Oil Pump Inlet Dam for Reliable Machine Startup Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed machinery with oil-free components face challenges in lubrication due to the need for precise oil supply, and existing solutions that integrate the oil pump with the machine's motor can lead to issues with air evacuation and oil evaporation, affecting startup performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a dam in the inlet channel of the oil pump, positioned higher than the central axis of the shaft minus half the rotor's diameter, to retain oil and ensure immediate lubrication upon startup, and using a less volatile lubricant to maintain suction power during initial starts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the oil pump is integrated directly onto the shaft of the motor, then the machine becomes more compact and cost-effective, but the oil pump must be positioned high above the oil reservoir causing air evacuation issues at startup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a primer line that allows manual priming of the oil pump before startup. The primer line extends from the inlet channel to the oil reservoir, enabling the operator to introduce oil into the pump housing and inlet channel beforehand. This preliminary oil introduction ensures that the pump is filled with oil before operation begins, eliminating air evacuation issues and ensuring reliable startup performance while maintaining the compact integrated design.
2Reliability
If a small amount of oil is applied to the oil pump during assembly, then the pump can start properly initially, but the oil evaporates over time causing startup failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the oil retention function from the pump housing itself and creates a separate dedicated oil retention space. The retention space is formed by a closure element that can be screwed into the pump housing, creating a sealed chamber specifically designed to hold primer oil. This separation allows the pump housing to serve its primary pumping function while the dedicated retention space maintains oil supply over extended periods, preventing evaporation-related startup failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the oil retention system by creating a sealed retention space with controlled volume and isolation from the external environment. The closure element provides a hermetic seal that prevents oil evaporation and contamination, maintaining the oil's physical and chemical properties over time. This parameter control ensures that the primer oil remains available for pump priming even after extended storage periods.
3Device complexity
If the oil pump is positioned high above the oil reservoir, then the motor and pump integration is achieved, but the suction tube must evacuate air before pumping oil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by enabling manual priming through the primer line before the pump starts operating. The operator can introduce oil into the inlet channel and pump housing through the primer line, filling the suction path with oil beforehand. This eliminates the time-consuming air evacuation process that would otherwise occur during startup, ensuring immediate oil flow when the pump begins operation while maintaining the high-positioned integrated design.
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 design ensures quick and smooth startup by maintaining oil within the pump and inlet channel, preventing oil leakage and enhancing suction power, thus ensuring effective lubrication and cooling of machine components from the outset.
Implementation Method 1
a dam is provided that is higher than the height of the central axis of the shaft of the oil pump minus the smallest diameter of the rotor of the oil pump divided by two
Implementation Method 2
at start-up, the oil pump must first evacuate the air from the suction tube connecting it with the oil reservoir and subsequently must suck and pump the oil from the reservoir
Implementation Method 3
pouring a less volatile lubricant than the oil in the internal cavity of the oil pump
Data Source
AI summary
Machine provided with a machine element (2) and an oil pump (4) and a motor (3) to drive the machine element (2) and the oil pump (4), whereby the oil pump (4) is provided with a shaft (13) with a rotor (12), whereby the oil pump (4) is provided to pump oil from an oil reservoir (5) via an inlet channel (8) to nozzles that lead into the motor (3) and/or machine element (2) to lubricate and/or cool one or more bearings or other machine components, characterized in that in the inlet channel (8), near the oil pump (4) a dam (16) is provided that is higher than the height (A) of the central axis (18) of the shaft (13) of the oil pump (4) minus the smallest diameter (B) of the rotor (12) of the oil pump (4) divided by two.