Foam Or Air Patents (Class 184/6.23)
  • Patent number: 11879537
    Abstract: A transmission gear assembly including a housing with an axial center line, having a front wall and a circumferential wall with a breather opening. The front wall includes an annular groove in fluid communication with the breather opening and covered by a substantially circular plate having a perimeter at a first distance (r) from the axial center line and with a predetermined length (L). On each transverse side in at least the lower part, an air/oil inlet and outlet is defined by a recess of the perimeter at a distance (r3,r4) from the axial center line smaller than the first distance (r), each recess being in fluid communication with the annular groove. On each transverse side in the upper part, an air/oil inlet is formed by a recess of the perimeter at a distance (r1,r2) from the axial center line smaller than the first distance (r) and having a circumferential length (l1,l2) shorter than a circumferential length (l3,l4) of the inlet/outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Denise Tell, Emil Åberg
  • Patent number: 11774040
    Abstract: A piston assembly is for a fluid delivery device, preferably a lubricant injector, the injector having a measuring chamber defined by an inner cylindrical surface and an axial end face, a flow port through the end face, and a central axis extending through the chamber. The piston assembly includes a piston body disposeable within the chamber so as to be linearly displaceable along the central axis. The piston body includes a cylindrical head, the head having first and second axial ends and an outer circumferential surface, and a rod extending axially from the second axial end of the piston head. A seal is coupled with the first axial end of the piston head and has an annular lip sealingly engageable with the chamber inner cylindrical surface and an axial end engageable with the chamber end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignees: LINCOLN INDUSTRIAL CORPORATIO, AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Tadd McBride, Chris Holland, Brandon Green
  • Patent number: 11143192
    Abstract: An electric supercharger that can reduce vibration amplitude in an end of a shaft due to rotational vibration is provided. An electric supercharger 101 comprises: an impeller 40 for supercharging a fluid by rotation; an impeller chamber 15 for accommodating the impeller 40; a motor 30 for driving the impeller 40 to rotate; and a motor chamber 18 for accommodating the motor 30. An opening 28 is provided between the impeller chamber 15 and the motor chamber 18 wherein the fluid is able to pass therethrough. Seal structures 50, 51, 52 are provided for separating the motor chamber 18 from the exterior at portions other than the opening 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Makio Oshita, Toshihiro Yamamichi, Kiyoshi Uetsuji, Satoshi Umemura
  • Patent number: 10995844
    Abstract: In a breather structure of a transmission, a gear chamber of the transmission is disposed between an engine and an electric motor control device for an electric motor, and a breather piping is inserted into a breather hole in an upper wall of the gear chamber. When viewed from above, in a vehicle width direction, a part of an intake system member and the electric power control device are overlapped together, and a part of the intake system member and the gear chamber are overlapped together. Therefore, a direction of water splashed up from a road surface and flowing forward is changed downward so that the breather hole is easily covered with water. However, since an atmosphere opening part of the breather piping is disposed above the electric motor chamber, even if the breather hole is covered with water, a breather function is not lost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kita, Takafumi Maruyama, Katsuhisa Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10670136
    Abstract: A breather device for a casing structure of a vehicular power transmitting system including an electric motor and a transmission, the casing structure having motor and transmission accommodating casings, the breather device including first and second breather apertures formed in communication with inside spaces, and a breather outlet communicating with an outside atmosphere outside the casings, the first and second breather apertures permitting flows of air from the inside spaces within the casings, into the outside atmosphere through the breather outlet, to prevent an excessive rise of air pressures within the inside spaces, the breather device including a communication conduit for communication between the first and second breather apertures, and a single breather conduit held in communication at one of its opposite ends with the communication conduit and at the other end with the breather outlet, whereby the inside spaces are open to the outside atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kotaro Shirotori
  • Patent number: 10539221
    Abstract: A casing structure of a vehicular power transmitting device, includes: a casing; a breather plug; and a stationary removal preventive member, wherein the breather plug includes an attaching portion and a body portion, the body portion of the breather plug including an abutting section which abuts on the removal preventive member when the attaching portion of the breather plug is moved relative to the communication hole in a direction toward the outside atmosphere. The removal preventive member is positioned relative to the communication hole such that the attaching portion of the breather plug is located to keep the breather plug in communication with the communication hole when the abutting section of the body portion comes into abutting contact with the removal preventive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Toyama, Kazutoshi Motoike, Shinya Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 10502307
    Abstract: A casing structure of a vehicular power transmitting device, includes: a casing; a breather plug; and a stationary removal preventive member, wherein the breather plug includes an attaching portion and a body portion, the body portion of the breather plug including an abutting section which abuts on the removal preventive member when the attaching portion of the breather plug is moved relative to the communication hole in a direction toward the outside atmosphere. The removal preventive member is positioned relative to the communication hole such that the attaching portion of the breather plug is located to keep the breather plug in communication with the communication hole when the abutting section of the body portion comes into abutting contact with the removal preventive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Toyama, Kazutoshi Motoike, Shinya Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 10221733
    Abstract: A lubricant conducting member includes a lubricant conducting housing arranged between a crankcase and a lubricant collecting trough. The lubricant housing is surrounded by a bordering edge, and a projection of the bordering edge delimits an area in a plane parallel to a standing plane of the motor vehicle. A cumulative area of all of the lubricant passage openings is smaller than ? of the area. In a perpendicular view, from the standing plane of the motor vehicle onto the lubricant conducting housing, in particular the view from below at least one lubricant passage opening, all lubricant passage openings are completely covered by the lubricant recirculation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marcel Boehringer, Frank Horn
  • Patent number: 9999845
    Abstract: A method of removing entrained air from a coolant in a coolant system that may not include a fluid reservoir, includes connecting a de-aeration tank to the coolant system. The de-aeration tank is connected in fluid communication to the coolant system in parallel with a heat exchanger, such that a first connection device connects the de-aeration tank to the coolant system upstream of the heat exchanger, and a second connection device connects the de-aeration tank to the coolant system downstream of the heat exchanger. The coolant is circulated from the coolant system, through the de-aeration tank, and back to the coolant system, with a pump, until substantially all entrained air is removed from the coolant. The de-aeration tank may then be disconnected from the coolant system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Michael K. Dailey, Rolf B. Karlsson
  • Patent number: 9863418
    Abstract: A rotary pump may include a rotary cover and a rotary housing that may be engaged with one another during operation. A ring gear may be positioned within an internal portion of the rotary cover and rotary housing, and an inner gear may be positioned within a portion of the ring gear. The rotary pump may be configured with a pressure relief portion that may be in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump. The rotary pump may be configured such that pressurized fluid passing through the pressure relief portion is routed to an inlet of the rotary pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventor: Laverne Schumann
  • Patent number: 9845711
    Abstract: A waste heat recovery system includes a Rankine cycle (RC) circuit having a pump, a boiler, an energy converter, and a condenser fluidly coupled via conduits in that order, to provide additional work. The additional work is fed to an input of a gearbox assembly including a capacity for oil by mechanically coupling to the energy converter to a gear assembly. An interface is positioned between the RC circuit and the gearbox assembly to partially restrict movement of oil present in the gear assembly into the RC circuit and partially restrict movement of working fluid present in the RC circuit into the gear assembly. An oil return line is fluidly connected to at least one of the conduits fluidly coupling the RC components to one another and is operable to return to the gear assembly oil that has moved across the interface from the gear assembly to the RC circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., PACCAR, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ernst, James A. Zigan
  • Patent number: 9784130
    Abstract: A turbine engine in which an air flow circulates from upstream to downstream, or for an aircraft, including a rotary shaft extending axially and a de-oiling tube mounted to be rigidly connected to and on the inside of the shaft by an upstream fixing mechanism including: a first inner dog clutch extending on an inside from the shaft, a second dog clutch extending on an outside from the de-oiling tube, which is longitudinally aligned with the first dog clutch and positioned downstream of the first dog clutch, and an anti-rotation longitudinal locking latch extending between the rotary shaft and the de-oiling tube to prohibit rotation of the second dog clutch of the de-oiling tube relative to the first dog clutch of the rotary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Michel Gilbert Roland Brault
  • Patent number: 9650926
    Abstract: A working fluid case includes a housing and a breather device. The breather device includes a vent passage located in a recess formed in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company
    Inventors: Daniel Kistner, Frank Banaszak
  • Patent number: 9315372
    Abstract: A grease pump unit has a metering valve 37 and a grease supplying device 50 in which a suction tube 16 on a pump device 11 extends through a follower plate 19 in a grease can 100, grease in the grease can 100 being sucked through the suction tube 16 and discharged through a discharge port 17 by activation of the pump device 11. Provided are a bubble dividing device 32 which supplies the grease discharged through the discharge port 17 through an supply pipe 24 to micronize bubbles in the grease and which supplies the grease through a supply pipe 36 to the metering valve 37, and a return pipe 47 which returns a portion of the grease not discharged through the metering valve 37 into the grease can 100 via the follower plate 19.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: IHI COMPRESSOR AND MACHINERY CO., LTD., KOGANEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Doi, Hirokazu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9255634
    Abstract: A first piston (65) that presses friction plates (69a, 69c) is fitted in a second piston (66) in such a manner as to be movable together with the second piston and relatively movable with respect to the second piston. An A-chamber (61) and a B-chamber (62) each configured to move a respective one of the first piston (65) and the second piston (66) by a stroke toward a side close to the friction plates, a return spring (161) biasing the second piston (66) on a side away from the friction plates, and a stopper member (160) configured to prevent a stroke of the second piston (66) toward the side close to the friction plates from becoming greater than a given value (W) are provided. Engagement responsiveness of a L-R brake (60) does not deteriorate even when a clearance (V) in the friction plates (69a, 69c) increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Sasaki, Masamichi Fujikawa, Shinya Kamada
  • Patent number: 8893857
    Abstract: An automatic lubrication system where grease is dispensed to injectors from a pump having a grease piston (42) reciprocated by a connecting rod from an oil piston (43) driven by alternating hydraulic pressure, is provided with air purge valves (41) associated with each injector. The air purge valves detect abnormal operation of the piston movement due to air in the grease by way of indicators (45) and (46) communicating with chambers in the pump, and open the air purge valve to dump air laden grease into a recovery reservoir (48). A sensor in the air purge valve warns the operator of purge valve operation, alerting the operator to a possible system malfunction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Bob Ifield Holding Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Benjamin Ifield
  • Patent number: 8887870
    Abstract: A breather device includes a main body that includes a breather chamber with an inner bottom surface; a first communicating portion provided at the main body; a second communicating portion provided at the main body and at a position above the first communicating portion in a vertical direction and away from the first communicating portion in a horizontal direction; and a downward gradient provided at the inner bottom surface of the breather chamber, the downward gradient guides the oil that has entered the breather chamber through the first communicating portion toward the first communicating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoya Okada, Shyusaku Kitamura, Atsushi Nakamura, Naoki Itazu, Toshihiro Fukumasu, Hiromitu Metugi, Masaharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8871091
    Abstract: A filtration assembly is provided for a liquid flowing in an engine or hydraulic equipment, of the type including a body with a head on top thereof, and a cylindrical member for holding a filtration cartridge containing a filtration medium defined by an upper flange and a lower flange. The upper flange is coupled to the head by a first longitudinal retainer. The cartridge includes a second longitudinal retainer interacting with the body. The first retainer having a longitudinal tensile strength lower than the longitudinal tensile strength of the second retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Filtration
    Inventors: Arnaud Le Ven, Jean-Luc Guichaoua
  • Patent number: 8807282
    Abstract: A lubricant system is disclosed, in particular for the supply of lubricant to a user in a gas turbine aircraft engine. The system includes a lubricant reservoir, where in the lubricant reservoir a lubricant can be set in rotation by at least one rotatable drum that is integrated into the lubricant reservoir or by at least one rotatable blade that is integrated into the lubricant reservoir, such that the lubricant, as a result of centrifugal force, comes into contact against a rotationally symmetrical wall of the lubricant reservoir, and from there can be transported toward a user. A drive system is included for the or each rotatable drum or the or each rotatable blade of the lubricant reservoir. At least one rotating lubricant separator is provided for the venting of the lubricant. The or each lubricant separator can be driven by the drive system of the or of each rotatable drum and/or of the or of each rotatable blade of the lubricant reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Streifinger
  • Patent number: 8720648
    Abstract: A device and method are described for extending the life of check valves. An improved check valve having a double poppet and tapered guides is more robust, and a check valve protection device between the check valve and the environment into which fluid is injected protects the valve from a contaminating or corrosive environment. The check valve and check valve protection device are small and light weight to prevent vibration-induced failures. The check valve protection device preferably has an interior volume that fills quickly by relatively few cycles of the lubricant pump to reduce delay of lubricant to the injection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Coltec Industrial Products, LLC
    Inventor: Curtis Roys
  • Patent number: 8701835
    Abstract: This lubricating device 1 is equipped with an oil pan 2 that stores therein lubricating oil, a micro bubble generator 4 that mixes the lubricating oil with air to produce micro bubbles and supplies the lubricating oil in the oil pan 2 with the micro bubbles, and an oil pump 3 that pressurizes the lubricating oil in the oil pan 2 to supply the micro bubble generator 4 therewith. Further, in this lubricating device 1, the micro bubble generator 4 has an air inlet portion 431 disposed inside the oil pan 2 at a predetermined position with respect to an oil surface height (oil level) of the lubricating oil in the oil pan 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Murakami, Shuji Moriyama, Daisuke Tomomatsu, Daisuke Tokozakura, Masafumi Yamamoto, Keisuke Ichige, Masanori Iritani, Hiroyuki Nishizawa, Hideyuki Suzuki, Yasusi Hirano
  • Patent number: 8672095
    Abstract: A method and a system for lubricating a turbine engine including at least three separate housings each including at least one roller bearing. The method pressurizes the housings through seals, of which two main housings are pressurized at a pressure higher than that of a remaining secondary housing, lubricates a secondary roller bearing only by injecting an oil mist from at least one of the main housings, the oil mist being supplied by a pressure difference between the main housings and the secondary housing, recovers a remainder of the lubrication oil injected into the main housings to supply the same to an oil tank, and supplies the air/oil mixture from the secondary housing to an oil separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Gilles Alain Charier, Gerard Philippe Gauthier, Laurent Gille, Serge Rene Morreale
  • Publication number: 20130313050
    Abstract: A lube system is provided and includes an air-oil tank including a deaerator configured to remove a first quantity of oil from a first air-oil supply to generate a second air-oil supply having a second quantity of oil, which is smaller than the first quantity of oil, the air oil tank being configured to output the second air-oil supply to an air vent line, a de-oiler disposed along the air vent line and configured to remove from the second air-oil supply oil mist including oil droplets of a minimum size and a system disposed between the deaerator and the de-oiler, which is configured to encourage formation of the oil droplets of at least the minimum size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keith E. Short, Michael R. Blewett
  • Publication number: 20130313049
    Abstract: A lube system is provided and includes an air-oil tank including a deaerator configured to remove a first quantity of oil from a first air-oil supply to generate a second air-oil supply having a second quantity of oil, which is smaller than the first quantity of oil, the air oil tank being configured to output the second air-oil supply to an air vent line, a de-oiler disposed along the air vent line and configured to remove from the second air-oil supply oil mist including oil droplets of a minimum size and a pressure regulating valve (PRV) disposed along the air vent line between the air-oil tank and the de-oiler to regulate fluid pressures within the air-oil tank, the PRV being configured to encourage formation of the oil droplets of at least the minimum size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keith E. Short, Michael R. Blewett
  • Patent number: 8591635
    Abstract: A separator may include a body, an inlet portion, and an outlet conduit. The body may include a conical interior surface defining a conical cavity. The cavity may have a first outlet at a tip of the body. The inlet portion may be connected to the body and may include an outer surface, a cylindrical inner surface, and a first inlet passage extending between the outer surface and the inner surface. The inner surface may be defined by the longitudinal axis. The first inlet passage may be positioned relative to the inner surface such that a fluid flow through the first inlet passage is generally tangent to the inner surface. The outlet conduit may extend through the inlet portion and into the cavity. The outlet conduit may include a second inlet passage disposed inside of the cavity and a second outlet disposed outside of the body and the inlet portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventor: E. Timothy Pawl
  • Patent number: 8529668
    Abstract: A deaerator includes a case defining a vortex chamber and a fluid inlet for allowing a mixture of lubricating liquid and air to pass through the case into the vortex chamber. An air outlet allows air flow out of the deaerator, and a liquid outlet allows lubricating liquid flow out of the deaerator. A porous diffuser is positioned proximate the liquid outlet for slowing the flow of lubricating liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Keith E. Short, Timothy A. Johnson, Michael R. Blewett
  • Patent number: 8500869
    Abstract: A deaerator includes a case defining a vortex chamber, a fluid inlet for allowing a mixture of lubricating liquid and air to pass through the case into the vortex chamber, an air outlet for allowing air flow out of the deaerator, and a liquid outlet for allowing lubricating liquid flow out of the deaerator. A porous diffuser is positioned proximate the liquid outlet. A plate is positioned adjacent the porous diffuser and has a first surface in contact with the porous diffuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Johnson, Jeff A. Brown, Michael R. Blewett
  • Patent number: 8444751
    Abstract: An example deaerator assembly includes a housing having a housing inlet and a housing outlet. A conduit configured to communicate a deaerated coolant is located within the housing. A mixture of coolant and air is deaerated as the mixture is communicated from the housing inlet to the housing outlet within the housing and outside the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Melissa A. Bell, Christine Ingrid Schade
  • Patent number: 8425667
    Abstract: A subsea system includes a multiphase pump, configured to transfer a multiphase fluid and a multiphase separator, configured to separate the multiphase fluid into solid, liquid, and gaseous phases. The multiphase separator includes a solid-liquid separation device, which is configured to facilitate separation of the solid phase and the liquid phase from the multiphase fluid. The multiphase separator includes a gas-liquid separation device, which is configured to facilitate separation of the gaseous phase and the liquid phase from the multiphase fluid. The multiphase separator includes a liquid reservoir, which is configured to contain a volume of the liquid phase to be used as a lubricant for the multiphase pump. Finally, the multiphase separator includes a liquid outlet, which is configured to transfer the liquid phase from the liquid reservoir to the multiphase pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Deloyd Anderson, Vasanth Srinivasa Kothnur, Hrishikesh Vishvas Deo, Johan Kristian Sveen, Ove Saele
  • Patent number: 8366809
    Abstract: An example deaerator assembly includes a deaerating member disposed within a housing. The deaerating member includes an apertured stem extending from a pedestal. The apertured stem is configured to communicate air away from a mixture of air and coolant when the mixture of air and coolant is communicated about the apertured stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Rollins, Melissa A. Bell
  • Patent number: 8231714
    Abstract: A combined machine for pumping and separating into two distinct and purified phases a two-phase liquid/gas mixture or fluid, is provided. A first stage of the combined machine is equipped with an intake for the two-phase fluid, in which the two-phase fluid is sucked, pumped and partially separated into two distinct phases. One phase is mainly liquid and the other phase is mainly gaseous. A second stage of the combined machine includes two zones, which includes a first zone and a second zone. In the first zone, the mainly liquid phase extracted from the first stage is degassed. In the second zone, the mainly gaseous phase extracted from the first stage is dried. In a third stage of the combined machine, the degassed liquid is forced back and pressurized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Techspace Aero S.A.
    Inventors: Albert Cornet, Nicolas Raimarckers
  • Patent number: 8201663
    Abstract: A lubrication scavenge system is disclosed herein. The lubrication scavenge system includes a sump housing substantially encircling a structure disposed for rotation about an axis. The sump housing has an inwardly-facing surface extending at least partially about the axis in a spiral path. The spiral path increases in radial distance from the axis in the direction of rotation of the structure, in a plane perpendicular to the axis. The spiral path extends 360°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: John Munson
  • Patent number: 8187370
    Abstract: A high separation efficacy, compact, bulk oil separator oriented horizontally and used with a scroll-type oil-lubricated compressor unit adapted to compressing helium. The horizontal bulk oil separator contains an integral oil reservoir and removes more than 99.9% of the oil from the helium that exits. The bulk oil separator contains successive chambers where oil separates from the gas by impingement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignees: SHI-APD Cryogenics, Inc., Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen B. Dunn, Ralph C. Longsworth
  • Patent number: 8136500
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine in which it can be made difficult for bubbles to mix into oil in a flowing-down process of the oil. In a generator chamber, a shielding rib is provided which is disposed between a generator and an oil introduction port in side view and which extends skewly upwardly from the oil introduction port in a manner so as to cover one end side of the oil introduction port. A guide rib extends from a side wall of the generator chamber in the manner of covering the other end side of the oil introduction port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Ochiai, Yukihiro Tsubakino, Shinya Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 8015898
    Abstract: An air breather structure for an automatic transmission. The structure includes a transmission case housing a power train accommodating a plurality of friction engagement devices, and an extension case housing a rotational member. The extension case and the transmission case are united with each other to constitute an automatic transmission housing. A breather chamber is located upside the automatic transmission housing in a state where the automatic transmission is mounted in a vehicle, and formed with an air vent for communication with outside air. An end wall is provided for partitioning the transmission case and the extension case therebetween to define a transmission case-side space and an extension case-side space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventor: Masato Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8001937
    Abstract: An oil gallery for a variable valve timing apparatus of a cylinder head includes an advance oil supply passage that fluidly connects an oil control valve hole and a variable valve timing journal, a retard oil supply passage that fluidly connects the oil control valve hole and the variable valve timing journal, and an oil chamber in at least one of the oil supply passages. The oil chamber may have a slanted ceiling that may slant upward toward an outlet opening of the oil chamber. The uppermost point of the ceiling may be positioned at the oil outlet. The lowermost point of the outlet opening may be above the bottom surface of the oil chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Bong Sang Lee
  • Publication number: 20110198155
    Abstract: A method and a system for lubricating a turbine engine including at least three separate housings each including at least one roller bearing. The method pressurizes the housings through seals, of which two main housings are pressurized at a pressure higher than that of a remaining secondary housing, lubricates a secondary roller bearing only by injecting an oil mist from at least one of the main housings, the oil mist being supplied by a pressure difference between the main housings and the secondary housing, recovers a remainder of the lubrication oil injected into the main housings to supply the same to an oil tank, and supplies the air/oil mixture from the secondary housing to an oil separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Gilles Alain Charier, Gerard Philippe Gauthier, Laurent Gille, Serge Rene Morreale
  • Patent number: 7993425
    Abstract: The present invention provides a free vortex air-oil separator that may be used in systems for separating oil from air oil mixtures. The free vortex air-oil separator comprises a free vortex chamber having a first chamber wall, a second chamber wall located axially aft from the first chamber wall and a rim located in a radially outer region from an axis of rotation, a plurality of vent holes in the rim and a cavity formed by the first and second chamber walls, and the rim, wherein a free vortex is created when there is a flow into the cavity through the plurality of vent holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bala Corattiyil, Duane Howard Anstead, Mark Eden Zentgraf, Stephen Anthony Wilton, Ramon Themudo, Gary Paul Moscarino, Kenneth Lee Fisher
  • Patent number: 7988772
    Abstract: An air/oil separator includes a housing having an inlet for aerated oil or hydraulic fluid and outlets for the separated air and oil or fluid. The housing is generally cylindrical and defines an upper, inlet portion, a center, separator portion and a lower collector portion. The upper, inlet portion of the housing includes a first, tangential inlet passageway which merges with a second, spiral or circular passageway. The spiral or circular passageway communicates with the cyclonic separator portion which may be either cylindrical or frusto-conical. A coaxial outlet in the upper, inlet portion allows separated air to return to the engine or transmission housing while an outlet in the lower, collector portion returns oil or hydraulic fluid to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Pete R Garcia
  • Patent number: 7985283
    Abstract: A system for at least partially de-aerating a hydraulic fluid in a transmission includes a plurality of transmission components, a first reservoir for receiving de-aerated hydraulic fluid, a first pump in communication with the first reservoir and operable to pump the de-aerated hydraulic fluid to the plurality of transmission components, a second reservoir for receiving aerated hydraulic fluid from the plurality of transmission components, a second pump in communication with the second reservoir and operable to pump the aerated hydraulic fluid from the second reservoir, and a separator for receiving the aerated hydraulic fluid from the second pump and operable to de-aerate the aerated hydraulic fluid and communicate the de-aerated hydraulic fluid to the first reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Gm Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Pete R Garcia
  • Patent number: 7967580
    Abstract: An oil pump for an internal combustion engine for drawing up the lubricating oil situated in an oil collector device has an oil pump housing wherein at least two pairs of gears are disposed. The pairs of gears, in order to form the pumping stages, are connected on the suction side to a suction passage formed in the oil pump housing and on the delivery side to a delivery passage. The oil pump housing is further formed with an oil supply passage that is connected to the suction passage of a first pumping stage and via which lubricating oil can be delivered to the suction side of the first pumping stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Dr. Ing h.c. F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Norman Wöckel, Jürgen Bohner, Kurt Schlegel, Sven Peters, Paul Wahl, Hilmar Gärtner
  • Publication number: 20110132687
    Abstract: An automatic lubrication system where grease is dispensed to injectors from a pump having a grease piston (42) reciprocated by a connecting rod from an oil piston (43) driven by alternating hydraulic pressure, is provided with air purge valves (41) associated with each injector. The air purge valves detect abnormal operation of the piston movement due to air in the grease by way of indicators (45) and (46) communicating with chambers in the pump, and open the air purge valve to dump air laden grease into a recovery reservoir (48). A sensor in the air purge valve warns the operator of purge valve operation, alerting the operator to a possible system malfunction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: BOB IFIELD HOLDINGS PTY LTD
    Inventor: Benjamin Ifield
  • Patent number: 7918316
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cyclone separator integrated into the cover of an oil tank for separating an oil flow charged with gas into a flow which is low in air and into a flow which contains air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Gerhard Beier
  • Patent number: 7900749
    Abstract: A drive for a helicopter, has at least one rotary member, a casing housing the rotary member and defining a compartment containing a lubricating fluid and air, and separating device for separating the lubricating fluid from the air and retaining the lubricating fluid inside the casing in the presence of airflow outwards of the casing and produced by pressure gradients between the compartment and the outside. The separating device is angularly integral with the rotary member to centrifugally separate the lubricating fluid from the air radially with respect to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Agusta S.p.A.
    Inventor: Roberto Regonini
  • Patent number: 7878303
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for scavenging lubricant is disclosed herein. In the invention, a rotating structure is encircled within a sump housing and subjected to lubrication. The sump housing collects high-momentum lubricant flow and low-momentum lubricant flow. The interior of the sump housing is separated into a plurality of chambers with at least one dynamic seal. The at least one dynamic seal extends between the sump housing and the rotating structure to isolate the high-momentum lubricant flow from the low-momentum lubricant flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: John Munson
  • Patent number: 7878771
    Abstract: A plurality of vertically standing plates are assembled in a lattice form to a divided member 101 as a floating type wave-suppressing members. The divided member 101 is allowed to float in an interface 24 between working fluid and refrigeration oil of an oil reservoir 21. The interface 24 is prevented from rippling by turning flow, oil drops torn from the interface 24 by the turning flow is reduced, and oil drops of the refrigeration oil are prevented from being supplied from the interface 24 to the working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuo Okaichi, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Fumitoshi Nishiwaki
  • Patent number: 7841457
    Abstract: A transmission having a shaft driven by a prime mover such as an engine or motor is provided. The transmission includes a first stationary element for supporting the shaft for rotation, and a torque transmitting device connectable to the shaft and rotatable about an axis. The torque transmitting device is actuated by a hydraulic fluid. A first passage is connected to the torque transmitting device and is in communication with the hydraulic fluid. The first passage extends radially inward from the torque transmitting device. A vent passage is located within the first stationary element and is in communication with the first passage. Rotation of the torque transmitting device about the axis separates entrained air from the fluid and urges air radially inward through the first passage and into the vent passage, thereby removing air from the hydraulic fluid and circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew A. Crafton, Charles F. Long, Randall S. Conn
  • Publication number: 20090211851
    Abstract: An oil circulating device for an internal combustion engine including a separating-decanting device, a cylinder housing, a pressurized oil feeding pipe circulating pressurized oil to mobile parts of the engine, and a siphon-forming oil return circuit. The oil return circuit includes a canula with an upper end that opens into the separating-decanting device to collect therein decanted oil and a lower end immersed in an oil tank opening freely into a plane located between the upper and lower ends of the canula. The tank includes an insert tightly inserted in a passageway formed through a wall of the pressurized oil feeding pipe, the insert forming simultaneously a closure plug for the oil feeding pipe and for an oil tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Steeve Fontaine, Dominique Boulbin
  • Patent number: 7547185
    Abstract: An output shaft air/oil separator system comprises an outer housing, an oil passage, a spline shaft having a cavity formed therein that communicates with the oil passage, an output shaft disposed at least partially within the spline shaft cavity that has a first section spaced apart from an inner surface of the spline shaft to form a gap therebetween in communication with the spline shaft cavity and a second section contacting at least a portion of the spline shaft inner surface, a housing cavity defined by at least a portion of an outer surface of the spline shaft and the outer housing, an annular groove formed in the spline shaft communicating with the spline shaft cavity, and at least one port extending between the spline shaft inner and outer surfaces in communication with the annular groove and the housing cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Giesler, Brent L. Bristol, Michael J. Burns, Tina Marie Hynes
  • Patent number: 7544052
    Abstract: An oil pump for an internal combustion engine for drawing up the lubricating oil situated in an oil collector device has an oil pump housing wherein at least two pairs of gears are disposed. The pairs of gears, in order to form the pumping stages, are connected on the suction side to a suction passage formed in the oil pump housing and on the delivery side to a delivery passage. The oil pump housing is further formed with an oil supply passage that is connected to the suction passage of a first pumping stage and via which lubricating oil can be delivered to the suction side of the first pumping stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Norman Wöckel, Jürgen Bohner, Kurt Schlegel, Sven Peters, Paul Wahl, Hilmar Gärtner