Tube in tube lubrication for a gas cylinder

Abstract

A manifold system that includes a gas cylinder assembly that includes an outer tube and a cylinder sleeve, and wherein atomized non-solid lubricant that flows into the cylinder sleeve of the gas cylinder assembly is used to at least partially or fully lubricate an inner surface of an interior chamber of the cylinder sleeve during the operation of the gas cylinder assembly.

Claims

1. A gas cylinder assembly comprising: an outer tube supported in a first cavity of a housing; said outer tube includes an inner chamber; a cylinder sleeve supported in a second cavity of the housing; said cylinder sleeve includes an interior chamber; at least a portion of a bottom portion of said cylinder sleeve is telescopically positioned at least a portion of said inner chamber of said outer tube; a piston; said piston axially movable between extended and retracted piston positions within said interior chamber; a cylinder fluid gap formed between at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer tube and at least a portion of an outer surface of said cylinder sleeve; said cylinder fluid gap allows fluid flow through said cylinder fluid gap; a tube fluid gap formed between at least a portion of an outer surface of said outer tube and at least a portion of an inner surface of the manifold housing; said tube fluid gap allows fluid flow into and out of said tube fluid gap; and a bottom end gap formed between a bottom end of said outer tube and the housing; said bottom fluid gap allows fluid flow between said cylinder fluid gap and said tube fluid gap.

2. The gas cylinder assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a bottom end of said cylinder sleeve is spaced from an interior surface of said inner chamber of said outer tube.

3. The gas cylinder assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said bottom fluid gap, said cylinder fluid gap, and/or said tube fluid gap includes non-solid lubricant.

4. The gas cylinder assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein a fluid level of said non-solid lubricant in said bottom fluid gap is such that at least a portion of said bottom end of said outer tube is submerged in said non-solid lubricant.

5. The gas cylinder assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said piston includes a seal arrangement to inhibit fluid from flowing out a top end of said cylinder sleeve.

6. The gas cylinder assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a total volume of said cylinder fluid gap is at least 25% a total volume of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

7. The gas cylinder assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said cylinder fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

8. The gas cylinder assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said tube fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

9. The gas cylinder assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said bottom fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

10. A manifold system that includes a cylinder assembly comprising: a manifold housing; said manifold housing having first and second cavities; and a first gas cylinder assembly; said first gas cylinder assembly includes: an outer tube supported in said first cavity of said manifold housing; said outer tube includes an inner chamber; a cylinder sleeve supported in said second cavity of said manifold housing; said cylinder sleeve includes an interior chamber; at least a portion of a bottom portion of said cylinder sleeve is telescopically positioned at least a portion of said inner chamber of said outer tube; a piston; said piston axially movable between extended and retracted piston positions within said interior chamber; a cylinder fluid gap formed between at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer tube and at least a portion of an outer surface of said cylinder sleeve; said cylinder fluid gap allows fluid flow through said cylinder fluid gap; a tube fluid gap formed between at least a portion of an outer surface of said outer tube and at least a portion of an inner surface of said manifold housing; said tube fluid gap allows fluid flow into and out of said tube fluid gap; and a bottom end gap formed between a bottom end of said outer tube and said manifold housing; said bottom fluid gap allows fluid flow between said cylinder fluid gap and said tube fluid gap.

11. The manifold system as defined in claim 10, wherein at least a portion of said bottom fluid gap, said cylinder fluid gap, and/or said tube fluid gap includes non-solid lubricant.

12. The manifold system as defined in claim 11, wherein a fluid level of said non-solid lubricant in said bottom fluid gap is such that at least a portion of said bottom end of said outer tube is submerged in said non-solid lubricant.

13. The manifold system as defined in claim 11, wherein a fluid that enters into said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve includes atomized non-solid lubricant that at least partially lubricates an inner surface of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve as said piston moves toward said top end of said cylinder sleeve; said atomized non-solid lubricant is at least partially formed in said bottom fluid gap, said cylinder fluid gap, and/or said tube fluid gap.

14. The manifold system as defined in claim 10, wherein manifold housing includes a fluid reservoir; said fluid reservoir is positioned relative to said cylinder sleeve such that at least a portion of said fluid reservoir is located between said top and bottom ends of said cylinder sleeve.

15. The manifold system as defined in claim 14, wherein said fluid reservoir at least partially forms said bottom fluid gap and/or said tube fluid gap.

16. The manifold assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein a total volume of said cylinder fluid gap is at least 25% a total volume of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

17. The manifold assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said cylinder fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

18. The manifold assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said tube fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

19. The manifold assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said bottom fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

20. The manifold system as defined in claim 10, further including a second gas cylinder assembly; said second gas cylinder assembly is positioned adjacent to and spaced from said first gas cylinder assembly; said second gas cylinder assembly having a configuration that is similar to said first gas cylinder; and wherein said fluid that enters into said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve of said second gas cylinder assembly includes atomized non-solid lubricant that at least partially lubricates an inner surface of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve as said piston moves toward said top end of said cylinder sleeve.

21. A method for lubrication of a gas cylinder assembly comprising: providing a gas cylinder assembly; said gas cylinder assembly includes: an outer tube supported in a first cavity of a housing; said outer tube includes an inner chamber; a cylinder sleeve supported in a second cavity of said housing; said cylinder sleeve includes an interior chamber; at least a portion of a bottom portion of said cylinder sleeve is telescopically positioned at least a portion of said inner chamber of said outer tube; a piston; said piston axially movable between extended and retracted piston positions within said interior chamber; a non-solid lubricant; a cylinder fluid gap formed between at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer tube and at least a portion of an outer surface of said cylinder sleeve; said cylinder fluid gap allows fluid flow through said cylinder fluid gap as said piston axially moves between said extended and retracted piston positions; a tube fluid gap formed between at least a portion of an outer surface of said outer tube and at least a portion of an inner surface of the manifold housing; said tube fluid gap allows fluid flow into and out of said tube fluid gap as said piston axially moves between said extended and retracted piston positions; and a bottom end gap formed between at least a portion of a bottom end of said outer tube and said housing; said bottom fluid gap allows fluid flow between said cylinder fluid gap and said tube fluid gap as said piston axially moves between said extended and retracted piston positions; said bottom end gap includes said non-solid lubricant; moving said piston from said retracted piston position to said extended piston position to cause a fluid to flow from said tube fluid gap, into and through said bottom fluid gap, into and through said cylinder fluid gap, and then into said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve; and wherein said fluid that passes into and through said bottom fluid gap at least partially interacts with said non-solid lubricant in said bottom fluid gap to thereby cause at least a portion of said non-solid lubricant to become atomized and mixed with said fluid; and wherein said atomized non-solid lubricant at least partially lubricates an inner surface of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve after said atomized non-solid lubricant enters into said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

22. A molding or stamping system comprising: a molding or stamping arrangement that causes a material to be molded, shaped, and/or stamped; a manifold system that includes a gas cylinder assembly; said gas cylinder assembly facilitates in moving one or more components of said molding or stamping arrangement to cause the material to be molded, shaped, and/or stamped; said manifold system including: a manifold housing; said manifold housing including first and second cavities; and a first gas cylinder assembly; said first gas cylinder assembly gas cylinder assembly includes: an outer tube supported in said first cavity of said manifold housing; said outer tube includes an inner chamber; a cylinder sleeve supported in said second cavity of said manifold housing; said cylinder sleeve includes an interior chamber; at least a portion of a bottom portion of said cylinder sleeve is telescopically positioned at least a portion of said inner chamber of said outer tube; a piston; said piston axially movable between extended and retracted piston positions within said interior chamber; a cylinder fluid gap formed between at least a portion of an inner surface of said outer tube and at least a portion of an outer surface of said cylinder sleeve; said cylinder fluid gap allows fluid flow through said cylinder fluid gap; a tube fluid gap formed between at least a portion of an outer surface of said outer tube and at least a portion of an inner surface of the manifold housing; said tube fluid gap allows fluid flow into and out of said tube fluid gap; and a bottom end gap formed between at least a portion of a bottom end of said outer tube and the manifold housing; said bottom fluid gap allows fluid flow between said cylinder fluid gap and said tube fluid gap.

23. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 22, wherein at least a portion of said bottom fluid gap, said cylinder fluid gap, and/or said tube fluid gap includes non-solid lubricant.

24. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 23, wherein a fluid level of said non-solid lubricant in said bottom fluid gap is such that at least a portion of said bottom end of said outer tube is submerged in said non-solid lubricant.

25. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 23, wherein a fluid that enters into said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve includes atomized non-solid lubricant that at least partially lubricates an inner surface of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve as said piston moves toward said top end of said cylinder sleeve; said atomized non-solid lubricant is at least partially formed in said bottom fluid gap, said cylinder fluid gap, and/or said tube fluid gap.

26. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 22, wherein manifold housing includes a fluid reservoir; said fluid reservoir is positioned relative to said cylinder sleeve such that at least a portion of said fluid reservoir is located between said top and bottom ends of said cylinder sleeve.

27. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 26, wherein said fluid reservoir at least partially forms said bottom fluid gap and/or said tube fluid gap.

28. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 22, wherein a total volume of said cylinder fluid gap is at least 25% a total volume of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

29. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 22, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said cylinder fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

30. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 22, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said tube fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

31. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 22, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of said bottom fluid gap is at least 25% a cross-sectional area of an opening in at said bottom end of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve.

32. The molding or stamping system as defined in claim 22, further including a second gas cylinder assembly; said second gas cylinder assembly is positioned adjacent to and spaced from said first gas cylinder assembly; said second gas cylinder assembly having a configuration that is similar to said first gas cylinder; and wherein said fluid that enters into said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve of said second gas cylinder assembly includes atomized non-solid lubricant that at least partially lubricates an inner surface of said interior chamber of said cylinder sleeve as said piston moves toward said top end of said cylinder sleeve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Reference may now be made to the drawings, which illustrate various embodiments that the disclosure may take in physical form and in certain parts and arrangement of parts wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an upper manifold system that includes a plurality of fluid reservoirs and a plurality of gas cylinder assemblies;

(3) FIG. 2 is a partial view of a gas cylinder assembly in accordance with the present disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cylinder assembly of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 a cross-section of a portion of the upper manifold system of FIG. 1 illustrating two gas cylinder assemblies and showing the fluid level of the non-solid lubricant in the fluid reservoir;

(6) FIG. 5 is a similar view of FIG. 4 that illustrates the flow of fluid in the gas cylinder assemblies as the piston moves to the retracted piston position; and,

(7) FIG. 6 is a similar view of FIG. 4 that illustrates the flow of fluid in the gas cylinder assemblies as the piston moves to the extended piston position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS NON-LIMITING EMBODIMENTS OF DISCLOSURE

(8) Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of the embodiments selected for illustration in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the disclosure. In the drawings and the following description below, it is to be understood that like numeric designations refer to components of like function.

(9) The singular forms a, an, and the include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

(10) As used in the specification and in the claims, the term comprising may include the embodiments consisting of and consisting essentially of. The terms comprise(s), include(s), having, has, can, contain(s), and variants thereof, as used herein, are intended to be open-ended transitional phrases, terms, or words that require the presence of the named ingredients/steps and permit the presence of other ingredients/steps. However, such description should be construed as also describing compositions or processes as consisting of and consisting essentially of the enumerated ingredients/steps, which allows the presence of only the named ingredients/steps, along with any unavoidable impurities that might result therefrom, and excludes other ingredients/steps.

(11) Numerical values in the specification and claims of this application should be understood to include numerical values which are the same when reduced to the same number of significant figures and numerical values which differ from the stated value by less than the experimental error of conventional measurement technique of the type described in the present application to determine the value.

(12) All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the recited endpoint and independently combinable (for example, the range of from 2 grams to 10 grams is inclusive of the endpoints, 2 grams and 10 grams, and all the intermediate values).

(13) The terms about and approximately can be used to include any numerical value that can vary without changing the basic function of that value. When used with a range, about and approximately also disclose the range defined by the absolute values of the two endpoints, e.g., about 2 to about 4 also discloses the range from 2 to 4. Generally, the terms about and approximately may refer to plus or minus 10% of the indicated number.

(14) Percentages of elements should be assumed to be percent by weight of the stated element, unless expressly stated otherwise.

(15) In contrast to nitrogen manifold systems mounted on the lower section of the pressing or cushion assemblies, when a nitrogen manifold system is mounted on the moving ram of a press, such a setup inverts the cylinder rods and subsequently the oil does not collect at the bottom portion of the cylinder sleeve. Such a manifold setup is considered an upper mounting manifold setup. In such an arrangement, the piston with high pressure seals axially slides on the inner surface of the cylinder sleeve that has little, if any, oil. Such dry cycling of the high pressure seals can cause early failure or leakage of nitrogen.

(16) One prior art lubrication system for an upper mounting manifold setup is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,775, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. The lubrication arrangement for the cylinder assembly in the manifold causes oil to flow into the bottom portion of the cylinder sleeve of the cylinder assembly to lubricate the seals on the piston to extend the life of the cylinder assembly.

(17) Although the lubrication arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,775 is effective in lubricating the cylinder assembly during use, the oil reservoir used for the lubricating arrangement is positioned on the manifold at a location that is above or below the bottom end of the cylinder in the cylinder assembly to feed the oil into the bottom portion of the cylinders. Such an arrangement results in the height of the manifold arrangement being increased to accommodate the oil reservoir. Also, this lubrication arrangement requires additional gas passageways to control the pressure differential in the cylinder assembly and lubrication arrangement. In some arrangements, a separate pump system that is spaced from the cylinders is required to pump the oil back to the oil reservoir.

(18) In view of the current state of the art of gas cylinder systems, the present inventor has conceived of an improved compact gas cylinder system that can effectively lubricate the components of the gas cylinder system during operation of the gas cylinder system.

(19) Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, there is illustrated a manifold system 100 that can be used in conjunction with a press or cushion arrangement 200 to stamp, punch, mold, etc., materials to parts in the automotive industry, manufacturing industry, medical field, etc. The components of a press or cushion arrangement 200 (e.g., transfer plate, press bolster, lower die, upper die, upper die shoe, lower die shoe, pressure pad, die member, transfer pins, binder, press slide, etc.) are well known in the art, thus the components of press or cushion arrangement 200 and how such components are used to form materials into parts will not be further described herein.

(20) Referring to FIG. 1, manifold system 100 is oriented in the upper mounting manifold setup wherein piston rods 444 of piston 440 of the gas cylinder assemblies 400 are facing downwardly from cylinder sleeve 410 of the gas cylinder assemblies. Gas cylinder assemblies 400 are fluidly connected to fluid reservoir 600. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of gas cylinder assemblies 400 can be fluidly connected to fluid reservoir 600; however, this is not required. Fluid reservoir 600 is illustrated as oriented such that the longitudinal axis of fluid reservoir 600 is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of cylinder sleeve 410 of gas cylinder assemblies 400; however, this is not required. Manifold system 100 can include one or more gauges 320 and/or other types of monitoring instruments to monitor pressure, temperature, lubricant levels, piston stroke speed, number of piston strokes per minute, etc., during the operation of the manifold system.

(21) Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, there is illustrated a non-limiting gas cylinder assembly 400 that can be used in manifold system 100. Gas cylinder assembly 400 includes a cylinder sleeve 410, an outer tube 500, and a piston 440. Cylinder sleeve 410 includes an interior chamber 412 wherein piston 440 axially moves between extended and retracted piston positions within interior chamber 412. Bottom portion 430 of the cylinder sleeve 410 is telescopically positioned in at least a portion of an inner chamber 510 of outer tube 500. At least a portion of an inner surface 512 of inner chamber 510 of outer tube 500 is spaced from at least a portion of an outer surface 416 of cylinder sleeve 412 to form a cylinder fluid gap 470. At least a portion of a bottom end 432 of cylinder sleeve 412 is spaced from inner surface 512 of inner chamber 510 of outer tube 500. Piston 440 includes one or more piston seals 442 that are used to inhibit or prevent fluid from flowing past the seals and out top end 422 of cylinder sleeve 410. Piston seals 442 are generally polymeric seals; however, other types of materials for the seals can be used. In one particular non-limiting arrangement, the cylinder sleeve 410 is fully spaced from the outer tube 500. As can be appreciated, one or more portions of the cylinder sleeve 410 can optionally contact the outer tube 500.

(22) Referring now to FIG. 4, two gas cylinder assemblies 400 are illustrated as mounted in a manifold housing 300. For each of gas cylinder assemblies 400, cylinder sleeve 410 is mounted in a sleeve cavity 310 that is formed in manifold housing 300, and outer tube 500 is mounted in tube cavity 330 that is formed in manifold housing 300. Cylinder sleeve 410 and outer tube 500 can be mounted to manifold housing 300 in any number of arrangement (e.g., threaded arrangement, friction fit, adhesive, slot and groove, etc.). Top portion 420 of the cylinder sleeve 410 can optionally include one or more cylinder seals 460 that are used to inhibit or prevent fluid from flowing between outer surface 416 of cylinder sleeve 410 and manifold sleeve cavity 310. The one or more cylinder seals 460 can be optionally positioned in a cylinder seal groove 450 that facilitates in maintaining the position of cylinder seal 460 relative to cylinder sleeve 410. Top portion 550 of outer tube 500 can optionally include one or more tube seals 540 that are used to inhibit or prevent fluid from flowing between outer surface 520 of outer tube 500 and manifold tube cavity 330. One or more tube seals 540 can be optionally positioned in a tube seal groove 530 that facilitates in maintaining the position of tube seal 540 relative to outer tube 500. When piston 440 is in the retracted piston position, piston 440 is located at or close to bottom end 432 of bottom portion 430 of cylinder sleeve 410. When piston 440 is in the extended piston position, the piston 440 is located at or close to top end 422 of top portion 420 of cylinder sleeve 410.

(23) As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, outer tube 500 and cylinder sleeve 410 are generally spaced from one another and are not connected together. The mounting of the outer tube 500 and cylinder sleeve 410 in the manifold housing maintains the relative positions of outer tube 500 and cylinder sleeve 410 to one another. Such configuration of outer tube 500 and cylinder sleeve 410 is novel for a gas cylinder assembly 400 that are used in manifold systems.

(24) A tube fluid gap 570 is formed between outer surface 520 of outer tube 500 and a portion of an inner surface 340 of a wall of manifold housing 300. A bottom fluid gap 580 is located below bottom end 562 of the bottom portion 560 of outer tube 500 and a portion of a wall of manifold housing 300. A non-solid lubricant 700 (e.g., 2 T. oil, etc.) is located in bottom fluid gap 580. As illustrated in FIG. 4, bottom end 562 of outer tube 500 is submerged in non-solid lubricant 700 and at least a portion or all of the bottom end 562 is spaced from the manifold housing 300. As can be appreciated, the fluid level 704 of non-solid lubricant 700 can be such that bottom end 562 of outer tube 500 is not submerged the non-solid lubricant 700. As also illustrated in FIG. 4, the fluid level 704 of non-solid lubricant 700 is such that a portion of cylinder fluid gap 470 and tube fluid gap 570 are also partially filled with the non-solid lubricant; however, as will be appreciated that the fluid level 704 of non-solid lubricant 700 can be such that cylinder fluid gap 470 and/or tube fluid gap 570 are absent non-solid lubricant 700.

(25) Cylinder fluid gap 470 that is configured to allow fluid to flow through cylinder fluid gap 470 as piston 440 axially moves between the extended and retracted piston positions within interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410. The bottom end 432 of cylinder sleeve 410 is spaced from an interior surface of inner chamber 510 of outer tube 500 to allow fluid to flow between cylinder fluid gap 470 and interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410. The tube fluid gap 570 is configured to allow fluid to flow into and out of tube fluid gap 570 as piston 440 axially moves between the extended and retracted piston positions within interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410. The bottom fluid gap 580 is configured to allow fluid to flow between cylinder fluid gap 470 and tube fluid gap 570 as piston 440 axially moves between the extended and retracted piston positions within interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410.

(26) The size and/or configuration of cylinder fluid gap 470 can optionally be selected to minimize or avoid flow restrictions of fluid through cylinder fluid gap 470 as piston 440 axially moves between the extended and retracted piston positions within interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410. In one non-limiting arrangement, a total volume of cylinder fluid gap 470 is at least 25% the total volume of interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410. In addition or alternatively, the minimum cross-sectional area of cylinder fluid gap 470 along a portion or all of the longitudinal length (e.g., 5-100% of the longitudinal length and all values and ranges therebetween) of cylinder fluid gap 470 is at least 50% the cross-sectional area of the opening in the interior chamber 412 at the bottom end of interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410. By using one or both of these cylinder fluid gap 470 configurations, little or no fluid flow retractions exist as fluid flows between cylinder sleeve 410 and cylinder fluid gap 470.

(27) The size and/or configuration of tube fluid gap 570 can optionally be selected to minimize or avoid flow restrictions of fluid between tube fluid gap 570 and interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410 as piston 440 axially moves between the extended and retracted piston positions within interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410. In one non-limiting arrangement, the minimum cross-sectional area of tube fluid gap 570 along a portion or all of the longitudinal length (e.g., 5-100% of the longitudinal length and all values and ranges therebetween) of tube fluid gap 570 is at least 50% the cross-sectional area of the opening in the interior chamber 412 at the bottom end of interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410.

(28) The size and/or configuration of bottom fluid gap 580 can optionally be selected to minimize or avoid flow restrictions of fluid through the bottom fluid gap 580 as piston 440 axially moves between the extended and retracted piston positions within interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410. In one non-limiting arrangement, the minimum cross-sectional area of bottom fluid gap 580 along a portion or all of the longitudinal length (e.g., 5-100% of the longitudinal length and all values and ranges therebetween) of bottom fluid gap 580 is at least 50% the cross-sectional area of the opening in the interior chamber 412 at the bottom end of interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410.

(29) FIG. 4 illustrates fluid reservoir 600 located between outer tubes 500 of two gas cylinder assemblies 400. In one non-limiting arrangement, the cavity located between outer tubes 500 of two gas cylinder assemblies 400 is in direct fluid communication with the fluid reservoir 600 or is a portion of fluid reservoir 600. In such an arrangement, a separate fluid conduit arrangement is not required to allow fluid to flow between fluid reservoir 600 and the cylinder assemblies 400. When the cavity located between outer tubes 500 of two gas cylinder assemblies 400 is a portion of fluid reservoir 600, manifold tube cavity 330 is formed in a top portion of the fluid reservoir and manifold sleeve cavity 310 is formed in a bottom portion of the fluid reservoir such that at least a portion of gas cylinder assemblies 400 extends through fluid reservoir 600 when gas cylinder assemblies 400 is mounted to the manifold housing. In such an arrangement, the tube fluid gap 570 is in direct fluid communication with fluid reservoir 600 or is a portion of fluid reservoir 600. When the one or more gas cylinder assemblies 400 are location in at least a portion of fluid reservoir 600, the non-solid lubricant merely needs to be added in fluid reservoir 600 and filled to the desired level, thereby also filling bottom fluid gap 580 and optionally filling a portion of cylinder fluid gap 470 and tube fluid gap 570 with non-solid lubricant 700. As can be appreciated, when the manifold system is turned and oriented during assembly, non-solid lubricant 700 will move throughout fluid reservoir 600 and gas cylinder assemblies 400; however, once the manifold system is in its final upper manifold setup, non-solid lubricant 700 flows by gravity to the bottom region of fluid reservoir 600 and also fills bottom fluid gap 580 and optionally a portion of cylinder fluid gap 470 and tube fluid gap 570 with the non-solid lubricant 700 prior to the operation of gas cylinder assemblies 400, thus ensuring that non-solid lubricant 700 is the desired location of fluid reservoir 600 and the gas cylinder assemblies 400 prior to the operation of gas cylinder assemblies 400.

(30) Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5-6, a non-limiting operation of gas cylinder assembly 400 in manifold housing 300 is illustrated. As illustrated in FIG. 1, cushion arrangement 200 is configured to move up and down as indicated by the arrow. Cushion arrangement 200 is typically moved downwardly by piston rods 444 as piston 440 in cylinder sleeve 410 of each of gas cylinder assemblies 400 moves from the retracted piston position to the extended piston position. In one non-limiting arrangement, cushion arrangement 200 includes a lift mechanism to lift at least a portion of cushion arrangement 200 and thereby apply a force to piston rods 444 to cause piston 440 in cylinder sleeve 410 of each of gas cylinder assemblies 400 to move from the extended piston position to the retracted piston position. Each set of movements of piston 440 from the extended piston position to the retracted piston position and back to the extended piston position is considered a single cycle or stroke of piston 440 in cylinder sleeve 410 of gas cylinder assembly 400.

(31) As piston 440 axially moves between the extended piston position and the retracted piston position in cylinder sleeve 410 of gas cylinder assembly 400, fluid flows between the interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410 and fluid reservoir 600. The fluid flow arrows in FIGS. 5-6 illustrate the fluid flow direction as piston 440 axially moves between the extended piston position and the retracted piston position in cylinder sleeve 410 of gas cylinder assembly 400.

(32) Referring now to FIG. 5, when piston 440 axially moves toward the retracted piston position in cylinder sleeve 410 of gas cylinder assembly 400 when a force is applied to the piston rods in the direction of force arrows F, the volume of interior chamber 412 between the top of piston 440 and top end 422 of the cylinder sleeve decreases. As discussed above, such movement of piston 440 can be caused by cushion arrangement 200 and/or by some other arrangement. As the volume of interior chamber 412 between the top of piston 440 and top end 422 of the cylinder sleeve decreases, the pressure increases in interior chamber 412 and causes fluid in interior chamber 412 to flow out of interior chamber 412, into cylinder sleeve gap 470, through bottom fluid gap 580 and into tube fluid gap 570 as indicated by the flow arrows. When tube fluid gap 570 and/or manifold cavity 350 are in direct fluid communication with fluid reservoir 600 or are a portion of fluid reservoir 600, fluid from tube fluid gap 570 and/or the manifold cavity 350 flow into fluid reservoir 600 as piston 440 moves to the retracted piston position. As the fluid (e.g., nitrogen gas, nitrogen gas and non-solid lubricant, etc.) flows though and/or passes over non-solid lubricant 700 that is located in cylinder sleeve gap 470, bottom fluid gap 580, and/or tube fluid gap 570, the fluid flow creates turbulence with non-solid lubricant 700 and causes at least a portion of non-solid lubricant 700 to become atomized lubricant 702. The atomization of the non-solid lubricant 700 can occur in cylinder sleeve gap 470, bottom fluid gap 580 and/or tube fluid gap 570. FIG. 4 illustrates the fluid level 704 of non-solid lubricant 700 in cylinder sleeve gap 470, bottom fluid gap 580, and tube fluid gap 570 prior to the operation of gas cylinder assemblies 400 in manifold system 100. After operation of gas cylinder assemblies 400, a portion of all of non-solid lubricant 700 in cylinder sleeve gap 470, bottom fluid gap 580, and/or tube fluid gap 570 will become atomized lubricant 702.

(33) Referring now to FIG. 6, when piston 440 axially moves toward the extended piston position in cylinder sleeve 410 of gas cylinder assembly 400, the volume of interior chamber 412 between the top of piston 440 and top end 422 of cylinder sleeve 410 increases. Generally, the pressurized fluid in fluid reservoir 600 causes such axial movement of piston 440 in cylinder sleeve 410. As the volume of interior chamber 412 between the top of piston 440 and top end 422 of the cylinder sleeve 410 increases, the pressure decreases in interior chamber 412 and causes fluid from fluid reservoir 600 to flow into tube fluid gap 570, then through bottom fluid gap 580, then into cylinder sleeve gap 470, and then into interior chamber 412 of cylinder sleeve 410 as indicated by fluid flow arrows. As the fluid flows into interior chamber 412, atomized lubricant 702 in the fluid enters interior chamber 412 and coats inner wall 414 of interior chamber 412 with lubricant. Again, as the fluid flows though and/or passes over non-solid lubricant 700 that is located in the cylinder sleeve gap 470, bottom fluid gap 580, and/or tube fluid gap 570, the fluid flow creates turbulence with non-solid lubricant 700 and causes at least a portion of non-solid lubricant 700 to become atomized lubricant 702.

(34) The fluid pathways illustrated in FIGS. 5-6 are repeated as piston 440 moves axially within cylinder sleeve 410 of each of the gas cylinder assemblies during the operation of manifold system 100, thereby constantly and continuously lubricating inner wall 414 of interior chamber 412.

(35) It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained, and since certain changes may be made in the constructions set forth without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The invention has been described with reference to preferred and alternate embodiments. Modifications and alterations will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the detailed discussion of the invention provided herein. This invention is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the present invention. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between. The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. These and other modifications of the preferred embodiments as well as other embodiments of the invention will be obvious from the disclosure herein, whereby the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims.

(36) To aid the Patent Office and any readers of this application and any resulting patent in interpreting the claims appended hereto, applicants do not intend any of the appended claims or claim elements to invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the words means for or step for are explicitly used in the particular claim.