially toward the shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
247 words
A dynamoelectric machine comprising a stator assembly; a rotor assembly; at least one bearing system having a bearing supporting the rotor assembly for rotation relative to the stator assembly; flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material disposed adjacent to the bearing of the at least one bearing system; a member for feeding lubricant to the shaft from the lubricant retaining material and means for mechanically retaining the flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material in predetermined spatial relation with the shaft, and for peRmitting movement of lubricant to the flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material from the vicinity of the shaft; said means for mechanically retaining comprising a retainer having a plurality of perforations therein that establish lubricant transmitting passages with the perforations being defined by webs of material spaced radially from and extending axially along the shaft which restrain the flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material from moving into engagement with the shaft, while permitting the flow of lubricant therepast; said bearing of the at least one bearing system being a sleeve bearing with a lubricant feeding aperture therein; said dynamoelectric machine further including a feed wick having a projection disposed in the aperture of the bearing, with the feed wick being a flat piece of felted material and the feed wick including at least one cross-grained surface that at least in part establishes a passage for movement of the extrudable material from one flat side of the feed wick to another flat side of the feed wick.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
247 words
A dynamoelectric machine comprising a stator assembly; a rotor assembly; at least one bearing system having a bearing supporting the rotor assembly for rotation relative to the stator assembly; flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material disposed adjacent to the bearing of the at least one bearing system; a member for feeding lubricant to the shaft from the lubricant retaining material and means for mechanically retaining the flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material in predetermined spatial relation with the shaft, and for peRmitting movement of lubricant to the flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material from the vicinity of the shaft; said means for mechanically retaining comprising a retainer having a plurality of perforations therein that establish lubricant transmitting passages with the perforations being defined by webs of material spaced radially from and extending axially along the shaft which restrain the flowable and extrudable lubricant retaining material from moving into engagement with the shaft, while permitting the flow of lubricant therepast; said bearing of the at least one bearing system being a sleeve bearing with a lubricant feeding aperture therein; said dynamoelectric machine further including a feed wick having a projection disposed in the aperture of the bearing, with the feed wick being a flat piece of felted material and the feed wick including at least one cross-grained surface that at least in part establishes a passage for movement of the extrudable material from one flat side of the feed wick to another flat side of the feed wick.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-19 | 1978-11-18 | 1979-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-19 | 1982-11-18 | 1983-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-19 | 1986-11-18 | 1987-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |