Oil filter/liquid indicator assembly

Abstract

A bearing housing assembly featuring a bearing housing having a bearing housing wall portion with a bearing assembly chamber for receiving a bearing assembly and a shaft to be rotated, an oil sump for receiving and containing oil for lubricating the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated, an oil path channel formed as an oil path for receiving dirty oil from the bearing assembly chamber for traveling down the oil path, and a filter assembly wall portion forming a filter assembly cavity coupled fluidically between the oil sump and the oil path channel; and a filter assembly arranged in the filter assembly cavity, to couple to the filter assembly wall portion, receive the dirty oil traveling down the oil path, filter the dirty oil and provide filtered oil to the oil sump, so the filtered oil can be recirculated to lubricate the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a housing comprising a first housing wall portion, a second housing wall portion, a third housing wall portion, and a filter assembly wall portion, wherein the first housing wall portion defines a chamber formed therein, and the chamber is configured to receive a combination of a bearing assembly and a shaft to be rotated, the filter assembly wall portion defines one or more filter cavities formed therein, and the filter assembly wall portion is distinct from the first housing wall portion such that the one or more filter cavities are distinct from the chamber, the second housing wall portion defines one or more channels formed therein such that the one or more channels are fluidically coupled between the chamber and the one or more filter cavities effective to allow dirty oil to flow from the chamber to the one or more filter cavities via a gravity feed, and the third housing wall portion defines an oil sump formed therein, the third housing wall portion is distinct from the filter assembly wall portion such that the oil sump is distinct from the one or more filter cavities, the oil sump is fluidically coupled to the chamber and the one or more filter cavities, and the oil sump is configured to receive and contain filtered oil from the one or more filter cavities effective to lubricate the bearing assembly when the shaft is rotated; and one or more filter assemblies configured to mount in the one or more filter cavities, receive the dirty oil from the one or more channels, filter the dirty oil, and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump, such that the filtered oil is recirculated when the shaft is rotated.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more filter assemblies comprises a plug, the plug comprising: a filter assembly mounting portion configured to couple to the housing through a threaded coupling arrangement, and a plug housing configured with a plug groove/hole to receive and guide the dirty oil into a filter assembly.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each filter assembly comprises a replaceable filter cartridge and a cartridge mounting assembly that includes threads configured to couple to corresponding threads of the plug housing.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each filter assembly comprises a filter cartridge configured to filter the dirty oil and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the filter cartridge comprises moisture absorbing beads or crystals.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a fourth housing wall portion that defines an oil ring channel formed therein; and an oil ring arranged in the oil ring channel, the oil ring configured to provide the dirty oil into the one or more channels.

7. A method to form a bearing housing, the method comprising: forming a first housing wall portion with a chamber defined therein to house a combination of a bearing assembly and a shaft; forming a second housing wall portion with a channel defined therein to receive dirty oil from the chamber; fluidically coupling the channel to the chamber; forming a third housing wall portion with a filter cavity defined therein distinct from the chamber to house a filter assembly and receive the dirty oil from the channel; fluidically coupling the filter cavity to the channel; forming a fourth housing wall portion with an oil sump defined therein distinct from the filter cavity to receive and contain filtered oil from the filter cavity effective to lubricate the bearing assembly in the chamber when the shaft is rotated; and fluidically coupling the oil sump to the chamber and the filter cavity.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity such that the filter assembly filters the dirty oil received from the channel and provides the filtered oil to the oil sump to be recirculated to the chamber.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity comprises mounting a filter cartridge into the filter cavity to filter the dirty oil and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: forming a plug with a filter assembly mounting portion and a plug housing portion; forming a plug groove/hole in the plug housing portion to receive and guide the dirty oil into the filter assembly; and coupling the filter assembly mounting portion to the third housing wall portion through a threaded coupling arrangement.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity with a filter indicator stem and a filter indicator configured on the filter indicator stem to provide the dirty oil received in the plug to a filter cartridge.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity with a filter indicator comprising a top portion and a bottom hollow portion, the top portion including, or being formed in part by, an indicator paper to indicate a quality of the received dirty oil.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity with a replaceable filter cartridge and a cartridge mounting assembly that includes threads to couple to corresponding threads of a bottom end of the plug housing portion of the plug.

14. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: mounting the filter assembly into the filter cavity with a filter cartridge comprising moisture absorbing beads or crystals.

15. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: forming the third housing wall portion with a plurality of filter cavities defined therein distinct from the chamber to house a plurality of filter assemblies and receive the dirty oil from the channel; mounting the plurality of filter assemblies into the plurality of filter cavities such that the plurality of filter assemblies filter the dirty oil received from the channel and provide the filtered oil to the oil sump to be recirculated to the chamber.

16. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: forming a fifth housing wall portion that defines an oil ring channel therein; and mounting an oil ring in the oil ring channel to provide the dirty oil into the channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The drawing, not necessarily drawn to scale, includes the following Figures:

(2) FIG. 1A is an illustration of a front view in cross-section (in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (front to back into the page)) of a shaft and bearing assembly combination) of a bearing housing assembly having one or more filter assemblies arranged in a bearing housing, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 1B is an illustration of a back perspective view in cross-section (in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis (front to back into the page)) of a shaft and bearing assembly combination) of part of a bearing housing assembly having one or more filter assemblies arranged in a bearing housing, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 2A is an illustration of a perspective view in cross-section (in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis (top to bottom of the page)) of a filter assembly, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 2B is a photograph of a filter assembly and a plug P for using when the filter assembly is not being used, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 2C is an exploded view of a filter assembly, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 2D is a side view of a filter assembly as assembled (in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis (top to bottom of the page)), according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(8) FIG. 2E is a cross-section view of the filter assembly in FIG. 2D along cross-section lines 2D-2D, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(9) FIG. 2F is an exploded view of part of the filter assembly in FIG. 2E labeled as 2F, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(10) FIG. 3 includes FIGS. 3A and 3B, where FIG. 3A shows a side view of a plug that forms part of the filter assembly, and where FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the plug in FIG. 3A along cross-section lines 3B-3B, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

(11) Not every reference numeral is included in every Figure, e.g., so as to reduce clutter in the drawing as a whole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) FIGS. 1A and 1B show a bearing housing assembly generally indicated as 10 having a bearing housing 12 and a filter assembly 14, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In FIG. 1A, reference arrow no. 1 indicates that sump oil flows through the filter assembly 14; reference arrow no. 2 indicates the sump oil enters the filter assembly 14; and reference arrow no. 3 indicates that filtered oil enters the oil sump from the filter assembly 14.

(13) The bearing housing 10 may include a bearing housing wall portion 10a with a bearing assembly chamber 10a′ configured or formed therein for receiving a combination of a bearing assembly generally indicated by BA and a shaft S to be rotated. The combination of the bearing assembly BA and shaft S is generally known in the art, e.g., and may include ball bearings, rings, inner and outer ball bearing sleeves, as one skilled in the art would appreciate. The bearing housing wall portion 10a with the bearing assembly chamber 10a′ may be configured or formed to receive and contain the combination of the bearing assembly BA and shaft S, e.g., consistent with that disclosed herein.

(14) The bearing housing 10 may include an oil sump generally indicated as 10b configured or formed therein for receiving and containing oil for lubricating the bearing assembly BA when the shaft S is rotated. By way of example, the oil sump 10b may configured in the lower part of the bearing housing 12, as shown in FIG. 1A.

(15) The bearing housing 10 may include an oil path channel 10c configured or formed therein as an oil path for receiving dirty oil from the bearing assembly chamber 10a′ for traveling down the oil path. (By way of example, the dirty oil may travel down the oil path via a gravity feed, or alternative by oil pressure caused by the combination of the bearing assembly BA and the rotating shaft S.)

(16) The bearing housing 10 may include a filter assembly wall portion 10d configured to form a filter assembly cavity generally indicated as 10d′ that is coupled fluidically between the oil sump 10b and the oil path channel 10c.

(17) The filter assembly 14 may be configured to mount in the filter assembly cavity 10d′, e.g., as shown in FIG. 1A, couple to the filter assembly wall portion 10d, receive the dirty oil traveling down the oil path, filter the dirty oil and provide filtered oil to the oil sump 10b via an oil sump port/channel 10b′, so the filtered oil can be recirculated to lubricate the bearing assembly BA when the shaft S is rotated. By way of example, an oil pump (not shown) may be configured to pump oil from the oil sump 10b to the bearing assembly chamber 10a′, e.g., via one or more oil recirculation channels, conduits or ports configured or formed in the bearing housing 12.

(18) As shown in FIGS. 2A thru 2F, the filter assembly 14 may include a plug 14a having a filter assembly mounting portion 14a′ configured to couple to the filter assembly wall portion 12a of the bearing housing 12. In particular, see FIG. 2B. By way of example, the filter assembly mounting portion 14a′ and the filter assembly wall portion 12a may be coupled together using a threaded coupling arrangement, including where the filter assembly mounting portion 14a′ has threads 14a″ that couple into corresponding threads 12a″ (FIG. 1A) of the filter assembly wall portion 12a of the bearing housing 12.

(19) As shown in FIG. 2A thru 2C, the plug 14a may include a plug housing 14c configured with a plug groove/hole 14d to receive and guide the dirty oil into the filter assembly 14, including where the plug groove/hole 14d is configured to pass completely through the plug housing 14c, as shown. See also FIG. 1A.

(20) As shown in FIG. 2A thru 2C, the filter assembly 14 may include a filter or filter cartridge 14e coupled to a bottom end 14c1 of the plug housing 14c and configured to filter the dirty oil and provide filtered oil to the oil sump 10b, including where the filter cartridge 14e includes a pleated filtering material 14e′ arranged in a cartridge mounting assembly 14e″.

(21) The filter assembly 14 may include a filter indicator combination having a filter indicator stem 14f, a filter indicator 14g configured on the filter indicator stem 14f, and an internal retainer ring 14h configured to flex inwardly and outwardly for retaining the filter indicator stem 14f and the filter indicator 14g within the plug housing 14c, as described below. The filter indicator combination may be configured to pass the dirty oil received in the plug groove/hole 14d and provide the dirty oil to the filter or filter cartridge 14e.

(22) As best shown in FIG. 2F, the plug housing 14c may include a lower plug housing inner wall 14c2 having a lower annular channel 14c2′ configured or formed therein. The filter indicator 14g may include a top portion 14g′ and a bottom hollow portion 14g″, the top portion 14g′ including, or being formed in part by, indicator paper or indicating the quality of the oil. The filter indicator stem 14f may include a base portion 14f1 and a stem portion 14f2, the base portion 14f1 may be configured with holes, openings, apertures or slots 14f1′ formed therein to pass the dirty oil to the filter cartridge 14e, the stem portion 14f2 may be configured to receive the bottom hollow portion 14g″ of the filter indicator 14g. The internal retainer ring 14h may be configured to flex and fit into the lower annular channel 14c2′ and retain the filter indicator combination in the lower plug housing inner wall 14c2.

(23) The filter cartridge may be, or take the form of, a replaceable filter cartridge, including where the cartridge mounting assembly 14e″ has threads that couple to corresponding threads of the bottom end 14c1 of the plug housing 14c.

(24) The filter cartridge 14e may be configured or formed with a filter cavity 14e′″; and the filter cartridge 14e may include moisture absorbing beads or crystals B that reside in the filter cavity 14e′″.

(25) The filter assembly 14 may include a glass window 14i, an O-ring 14j and a glass retainer 14k configured to flex inwardly and outwardly. The plug housing 14c may include an upper plug housing inner wall 14c4 having an annular portion 14c4′ and ledge 14c4″ configured or formed therein to receive the O-ring 14j and the glass retainer 14k by flexing and fitting the glass retainer 14k. The glass window 14i may be arranged and sealed between the O-ring 14j, the glass retainer 14k and the upper annular portion 14c4′.

(26) As shown in FIG. 1A, the bearing housing wall portion 12a may include an oil ring channel or groove 12a′″ configured or formed therein. The bearing housing assembly 10 may include an oil ring R arranged in the oil ring channel or groove 12a′″ configured to fling, provide or guide oil into the oil path channel 12c.

(27) The filter assembly 14 may include an upper O-ring O1 and a lower O-ring O2 for providing an upper and lower seal between the filter assembly 14 and the bearing housing wall portion 10a, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A thru 2E. By way of example, the lower O-ring O2 may be configured in an O-ring channel 14c5 formed in the plug housing 14c, as shown in FIG. 3B.

The Scope of the Invention

(28) It should be understood that, unless stated otherwise herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives or modifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein may also be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodiment described herein. Also, the drawing herein is not drawn to scale.

(29) Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various other additions and omissions may be made therein and thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.