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  Dust-protective cycling lubricating structure of an electric fanUSPTO Application #: 20060285982Title: Dust-protective cycling lubricating structure of an electric fan Abstract: An dust-protective cycling lubricating structure of an electric fan is disclosed to include a hub defining a receiving chamber, a shaft rotatably mounted in the hub, an axle bearing mounted in the receiving chamber to support the shaft and defining with a top cover of the hub an oil-spreading space and a bottom cover of the hub an oil accumulation space. Lubricating oil is guided upwards by guide grooves on the shaft to lubricate the shaft and the axle bearing and to be further spread over the oil-spreading space and then returned to the oil accumulation space due to the effect of the centrifugal force during rotation of the shaft with a fan blade assembly. (end of abstract)
Agent: Global Win Technology Co., Ltd. - Taipei 106, TW Inventors: Shih-Jen Lin, Fu-Yin Chuang USPTO Applicaton #: 20060285982 - Class: 417354000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Pumps, Motor Driven, Motor Within Rotary Pumping Member, Armature Within Pumping Member, Stator Within Armature The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060285982. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application number 094210028 filed on Jun. 15, 2005. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention: [0003] The present invention relates to an electric fan and more specifically, to a dust-protective cycling lubricating structure of an electric fan, which maintains smooth circulation of lubricating oil to effectively lubricate the shaft and the axle bearings of the electric fan, and eliminates leakage of lubricating oil. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art: [0005] Following fast development of computer technology, high-speed CPUs (Central Processing Units) have been continuously created. These high-speed CPUs produce much heat during operation. In order to maintain normal operation of a CPU, heat must be quickly carried away from the CPU. Various cooling fans have been developed for this purpose. A cooling fan uses axle bearings to support the shaft so that the shaft can be rotated with the fan blade assembly at a high speed. The use of axle bearings in a cooling fan is adapted to achieve the objects of prolonging the work life of the electric fan and reducing the noise level and loss of power of the electric fan. In order to achieve these objects, the axle bearing and shaft of a cooling fan must be well lubricated to lower the friction. Therefore, the gap between the axle bearing and the shaft in a cooling fan is generally filled with lubricating oil. FIG. 5 shows the lubricating structure of a conventional cooling fan. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the fan shaft A has oil guide grooves A1 on the periphery, and is supported on an axle bearing B in a center hole C1 of a socket C. During rotation of the fan shaft A, the oil guide grooves A1 suck lubricating oil from an oil trough C2 to lubricate the axle bearing B. This lubricating structure has numerous drawbacks as outlined hereinafter: [0006] 1. The oil trough C2 is formed in the socket C at the bottom side. [0007] When the cooling fan is kept in vertical, lubricating oil is accumulated in the oil trough C2. At this time, the centrifugal force that is produced during rotation of the fan shaft A is insufficient to draw lubricating oil upwards from the oil trough C2 to the gap between the fan shaft A and the axle bearing B. [0008] 2. Because the oil trough C2 is provided at the bottom side inside the socket C and the oil guide grooves A1 of the fan shaft A are disposed in the center area of the axle bearing B, the oil guide grooves A1 cannot effectively guide lubricating oil upwards from the oil trough C2 to the gap between the axle bearing B and the fan shaft A during rotation of the fan shaft A. [0009] 3. The top side of the socket C is an open side. When the cooling fan is placed in horizontal during packing, delivery or an use, lubricating oil may flow from the oil trough C2 through the gap between the fan shaft A and the axle bearing B to the outside of the socket C. During operation of the cooling fan, lubricating oil may also be forced out of the socket C by the produced centrifugal force. Further, external dust and impurities may fall to the inside of the socket C to contaminate lubricating oil, and oil dirt may be accumulated in the gap between the fan shaft A and the axle bearing B, thereby increasing friction between the fan shaft A and the axle bearing B during rotation of the fan shaft A and shortening the work life of the cooling fan. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the dust-protective cycling lubricating structure is used in an electric fan, comprising a hub, which has a center barrel covered with a top cover and a bottom cover and a receiving chamber defined in the center barrel between the top and bottom covers, a shaft, which is rotatably mounted in the center barrel of the hub, and an axle bearing, which is mounted in the receiving chamber to support the shaft in the center barrel. The axle bearing defines with the top cover an oil-spreading space in the top side of the receiving chamber. The axle bearing also defines with the bottom cover an oil accumulation space in the bottom side of the receiving chamber. Lubricating oil is guided upwards by guide grooves on the shaft to lubricate the shaft and the axle bearing and to be further spread over the oil-spreading space and then returned to the oil accumulation space due to the effect of the centrifugal force during rotation of the shaft with a fan blade assembly. [0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, an elastic porous oil retainer is mounted in the oil accumulation space around the shaft to retain lubricating oil for circulation in the receiving chamber and to filtrate dust and impurities from lubricating oil. [0012] According to still another aspect of the present invention, solidified oil is filled up gaps between the center through holes of the top and bottom covers and the periphery of the shaft to stop lubricating oil from flowing out of the receiving chamber and to prohibit outside dust and impurities from entering the receiving chamber. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a dust-protective cycling lubricating structure of an electric fan in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. [0014] FIG. 2 is a cutaway view of the first embodiment of the present invention. [0015] FIG. 3 is sectional side view of the first embodiment of the present invention. [0016] FIG. 3A is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 3. [0017] FIG. 4 is sectional side view of a dust-protective cycling lubricating structure of an electric fan in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. [0018] FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 4. [0019] FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the lubricating structure of a conventional cooling fan. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0020] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 3A, a dust-protective cycling lubricating structure of an electric fan in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a hub 1 and a shaft 2. 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