Rolling bearing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9377053-B2
Application number	US-201314422413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2013
Priority date	Aug 20, 2012
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

A rolling bearing device has an oil supply unit which includes: a lubrication oil tank with a discharge port of a lubrication oil; a pump which sucks the lubrication oil from the lubrication oil tank and discharges the lubrication oil; and an electric power source section for driving the pump. The oil supply unit is disposed inside the rolling bearing or inside a spacer which is placed adjacent to the rolling bearing, and the pump is operated intermittently. The electric power source section for driving the pump includes: a power generator section which generates power by temperature difference between inner and outer rings in the rolling bearing; and a charging section which stores the electric power from the power generator section. The pump is driven when a voltage in the charging section attains a driving voltage for the pump.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rolling bearing device comprising:
a rolling bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring; and
an oil supply unit including:
a lubrication oil tank having a lubrication oil discharge port;
a pump for sucking lubrication oil from the lubrication oil tank and discharging the lubrication oil; and
an electric power source section for driving the pump;

wherein the oil supply unit is disposed inside one of the rolling bearing or a spacer adjacent to the rolling bearing, the pump being configured to operate intermittently;
wherein the electric power source section for driving the pump includes:
a power generator section for generating power by way of a temperature difference between the inner ring and the outer ring of the rolling bearing; and
a charging section for storing the electric power from the power generator section;

wherein the pump and the electric power source are configured such that the pump is driven to supply the lubrication oil when a voltage in the charging section attains a pump driving voltage; and
wherein the pump and the electric power source are configured such that the pump is driven to perform a first supply of the lubrication oil after the voltage in the charging section is held for a predetermined time after the voltage in the charging section attains the pump driving voltage.

2. A rolling bearing device comprising:
a rolling bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring; and
an oil supply unit including:
a lubrication oil tank having a lubrication oil discharge port;
a pump for sucking lubrication oil from the lubrication oil tank and discharging the lubrication oil; and
an electric power source section for driving the pump;

wherein the oil supply unit is disposed inside one of the rolling bearing or a spacer adjacent to the rolling bearing, the pump being configured to operate intermittently;
wherein the electric power source section for driving the pump includes:
a power generator section for generating power by way of a temperature difference between the inner ring and the outer ring of the rolling bearing; and
a charging section for storing the electric power from the power generator section;

wherein the pump and the electric power source are configured such that the pump is driven to supply the lubrication oil when a voltage in the charging section attains a pump driving voltage; and
wherein a cycle of charging to and discharging from the charging section is repeated for a predetermined number of times before the pump is driven to perform a first supply of the lubrication oil.

3. A rolling bearing device comprising:
a rolling bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring; and
an oil supply unit including:
a lubrication oil tank having a lubrication oil discharge port;
a pump for sucking lubrication oil from the lubrication oil tank and discharging the lubrication oil; and
an electric power source section for driving the pump;

wherein the oil supply unit is disposed inside one of the rolling bearing or a spacer adjacent to the rolling bearing, the pump being configured to operate intermittently;
wherein the electric power source section for driving the pump includes:
a power generator section for generating power by way of a temperature difference between the inner ring and the outer ring of the rolling bearing; and
a charging section for storing the electric power from the power generator section;

wherein the pump and the electric power source are configured such that the pump is driven to supply the lubrication oil when a voltage in the charging section attains a pump driving voltage; and
wherein an operation interval of the pump is controlled by a timer for holding the voltage in the charging section for a predetermined time in accordance with an operation time of the rolling bearing after a first supply of the lubrication oil is performed by driving the pump.

4. A rolling bearing device comprising:
a rolling bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring; and
an oil supply unit including:
a lubrication oil tank having a lubrication oil discharge port;
a pump for sucking lubrication oil from the lubrication oil tank and discharging the lubrication oil; and
an electric power source section for driving the pump;

wherein the oil supply unit is disposed inside one of the rolling bearing or a spacer adjacent to the rolling bearing, the pump being configured to operate intermittently;
wherein the electric power source section for driving the pump includes:
a power generator section for generating power by way of a temperature difference between the inner ring and the outer ring of the rolling bearing; and
a charging section for storing the electric power from the power generator section;

wherein the pump and the electric power source are configured such that the pump is driven to supply the lubrication oil when a voltage in the charging section attains a pump driving voltage; and
wherein an operation interval of the pump is controlled by changing a number of times for which a cycle of charging to and discharging from the charging section is repeated, in accordance with an operation time of the rolling bearing.

Assignees

• Ntn Toyo Bearing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ito Hiroyoshi
• OOMOTO Kaoru

Classifications

• F16C33/6674

  related to the amount supplied, e.g. gaps to restrict flow of the liquid · CPC title

• F16N2013/063

  with electrical drive · CPC title

• F16C33/664 Primary

  Retaining the liquid in or near the bearing · CPC title

• F16C41/004

  Electro-dynamic machines, e.g. motors, generators, actuators · CPC title

• F16C33/6659 Primary

  Details of supply of the liquid to the bearing, e.g. passages or nozzles · CPC title