AU2014227532B2 - Improved bearing grease packer - Google Patents

Abstract

A tool for cleaning grease from bearings, comprising: (a) a tube having a sealed first end, an outwardly flared, open second end, and a central lumen; (b) a piston movably disposed in the central lumen of the tube and having means to actuate the piston extending out of the first end of the tube; and (c) a cone adapted to hold a bearing and for engagement with the outwardly flared second end of the tube.

Description

1 2014227532 24 Aug 2017 IMPROVED BEARING GREASE PACKER The present invention relates to a bearing lubrication tool and, in particular, to a tool for allowing bearing grease to be repacked into the bearing cage and against the 5 rollers of bearings used in wheel hubs.

Bearings, as used in the wheel hubs of motor vehicles, trailers, caravans, aircraft, agricultural equipment and the like, require lubrication from time to time. This is initially provided at the time of assembly of the bearing, but maintenance of wheel hub bearings is an on going requirement. On some four wheel drive vehicles, hub 10 maintenance and repacking the bearings with grease is required at 30,000 km travelled. Aircraft bearings are serviced at 100 hrs flight time. These two examples alone show the many thousands of hours spent per day globally in the servicing of bearings of industrial, transport and recreational machines.

Bearing grease repacking is often performed manually. A blob of grease is 15 pushed and rubbed by hand into the bearing cage and against the rollers. While this method does provide lubrication of the bearing, it adds the dirt from the operator's skin to the grease and it exposes the person’s hand to the deleterious effects of grease. It also uses a large amount of hand towel for cleaning up and is time consuming. All of these factors add to the cost of performing bearing grease 20 repacking, and run against the trend towards improved occupational health and safety practices.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a bearing lubrication tool that avoids these problems.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, there is provided a cleaning 25 kit for cleaning grease from bearings, comprising: a suction tool including a tube having a sealed first end, an outwardly flared, open second end, and a central lumen, and a piston movably disposed in the central lumen of the tube and having means to actuate the piston, the means for actuating the piston extending out of the sealed first end of the tube, the first end of 2 2014227532 24 Aug 2017 the tube having a curved outer face adapted to be held by a hand of a user; the cleaning kit further comprising a tank adapted to hold a predetermined volume of cleaning fluid, and a weighted cone adapted to be disposed in the tank and to be covered by the 5 cleaning fluid therein, the cone being further adapted to hold a bearing and for engagement with the outwardly flared second end of the tube, the cone being separate and independent of the suction tool, and freely movable in the tank, whereby, during use, the user pushes down on the curved outer face of the suction tool tube to hold the bearing on the cone during actuation of the piston. 10 In a preferred embodiment, the tube is cylindrical. In a preferred embodiment, the first end of the tube has a central aperture for mating with the piston. In a preferred embodiment, the first end of the tube includes an exit vent.

In a preferred embodiment, the exit vent is disposed to the side of a central aperture. 15 In a preferred embodiment, the piston comprises a bottom end disposed towards the second end of the tube and sealingly engaging the central lumen of the tube, as shaft connected to the bottom end and extending upwardly to the first end of the tube and through the central aperture, and a handle disposed at the upwardly extended end of the shaft. 20 In a preferred embodiment, the handle is ball shaped.

In a preferred embodiment, the outwardly flared second end of the tube has a predetermined size and shape to sealingly engage a top portion of a bearing disposed on the cone.

In a preferred embodiment, the cone has a predetermined size and shape to 25 sealingly support a bottom portion of a bearing.

In a preferred embodiment, the tube cylinder has a predetermined inner diameter, and wherein a bottom central aperture of a diameter less than the tube inner diameter is disposed between the tube cylinder and the outwardly flared second end. 2014227532 24 Aug 2017 10 20 25

2A

According to a second embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of cleaning grease from a bearing comprising the steps of: (a) providing a cleaning kit for cleaning grease from bearings, comprising: a suction tool including a tube having a sealed first end, an outwardly flared, open second end, and a central lumen, and a piston movably disposed in the central lumen of the tube and having means to actuate the piston, the means for actuation of the piston extending out of the first end of the tube, the first end of the tube having a curved outer face adapted to be held by a hand of a user; a tank adapted to hold a predetermined volume of cleaning fluid, and a weighted cone adapted to be disposed in the tank and to be covered by the cleaning fluid therein, the cone being further adapted to hold a bearing and for engagement with the outwardly flared second end of the tube, the cone being separate and independent of the suction tool, and freely movable in the tank; whereby, during use, the user pushes down on the curved outer face of the suction tool tube to hold the bearing on the cone during actuation of the piston; (b) submersing the cone in a bath of cleaning fluid; (c) depositing a bearing on the cone such that it is submersed in the cleaning fluid; (d) engaging the bearing on the cone with the flared end of the tube; and (e) actuating the piston to draw cleaning fluid upwardly into the tube through the bearing.

In a preferred embodiment, the step of actuating involves a back and forth motion such that upwardly draw fluid is expressed downwardly back into the bath of cleaning fluid, again through the bearing. 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 WO 2008/131489 PCT/AU2008/000594 3

In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which;-

Fig 1 is a partly sectioned side view of a bearing iubrication tool 5 according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig 1 a is an isolated end view of the piston of the supply means of the tool of Fig i,

Fig 2 is a top view of the tool of Fig 1,

Fig 3 is a right side view of the tool of Fig 1, 10 Fig 4 is an isolated top view of the clamp of the support means of the tool of Fig 1,

Fig 5 is a partly sectioned side view of a bearing lubrication tool according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig 6 is a top view of the tool of Fig 5, 15 Fig 7 is a right side view of the tool of Fig 5,

Fig 8 is a partly sectioned side view of a bearing lubrication tool according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig 9 is a partly sectional side view of an assembly comprising a shaft, clamp and nut which may be used in a bearing iubrication tool 20 according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, the nut shown not applying downward pressure on the clamp,

Fig 10 is a view similar to that of Fig 9, but with the nut shown applying downward pressure on the clamp, and Fig 11 is a bottom view of the nut of the assembly shown in Fig 9. 25 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 WO 2008/131489 PCT/AU2008/000594 4

Figs. 12 to 16 show side sectional views of a bench top bearing grease packer tool according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 17 and 18 show variations in the control of air flow from the regulator for delivering grease under pressure from the grease cartridge to the applicator,

Figs. 19a tod and Figs. 20a to f show collected views of the first embodiment of the invention, and

Figs. 21 and 22 show side sectional views of a bearing flush tool according to another aspect of the invention. 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 WO 2008/131489 PCT/AU2008/000594 5

The bearing lubrication tool 10 shown in Figs 1 to 4 has a side mounted shaft 11, and the bearing lubrication tools 12,14 shown in Figs 5 to 8 have a centre mounted shaft 15.

The tool 10 includes two sub-assemblies, namely, a supply means in the 5 form of a detachable grease cartridge air cylinder assembly 16, and a support means in the form of a bearing packer head 18 for locating a bearing 40 to be lubricated by grease delivered by the detachable grease cartridge air cylinder assembly 16. A base 20 of the bearing packer head 18 is designed for use in either a 10 work shop or a field environment, and can be held in the jaws of a vice or attached to a work bench by its bench top attachment points 22. An air cylinder retainer nut 24 is attached to the base 20 and can be removed so that the bearing packer head 18 can be used without the detachable grease cartridge air cylinder assembly 16. This option (see Fig 8) is useful for 15 workshops that use large pneumatic/electric powered, remote grease storage drums. The bearing packer head 18 has provision made to attach a coupling 25 and connect to a remote supply by use of its coupling thread 26.

The tool 10 allows the operator tD repack bearings with grease quickly without needing to have grease on his or her hands. The air cylinder assembly 20 16 uses a commercially available pre-loaded grease cartridge 28, which, when installed, may be emptied of grease when compressed air controlled by the operator is used to displace the piston 30, thereby moving the grease through the grease passage 32 to a region 33 between a cone 34 and a plate 36. As more and more grease enters the region 33, grease first lifts the plate 36 which 25 seals the bore defined by the inner race 39 of the bearing 40, then moves to the only exit via the bearing cage and rollers 44, thereby greasing the bearing 40 to the desired level of lubrication. The flow rate is regulated by use of an air 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 WO 2008/131489 PCT/AU2008/000594 switch and regulator device 46 to be described later. As the plate 36 lifts and contacts the inner race 39, the plate shaft 48, is used to visually sight and move the plate 36 to approximate centre so as to prevent entry of grease to the bearing bore. This is easy to accomplish as the bearing clamp 50 has three 5 fingers 52 clamping the bearing 40 against the cone 34, allowing adequate access to the plate shaft 48.

The piston 30 used in the air cylinder assembly 16 is purpose made with the following features. As a commercially available pre-loaded grease cartridge is never totally full of grease, to insert a piston into the bore of the 10 cartridge would allow trapped air to enter the grease passage 32 with the grease, the trapped air eventually finding its way into the cone region 33, which could cause spattering of grease. To prevent this, the piston 30 has a valve arrangement, easily operated by turning the eye bolt 53 with Its attached valve plate 54 and retainer 55. This action vents the cartridge 28 to allow all the air 15 to escape through vent holes 56 of the piston 30 as the piston 30 is inserted. When grease appears at the vent holes 56, the eye bolt 53 is rotated a quarter turn to close the vent holes 56.

The eye bolt 53 also functions as an attachment point for a cord, one end of the cord being thereby attached to the piston 30 with the other end of 20 the cord being attached to an anchor point 57 located inside the blind end of the air cylinder assembly 16. This provides a means for removing the piston 30 once the grease is exhausted.

The air cylinder assembly 16 includes a control device 46 comprising a self exhausting air switch needed to start and stop grease supply and a 25 regulator for regulating the air pressure on the piston 30 so as to provide adequate control of grease supply. For the air pressure to be effective in the air cylinder assembly 16, O-rlng seals 60 are installed to seal the air cylinder 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 WO 2008/131489 PCT/AU2008/000594 7 assembly and to seal the grease cartridge 28 to the retainer nut 24. This ensures the air pressure is effective only on the piston 30, which also has an O-ring seal 60. The diameter and length of the air cylinder assembly 16 are designed to suit the size of grease cartridge standard package sizes of 5 different countries.

The bearing packer head 18 provides a simple means of retaining the bearing 40 during greasing operations. Once a bearing 40 is installed with a suitably sized plate 36, the bearing clamp arm 62 is turned around the side mounted shaft 11 until centred over the bore of the bearing 40, the bearing 40 10 and clamp 50 both finding centre due to the symmetrical shape of the cone 34 and taper of the bearing clamp 50. After greasing, both retainer knobs 66,68 are easily loosened and the arm 62 and clamp 50 are lifted and turned to one side to gain clear access for lifting the bearing 40 clear of the cone 34. The bearing bore is free of grease and so the now lubricated bearing 40 can easily 15 be lifted up by gripping inside the bore.

It will be readily appreciated that the cone 34 and plate 36 can be produced in various sizes as options to the purchaser. The base 20 of the bearing packer head 18 can also be produced in various sizes to accommodate different applications. 20 The tool 12 shown in Figs 5 to 7 is different to the tool 10 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 only in the way the bearing 40 is retained. In order to use a centre thrust bearing clamp 70, a long, centre mounted shaft 15 with threaded sections and smooth sections is needed to provide clamping and also to allow the plate Οπής 72 to seal and slide. The bearing clamp 70 is such that a knurled section 25 71 above the three fingers 72 provides the operator with a handle for fitting and removing the clamp 70 to access the bearing 40 and plate 74. A nut 76 is used to provide the clamping force required. The screw-on nature of the nut 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 WO 2008/131489 PCT/AU2008/000594 8 76, while standard, may prove time consuming, especially if the bearing is small and locates into the bottom of the cone.

The use of the nut 80 in the assembly shown in Figs 9 and 10 will overcome this problem, and make clamping fast and simple. The thread 81 of 5 the centre mounted shaft 82 does not extend all the way to the top, allowing the nut 80 to quickly slide downwardly over the unthreaded part 84 of the shaft 82 and to centre over the clamp 70 and thread 81 of the shaft 82. The four quarter nut sections 86,87,88,89 (see also Fig'll) have small magnets 90,92 inserted. These align with a corresponding set of like poled repelling magnets 10 94,96 set into the housing 98 of the nut 80. As the nut 80 is lowered to contact the clamp 70, the quarter nut sections 86,87,B8,89 are deflected inwards against the magnetic repelling force, allowing the nut threads 100,102 to engage the shaft thread 81. To simply retain the bearing 40, the nut 80 is siid over the shaft 82 and the knurled section 71 of the clamp 70 is pressed 15 downwardly and turned half a turn. After greasing, the nut 80 is reverse turned and lifted off the shaft 82, followed by the clamp 70 and bearing 40. The plate 74 can stay on the shaft 82 for the next bearing of the same size or· can be removed therefrom and replaced with a plate of a different size to suit a different size bearing. In practice, the speed of lubrication may be increased 20 by greasing the smallest size bearings first and the largest ones last.

It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in details of design and construction of the various bearing lubrication tools described above without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention. It will also be apparent that the nut 80 can have a wide range 25 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 ) 9 Η ^ of uses, not only as part of an assembly (such as is shown in Figs 9 and 10) which may be j used in a bearing lubrication tool of the present invention. r

H

The bench top bearing packer tool shown in Figs. 12 to 16 includes supply means for H delivering a controlled amount of grease, support means for locating a bearing in a position where a bearing cage and rollers of the bearing may be lubricated with the grease delivered by the supply 5 means, the supply means having a grease delivery outlet communicating with-a grease delivery inlet of the support means by a grease flow passageway, and means for controlling the passage of grease 'l through the inlet to the bearing cage and rollers of the bearing. 5 "> Referring to Figures 14 and 15, the controlling means 129 includes a valve assembly 133 comprising a cup 134 and a retainer 135, wherein relative movement between the cup 134 and the retainer 135 causes the valve assembly 133 to assume an open condition (See Figure 15) for allowing grease to pass through the inlet 127 to the bearing cage and rollers of the bearing 123. The cup 134 supports the bearing 123 and moves downwardly relative to the retainer 135 by downward pressure exerted on the bearing 123. Downward pressure exerted on the bearing 123 is shown to be applied through a downwardly pointing cone 138 that is supported on the bearing 123 and which is pressed downwardly by manual application of force on a handle device 139. The cone 138 includes means for centering 140 the position of the handle device relative to the cone. The centering means 140 of the cone 138 comprises an upwardly extending member 141 which engages a downwardly extending member 142 of the handle device 139. The upwardly extending member 141 preferably includes a female portion 143 that engages a male portion of the downwardly extending member.

Referring to Figure 16, the handle device 139 preferably includes a cover portion 146 for covering the valve assembly 133 when the bearing 123 is not located in a position where it may be lubricated. The cover portion 146 is preferably made of a clear plastic to allow viewing of the passage of grease to the bearing 123.

The cup 134 is supported by spring means 149 and moves downwardly relative to the retainer 135 against upward pressure exerted by the spring means 149. The spring means 149 preferably comprise coil springs that press upwardly against an annular seat 150 of the cup 134, the annular seat 150 having a central opening 151 which, in the absence of downward pressure exerted on the bearing 123 when supported by the cup 134, is sealed by the retainer 135 so as to prevent passage of grease through the opening 151. The retainer 135 is secured in a fixed position through 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 10 - the central opening 151, and includes a cradle 155 adapted to engage a leading portion 155 of the

H > cone 138 when the bearing 123 is not located in a position where it may be lubricated. 4 j The support means 122 is preferably mounted on top 160 of a work bench 161.

H » In one embodiment shown in Figure 13, the supply means 121 includes a detachable grease 5 cartridge 165 and air cylinder assembly 166 located remotely of the support means 122, the grease ^ cartridge 165 being installed in the air cylinder 165 and adapted to be emptied of grease when a ^ supply of compressed air displaces a piston 167 in the cylinder that moves the grease to the grease } delivery inlet 127 of the support means 122. j Alternatively, the supply means 121 may include a powered grease storage drum located ^ .0 remotely of the support means similar to the assembly shown in Figure 8. The powered grease storage drum is adapted to be emptied of grease when a supply of compressed air moves the grease to the grease delivery inlet of the support means. The grease delivery inlet may a detachable coupling 25 to the support means as shown in Figure 8 or the grease supply port 127 of the support means as shown in Figures 13-15.

Referring to Figures 17 and 18, the supply of compressed air is preferably controlled by an air pressure regulator 171 to allow the grease to flow at a regulated rate and be delivered in a controlled amount to the grease delivery inlet of the support means. The air pressure regulator preferably maintains a constant air pressure and grease is caused to flow when the valve assembly assumes an open position. Ϊ0 Referring again to Figs. 12, 13 and 13a, the grease cartridge or tube 126 is located remotely of the applicator 120 so as to keep the bench 161 top clean of unwanted equipment. As the grease cup 134 or applicator will be exposed to dust settling upon it, [[a]] the flip over dust cover 146 with handle 139 is provided that is, in this embodiment, molded from a clear plastic. The clear plastic allows the user a better view of the greasing process. The lid of the cover is clicked over centre and 25 the handle 139 can also act as a lock to prevent inadvertent activation of the grease supply.

Returning to the embodiments shown in Figs. 17 and 18, they are of an air flow restricted embodiment and an air flow regulated embodiment 171b, respectively. Each device 171a and 171b includes a valve and seat 172 and a housing 173 with a retainer 174, an exhaust 175, and an air control button 176. Device 171a has an air inlet 177. Device 171b has a vent 178. 30 Device 171b further has a piston 179. 2014227532 19 Sep 2014 10a

Figs 19 a-d show further views of the bearing lubrication tool 12 embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 including a centre thrust bearing clamp 70. Figures 20 a-d show further view of the bearing lubrication tool 10 embodiment of the invention shown in Figs 1-4, of the type including a side mounted shaft 11. 5 The bearing flush tool 200 shown in Figs. 21 and 22 may be used to clean grease from bearings 201 disposed in a parts cleaning tank 202 in the manner as shown. The flush tool 200 ^ includes a tube 210, a piston and seal 211 disposed inside the tube 210, and a push/pull - handle connected to the piston 211. A side exit vent 213 is preferably disposed in the top of } the tube 210 to prevent cleaning fluid 214 from leaking to the top side of the piston 211 and 5 5 .0 spraying into the operator's eyes. The tool 200 has an outwardly flared bottom end 215 for engaging the bearing 201, which is disposed on a weighted cone 216. The tube 210 can accommodate a used grease cartridge as a replaceable liner also to utilize existing components and tooling. The materials used to construct the bearing flush tool 200 are suitable for use with detergent and degreaser cleaning fluid 214. .5

Claims (12)

1. CLAIMS:

   1. A cleaning kit for cleaning grease from bearings, comprising: a suction tool including: a tube having a sealed first end, an outwardly flared, open second end, and a central lumen; and a piston movably disposed in the central lumen of the tube and having means to actuate the piston, the means for actuating the piston extending out of the sealed first end of the tube; the first end of the tube having a curved outer face adapted to be held by a hand of a user; a tank adapted to hold a predetermined volume of cleaning fluid; and a weighted cone adapted to be disposed in the tank and to be covered by the cleaning fluid therein, the cone being further adapted to hold a bearing and for engagement with the outwardly flared second end of the tube, the cone being separate and independent of the suction tool, and freely movable in the tank; whereby, during use, the user pushes down on the curved outer face of the suction tool tube to hold the bearing on the cone during actuation of the piston.
2. 2. The cleaning kit of claim 1 wherein the tube is cylindrical.
3. 3. The cleaning kit of claim 1 or 2, wherein first end has a central aperture for mating with the piston.
4. 4. The cleaning kit of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first end of the tube includes an exit vent.
5. 5. The cleaning kit of claim 4, wherein the exit vent is disposed to the side of a central aperture.
6. 6. The cleaning kit of claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the piston comprises: (i) a bottom end disposed towards the second end of the tube and sealingly engaging the central lumen of the tube; (ii) a shaft connected to the bottom end and extending upwardly to the first end of the tube and through the central aperture; and (iii) a handle disposed at the upwardly extended end of the shaft.
7. 7. The cleaning kit of claim 6, wherein the handle is ball shaped.
8. 8. The cleaning kit of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the outwardly flared second end of the tube has a predetermined size and shape to sealingly engage a top portion of a bearing disposed on the cone.
9. 9. The cleaning kit of claim 8, wherein the cone has a predetermined size and shape to sealingly support a bottom portion of a bearing.
10. 10. The cleaning kit of any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the tube cylinder has a predetermined inner diameter, and wherein a bottom central aperture of a diameter less than the tube inner diameter is disposed between the tube cylinder and the outwardly flared second end.
11. 11. A method of cleaning grease from a bearing comprising the steps of: providing a cleaning kit for cleaning grease from bearings, comprising: a suction tool including: a tube having a sealed first end, an outwardly flared, open second end, and a central lumen; and a piston movably disposed in the central lumen of the tube and having means to actuate the piston, the means for actuation of the piston extending out of the first end of the tube; the first end of the tube having a curved outer face adapted to be held by a hand of a user; a tank adapted to hold a predetermined volume of cleaning fluid; and a weighted cone adapted to be disposed in the tank and to be covered by the cleaning fluid therein, the cone being further adapted to hold a bearing and for engagement with the outwardly flared second end of the tube, the cone being separate and independent of the suction tool, and freely movable in the tank; whereby, during use, the user pushes down on the curved outer face of the suction tool tube to hold the bearing on the cone during actuation of the piston; (b) submersing the cone in a bath of cleaning fluid; (c) depositing a bearing on the cone such that it is submersed in the cleaning fluid; (d) engaging the bearing on the cone with the flared end of the tube; and (e) actuating the piston to draw cleaning fluid upwardly into the tube through the bearing.
12. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of actuating involves a back and forth motion such that upwardly draw fluid is expressed downwardly back into the bath of cleaning fluid, again through the bearing.