Lubricant consumer system for a motor vehicle

Abstract

Lubricant consumer system comprising at least one lubricant consumer, at least one rotating component, wherein fluid lubricant can be conveyed via the rotating component, and a lubricant distributor system, wherein the lubricant distributor system has at least two lubricant tanks, namely a first lubricant tank and at least one second lubricant tank, and a lubricant channel, wherein the two lubricant tanks are fluidically connected to one another and to the lubricant consumer via the lubricant channel, wherein one of the two lubricant tanks is designed and arranged in such a way that, in a horizontal position of the lubricant consumer system, it receives the fluid lubricant of the rotating component and supplies both the other lubricant tank and the lubricant consumer with lubricant via the lubricant channel, and wherein the other lubricant tank is designed and arranged in such a way that, in an inclined position of the lubricant consumer unit, the lubricant consumer is supplied with lubricant from at least the other lubricant tank.

Claims

1. A lubricant consumer system comprising: at least one lubricant consumer, at least one rotating component, wherein fluid lubricant can be conveyed via the rotating component, and a lubricant distributor system, wherein the lubricant distributor system has a first lubricant tank and a second lubricant tank, and a lubricant channel, wherein the lubricant channel includes a first lubricant channel segment fluidly connecting the first lubricant tank and the second lubricant tank and a second lubricant channel segment fluidly connecting the second lubricant tank and the consumer; wherein the first lubricant tank and the second lubricant tank each extend in a longitudinal direction between a top and a bottom, wherein one of the first and second lubricant tanks is designed and arranged in such a way that, in a horizontal position of the lubricant consumer system, it receives the fluid lubricant of the rotating component and supplies both the other of the first and second lubricant tanks and the lubricant consumer with lubricant via the lubricant channel, and wherein the second lubricant channel extends from the bottom of the second lubricant tank such that the lubricant consumer is supplied with lubricant from the second lubricant tank while the lubricant consumer system is positioned in an inclined position; wherein the first lubricant channel segment and the second lubricant channel segment each extend away from the bottom of the second lubricant tank in the longitudinal direction in parallel relationship with one another; wherein a web separates the first lubricant channel segment from the second lubricant channel segment; wherein the web extends in the longitudinal direction along a longitudinal length of the first and second lubricant channel segments.

2. The lubricant consumer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second lubricant tank is configured to be substantially closed and has at least one ventilation opening.

3. The lubricant consumer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top of the first lubricant tank receives the fluid lubricant of the rotating component.

4. The lubricant consumer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the top of at least one of the first and second lubricant tanks is located higher than the consumer in the longitudinal direction.

5. The lubricant consumer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tops of both the first and second lubricant tanks are located higher than the consumer in the longitudinal direction.

6. The lubricant consumer system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the top of the second lubricant tank is substantially closed and defines at least one ventilation opening.

7. A lubricant consumer system, comprising: a first lubricant tank extending between a top and a bottom in a longitudinal direction; a second lubricant tank extending between a top and a bottom in the longitudinal direction; a rotating component configured to pass a lubricant into one of the first and second lubricant tanks; a consumer; a first lubricant channel segment fluidly connecting the first lubricant tank and the second lubricant tank; a second lubricant channel segment fluidly connecting the second lubricant tank and the consumer; and the second lubricant channel segment extending from the bottom of the second lubricant tank such that the lubricant consumer is supplied with lubricant from the second lubricant tank while the lubricant consumer system is positioned in an inclined position; wherein the first lubricant channel segment and the second lubricant channel segment each extend away from the bottom of the second lubricant tank in the longitudinal direction in parallel relationship with one another; wherein a web separates the first lubricant channel segment from the second lubricant channel segment; wherein the web extends in the longitudinal direction along a longitudinal length of the first and second lubricant channel segments.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) The drawing described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first variant of a lubricant consumer system, in particular a lubricant distributor system, in a horizontal position (horizontal installed position).

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a lubricant consumer system, in particular a lubricant distributor system, in a position which is inclined relative to a horizontal position.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a second variant of a lubricant consumer system, in particular a lubricant distributor system, in a horizontal position (horizontal installed position).

(5) FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show in each case a lubricant consumer system 1, in particular a lubricant distributor system 4 of the lubricant consumer system 1.

(6) The lubricant distributor system 1 comprises a lubricant consumer 2, namely a multi-disk clutch, a rotating component 3, namely a chain, and the lubricant distributor system 4.

(7) Multi-disk clutches and multi-disk brakes are sufficiently well known from vehicle technology. They comprise a set of disks, consisting of a plurality of outer disks and a plurality of inner disks which are arranged alternately one behind the other in the axial direction, wherein in the closed state of the multi-disk clutch or, respectively, the multi-disk brake the outer disks are brought into a frictional connection with the inner disks. In the open or, respectively, ventilated state of the set of disks, a predetermined air gap is provided between the outer disks and the inner disks.

(8) The term “axial” describes a direction along a longitudinal axis of the multi-disk clutch, more specifically the set of disks.

(9) In the context of rotating components 3 inside a motor vehicle, traction mechanisms comprising a chain as a traction means, namely as a rotating component 3, are also sufficiently well known. The chain in this case is generally arranged such that it is partially immersed in a lubricant sump and, by rotation, the lubricant is conveyed “upwardly” out of the lubricant sump and thrown off. The thrown off lubricant is collected by means of suitable collecting devices and in the present exemplary embodiment conducted into a first lubricant tank 5 of the lubricant distributor system 4.

(10) The arrows 13 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 show schematically the direction of flow of the lubricant. In the figures, in order to maintain clarity, only a portion of the arrows is denoted by “13” for representing the direction of flow of the lubricant.

(11) The lubricant distributor system 4 has in addition to the first lubricant tank 5 a second lubricant tank 6 and a lubricant channel 7. The first lubricant tank 5 has a first outflow 8. The second lubricant tank 6 has an inflow 10 and a second outflow 9. The first lubricant tank 5 is fluidically connected to the lubricant channel 7 via the first outflow 8. The second lubricant tank 6 is fluidically connected via the inflow 10 and the second outflow 9 to the lubricant channel 7. The lubricant channel is directly or indirectly connected at one end to the lubricant consumer 2, namely the multi-disk clutch. The inflow 10 and the second outflow 9 are configured via a web 11 in the lubricant channel 7. The web 11 is configured via a radial extension of the wall of the lubricant channel 7. The web 11 and the lubricant channel 7 are thus designed in one piece. The inflow 10 and the second outflow 9 are located above the first outflow 8 relative to the direction of gravity.

(12) In a horizontal position, i.e. in a horizontal installed position of the lubricant consumer system 1 (and thus of the motor vehicle), lubricant is conducted from the rotating component 3 into the first lubricant tank 5. To this end, this first lubricant tank is configured to be at least partially open. The lubricant in the first lubricant tank 5 flows via the first outflow 8 out of this first lubricant tank and via the inflow 10 into the second lubricant tank 6. The second lubricant tank 6 is designed to be substantially closed and has merely one ventilation opening 12. The lubricant flows back via the second outflow 9 of the second lubricant tank 6 into the lubricant channel 7 and via the lubricant channel 7 to the lubricant consumer 2. In the horizontal position a uniform, namely equally high, lubricant level is present between the first lubricant tank 5 and the second lubricant tank 6 (FIG. 1).

(13) The horizontal position is shown schematically in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 by a dashed double arrow 14.

(14) In an inclined position of the lubricant consumer system 1 (and thus of the motor vehicle), the line of lubricant from the rotating component 3 into the first lubricant tank 5 is substantially interrupted. A supply to the lubricant consumer 2 may be ensured via the lubricant “stored” in the second lubricant tank 6 after the first lubricant tank 5 has run empty (FIG. 2).

(15) The inclined position is shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 schematically by a solid double arrow 15.

(16) In an alternative second variant according to FIG. 3 in the horizontal position, i.e. in a horizontal installed position of the lubricant consumer system 1 (and thus of the motor vehicle), lubricant is conducted from the rotating component 3 into the second lubricant tank 6. To this end, this second lubricant tank is configured to be at least partially open. The lubricant in the second lubricant tank 6 flows via the inflow 10 out of and into said second lubricant tank and via the first outflow 8 into and out of the first lubricant tank 5. The first lubricant tank 5 is configured to be substantially closed and has only one ventilation opening 12. The lubricant also flows via the second outflow 9 of the second lubricant tank 6 into the lubricant channel 7 and via the lubricant channel 7 to the lubricant consumer 2. In the horizontal position a uniform, namely equally high, lubricant level is also present here between the first lubricant tank 5 and the second lubricant tank 6 (FIG. 3).

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

(17) 1 Lubricant consumer system 2 Lubricant consumer 3 Rotating component 4 Lubricant distributor system 5 First lubricant tank 6 Second lubricant tank 7 Lubricant channel 8 First outflow 9 Second outflow 10 Inflow 11 Web 12 Ventilation opening 13 Direction of flow of lubricant 14 Horizontal position 15 Inclined position