Patent ID: 6354816
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: F16N

Abstract:
An automatic lubricant dispenser apparatus to dispense a predetermined amount of lubricant at predetermined intervals, the apparatus comprising:a lubricant reservoir having a dispensing gateway to dispense the lubricant therefrom; and a pump assembly having: a pump housing defining an elongated passage extending therethrough from an intake port, in fluid communication with the dispensing gateway of the lubricant reservoir, to a dispensing port formed, to dispense the lubricant from the dispenser apparatus; an elongated plunger assay having a plunger body disposed in said elongated passage for reciprocating movement between a load position, aspirating a predetermined volume of lubricant through said intake port and into a pump chamber portion of the elongated passage, and a dispensing position, dispensing the predetermined volume of the lubricant from the chamber portion through the dispensing port, said plunger body having a through-hole extending in a direction axially therethrough, said through hole having a proximal opening in fluid communication with the chamber portion of the elongated passage and a distal opening in fluid communication with the dispensing port of the elongated passage; a seal device cooperating between the plunger body and the interior wall of the pump housing defining the elongated passage to hermetically separate the chamber portion from the dispensing port; an intake check valve disposed proximate to the intake port of the pump housing, and movable between an open position and a closed position; and a dispensing check valve disposed proximate to the dispensing port of the pump housing, and movable between an open position and a closed position; wherein when the elongated plunger assay is moved toward the load position, said intake check valve is moved to the open position to enable lubricant to flow from the reservoir into the chamber portion of the elongated passage through the intake port, and said dispensing check valve is moved to the closed position to prevent the flow of lubricant from the chamber portion of the elongated passage and out through the distal opening to the dispensing port of the elongated passage, and wherein, when the elongated plunger assay is moved toward the dispensing position, said intake check valve is moved to the closed position to prevent the flow of lubricant in the chamber portion out through the intake port, and said dispensing check valve is moved to the open position to enable the predetermined volume of lubricant to flow from the chamber portion of the elongated passage out through the dispensing port of the elongated passage.