Lube oil pump design

Abstract

A rotary pump for pumping liquids includes a motor, a shaft that is driven by the motor, an impeller that is attached to the shaft, a rolling element bearing that surrounds the shaft and a bearing housing for the rolling element bearing. The bearing housing defines a lubricant reservoir in a volume of the bearing housing not occupied by the rolling element bearing. The rotary pump can also include a conduit in communication with the bearing housing and a grease cup fitting in communication with the conduit. The motor can rest on a motor support and the grease cup fitting can be easily accessible by locating the fitting outside of a peripheral side wall of the motor support.

1 . A rotary pump for pumping liquids comprising: 
 a motor;    a shaft rotatably driven by the motor;    an impeller attached to the shaft;    a rolling element bearing at least partially surrounding a portion of the shaft;    a bearing housing receiving the rolling element bearing, wherein the bearing housing defines a lubricant reservoir in a volume of the bearing housing not occupied by the rolling element bearing and the lubricant reservoir has a volume greater than 2.25 cubic inches.    
   
   
       2 . The pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a motor support for supporting the motor.  
   
   
       3 . The pump of  claim 2 , wherein the motor support includes a peripheral side wall defining an opening.  
   
   
       4 . The pump of  claim 3 , further comprising a conduit in communication with the bearing housing and a grease cup fitting in communication with the conduit, wherein the conduit extends through the opening in the peripheral side wall of the motor support.  
   
   
       5 . The pump of  claim 4 , wherein the grease cup fitting is located outside of the peripheral side wall of the motor support.  
   
   
       6 . The pump of  claim 5 , further comprising a vent in communication with the bearing housing.  
   
   
       7 . The pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a vent in communication with the bearing housing.  
   
   
       8 . The pump of  claim 1 , further comprising a connecting column that at least substantially surrounds the shaft.  
   
   
       9 . The pump of  claim 8 , wherein the connecting column includes a cavity that defines at least a portion of the lubricant reservoir.  
   
   
       10 . The pump of  claim 9 , wherein the cavity is defined by an at least substantially vertical side wall and a base wall and the rolling element bearing is spaced from the base wall of the cavity at least 0.3 inches.  
   
   
       11 . The pump of  claim 10 , further comprising a ledge formed in the cavity, wherein the rolling element bearing rests on the ledge and the ledge is spaced at least 0.3 inches from the base wall.  
   
   
       12 . The pump of  claim 10 , further comprising a ledge formed in the cavity, wherein the rolling element bearing rests on the ledge and the ledge is spaced at least 0.5 inches from the base wall.  
   
   
       13 . The pump of  claim 10 , further comprising a ledge formed in the cavity, wherein the rolling element bearing rests on the ledge and the ledge is spaced at least 1 inch from the base wall.  
   
   
       14 . The pump of  claim 10 , further comprising a ledge formed in the cavity, wherein the rolling element bearing rests on the ledge and the ledge is spaced at least 1.325 inches from the base wall.  
   
   
       15 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant reservoir has a volume greater than 5 cubic inches.  
   
   
       16 . The pump of  claim 15 , wherein the lubricant reservoir has a volume less than 12 cubic inches.  
   
   
       17 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant reservoir has a volume greater than 7.5 cubic inches.  
   
   
       18 . The pump of  claim 17 , wherein the lubricant reservoir has a volume less than 12 cubic inches.  
   
   
       19 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricant reservoir has a volume greater than 10 cubic inches.  
   
   
       20 . The pump of  claim 19 , wherein the lubricant reservoir has a volume less than 11 cubic inches.  
   
   
       21 . A rotary pump comprising: 
 a rotary shaft adapted to operably connect to a motor;    an impeller attached to an end of the rotary shaft;    a bearing element at least partially surrounding the rotary shaft;    a bearing housing for the bearing element, wherein the bearing element is disposed in the bearing housing;    a lubricant conduit through which lubricant can travel toward the bearing element, the lubricant conduit extending through the bearing housing;    a vent fitting mounted to the bearing housing, wherein the vent fitting allows at least one of excess pressure and excess lubricant to exit the bearing housing.    
   
   
       22 . The rotary pump of  claim 21 , wherein the bearing housing defines a volume for storing spent lubricant used to lubricate the bearing element.  
   
   
       23 . The rotary pump of  claim 22 , wherein the volume for storing spent lubricant is greater than 2.07 cubic inches.  
   
   
       24 . The rotary pump of  claim 22 , wherein the volume for storing spent lubricant is greater than 3 cubic inches.  
   
   
       25 . The rotary pump of  claim 24 , wherein the volume of storing spent lubricant is less than 11 cubic inches.  
   
   
       26 . The rotary pump of  claim 21 , wherein the bearing housing is defined by a base wall that is vertically spaced from the bearing element.  
   
   
       27 . The rotary pump of  claim 26 , wherein the bearing element is spaced greater than 1.325 inches from the base wall.  
   
   
       28 . The rotary pump of  claim 27 , wherein the bearing element is spaced greater than 1.5 inches from the base wall.  
   
   
       29 . The rotary pump of  claim 28 , wherein the bearing element is spaced less than 4 inches from the base wall.  
   
   
       30 . A rotary pump comprising: 
 a motor;    a shaft driven by the motor;    an impeller driven by the shaft;    a motor support upon which the motor rests, the motor support including a peripheral side wall having an opening;    a bearing element housing;    a bearing element at least partially surrounding the shaft and disposed in the bearing element housing;    a conduit attached to the bearing element housing, wherein lubricant can travel through the conduit en route to the bearing element; and    a grease cup attached to the conduit, wherein the grease cup is positioned outside the peripheral side wall of the motor support.    
   
   
       31 . The pump of  claim 30 , further comprising a cover plate attached to the motor support and a conduit support attached to the cover plate.