Oil lubrication filtering system

Abstract

An oil lubrication filtering system includes a bearing housing with a bearing assembly which includes bearings surrounding a shaft. The bearing housing includes an oil sump including a filter screen. The bearing housing includes at least one oil channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen and the oil sump. The filter screen is removable from the bearing housing. Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a bearing housing. The bearing housing includes a housing with a bearing assembly including bearings surrounding a shaft. Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a method of filtering oil in an oil lubrication system.

Description

OIL LUBRICATION FILTERING SYSTEMCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 654,387 filed on May 31, 2024 the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to circulation and filtering of oil in a bearing housing.BACKGROUND

[0003] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims herein and are not admitted as being prior art by inclusion in this section.

[0004] Pump assemblies may include a bearing housing having a bearing assembly with a shaft rotated by a motor for turning an impeller of a pump. Contaminants may be contained with a bearing housing and may damage the bearings and cause premature bearing failure. The contaminants within the bearing housing may circulate through the bearings causing damage to the bearings and housing. The contaminants may include dirt, particles from bearing wear over time.SUMMARY

[0005] Existing challenges associated with the foregoing, as well as other challenges, are overcome by the presently disclosed fluid oil lubrication filtering system. Oneembodiment of the present disclosure is a bearing housing with a bearing assembly including bearings surrounding a shaft and housing end cover to contain the bearings. The bearing housing includes an oil sump including a filter screen. The bearing housing includes at least one oil path channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen. The filter screen is removable from the bearing housing. rooo6] In aspects, the bearing housing includes two oil path channels configured to convey oil towards the filter screen and the oil sump.

[0007] In aspects, one of the two oil path channels is configured to capture oil when the bearings rotate in a clockwise direction within the bearing assembly and other of the two oil path channels is configured to capture oil when the bearings rotate in a counterclockwise direction within the bearing assembly.

[0008] In aspects, the two oil path channels are configured to convey the oil to the filter screen by gravity feed or by oil pressure.

[0009] In aspects, the filter screen is removable through a drain or filter hole of the bearing housing when a drain plug of the bearing housing is removed.

[0010] In aspects, the drain plug is magnetic.

[0011] In aspects, the bearing housing and / or housing end cover includes a first oil channel opening and a second oil channel opening for receiving oil from the bearing channel and the first oil channel opening and second oil channel opening convey oil to a first oil path channel which extends along an outside segment of a circumference of the bearing channel, the first oil path channel conveys the oil to a second oil path channel, and the second oil path channel conveys the oil towards the filter screen.

[0012] In aspects, the bearing housing includes one oil path channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen, and the bearing housing includes a scoop configuredto guide the oil into the oil path channel.

[0013] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a bearing housing. The bearing housing includes a housing with a bearing assembly including bearings surrounding a shaft. The bearing housing includes an oil sump including an oil filter screen. The bearing housing includes a housing end cover. The bearing housing includes at least one oil path channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen. The filter screen is removable from the bearing housing.

[0014] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a method of filtering oil in an oil lubrication system. The method includes receiving oil in an oil path channel of a bearing housing. The method includes conveying the oil towards a filter screen. The method further includes passing the oil through the filter screen. The filter screen is configured to capture and remove contaminants and debris from the oil as the oil passes through filter screen. The filter screen is removable from the bearing housing.

[0015] In aspects, the method further includes removing a drain or filter plug of a drain hole of the bearing housing and removing the filter screen through the drain hole.

[0016] In aspects, the method further includes cleaning the filter screen and reinserting the filter screen into the bearing housing.

[0017] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0018] The foregoing and other features of this disclosure will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings, in which: rooi9i FIG. 1 is a front cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a front cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a side cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a front cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system in accordance with the present disclosure; and

[0023] FIG. 5 is a side cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system in accordance with the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understoodthat the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.

[0025] An oil lubrication filtering system may include a bearing housing, housing end cover and a bearing assembly. The bearing assembly may include bearings and oil surrounding a shaft. The bearing housing may include an oil sump with an oil filter screen. The bearing housing and / or housing end cover may include at least one oil channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen and the oil sump. The filter screen may be removable.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a front cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. Oil lubrication filtering system 100 may include a bearing housing 10, housing end cover 15 with a bearing assembly 20 surrounding a shaft 30. Bearing assembly 20 may define a bearing channel 25 and may further include bearings 40 and oil 50. Bearings 40 may be lubricated by oil 50 in an oil lubrication system with oil 50 supplied directly to bearings 40 with a continuous flow of oil 50 within bearing channel 25.

[0027] Oil lubrication filtering system 100 may further include an oil sump 60 for receiving and containing 50 for lubricating bearing assembly 20 when shaft 30 is rotated. Oil sump 60 may be configured within the lower part of bearing housing 10, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0028] Bearing housing 10 and housing end cover 15 may include a first oil path channel 70 and a second oil path channel 80 for receiving dirty oil 50 from bearing channel25 and conveying towards oil sump 60. Dirty oil 50 may travel into one of oil path channel70 or oil path channel 80 based on a rotational direction of bearings 40. Oil path channel70 and oil path channel 80 may be configured to capture the oil 50 movement created by the rotation of bearing 40. The rotation of bearings 40 may generate movement in oil 50 and this movement may be in the same direction as the rotation of bearings 40. This oil 50 movement may be referred to as swelling. Oil path channel 70 and oil path channel 80 may be designed to be bidirectional so that they it will capture oil 50 when bearings 40 rotate in either direction within bearing assembly 20. Based on FIG. 1, when bearings 40 rotate in a clockwise direction within bearing assembly 20, oil 50 may be directed into oil path channel 70 and when bearings 40 rotate in a counterclockwise direction within bearing assembly 20, oil 50 may be directed into oil path channel 80. Dirty oil 50 may travel down oil path channel 70 or oil path channel 80 via a gravity feed, or alternative by oil pressure caused by the combination of bearing assembly 20 and rotating shaft 30.

[0029] Bearing housing 10 may include an oil filter screen 90 configured to be coupled fluidically between oil sump 60 and oil path channels 70 and 80. Oil filter screen 90 may be configured to capture and remove contaminants and debris from oil 50 as oil 50 passes through oil filter screen 90. The oil filter screen 90 may be constructed with metal or non- metal material and filter debris particles as small as 210 microns. Oil filter screen 90 may not create resistance to the flow of oil 50 as a paper oil fdter would. Oil filter screen 90 may be removable and may be cleaned and reinserted into the bearing housing and reused. Oil filter screen 90 may be sized so as to be inserted and removed through drain hole 95 of bearing housing 10 when a drain or filter plug 97 is removed and may be conveniently removed during maintenance such as when replacing oil 50. The oil filter entry port and size will be suited for the oil volume of bearing housing 10. Oil filter screen 90 may be positioned so that oil filter screen 90 may filter oil 50 based on the flow direction of oil 50and the rotation of bearings 40 and may be reversed or flip around within bearing housing 10 depending on the flow direction of oil 50. Drain or filter plug 97 may be any style of plug including a magnetic plug. Oil lubrication filtering system 100 may provide a large opening for cleaning of bearing housing 20 and may function with ring oil lube.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a front cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. Those components in FIG. 2 that are labeled identically to components of FIG. 1 will not be described again for the purposes of brevity.

[0031] Oil lubrication filtering system 200 may include a bearing housing 210, housing end cover 215 with bearing assembly 20 surrounding shaft 30. Bearing assembly 20 may define a bearing channel 225 and may further include bearings 40 and oil 50. Bearings 40 may be lubricated by oil 50 in an oil lubrication system 200 with oil 50 supplied directly to bearings 40 with a continuous flow of oil 50 within bearing channel 225.

[0032] Bearing housing 210 may further include an oil sump 260 for receiving and containing oil for lubricating bearing assembly 20 when shaft 30 is rotated. Oil sump 260 may be configured in the lower part of bearing housing 210, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0033] Bearing housing 210 and housing end cover 215 may include a first oil channel opening 250 and a second oil channel opening 255 for receiving dirty oil 50 from bearing channel 25. First oil channel opening 250 and second oil channel opening 255 may be in fluid communication with oil path channel 280 and may convey oil 50 towards oil path channel 280. Oil path channel 280 may extend along an outside segment of a circumference of bearing channel 25 and may convey oil 50 to oil path channel 270. Oil path channel 270 may convey oil 50 to oil sump 60. Dirty oil 50 may travel into one of first oil channel opening 250 or second oil channel opening 255 based on a rotationaldirection of bearings 40 within bearing assembly 20. First oil channel opening 250 and a second oil channel opening 255 may be configured to receive oil 50 during movement created by the rotation of bearings 40. The rotation of bearings 40 may generate movement in oil 50 and this movement or swelling may be in the same direction as the rotation of bearings 40.

[0034] Based on FIG. 2, when bearings 40 rotate in a clockwise direction within bearing assembly 20, oil 50 may be directed into first oil channel opening 250 and when bearings 40 rotate in a counterclockwise direction within bearing assembly 20, oil 50 may be directed into second oil channel opening 255. Oil 50 directed to either first oil channel opening 250 or second oil channel opening 255 may travel along oil path channel 280 to oil path channel 270 via a gravity feed, or alternative by oil pressure caused by the combination of bearing assembly 20 and rotating shaft 30. The rotation of bearings 40 may generate movement or swelling in oil 50 and this movement may be in the same direction as the rotation of bearings 40.

[0035] Bearing housing 210 may include an oil filter screen 290 configured to be coupled fluidically between oil sump 260 and oil path channel 270. Oil filter screen 290 may be configured to capture and remove contaminants and debris from oil 50 as oil 50 passes through oil filter screen 290. Oil filter screen 290 may not create resistance to the flow of oil 50, may be removable, and may be cleaned and reused. Oil filter screen 290 may be sized to be inserted and removed through drain hole 295 and may be conveniently removed during maintenance such as when replacing oil 50.

[0036] Oil lubrication filtering system 200 may provide a filtering system with a replaceable filter screen 290 which does not require placement of filter screen 290 based on a rotational direction of bearings 40.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a side cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. Those components in FIG. 3 that are labeled identically to components of FIG. 1-2 will not be described again for the purposes of brevity.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, oil lubrication filtering system 200 includes bearing housing 210, housing end cover 215 with bearing assembly 20 surrounding shaft 30. Oil 50 directed to either first oil channel opening 250 or second oil channel opening 255 (Shown in FIG. 2) may travel along oil channel 260 to oil path channel 270 via a gravity feed, or alternative by oil pressure caused by the combination of bearing assembly 20 and rotating shaft 30. Oil filter screen 290 may be coupled fluidically between oil sump 260 and oil path channel 270 and oil filter screen 290 may capture and remove contaminants and debris from oil 50 as oil 50 passes through oil filter screen 290.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a front cross-section view of a shaft and bearing assembly of a bearing housing with an oil lubrication filtering system, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. Those components in FIG. 4 that are labeled identically to components of FIG. 1-3 will not be described again for the purposes of brevity.

[0040] Oil lubrication filtering system 300 may include a bearing housing 310 with bearing assembly 20 surrounding shaft 30. Bearing assembly 20 may define a bearing channel 325 and may further include bearings 40 and oil 50. Bearings 40 may be lubricated by oil 50 in an oil lubrication system with oil 50 supplied directly to bearings 40 with a continuous flow of oil 50 within bearing channel 325.

[0041] Bearing housing 310 may further include an oil sump 360 for receiving and containing oil for lubricating bearing assembly 20 when shaft 30 is rotated. Oil sump 360 may be configured in the lower part of bearing housing 310, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0042] Bearing housing 310 and housing end cover 315 may include a scoop 350 and a single oil path channel 370 for receiving dirty oil 50 from bearing channel 325 and conveying oil 50 towards oil sump 360. Dirty oil 50 may travel into oil path channel 370 based on oil movement from the rotational direction of bearings 40 and directional guidance from scoop 350. The rotation of bearings 40 may generate movement in oil 50 and this movement may be in the same direction as the rotation of bearings 40. This oil movement may be referred to as swelling. Scoop 350 may guide oil 50 into oil path channel 370 and scoop 350 may be designed to be bidirectional so that scoop 350 may guide oil 50 towards oil path channel 370 when bearings 40 rotate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Scoop 350 may be integral with bearing housing 310 or housing end cover 315 with a funnel shaped opening to direct oil into channel 370. Dirty oil 50 may travel down oil path channel 370 via a gravity feed, or alternative by oil pressure caused by the combination of bearing assembly 20 and rotating shaft 30.

[0043] Bearing housing 310 may include an oil filter screen 390 configured to be coupled fluidically between oil sump 360 and oil path channel 370. Oil filter screen 390 may be configured to capture and remove contaminants and debris from oil 50 as oil 50 passes through oil filter screen 390. Oil filter screen 390 may not create resistance to the flow of oil 50, may be removable, and may be cleaned and reused. Oil filter screen 390 may be sized so as to be inserted and removed through drain hole 395 and may be conveniently removed during maintenance such as when replacing oil 50.

[0044] Oil lubrication filtering system 300 may provide a filtering system with a replaceable filter screen 390 which does not require placement of filter screen 390 based on a rotational direction of bearings 40.

[0045] FIG. 5 illustrates a scoop for a bearing assembly of a bearing housing with anoil lubrication filtering system, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. Those components in FIG. 5 that are labeled identically to components of FIG. 1-4 will not be described again for the purposes of brevity.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 5, scoop 350 may be configured to guide oil into oil path channel 370. Scoop 350 may be bidirectional and may guide oil towards oil path channel 370 when oil moves or swells in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

[0047] A device in accordance with the present disclosure may provide an oil lubrication filtering system with a replaceable filter screen. A device in accordance with the present disclosure may provide an oil lubrication filtering system which does not require placement of a filter screen based on a rotational direction of the bearings. A device in accordance with the present disclosure may provide an oil lubrication filtering system which can be removed, cleaned, and reused through the oil drain hole. A device in accordance with the present disclosure may provide an oil lubrication filtering system which is compatible with a magnetic oil plug. A device in accordance with the present disclosure may provide an oil lubrication filtering system which is compatible with a large opening for cleaning the housing out. A device in accordance with the present disclosure may provide an oil lubrication filtering system which is compatible with ring oil lube. A device in accordance with the present disclosure may provide an oil lubrication filtering system which utilizes an oil screen and does not resist oil flow.

[0048] Finally, the processes and techniques described herein are not inherently related to any apparatus and may be implemented by any suitable combination of components. Further, various types of general-purpose devices may be used in accordance with the teachings described herein. It may also prove advantageous to construct specialized apparatus to perform the method steps described herein. This disclosure has been describedin relation to the examples, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0049] The foregoing description is only illustrative of the present disclosure. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variances. The embodiments described with reference to the attached drawing figures are presented only to demonstrate certain examples of the disclosure. Other elements, steps, methods, and techniques that are insubstantially different from those described above and / or in the appended claims are also intended to be within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An oil lubrication filtering system comprising: a bearing housing comprising: a bearing assembly which includes bearings surrounding a shaft; a housing end cover to contain the bearings; an oil sump including a filter screen; and at least one oil path channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen, wherein the filter screen is removable from the bearing housing.

2. The oil lubrication filtering system of claim 1, wherein the bearing housing includes two oil path channels configured to convey oil towards the filter screen.

3. The oil lubrication filtering system of claim 2, wherein one of the two oil path channels is configured to capture oil when the bearings rotate in a clockwise direction within the bearing assembly and the other of the two oil path channels is configured to capture oil when the bearings rotate in a counterclockwise direction within the bearing assembly.

4. The oil lubrication filtering system of claim 2, wherein the two oil path channels are configured to convey the oil to the filter screen by gravity feed or by oil pressure.

5. The oil lubrication filtering system of claim 2, wherein the filter screen is removable through a drain hole of the bearing housing when a drain or filter plug of the bearing housing is removed.

6. The oil lubrication filtering system of claim 5, wherein the drain or filter plug is magnetic.

7. The oil lubrication filtering system of claim 1, wherein the bearing housing and / or housing end cover includes a first oil channel opening and a second oil channel opening for receiving oil from the bearing channel and the first oil channel opening and second oil channel opening convey oil to a first oil path channel which extends along an outside segment of a circumference of the bearing channel, the first oil path channel conveys the oil to a second oil path channel, and the second oil path channel conveys the oil towards the filter screen.

8. The oil lubrication filtering system of claim 7, wherein the filter screen is removable through a drain or filter hole of the bearing housing when a drain plug of the bearing housing is removed.

9. The oil lubrication filtering system of claim 1, wherein the bearing housing includes one oil path channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen, and the bearing housing includes a scoop configured to guide the oil into the oil path channel.

10. A bearing housing for an oil lubrication filtering system comprising: a housing with a bearing assembly including bearings surrounding a shaft; an oil sump including a filter screen; a housing end cover; and at least one oil path channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen, wherein the filter screen is removable from the bearing housing.

11. The bearing housing of claim 10, wherein the housing end cover includes a first oilpath channel, and the hearing housing includes a second oil path channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen and the oil sump.

12. The bearing housing of claim 10, wherein the bearing housing includes two oil path channels, and one oil path channel is configured to capture oil when the bearings rotate in a clockwise direction within the bearing assembly and the other of the two oil path channels is configured to capture oil when the bearings rotate in a counterclockwise direction within the bearing assembly.

13. The bearing housing of claim 11, wherein the filter screen is removable through a drain hole of the bearing housing when a drain plug of the bearing housing is removed.

14. The bearing housing of claim 13, wherein the drain plug is magnetic.

15. The bearing housing of claim 10, wherein the bearing housing and / or housing end cover further includes a first oil channel opening and a second oil channel opening for receiving oil from the bearing assembly and the first oil channel opening and second oil channel opening convey oil to a first oil path channel which extends along an outside segment of a circumference of the bearing assembly, the first oil path channel conveys the oil to a second oil path channel, and the second oil path channel conveys the oil towards the filter screen.

16. The bearing housing of claim 15, wherein the filter screen is removable through a drain hole of the bearing housing when a drain plug of the bearing housing is removed.

17. The bearing housing of claim 10, wherein the bearing housing and / or housing end cover includes one oil path channel configured to convey oil towards the filter screen and the oil sump, and the bearing housing or housing end cover includes a scoop configured to guide oil into the oil path channel.

18. A method of filtering oil in an oil lubrication system, the method comprising: receiving oil in an oil channel of a housing end cover and bearing housing; conveying the oil towards a filter screen; and passing the oil through the filter screen, wherein the filter screen is configured to capture and remove contaminants and debris from the oil as the oil passes through filter screen and the filter screen is removable from the bearing housing.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: removing a drain or filter plug of a drain hole of the bearing housing; and removing the filter screen through the drain hole.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising; cleaning the filter screen; and reinserting the filter screen into the bearing housing.

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