Lubricating device having a bypass valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9238975-B2
Application number	US-201113880247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2011
Priority date	Oct 20, 2010
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A lubrication device including a bypass valve with an inlet connected to a feed circuit, a first outlet to be connected to elements to be lubricated, and a second outlet connected to a bypass circuit. The valve includes a valve member slidable between first and second positions, and separating a cavity into first and second chambers. The first chamber is connected to the inlet. In the first position, a fluid flow passage from the first chamber to the second chamber is open, and from the first chamber to the first outlet is closed. In the second position, a fluid flow passage from the first chamber to the first outlet is open, and from the first chamber to the second outlet is closed. At least in the second position, the valve member separates the chambers in substantially leaktight manner, while the second chamber remains in fluid flow communication with the second outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lubrication device comprising:
a lubricant feed circuit;
a bypass circuit; and
a valve interposed between the feed circuit and the bypass circuit and comprising:
an inlet connected to the feed circuit;
a first outlet configured to be connected to elements to be lubricated;
a second outlet connected to the bypass circuit;
a valve member housed in a cavity of the valve and separating a first chamber from a second chamber, the first chamber being connected to the inlet, the valve member being configured to slide between a first position and a second position, and presenting, beside the first chamber, a hydraulic actuation surface for urging the valve member towards the second position, and, beside the second chamber, a hydraulic actuation surface for urging the valve member towards the first position; and
an actuator for returning the valve member towards the first position; wherein

in the first position, a fluid flow passage from the first chamber to the second outlet is open, while a fluid flow passage from the first chamber to the first outlet is closed; and
in the second position, the fluid flow passage from the first chamber to the first outlet is open, while the fluid flow passage from the first chamber to the second outlet is closed;
wherein at least in the second position, the valve member separates the first and second chambers in substantially leaktight manner, while the second chamber remains in fluid flow communication with the second outlet.

2. A lubrication device according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant feed circuit includes a feed pump arranged upstream from the valve.

3. A lubrication device according to claim 1 , further comprising a lubricant discharge circuit for recovering lubricant from the elements to be lubricated.

4. A lubrication device according to claim 3 , wherein the lubricant discharge circuit includes a discharge pump.

5. A lubrication device according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow passage connecting the first chamber to the second outlet in the first position presents greater resistance to flow than the fluid flow passage connecting the first chamber to the first outlet in the second position.

6. An apparatus comprising:
a rotary shaft including at least one support bearing; and
a lubrication device according to claim 1 for lubricating the at least one bearing.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising, in the feed circuit, upstream from the valve, a feed pump actuated by the rotary shaft.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 , calibrated so that a speed of rotation of the rotary shaft at which the valve member reaches the second position during an increase in speed lies in a range 20% to 35% of a nominal speed of the rotary shaft.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 , calibrated so that a speed of rotation of the rotary shaft at which the valve member returns to the first position during a decrease in speed lies in a range 15% to 30% of a nominal speed of the rotary shaft.

10. Apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a lubricant discharge circuit downstream from the bearing with at least one discharge pump driven by the rotary shaft.

11. A turboshaft engine comprising an apparatus according to claim 6 .

Assignees

• Detry Sebastien
• Cazaux Yannick
• Descubes Olivier Pierre
• Turbomeca

Inventors

• Detry Sebastien
• Cazaux Yannick
• Descubes Olivier Pierre

Classifications

• F05D2260/602

  Drainage · CPC title

• F01D25/20 Primary

  using lubrication pumps · CPC title

• F05D2220/329

  in helicopters · CPC title

• F01D25/32

  Collecting of condensation water; Drainage {; Removing solid particles} · CPC title

• F16K17/046

  the valve being of the gate valve type or the sliding valve type · CPC title