Minimal Lubrication Device with Fine Oil Flow Regulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air/oil lubrication devices face challenges in accurately regulating the low quantity of oil to be injected, leading to difficulties in achieving the correct lubricant quantity at the lubrication zone.

Innovation Solution

The air/oil lubrication device incorporates a modular design with a flow regulator featuring a cylindrical seat and a movable valving element with a conical profile, allowing for precise control of the lubricant flow through a threaded control stem and O-ring seal, enabling fine and accurate regulation of the oil quantity delivered.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional spray systems are used for lubrication, then adequate lubrication can be provided, but environmental pollution increases and oil quantity cannot be precisely controlled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelubrication effectivenessVSAvoidenvironmental pollution

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the fundamental parameter of oil delivery from spray-based continuous delivery to minimal precise delivery through a flow regulator. By transforming the delivery mechanism and controlling flow parameters precisely, the system achieves adequate lubrication with dramatically reduced oil consumption, eliminating environmental pollution while maintaining lubrication effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the traditional mechanical spray system with a pneumatic carrier system where oil is transported by compressed air through a flow regulator. This substitution enables precise control of oil delivery and eliminates the uncontrolled spray dispersion that causes environmental pollution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If minimal oil quantity is injected into the air flow, then environmental impact is reduced, but regulation of the oil quantity becomes difficult and measurement precision is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidoil quantity regulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the oil quantity control function from the pneumatic system and places it in a dedicated flow regulator mechanism. This separate control element with its specific valve geometry and adjustment mechanism provides precise regulation capability that would be impossible to achieve by simply reducing oil quantity in a traditional spray system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The flow regulator acts as an intermediary device between the oil reservoir and the pneumatic carrier system. It mediates the oil delivery by providing a controlled passage that precisely regulates minimal oil quantities, enabling accurate measurement and control that directly reduces environmental impact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If a flow regulator with movable valving element is used, then oil quantity regulation precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoil flow regulationVSAvoidregulator structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the lubrication system by separating the flow control function into a distinct modular flow regulator component. This segmentation allows the complex valving mechanism to be designed and optimized independently, with standardized interfaces that simplify integration into the overall system, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high regulation precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution allows for precise adjustment of the lubricant flow, ensuring the correct oil quantity is supplied to the lubrication zone, enhancing the lubrication process and reducing friction and wear, while also providing a cooling effect through temperature regulation using a vortex tube.

Implementation Method 1

temperature regulation using a vortex tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVortex tube: Ranque-Hilsch Effect

Data Source

PatentEP2416053B1Minimal lubrication device with fine regulation of the oil flow

Publication Date: 2015.06.24 DROPSA

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AI summary

A minimal lubrication device comprising a lubricant fluid storage reservoir, means for raising the pressure of said lubricant fluid fed to at least one modular element, the modular element comprising a lubricant fluid conduit (90) intercepted by a flow regulator (84), and a compressed air conduit (810), the lubricant conduit and the compressed air conduit being associated with an air/lubricant mixer element (88). The flow regulator comprises a valving element at least partly housed within a sized hole and movable therein via a control stem. The stem has at least one portion of conical profile having a length equal to at least 3 times the diameter of said sized hole.