EP1584726A1 - Sewing machine with an oil tank and plunger for the oil tank of this sewing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The lubrication system, for at least one lubricating point at a sewing machine, has a body (60) immersed in the oil container. The base of the body is of a light-permeable material with at least one reflection surface (84,86). A lamp (78) delivers a light beam downwards to the reflection surfaces, for the reflected light to be registered by an upper light receiver (80). The receiver generates a switch pulse when light strikes it to illuminate a warning lamp on a common carrier plate (74).

Description

The invention relates to a sewing machine with an oil reservoir after the The preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a submersible body for the oil container of a sewing machine according to claim 14.

Sewing machines contain a number of bearings that contain a lubricant, especially oil must be supplied. For this purpose point Sewing machines on at least one oil tank, which leads via lines with the Lubrication points is connected. As lines are mostly wick pipes, So wicks, which are fed into a tube, used since Such lines ensure a smooth, slow flow of oil and incidentally, not only in the direction of the fall, but also over limited Stretch up oil can transport. It is essential, of course, that there must always be sufficient oil in the oil tank. However, the monitoring of the level of the oil tank is with some Expenses connected, as the one or more oil tanks usually in the interior of the sewing machine housing are integrated. So it is mostly necessary to open the case or corresponding case parts from time to time and check the oil level.

It is Z. B. from US 2 301 460 A, known in oil containers that are located above the base plate, so arranged in the stand or arm are to provide sight glasses in the machine housing, which is a check allow the oil level without disassembly of the housing. By These glasses, however, the oil level of the oil tank is very difficult too recognize, so that a lack of oil often goes unnoticed for a long time.

But because the sewing machines in a sewing shop do not always have the same amount of oil For safety reasons, it is necessary to carry out the inspection oil level at the earliest possible time. It therefore results in some effort when an occurring oil shortage individual machines and thus possible damage to these machines should be reliably avoided.

Oil level indicator for sewing machines are also known from DE 29 37 722 B1 and DE 29 23 750 A1.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sewing machine of the type mentioned in such a way that a reliable acting, simply constructed, possibly also retrofittable oil level monitoring given is.

This object is achieved by a sewing machine with the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The invention is based on the consideration that a beam of light, which on the Reflection surface of the immersion body impinges, through the reflection surface into the oil as long as the reflective surface is wet with oil, is reflected, however, when the oil level has dropped so far that the Reflection surface is no longer lapped by oil. In the latter case, the Reflected light beam from the reflection surface, and he can through a Light receiver, for example, a light-sensitive diode recorded and in this way a switching pulse for an optical or trigger acoustic warning signal. Translucent is the material of the Immersion body when it is for light of a given wavelength, namely the wavelength of the light beam emitted by the light source, is transparent. The immersion body can, for. B. a hollow body with bottom area made of transparent material or even a total of permeable material be existing body in which the outer surfaces form the reflection surfaces.

Preferably, the immersion body is perpendicular from above into the oil tank used, and the reflection surface is located in the lower part of the essentially rod-shaped immersion body.

A reflective surface that acts as a flat surface of a translucent floor area the immersion body is executed, can be easily manufactured and at the same time offers sufficient reflection properties.

The light source and the light receiver are preferably close to each other arranged in the upper area of the immersion body, so that they on one common plate with common electrical connection arranged can be. As far as in the present context and in particular in conjunction with the preferred embodiment explained later It is said that the submerged body from above into the oil reservoir is used and the light source and the light receiver in the upper Area of the submersible body should also be emphasized at this point be that the direction from which the submersible into the oil reservoir occurs, for the effect of the invention is not essential. The usage The term "above" is used in this respect for reasons of linguistic Simplification. The diving body can therefore also from the side or enter from below into the oil tank. In this case are located the light source and the light receiver preferably in the furthest past or the lower position of the immersion body.

Recesses for the light source and the light receiver in the upper area of the immersion body lead to an advantageously compact design for oil level monitoring.

The reflection surface is in particular an outer surface of the immersion body, the said partially reflecting properties has, so long as the immersion body immersed in oil, the light beam in the oil can escape, in the absence of oil, however, has a reflective effect. Meant is therefore at least a change in the reflection properties within on the one hand and within the air on the other. Such a thing Reflection behavior, for example, with a prismatic immersion body made of glass or synthetic resin.

It can also be provided two reflection surfaces, for example two oppositely inclined surfaces, in particular opposite be provided by 45 ° inclined surfaces, the first of the beam on the second and the second reflects the beam back in parallel. On this way, the light source, such as a light emitting diode, and the light receiver, for example, also a photosensitive switching diode, next to each other in the upper part of the immersion body in appropriate Be arranged recesses.

The light source and the light receiver can be on a common Support plate may be arranged, which in such a way on the upper end of the immersion body attached, z. B. is locked, that the two diodes in the Immerse recesses of the immersion body. The diving body with the Light source and the light receiver can be as a coherent unit be integrated in an upper lid of the oil tank.

The light receiver preferably controls an externally visible warning light, which lights up when light reaches the light receiver, ie the level of the oil has dropped so far that the reflection surface or reflecting surfaces exposed. The warning light can also be in the Be integrated immersion body, and in particular on the support plate be attached and in the immersion body in a corresponding recess be recorded. The warning light can also be a reflection surface be assigned, through which the light of the warning light in a externally visible position is deflected.

For the light source, the light receiver and the warning light are suitable especially diodes. Such components are available at low cost. The wavelength of the light source and the warning light or the sensitivity The light receiver can be made from a variety of standard diodes so that they meet the requirements of the invention Sewing machine, in particular to the light to be passed through the emitted Submersible material, are adapted.

An embodiment of the immersion body according to claim 13 is particularly compact.

A sewing machine according to the invention has the oil tank in a vertical Stand of a housing, and he is here behind a Window through which the warning signal can be seen from the outside. It will therefore easily visible from the outside indicated that oil is missing when the warning light shines. It is not necessary to keep the oil level in close order as a precautionary check.

Another object of the invention is to provide an immersion body for the oil reservoir specify a sewing machine, with a retrofittable Oil level monitoring unit can be created.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a submerged body Claim 14.

With the immersion body according to the invention and the oil reservoir can already retrofitted existing sewing machines with little effort become. Otherwise, the advantages of the immersion body correspond to those the above already in connection with the sewing machine according to the invention were explained.

Fig. 1

ist eine Gesamtdarstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Nähmaschine mit einem Ölbehälter mit Ölmangelanzeige gemäß der Erfindung;

Fig. 2

ist eine vom Maßstab her größere, teilweise aufgebrochene Seitenansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Ölbehälters;

Fig. 3

ist eine Draufsicht auf den Ölbehälter gemäß Fig. 2;

Fig. 4

ist eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Deckels des Ölbehälters gemäß Fig. 2 und 3;

Fig. 5

ist ein Schnitt durch den in Fig. 4 gezeigten Deckel entlang der Schnittebene V-V in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6

ist ein Teilschnitt durch den Deckel des Ölbehälters mit einem Tauchkörper entlang der Linie VI-VI in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7

ist eine Ansicht des Ölbehälters von rechts in Fig. 2;

In the following preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1

is an overall view of a sewing machine according to the invention with an oil tank with lack of oil according to the invention;

Fig. 2

is a larger-scale, partially broken-away side view of the oil container according to the invention;

Fig. 3

is a plan view of the oil reservoir of FIG. 2;

Fig. 4

is a perspective view of a lid of the oil container of FIG. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5

is a section through the lid shown in Figure 4 along the sectional plane VV in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6

is a partial section through the lid of the oil container with a plunger along the line VI-VI in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7

is a view of the oil container from the right in Fig. 2;

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a sewing machine with a housing-shaped Base plate 10, one of this vertically towering Stand 12 and one of the upper end of the stator 12 outgoing, parallel to the base plate 10 running horizontal arm 14. In the arm 14 is in usually a not visible in Fig. 1 driven arm shaft stored, about a schematically indicated needle bar 15 with a needle can be driven up and down.

In the stator 12 is a first oil reservoir 16, on the other Course of the description will be discussed in more detail. A second oil tank 18 is arranged in the housing 10. The first oil tank 16 supplies via a wick line 20 and a manifold 22 and another Wick line 24 a portion of the needle guide not shown in detail.

Via a further wick line 26, the first oil tank 16 supplies the second oil reservoir 18 with oil, in turn, via another wick 28 is connected to a thread grab 30. A lower area of the Base plate 10 receives an oil pan 32, which is designed to catch dripping Oil is used. This oil is via a line 34, in which a Pump 36, which is driven by a motor 38, to the distributor 22 pumped back. More details of the sewing machine in her Entity are not relevant in the present context.

Subsequently, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7, the oil tank 16 be described in more detail. According to Fig. 2 and 3, the oil tank 16 a box-shaped housing 40, whose shape in some detail to the adapted to local space conditions, as shown in FIG. 3. The oil tank 16 is in a recess 42 of a housing wall 44 of the stator 12 of the Sewing machine fitted. The housing 40 is closed by a cover 46, which can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2 and 4. The lid 46 has a raised, tray-shaped rising area 48 and a deeper, essentially plate-shaped region 50. In the plate-shaped Area 50 are initially two openings 52, 54, which at one Subvert the bottom of the plate-shaped portion 50 in tubes 56, 58.

These tubes take the two mentioned in connection with FIG. 1 Wick lines 20, 26, shown in Figs. 2 and 7, in the other illustrations however omitted.

Between the two tubes 56, 58 is at the bottom of the plate-shaped Area 50 of the lid 46, a submersible body 60 attached, in particular formed on the lid 46 as a continuous plastic part. Of the Submersible body 60 protrudes into a storage volume 61 of the oil container 16. In association to the immersion body 60 are in the plate-shaped area 50 three triangular openings 62, 64, 66, in corresponding recesses 68, 70, 72 in the upper region of the immersion body 60 over. Two of the recesses 68, 70, with the openings 62, 64 are aligned, are shown in Fig. 6. The third recess 72, which with the third opening 66 is aligned, can be seen in Fig. 5.

Apart from these recesses 68, 70, 72 of the immersion body 60th as a massive body of translucent material, for example Acrylic glass formed.

On the lid 46 is in the region of the immersion body 60 is a support plate 74 attached, in particular with the aid of a lid 46 formed on Ratchet hooked. On the support plate 74 are on the three recesses 68, 70, 72 associated positions a light emitting diode 78 as Light source, a light-receiving diode 80, so a photodiode, and another LED 82 is arranged. The light receiving diode 80 and the other LED 82 are in signal communication with each other. The further light-emitting diode 82 serves as a warning light, which is received by the light Diode 80 can be turned on and off.

5 and 6 show two mutually perpendicular sections through the immersion body 60 along the lines V-V and VI-VI in Fig. 3. In the in Fig. 6 shown section are the LED 78 and the light-receiving diode 80 shown. The section according to FIG. 5 shows the warning light 82.

A lower bottom of the immersion body 60 has two oppositely directed Sloping surfaces of about 45 °, referred to as reflecting surfaces 84, 86 are. A light beam 88 emitted by the light-emitting diode 78 meets the first reflection surface 84. As long as the immersion body 60 in the Oil bath immersed within the oil tank 16, the jet is running substantially straight through the reflection surface 84 into the oil bath, as indicated by a dash-dotted line.

When the oil bath has dropped so far that the lower bottom of the immersion body 60 is exposed, the light beam 88 over the two reflection surfaces 84, 86 deflected so that it is parallel to the light-receiving diode 80 is thrown back. This outputs a switching pulse, over which the Warning light 82 is turned on, so that it emits a light signal.

As mentioned, the wall 90 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is on the right side of the housing 40 in the recess 42 of the housing wall 44 of the sewing machine embedded. This results in a window 92 (FIG. 1) through which the oil tank 16 is visible from the outside. Since the recess 42 is not so is dimensioned that the warning light 82 would be visible directly from the outside is the light beam of the warning light 82 through a projection 94 of the immersion body 60 passed and arranged on a lower reflection surface arranged at 45 ° 96 of the approach and here by 90 ° from the immersion body 60 out and reflected by the window 92 to the outside. That means the signal the LED 78 at a prominent location on the outside of the sewing machine is relatively visible, so the staff on the lack of oil is pointed out.

In addition, it should be mentioned that in Fig. 2, 4, 5 and 6, a line 98 shown is, which was already apparent in Fig. 1 and a connection between the diodes 78 to 82 and a supply electronics 100 manufactures.

According to the invention, therefore, a compact oil level monitoring unit created, for example, as a replacement part related to a conventional oil container can be used. The lid 46 with the immersion body 60 can be injected as a coherent unit become. Electrical connections are only up to the support plate 74 on the Top of the immersion body 60 necessary. In the oil bath itself are no moving parts and no electrical or electronic lines.

As already stated, orientation in space, ie the entry of the immersion body 60 from above, from the side or from below in the oil tank 16 is irrelevant. It just depends that the immersion body 60 has an area that is temporarily at full Oil reservoir 16 is located in the oil and free at increasingly empty oil tank 16 becomes.

In any case, it is advantageous, the lid 46 of the oil reservoir 16 or a corresponding closure part connected to the immersion body 60 as a part to inject.

Which shape of the immersion body 60 has, is also irrelevant. It only one reflection surface must be provided, which is separated from the light source, So from the light emitting diode 78, can be illuminated. This can done directly or after deflection over other reflective surfaces.

A lack of oil gauge or an oil level monitoring unit according to Of course, the present invention can also be applied to the second oil tank Be provided 18, located in the base plate 10 of the machine located as the oil reservoir 16 of the described embodiment. Especially However, a fill level monitoring according to the invention is advantageous for the upper oil tank 16, if this in the manner of the described Embodiment is connected to the lower oil reservoir 18. Of the lower oil reservoir 18 is connected via line 26 to the upper reservoir, and a non-designated check valve prevents overflow of the lower oil tank 18. This means that the lower oil tank 18 is always in properly filled condition, as long as there is a significant Quantity of oil in the upper reservoir 16 is located.

In other words, by monitoring the upper oil tank 16 with a display device according to the invention can be ensured that both oil tanks 16,18 are always adequately filled.

Claims (14)

sewing machine with an oil reservoir (16) for supplying at least one lubrication point, marked by an immersion body (60), which is embodied, at least in sections, of translucent material and projects into a reservoir volume (61) of the oil reservoir (16) and has at least one reflection surface (84, 86) accessible from the reservoir volume, a light source (78) for emitting a light beam (88) onto the reflective surface (84, 86), a light receiver (80) in the beam path of the light reflected from the reflection surface (84, 86) light beam of the light source (78) which is designed such that it triggers a switching pulse depending on the impingement of the light beam (88) on the light receiver (80). Sewing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the immersion body (60) protrudes from above into the oil container (16) and that the light source (78) and the light receiver (80) is located in an upper region of the immersion body (60). Sewing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the reflection surface (84, 86) is a flat surface of a light-permeable bottom region of the immersion body (60). Sewing machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the light source (78) and the light receiver (80) are arranged side by side in the upper region of the immersion body (60). Sewing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the upper region of the immersion body (60) recesses (68, 70, 72) for the light source (78) and the light receiver (80) are provided, wherein the immersion body (60) preferably in total made of a translucent material. Sewing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reflection surface (84, 86) is formed by an outer surface of the immersion body (60). Sewing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two reflection surfaces (84, 86) are provided, which are set obliquely so that the reflected light from the reflection surfaces (84, 86) parallel to the emitted beam of the light source (78) of the Reflection surfaces (84, 86) to the light receiver (80) is reflected back. Sewing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (78) and the light receiver (80) on a support plate (74) are arranged, which is placed on the immersion body (60), in particular snapped. Sewing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a by the light receiver (80) switchable and visible from the outside warning light (82) is provided. Sewing machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the warning light (82) in the upper region of the immersion body (60) is integrated. Sewing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the warning light (82) is located in a recess (72) in the upper region of the immersion body and that the warning light (82) is also mounted on the support plate (74). Sewing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (78), the light receiver (80) and the warning light (82) are diodes. Sewing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the immersion body (60) as integral Bestanteil on a cover (46) of the oil container (16) is formed and that the support plate (74) on the lid (46) is fixed, while the Light source (78), the light receiver (80) and the warning light (82) in recesses (68, 70, 72) of the immersion body through corresponding openings (62, 64, 66) of the lid (46) dive. Immersion body (60) for use in a sewing machine according to one of Claims 1 to 13.

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