Oil feeder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801548-B2
Application number	US-201816151807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2018
Priority date	Oct 11, 2017
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A pump includes a piezoelectric element that deforms when a drive voltage is applied to it, and a reservoir that has a capacity to store lubricating oil and that is at least partially deformed elastically to change in the capacity when the piezoelectric element deforms. The pump discharges the lubricating oil when the reservoir decreases in the capacity. A drive circuit unit is switchable between an application state where the drive circuit unit applies the drive voltage to the piezoelectric element, and a release state where the drive circuit unit releases the drive voltage applied to the piezoelectric element. A controller controllably switches the drive circuit unit between the application state and the release state. An electric power storage unit stores electric power that is output from the piezoelectric element when the drive voltage applied to the piezoelectric element is released.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oil feeder provided for a rotating device and configured to feed lubricating oil to the rotating device, the oil feeder comprising:
a pump including a piezoelectric element and a reservoir, the piezoelectric element deforming when a drive voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the reservoir having a capacity to store the lubricating oil, the reservoir being at least partially deformed elastically to change in the capacity when the piezoelectric element deforms, the pump discharging the lubricating oil when the reservoir decreases in the capacity;
a drive circuit unit switchable between an application state where the drive circuit unit applies the drive voltage to the piezoelectric element, and a release state where the drive circuit unit releases the drive voltage applied to the piezoelectric element;
a controller configured to controllably switch the drive circuit unit between the application state and the release state; and
an electric power storage unit configured to store electric power that is output from the piezoelectric element when the drive voltage applied to the piezoelectric element is released, wherein:
the drive circuit unit includes first and second switching circuits each switchable between an on state and an off state,
the first switching circuit in the on state applies the drive voltage to the piezoelectric element,
the second switching circuit in the on state releases the drive voltage applied to the piezoelectric element,
the controller switches the drive circuit unit between the application state and the release state by individually selectively switching the first and second switching circuits between the on and off states,
the electric power storage unit is connected to an output terminal of the second switching circuit, and
when the first switching circuit is in the off state, while the second switching circuit is in the on state, the electric power output from the piezoelectric element is output through the second switching circuit from the output terminal of the second switching circuit.

2. The oil feeder according to claim 1 , comprising:
an energy recovery circuit connected to the electric power storage unit to return the electric power stored in the electric power storage unit to an electric power source that powers the drive circuit unit.

3. The oil feeder according to claim 2 , wherein
the energy recovery circuit includes a converter that boosts a voltage of the electric power stored in the electric power storage unit.

Assignees

• Jtekt Corp

Inventors

• Ueda Yusuke
• Higashiyama Yoshimichi
• Sakazaki Tsukasa

Classifications

• F04B43/046

  with piezoelectric drive · CPC title

• F16C19/163

  with angular contact · CPC title

• F16C19/06

  with a single row or balls · CPC title

• F04B49/065

  and making use of computers · CPC title

• F04B49/06

  Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) · CPC title