ES2270683A1 - Lubricating device (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Lubricating device, particularly applicable to the lubrication of the contact surfaces between a cam and a feeler of those constituted by a roller that rotates freely with respect to a support by means of a lubricating bearing, the device comprising means for collecting and driving excess lubricant it is axially detached from the bearing and a pouring means adapted to pour the excess lubricant collected and conducted by the collecting and conducting means on any one or both surfaces of mutual contact between the cam and the roller. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Lubricating device

Technical sector of the invention

The invention relates to a device lubricator applicable to the lubrication of the surfaces of contact between a cam and a probe.

Background of the invention

In order to reduce friction existing between a probe and a cam, when turning the latter, in the cam and probe mechanisms are frequent to provide the aforementioned probe, at its contact end with the cam, of an element of rolling comprising a roller, which rotates freely around a axis of rotation, the outer surface of said roller being the one permanently in contact with the periphery surface of the cam.

In general, these rolling elements are also provided with a rotating bearing to reduce the friction between the roller and the roller support body, which transmits the reciprocating motion of the probe to a mechanism of a
machine.

In its practical applications, the bearings they present a variety of forms that adapt to the different particular cases, according to working conditions and peculiarities of the assembly.

In its simplest forms, especially when the bearings must not bear very high loads, the bearings they are made up of simple bushes generally equipped with a hole coinciding with a hole provided in the holder of the bearing, which allows grease oil to enter inside of the bearing to lubricate the contact surfaces, with relative movement, between the bearing and for example an axis of turn, in this case a roller.

In the cam and probe mechanisms before cited, roller bearings must remain greased properly for the correct functioning of the mechanism. For this means that the machines incorporate automatic greasing system of bearings that basically consist of drive groups of oil pumping at small predetermined intervals quantities of oil that is transported, by a series of conduits, to the bearings that require lubricant. These quantities of oil are injected into the bearings at through the drills provided for this purpose in their own bearings or on the shafts around which the bearings

On the other hand, the contact that occurs between the outer surface of the rollers and the outer surface of the periphery of the cam is not regular, due to the loads at that the mechanism is subject to tolerances or deviations existing in the parts that constitute it. As a result of this loses the parallelism and / or the tangency that should exist at least between the outer surfaces, in mutual contact, of the roller-probe and cam.

For this reason, if they are not lubricated you are also contact surfaces, the wear of the mentioned ones is accentuated surfaces, forcing these parts of the mechanism to be replaced and consequently to stop the machine. These stoppages translate into an increase in costs for the replaced parts, or replacement, and a decrease in the productivity of the machine.

To avoid as far as possible you are situations, it is also necessary to lubricate the surfaces external roller-probe and cam, for minimize the friction between these surfaces and extend the life of the parts of the mechanism involved.

Automatic systems for the lubrication of These parts make the cost of the machines very expensive as they should use new oil pumping groups or vary appropriately the existing installation introducing branches, valves, pressure controllers, etc. For this reason, it is usual that greasing or lubrication operations of these parts of the mechanism are carried out manually. However, on the machines that incorporate a large number of cam and probe type mechanisms, as is the case for example of packaging machines automatic, this operation is also expensive since each cam and probe assembly may need maintenance different due to its dimensions or the different number cycles at which is subject in the same period of time, so the Maintenance is usually finally defective. Lack of rigorous maintenance of the machine can cause such and as mentioned above, the accelerated wear of contact surfaces and machine malfunction.

Explanation of the invention.

The lubricating device object of the invention resolves the aforementioned inconveniences. The device is particularly applicable to the lubrication of the surfaces of contact between a cam and a probe, the latter being constituted by a roller that rotates freely with respect to a support by a lubricable bearing.

In essence, the device of the invention is characterized in that it includes means of collection and driving of the excess lubricant axially detached from the bearing as well as pouring means adapted to pour the lubricant leftover collected and conducted by the collection means and driving on any one or both contact surfaces mutual between the cam and the roller.

According to another feature of the invention, the collection and driving means comprise at least one lateral disk adapted to stand facing a short distance from a corresponding roller base, leaving the inner face of said disk, facing the essentially flat roller, perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roller, and said inner face it is provided with an annular or spiral groove, contour open, which surrounds, at least partially, the corresponding base of the bearing.

In a preferred embodiment, the depth of the cross section of the groove is progressively increasing in the direction of rotation of the roller, and said groove ends, in its end of major cross section, in a widened concavity Radially oriented and outward.

According to a variant of the invention, the means for collecting and driving the lubricant comprise two discs separate sides, intended to stand facing each other one of the bases of the roller.

According to another feature of the invention, the lubricant discharge means are constituted by a body coupled to the side disks of the collection means and driving perpendicularly to their inner faces, intended to be arranged tangentially to the roller and parallel to the axis of the latter, but somewhat separated from its surface of rolling, said configuration oblong body being essentially tubular, provided at its ends with two portions of coupling to the disks adapted to be plugged into the respective widened concavities of the said grooves side discs so that the lubricant collected and conducted by the means of collection and driving be transferred to the means of discharge, which deposit it by gravity on a either or both surfaces of mutual contact between the cam and the roller.

According to another feature of the invention, the oblong body is a hollow tubular body provided in its lower half of at least one oblong opening through the which the lubricant is poured.

According to a preferred embodiment, in a probe equipped with a lubricating device according to the invention, The lubricating device is integral with the roller support.

Brief description of the drawings

The attached drawings illustrate, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the lubricating device of the invention as well as a probe provided of said device. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the means of collection and conduction and of the means of discharge of a lubricating device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view, in section, of a variant of the device of the invention, in which the means of collection and conduction are constituted by two discs laterals;

Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the roller of a probe equipped with a lubricating device according to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, is a side view of a probe and a cam, the probe being provided with a lubricating device according to the invention, in which the disk has been represented partially transparent; Y

Fig. 5, is a perspective view of a probe and a cam, the probe being provided with a device lubricator according to the invention.

Detailed description of the drawings

As explained above, the lubricating device 6 of the invention is applicable to the lubrication of the contact surfaces between a cam and a probe In Fig. 5 a cam mechanism 5 and typical probe 1, in which probe 1 is constituted by a roller 2 that rotates freely with respect to a support 4. In turn, the roller 2 is pushed by the surface 11 of the periphery of the cam 5 and the alternative movement of roller 2 is transmitted, to through the support 4, to the mechanism of a machine.

As shown in Fig. 4, roller 2 of the probe 1 rotates with respect to the support body 4 with the interposition of a lubricable swivel bearing 3. in the messure that provides lubricant to bearing 3 to reduce friction and favor the rotation of roller 2, small amounts of lubricant 8 they detach axially from bearing 3 and are ejected towards the external and driven by the roller's own turning movement 2.

The characteristics of the lubricating device 6 allow the use of these amounts of lubricant 8 leftovers for the lubrication of other parts of the cam mechanism and probe, as are the external contact surfaces between both of them.

Indeed, in Fig. 1 a lubricating device 6 comprising collection means and conduit 7 of the remaining lubricant 8 as well as means of pour 9 to pour the excess lubricant 8, collected and conducted  by means of collection and conduction 7, on the surface outer rolling 10 of roller 2.

The means of collection and driving represented in Fig. 1 are constituted by a lateral disk 12a whose inner face 13a is provided with an annular groove 16a open contour Although the lateral disc 12a shown is round, it is understood that you can present any other form, not However, it is of special interest that its inner face 13a be essentially flat as will be explained later.

This disc 12a is intended to be placed facing a short distance from a base of roller 2, leaving the said inner face 13a, essentially flat, facing said roller base 2 and perpendicularly with respect to the axis of rotation 14 of roller 2. When disc 12a is placed in this position, and is fixed in solidarity with the support body 4 of the roller 2, the turn the roller 2 the lubricant 8 ejected by the base 33 of the bearing is inserted into the groove 16a of the inner face 13a of the disk 12a, said slot acting as a pickup element of the lubricant 8. It is therefore of special interest that the groove 16a surround the base 33 of the bearing 3, as shown in Fig. 4.

As roller 2 rotates in the direction that indicates the arrow of this same Fig. 4, the remaining lubricant 8 collected accumulates in slot 16a and due to the pressure on the groove 16a and the inertia of the roller 2, the lubricant is forced to run, inside said groove 16a, in the direction of its end 17a so that the groove 16a acts as an element of conduction of the collected lubricant.

To favor the movement of the lubricant 8 through the groove 16a, the cross section is provided of the groove 16a of a progressively greater depth in the direction of rotation of roller 2, and end 17a is given greater groove section 16a of a widened concavity 18a oriented in radial direction and outward direction.

It is understood that slot 16a, instead of being practiced on the essentially flat surface of the face inside 13a of disc 12a, may be determined by partitions that extend perpendicularly from said surface inside. In any case, any open section duct to receive lubricant 8, annular or spiral path, It would perform the same function.

The lubricant 8 driven by the groove 16a is transfers to pouring means 9 which in Fig. 1 are constituted by an oblong body 19 intended to engage the collection and conduction means 7, in this case to disc 12a. In said Fig. 1, the body 19 has been shown in the position of coupling, presented to disc 12a but without being coupled at the same for a better understanding of how the lubricating device 6.

The body of Fig. 1 is of configuration essentially tubular and is provided at its end facing the disc 12a of a coupling portion 20a, intended to fit or to be plugged into the widened recess 18a of the groove 16a of the side disk 12a so that the lubricant 8 collected and driven by means of collection and conduction 7 be transferred to the body 19. It can therefore be said that, with the body 19 being properly coupled to disk 12a, there is hydraulic communication between it body 19 and the groove 16a of the disc 12a.

The remaining lubricant 8 that is transferred to the body 19 is poured, by gravity, onto the tread 10 of roller 2 through the oblong opening 23 made in the lower half of the oblong body 19.

This situation is shown in Fig. 3, in the that the excess lubricant 8 poured on the Rolling surface 10 of roller 2. It can be said that the body 19, once coupled to the lateral disk 12a, is arranged tangentially to roller 2 and parallel to the axis of rotation 14 of the latter, and somewhat separated from its tread surface 10.

For reasons of lack of space, cost or any other, the lubricating device is expected to comprise a single lateral disc 12a but otherwise it is advantageous provide the lubricating device 6 with two lateral discs 12a and 12b each facing a different base of roller 2, all this as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5.

Indeed, Fig. 2 shows a device according to the invention constituted by two lateral discs 12a and 12b, analogues, and the oblong body 19 depicted in detail in Fig. 1. This body 19 is plugged at its ends to the respective disks 12a and 12b so that the lubricant 8 collected at the same time by the respective slots 16a and 16b of the disks is transferred to the cited body 19 to be poured, by gravity, through its opening 23. For this purpose, body 19 is provided in its ends of each coupling portions 20a and 20b for coupling to the respective widened concavities 18a and 18b each provided on a side disk.

It is evident that in the case that the device lubricator comprise a single side disc 12a or 12b, body 19 it may be devoid of one of its ends of a corresponding coupling portion 20b or 20a depending on the case. Similarly, and as regards the body 19, it can be provided with more than one opening 23.

In the example of the drawings, these portions of coupling 20a and 20b (see Fig. 1) comprise both fins 21a and 21b extreme protruding, contour complementary to that of the widened concavities 18a and 18b of slots 16a and 16b, intended to be introduced, with adjustment, in said concavities widened.

Coupling portions 22a and 22b they also include flat walls 22a and 22b, which remain resting against the inner face 13a and 13b, respectively, of the side discs 12a and 12b when fins 21a and 21b are introduced into widened concavities 18a and 18b, and that set, together with the respective fins 21a and 21b, paths transfer chambers of the lubricant 8 to the coupled body 19.

It is noted that body 19 may be constituted by a single piece or it can be for example match transversely, being constituted by two halves the union of which would form body 19 as depicted in the drawings. The division of the body 19 into several parts could facilitate the assembly of the lubricating device 6 of the invention in a probe 1 as shown in Fig. 5.

In the example of the drawings it has been represented the body 19 at a level higher than the axis of rotation 14 of the roller 2, so that the excess lubricant 8 poured by said body 19 it is deposited on the rolling surface 10 of roller 2. This constructive variant is particularly advantageous since the lubricant 8 is transferred to surface 11 of the periphery of the cam 5 by contact between both surfaces: the surface of rolling 10 of roller 2 and the surface of the periphery of the cam 5. However, the arrangement of the body 19 and its coupling to disks 12a and 12b can be varied and placed for example by below the level of the axis of rotation 14 of the roller, the lubricant 8 directly on the surface 11 of the periphery of the cam

Claims (7)

1. Lubricating device (6), particularly applicable to the lubrication of the contact surfaces (10, 11) between a cam (5) and a probe (1), the latter being constituted by a roller (2) that rotates freely, with respect to a support (4), by means of a lubricable bearing (3), characterized in that it comprises means for collecting and driving (7) the excess lubricant (8) that axially detaches from the bearing as well as adapted pouring means (9) to pour the excess lubricant collected and conducted by the collection and conduction means on any one or both surfaces of mutual contact between the cam and the roller. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the collection and conduction means (7) comprise at least one lateral disk (12a, 12b) adapted to be placed facing a short distance from a corresponding roller base (2), the face being left inside (13a, 13b) of said disk, facing the essentially flat roller, perpendicular to the axis of rotation (14) of the roller, and because said inner face is provided with an annular or spiral groove (15a, 15b), contour open, which surrounds, at least partially, the corresponding base (33) of the bearing (3). Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the depth of the cross section of the groove (16a, 16b) is progressively increasing in the direction of rotation of the roller (2), and that said groove (16a, 16b) ends, at its end of major cross section (17a, 17b), in a widened concavity (18a, 18b) oriented radially and outwardly. Device according to claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the collection and conduction means (7) of the lubricant comprise two separate lateral discs (12a and 12b), intended to be placed facing each other at one of the bases of the roller (2) . Device according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the pouring means (9) of the lubricant are constituted by an oblong body (19) coupled to the lateral disks (12a, 12b) of the collection and conduction means perpendicularly with respect to its inner faces (13a, 13b), intended to be arranged tangentially to the roller (2) and parallel to the axis of the latter, but somewhat separated from its rolling surface, said body being essentially tubular configuration, provided in its ends of each coupling portions to the discs (12a, 12b) adapted to be plugged into the respective widened concavities (18a, 18b) of the grooves (16a, 16b) of said lateral discs, so that the lubricant collected and driven by the collection and conduction means is transferred to the pouring means, which deposit it by gravity on any one or both surfaces of mutual contact between the cam (5) and the roller (2). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the oblong body (19) is a hollow tubular body provided in its lower half with at least one opening (23) through which the lubricant is poured. 7. Probe (1) comprising a roller (2) that rotates freely, with the interposition of a lubricable bearing (3), with respect to a support (4), characterized in that it is provided with a lubricating device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and in that said lubricating device is integral with the support.