A vehicle stalactite passive lubrication system includes a drive unit having an electric motor and a gear. A sump has a sump extension. A lubricant is collected in the sump for gravity flow into the sump extension. A stalactite member is fixed to the drive unit and is positioned above an element to be filled with a fluid, lubricated or cooled. The stalactite member is directed downwardly toward the sump with the lubricant splashed by gear rotation collected on neighboring walls and the stalactite member and directed downwardly by gravity into the sump or target element. The stalactite member includes: a drip edge oriented at an angle to a horizontal plane; and a tip defining an end of the drip edge. The angle is selected to direct the lubricant to discharge off the stalactite member at the tip as a lubricant stream into the sump or target element.

In the oil lubrication structure that supplies lubricating oil to the transmission device, the oil lubrication structure includes an oil passage formed above a transmission device. The oil passage is formed by an oil groove portion and a plate member. The oil groove portion is integrally formed in a crankcase. The plate member is arranged in the crankcase so as to cover the oil groove portion. The plate member has oil dripping holes formed therein, and the oil dripping holes are opened at positions directly above the transmission device.

The present invention provides lubrication systems, apparatus and methods for efficiently and reliably lubricating the drive chain and drive sprocket of a chain-driven vehicle during operation. Embodiments of the invention include a body having a reservoir of lubricating oil that is attachable to the vehicle using existing mounting bolts, a valve for controlling a flow of the oil to the sprocket and chain, a channel providing fluid communication between the reservoir and the valve, and an applicator for applying the lubricating oil to a drive sprocket of the vehicle. Oil is transferred via gravity from the reservoir to the applicator, and via centrifugal force from the applicator to the sprocket and chain.

A drive module for a vehicle including an electric machine, an inverter, a gearing assembly, and a cooling system. A first housing member thermally coupled with the inverter has a first set of heat exchange surfaces and a second housing member thermally coupled with the electric machine has a second set of heat exchange surfaces. The first and second sets of heat exchange surfaces each project into an interior volume cooled by an externally supplied liquid coolant which thereby defines a heat exchanger. A lower oil sump for collecting oil used to cool the electric machine may also include heat exchange surfaces projecting into the same heat exchanger. The gearbox may include an elevated oil sump which is supplied by the same oil pump circulating oil on the electric machine wherein the elevated oil sump gravity feeds oil onto selected surfaces within the gearbox.

An automotive driveline unit housing can be that of a power transfer unit (PTU), a final drive unit (FDU), or a rear drive unit (RDU). The automotive driveline unit housing has a lubricant feed passage spanning from an inlet to an outlet. The outlet can be situated near a seal of the automotive driveline unit, near a bearing of the unit, near both the seal and bearing, or near another component. The lubricant feed passage can have a flow restrictor located near its outlet. When the unit is in a connected state, lubricant is received in the lubricant feed passage via a spinning gear of the unit. The received lubricant trickles through the flow restrictor. And when the unit is in a disconnected state, lubricant continues to trickle through the flow restrictor, even though lubricant may no longer be received in the lubricant feed passage via the gear.

A lubrication device for a helicopter including: an oil sump in which oil for lubrication is retained; a lubrication pump configured to suck the oil from the oil sump to discharge the oil; and a lubrication passage extending from the lubrication pump to a first lubrication target. The lubrication passage includes: a first supply port that supplies the oil to the first lubrication target; an oil reservoir provided upstream of the first supply port; and an opening provided upstream of the oil reservoir and above the oil reservoir. The first supply port is formed right above the first lubrication target.

A transmission lubricating structure includes a power transmitting shaft, a main lubricating circuit, and an auxiliary lubricating circuit. The power transmitting shaft includes an ejection hole communicating an inside with an outside of the power transmitting shaft. The main lubricating circuit includes: a main nozzle having a nozzle hole through which lubricating oil supplied from a main tank is discharged to the internal space of the power transmitting shaft; and a hydraulic pump configured to supply the lubricating oil by pressure from the main tank to the main nozzle. The auxiliary lubricating circuit includes an auxiliary nozzle arranged lower than an auxiliary tank and higher than a lubrication target at the outside of the power transmitting shaft, the auxiliary nozzle being configured to drop the lubricating oil, supplied from the auxiliary tank by an own weight of the lubricating oil, toward the lubrication target.

A lubrication device for a helicopter including: an oil sump in which oil for lubrication is retained; a lubrication pump configured to suck the oil from the oil sump to discharge the oil; and a lubrication passage extending from the lubrication pump to a first lubrication target. The lubrication passage includes: a first supply port that supplies the oil to the first lubrication target; an oil reservoir provided upstream of the first supply port; and an opening provided upstream of the oil reservoir and above the oil reservoir. The first supply port is formed right above the first lubrication target.

A conical friction ring transmission has a fluid supply for wetting at least one of the main transmission elements with fluid. The fluid supply has a drop dispenser from which fluid drops onto the main transmission element and/or an outlet from which fluid falls onto the main transmission element. A method operates a conical friction ring transmission, wherein the friction ring of the conical friction ring transmission is moved in the spacing between the two friction rings, and at least one of the main transmission elements is wetted with fluid via a fluid supply. The fluid is conducted in a circuit at a pressure below 100 kPa (1 bar) for wetting purposes.

A passive lubrication system for lubricating components of a gearbox is provided. The passive lubrication system includes a first sump, formed in a housing of the gearbox, for holding a lubricant fluid for lubricating components of the gearbox and a second sump formed in the housing of the gearbox, the second sump for capturing lubricant fluid displaced, by rotation of the gear wheel, from the first sump, the second sump having one or more openings for directing lubricant fluid captured in the second sump to the one or more components of the single speed drive system to provide lubrication to the one or more components of the single speed drive system. The passive lubrication system also includes a channel formed in the housing of the gearbox, the channel for channeling lubricant fluid, displaced by rotation of the gear wheel, from the first sump to the second sump.