A lubrication system comprises a lubricant reservoir, a lubricant supply passage fluidly connecting the lubricant reservoir and a space requiring lubrication, and a lubricant supply pump. The supply pump includes a piston having a first piston head slidably received in a chamber in fluid communication with the lubricant reservoir and a second piston head slidably received in a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber is divided into a first and second cavities by the second piston head. The first cavity is between the first piston head and second piston head. The first and second cavities are placeable in fluid communication with pressure sources externally of the pumping chamber to provide a pressure differential between the first cavity and the second cavity, whereby the piston may move as a result of the pressure differential to cause the first piston head to dispense lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to the space.

A screw actuator comprises a nut having an internal helical formation and a screw having an external helical formation and rotatably received within the nut, relative rotational movement of the nut and screw causing axial movement of one of the nut and screw relative to the other of the nut and screw. The actuator further comprises a lubricant reservoir and a lubricant pressuriser for pressurising lubricant within the lubricant reservoir. A lubricant receiving chamber is formed in the nut. The screw extends through the lubricant receiving chamber. A lubricant supply passage fluidly connects the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant receiving chamber. A valve controls the flow of lubricant between the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant receiving chamber. A lubricant supply piston is received in the lubricant receiving chamber and is mounted on the external helical formation of the screw.

A gearbox operating system shifts between 2-wheel and 4-wheel drive. The system includes a reversible motor, and a reduction gear train that is configured to be driven by the motor to move a plunger between extended and retracted plunger positions that shifts gears. A printed circuit board has at least two Hall effect sensing circuits. A magnet is carried by the reduction gear train and is rotationally movable relative to the Hall effect sensing circuits. A first Hall effect sensing circuits provides a first output signal indicative of the extended plunger position. A second Hall effect sensing circuits provides a second output signal that is indicative of the retracted plunger position. A controller monitors the two Hall effect sensing circuits to determine if a desired plunger position has been achieved and trigger an error code if the desired plunger position has not been achieved within a predetermined response time.

A seal member for a ball screw device, which is fixed to an axial end surface of a nut member of the ball screw device and is configured to seal a gap between the nut member and the screw shaft, the seal member including: a plurality of base plates which each have a through hole having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the screw shaft; a spacer plate, which is sandwiched between two base plates adjacent to each other, and has a seal accommodation hole having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of a through hole of the base plates; and a seal plate, which has a shaft-fitting hole corresponding to a sectional shape of the screw shaft in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction, and is arranged in the seal accommodation hole of the spacer plates.

A rechargeable battery arrangement for an electric or hybrid vehicle may include a plurality of battery modules and a module connector arrangement electrically contact-connecting adjacent battery modules when in a switching position and electrically separating the adjacent battery modules when in a basic position. The module connector arrangement may include a plurality of module connectors each secured to a respective battery module and including a positive pole contact element and a negative pole contact element. Each respective module connector may be secured to a respective battery module and may include a guide device. The guide device may include an actuating. At least one of a positive pole contact element and a negative pole contact element of a battery module is electrically interconnectable to at least one of the positive pole contact element and the negative pole contact element of an adjacent battery module when the actuating element is actuated.

A method for determining lubricant consumption by a transmission mechanism disposed on a machine tool includes steps of: a) estimating, based on an operational speed and a predetermined first predictive model, a total operational physical quantity; b) estimating, based on an individual operational physical quantity and the total operational physical quantity, a total operational count; c) receiving actuation information from the machine tool, and calculating a partial operational count based on the actuation information; and d) calculating, based on the partial operational count and the total operational count, a ratio between an amount of lubricant consumption within a time period and a total amount of lubricant.

A transmission mechanism with monitoring function includes a shaft, a moving part, a circulating device, a plurality of rollers and a monitoring module. The shaft has a roller groove. The moving part is movably disposed on the shaft. The moving part has a roller slot corresponding to the roller groove. The roller slot has an effective thread section and an ineffective thread section. The effective thread section and the roller groove together form a load path. The circulating device is disposed on the moving part. The circulating device has a return channel communicated with the load path. The return channel and the load path together form a circulating path. The plurality of rollers are disposed in the circulating path. The monitoring module includes a gathering body and a sensor. The sensor is for detecting a metal content of the lubricant in the gathering channel.

A linear drive actuator (10) that includes a motor 20 coupled to a threaded roller screw shaft (70) with an integrally formed inner race (71) formed on one end used by an fixed thrust bearing (60. Mounted on the roller screw shaft (70) is a roller screw nut (75) that moves axially over the roller screw shaft (70) when the roller screw shaft (70) is rotated. Coupled to roller screw nut (75) is a hollow extension tube (85) that surrounds the roller screw shaft (70). Disposed around the extension tube (85), the roller screw shaft (70) and the roller screw nut (75) is a main housing (100) filled with a lubricant (200). The distal end of the extension tube (85) extends through the end of the main housing (100) and includes an end cap (109) or a connector. Attached to the main tube (100) is an optional volume compensation housing (90) configured to automatically dispense a lubricating fluid (200) into the main housing (90).

A vehicle drive unit assembly having a ring gear with a plurality of ring gear teeth extending from an outer surface thereof. At least a portion of a lubricant collector having a body portion with a first side, a second side, a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion is disposed proximate to and directly adjacent at least a portion of the ring gear. The lubricant collector has one or more first receiving portions and/or one or more second receiving portions defining a collector reservoir therein. The one or more first receiving portions and/or one or more second receiving portions of the collector reservoir receive an amount of lubricating fluid that is expelled or thrown from the ring gear.

Disclosed herein is a screw assembly comprising an internal re-circulating path for re-circulating lubricant fluid between a threaded screw shaft and seals provided at the ends of the screw assembly via internal chambers provided within the seals and passages formed within the nut. Also disclosed are seals for use within such assemblies.