The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 13, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1999
Subrata Roy, Westmont, IL (US);
David E. Susag, Fargo, ND (US);
Case Corporation, Racine, WI (US);
Abstract
A lubrication system includes a fluid reservoir, a housing having an interior with an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the reservoir, a fluid pump configured to pump fluid from the reservoir to the interior of the housing through the inlet and a fluid conduit between the fluid pump and the inlet of the axle housing. The conduit has an inflow portion, an outflow portion, a throat and an aspiration passage. The inflow portion has a first cross sectional area. The outflow portion has a second cross sectional area. The throat extends between the inflow and outflow portions, has an exit proximate the outflow portion and has a third cross sectional area less than the first and second cross sectional areas. The aspiration passage extends from a location proximate the exit of the throat to a source of air. Fluid pumped through the first and second internal portions of the fluid conduit by the fluid pump draws air into the outflow portion through the aspiration passage to aerate the fluid. The aerated fluid expels fluid from the interior of the housing through the outlet and back to the fluid reservoir. A method for lubricating and cooling an axle within a housing includes the steps of pumping fluid from a reservoir through a first passage having a first cross sectional area, through a second adjacent passage having a second smaller cross sectional area and through a third passage having a third cross sectional area greater than the second cross sectional area to the interior of the housing. The method also includes the step of providing a source of air to the fluid after the fluid exits the second passage. Air is drawn into the fluid to aerate the fluid. The aerated fluid expels fluid from the interior of the housing to the fluid reservoir.