Patent Publication Number: US-2022220964-A1

Title: Lubricant supply system and vacuum pump

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Section 371 National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/GB2020/051026, filed Apr. 27, 2020, and published as WO 2020/225528 A1 on Nov. 12, 2020, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and which claims priority of British Application No. 1906248.8, filed May 3, 2019. 
    
    
     The invention relates to lubricant supply systems to lubricate pump bearings and particularly, but not exclusively, to vacuum pump lubricant supply systems to lubricate a rolling bearing of a vacuum pump. Further, the present invention relates to a vacuum pump with such a lubricant supply system. Further, the present invention relates to a method for fabrication of such a lubricant supply system 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many pumps comprise an impeller in the form of a rotor mounted on a rotor shaft for rotation relative to a surrounding stator. The rotor shaft is supported by a bearing arrangement that may comprise two bearings located at or intermediate respective ends of the shaft. One or both of these bearings may be a rolling bearing. The upper bearing may be in the form of a magnetic bearing and the lower bearing is a rolling bearing. This arrangement may be used in vacuum pumps such as, for example, turbomolecular vacuum pumps. 
     A typical rolling bearing comprises an inner race fixed relative to the rotor shaft, an outer race and a plurality of rolling elements located between the races for allowing relative rotation of the inner race and the outer race. To prevent mutual contact between the rolling elements they are often guided and evenly spaced by a cage. Adequate lubrication is essential to ensure accurate and reliable operation of rolling bearings. The main purpose of the lubricant is to establish a load-carrying film separating the bearing components in rolling and sliding contact in order to minimize fiction and wear. Other purposes include the prevention of oxidation or corrosion of the bearing components, the formation of a barrier to contaminants and the transfer of heat away from the bearing components. The lubricant is generally in the form of either oil or grease. 
     Pumps using oil-lubricated bearings require an oil feed system to feed oil between the contact areas of the bearing, which enables the oil to perform cooling as well as lubrication and thereby permit the bearings to run at a faster speed. Turbo-molecular vacuum pumps have traditionally used a wicking system for supplying oil to a rolling bearing. In such a system, a felt wick supplied by an oil reservoir feeds oil to a conical feed nut mounted on the shaft as lubricant transfer device. When the shaft rotates, oil travels along the conical surface of the nut to the bearing. The oil then passes through the bearing and is returned to the reservoir. 
     The oil reservoir from which the felt wick is supplied may comprise two stacks of layers of felt that lay against respective major surfaces of the felt wick so that the felt wick is sandwiched between the two stacks. 
     The feed rate of oil to the bearing may be affected by a number of factors, including the taper angle of the conical nut, the rate of transfer of oil from the wick to the nut, the surface finish of the conical surface of the nut, temperature and the speed of rotation of the shaft. 
     Thus, the position of the oil leaving the lubricant transfer device might vary and as a consequence the oil might not reach homogenously the respective bearing. 
     The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background. 
     SUMMARY 
     Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lubricant supply system ensuring reliable transfer of a lubricant to the bearing of a vacuum pump. 
     The above-given problem is solved by the lubricant supply system of claim  1 , the vacuum pump of claim  20  and the method for fabricating a lubricant supply system according to claim  23 . 
     The lubricant supply system in particular for a vacuum pump in accordance to the present invention comprises a lubricant container body defining a lubricant reservoir. The lubricant reservoir containing a lubricant or oil to be fed to the bearing of a vacuum pump. Further, the lubricant container body comprises an indentation or through-hole to receive a lubricant transfer device of the vacuum pump. Thus, by the lubricant transfer device of the vacuum pump, lubricant is transferred from the lubricant reservoir of the lubricant container body to the bearing of the vacuum pump. Therein, the indentation or through-hole of the lubricant container body is at least partially surrounded by a collar extending from said lubricant container body. The collar might have the advantage that excess oil or lubricant is collected which drops of or is centrifuged from the lubricant transfer device during operation. Without the collar in accordance with the known prior art, oil dripping off from the lubricant transfer device of the vacuum pump before the intended delivery point in the bearing might return to the lubricant container body, if the vacuum pump is in an upright position. However, if the vacuum pump is in an inverted position oil or lubricant centrifuged from the lubricant transfer device drips into the bearing of the vacuum pump, which might result in increased oil churning losses. However, due to the foreseen collar in accordance to the present invention excess oil which is centrifuged away from the lubricant transfer device of the vacuum pump is collected by the collar and is not able anymore to drip into the bearing in an undesired and less controllable manner. 
     Preferably, the collar is completely surrounding the indentation or through-hole. Thus, excess oil dripping off from the lubricant transfer device of the vacuum pump in any direction can be collected by the additional collar. 
     Preferably, the lubricant container body comprises a porous material. In particular, the porous material might be made of a stable fibrous material or materials that are able to conduct lubricant by a capillary or wicking action. The fibrous material may be natural or synthetic and, in some examples, may be a felt material. Preferably the felt is a woven or unwoven material and/or a material with chemically bonded fibers. In general, the porous material absorbs the oil by capillary forces. Of course, the porosity must not be closed but interconnected between pores and open to the outside. The porous material thus stores the lubricant in the container body. 
     Preferably, the collar comprising a porous material in fluid communication with the lubricant container body. In particular, the porous material might be made of a stable fibrous material or materials that are able to conduct lubricant by a capillary or wicking action. The fibrous material may be natural or synthetic and, in some examples, may be a felt material. Thus, by a wicking action excess oil collected by the collar is fed back into the lubricant container body and might be reused and provided to the bearing of the vacuum pump. 
     Preferably, the lubricant supply system comprises at least one lubricant return member extending from the lubricant container body to return the lubricant after the lubricant has passed through the rolling bearing of the vacuum pump. If the vacuum pump is in an upright position all lubricant provided to the rolling bearing of the vacuum pump might be dripping back by gravity towards the lubricant container body and then recycled in a lubricant circulation. However, if the vacuum pump is in an inverted position the lubricant provided to the rolling bearing of the vacuum pump by the transfer device is then returned by the lubricant return member to the reservoir. In particular the at least one lubricant return member is also made of a porous material. In particular, the at least one lubricant return member is integrally formed with the lubricant container body. In particular, the lubricant supply system comprises more than one lubricant return member, wherein each lubricant return member is preferably formed as strip or finger extending from the lubricant container body beyond the position of the rolling bearing of the vacuum pump. 
     Preferably, the collar extends by more than 1 mm and less 20 mm from the lubricant container body. In particular, the collar extends from the lubricant container body by more than 1 mm and less than 10 mm and more preferably by more than 2 mm and less than 6 mm. 
     Preferably, the collar extends less from the lubricant container body than any of the lubricant return member. 
     Preferably, the lubricant supply system comprises a contactor connected to the lubricant container body to engage the lubricant transfer device of the vacuum pump in order to transfer lubricant or oil from the reservoir to the lubricant transfer device. The contactor might be a wicking element wherein the wicking element is made of porous material such as felt or the like. Further, the contactor might be sandwiched between two elements of the lubricant container body to receive a lubricant or oil from the reservoir of the lubricant container body. 
     Preferably, the contactor is made of a porous material extending radially into the indentation or through-hole and more preferably being made integral with the lubricant container body. 
     Preferably, the lubricant container body has an approximately annular shape wherein the indentation or though-hole might be arranged centrically. 
     Preferably, the lubricant container body has a first major surface and an opposite second major surface wherein the collar is extending from the first major surface and the indentation is defined in the first major surface or the through-hole is extending from the first major surface to the second major surface. Therein, the lubricant container body might have a cylindrical shape. 
     Preferably, the collar is made of a flat element by rolling up this flat element. 
     Preferably, the collar is connected to a plurality of strip elements extending radially from the collar. Therein, the strips elements might be formed by partial incisions of the flat element before rolling up the flat element. 
     Preferably, the strip elements are connected to the first major surface to fluidly connect the collar with the lubricant container body. Thus, excess oil or lubricant collected by the collar is fed back thought the strip elements to the lubricant container body and is recirculated. Alternatively, the strip elements are inserted and sandwiched by one of the elements of the lubricant container body stack or sandwiched between the contactor and one of the elements of the lubricant container body stack. 
     Preferably, the lubricant supply system comprises a housing wherein the lubricant container body is at least partially and more preferably completely enclosed by the housing. Therein, the collar is extending from the housing. 
     Preferably, the collar is connected to the housing by at least one web. However, in order to provide sufficient stability for the collar more than one web can be used to connect to the collar to the housing. 
     Preferably, the housing comprises at least one ring element surrounding and supporting the collar, wherein the ring element is connected to the housing by at least one web. Thus, by the ring element sufficient stability might be given to the collar. 
     Preferably, by the housing the lubricant supply system is formed as a cartridge which might be easy to implement to any existing vacuum pumps. 
     Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum pump. Therein, the vacuum pump might be a Siegbahn pump, a Gaede pump, a Holweck pump or, in general, a molecular-drag pump as well as a turbomolecular pump. The vacuum pump comprises a pump housing and a rotor shaft disposed in the pump housing having an axis of rotation. To the rotor shaft might be connected at least one pump element in order to convey a gaseous medium from an inlet of the vacuum pump to an outlet of the vacuum pump. 
     Further, the vacuum pump in accordance to the present invention comprises at least one rolling bearing for supporting the rotor shaft and allow fast rotation of the rotor shaft for pumping action. Further, the vacuum pump comprises a lubricant supply system as previously described. Preferably, at least one further bearing is built as magnetic bearing supporting the rotor shaft in a contact-free manner. 
     Further, the vacuum pump in accordance to the present invention comprises a lubricant transfer device mounted to the rotor shaft and extending into the indentation or through-hole of the lubricant supply system to receive lubricant from said lubricant supply system and to transfer the lubricant to the rolling ring. 
     Preferably, the collar is extending towards the rolling bearing. Thus, any lubricant or oil dripping off from the transfer device too early, such that it would not reach the rolling bearing, is collected by the collar and recirculated to the lubricant reservoir. 
     Preferably, the collar is not in contact with the rolling bearing and is also not in contact with the lubricant transfer device. 
     Preferably, between the collar and the rolling bearing a gap exists between 1 to 5 mm and preferably between 1 to 2 mm. 
     Preferably, the at least one lubricant return member of the lubricant supply system extend beyond the rolling bearing in order to return lubricant or oil that has been passed through the rolling bearing for recirculation. 
     Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a lubricant supply system. 
     The method comprises the steps of:
         Providing a flat element, in particular from a porous material.   Cutting the flat element to provide a plurality of partial incisions, wherein the uncut part of the flat element has a width corresponding substantially to the height of the collar.   Further, in accordance to the present method, a housing for the lubricant supply system is provided.   The flat element is rolled up in order to form a circular collar.   The rolled-up flat element is inserted into the housing until the uncut part extends from the housing to form a collar extending from the housing in accordance to the present invention. Therein, the rolled-up flat element is preferably inserted into an opening of the housing from a side opposite to the direction in which the collar is extending from the housing.   In the next step the cut parts of the flat element are bent over to form strip elements in a radial direction.   As a last step a lubricant container body is provided and inserted into the housing being in contact with the strip elements of the previously inserted flat element.       

     Preferably, after inserting the collar into the housing and before inserting the lubricant container body into the housing, the collar might be fixed by a fixing element inserted into the housing from the same side as the collar. More preferably, the fixing element is interacting with a ring element of the housing to clampingly fix the collar into the housing. 
     Preferably, the lubricant supply system is built according to the features as described above. 
     The Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following disclosure reference will be made to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a turbomolecular pump in an inverted condition, 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-section detailed view of a lubricant supply system of the turbo-molecular vacuum pump of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged schematic portion of  FIG. 2 , 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are different embodiments of the lubricant supply system in accordance to the present invention, and 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are elements during the process of fabrication. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a turbomolecular pump  110  comprises a housing  112 , a pumping mechanism  114  disposed in the housing, an inlet  116  and an outlet  118 . The pumping mechanism  114  may comprise a turbomolecular pumping mechanism comprising a plurality of rotor blades  120  disposed in interleaving relationship with a plurality of stator discs  122 . The rotor blades  120  may be mounted on, or integral with, a rotor shaft  124  that has a longitudinal axis (axis of rotation)  126 . The rotor shaft  124  is driven to rotate about the axis of rotation  126  by a motor  128  in order to convey a gaseous medium from an inlet  116  to an outlet  118  of the pump. The pumping mechanism  114  may additionally comprise a molecular drag pumping mechanism  130 , which may be a Gaede mechanism, a Holweck mechanism or a Siegbahn mechanism. There may be additional, or alternative, mechanisms downstream of the molecular drag pumping mechanism such as an aerodynamic pumping mechanism comprising a regenerative mechanism. 
     The rotor shaft  124  is supported by a plurality of bearings  132 ,  134 . The plurality of bearings may comprise two bearings  132 ,  134  positioned at, or adjacent, respective ends of the rotor shaft  124  as shown in  FIG. 1 , or alternatively, intermediate the ends. In the example illustrated by  FIG. 1 , a rolling bearing  132  supports a first end portion of the rotor shaft  124  and a magnetic bearing  134  supports a second end portion of the rotor shaft  124 . A second rolling bearing may be used as an alternative to the magnetic bearing  134 . When a magnetic bearing  134  is used, a back-up rolling bearing (not shown) may be provided. With reference to a datum  135  extending transverse to the longitudinal axis  126  and bisecting that axis at a location intermediate the bearings  134 , when the turbomolecular pump  110  is in an inverted condition, the rolling bearing  132  is disposed above the datum  135 . Although not essential, in the illustrated example, the longitudinal axis  126  is disposed perpendicular to the datum  135  and the rolling bearing  132  is disposed towards the top of the turbomolecular pump  110  and the bearing  134  is towards the bottom of the pump. 
     The turbomolecular pump  110  additionally comprises a lubrication system to lubricate the rolling bearing  132 . The lubrication system may comprise a lubricant supply system  136  and a lubricant transfer device  138  provided on the rotor shaft  124  to transfer lubricant from the lubricant supply system to the rolling bearing  132 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the rolling bearing  132  is provided between the first end portion of the rotor shaft  124  and a bearing housing  142  of the turbomolecular pump  110 . The bearing housing  142  may be integral with the housing  112  or a component fitted to the housing. As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the rolling bearing  132  comprises an inner race  144  fixed relative to the rotor shaft  124 , an outer race  146  fixed relative to the bearing housing  142 , a plurality of rolling elements  148  disposed between the inner and outer races and a cage  150  that is configured to provide a desired spacing between the rolling elements. The cage  150  is piloted on its outer diameter so that the cage pilot land  152  is disposed in face-to-face relation with the outer race  146 . The cage pilot land  152  may comprise an annular surface, which in the orientation of the pump  110  shown in  FIG. 2  is disposed above the rolling elements  148 . The rolling bearing  132  is configured to allow relative rotation of the inner and outer races  144 ,  146  so that it can support the rotor shaft  124  during rotation of the rotor shaft relative to the housing  112 . The rolling bearing  132  is supplied with a lubricant from the lubricant supply system  136  to establish a load-carrying film that minimizes friction and wear in the bearing and provides support for the cage  150  by separating the rolling elements  148  from the inner and outer races  144 ,  146  and the cage and the cage pilot land  152  from the outer race. The lubricant is liquid and may be an oil. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the lubricant supply system  136  may comprise a lubricant container body  154  built by two lubricant container body portions  154 - 1 ,  154 - 2  containing a lubricant reservoir, one or more fingers  156  projecting inwardly of the lubricant container body  154  to engage the lubricant transfer device  138  and one or more lubricant return members  158 . In use, lubricant from the lubricant reservoir flows to the lubricant transfer device  138  via the one or more fingers  156  and is transferred by the lubricant transfer device  138  to the rolling bearing as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 2 . Lubricant that has passed through the rolling bearing  132  is returned to the lubricant reservoir via the one or more lubricant return members  158 . The or each finger  156  and the or each lubricant return member  158  may be connected by an integral body member  160 . For the sake of simplicity, in the description that follows, reference will be made to just one finger  156  and one lubricant return member  158 , although, it is to be understood that this is not to be taken as limiting. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the lubricant supply system  136  may further comprise a collection channel  168  that is configured to receive lubricant that has been supplied to the rolling bearing  132  via the lubricant transfer device  138  and then passed through the bearing. The collection channel  168  has a downstream end  170  and an upstream end. An upstream end  174  of the lubricant return member  158  may be disposed at or adjacent the downstream end  170  of the collection channel  168  to receive and return lubricant from the collection channel  168  to the lubricant container body  154 . An absorbent collector body  176  may be disposed in the collection channel  168 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the lubricant supply system  136  may comprise a deflector  140  mounted on the rotor shaft  124 . The deflector  140  may comprise a drip former  180  ( FIG. 2 ) to prevent the flow of lubricant along the underside of the deflector (as viewed in  FIG. 2 ) towards the rotor shaft  124 . As shown, the drip former  180  comprises a depending annular skirt, although, it may take many other forms such as an annular groove in the underside of the deflector. The deflector  140  may be mounted on the rotor shaft  124  such that the rolling bearing  132  is disposed between the deflector and the lubricant transfer device  138 . The positioning of the deflector  140  is such that lubricant that has passed through the rolling bearing  132  may impinge on the deflector. The deflector  140  is configured to deflect lubricant that has passed through the rolling bearing  132  into the collection channel  168 . The deflector  140  may be seated on a shoulder  184  defined by a reduced diameter section of the rotor shaft  124 . The shoulder  184  may be disposed adjacent a bore provided in a partition  188  that separates the pumping mechanism  114  and motor  128  from the rolling bearing  132 . The partition  188  may be an integral part of the housing  112  or an element fitted into and secured to the housing  112 . The deflector  140  is configured to shield the bore against the ingress of lubricant that has passed through the rolling bearing  132  and deflect, or divert, the lubricant into the collection channel  168 . 
     In the illustrated examples the deflector  140  is mounted on the rotor shaft  124 . In some examples, a deflector may be provided on rolling bearing, for example on the inner race. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the lubricant supply system  136  may comprise a housing  10  to hold the lubricant container body  154 , lubricant return member  158  and body member  160  in an assembled condition. The housing  10  may comprise a main housing body  11  configured to receive the container body portions  154 - 1 ,  154 - 2  and body member  160  and a return member holder body  13  that may be integral with the main housing body  11 , secured to the main housing body or disposed in the turbomolecular vacuum pump  110  such that it abuts the inner end of the main housing body. The return member holder body  13  may be an elongate body defining a lengthways extending channel configured to receive and support the lubricant return member  158 . Although not essential, the housing may comprise one or more plastics moldings or is made by a  3 D-printing process. 
     The housing  10  may be received in a recess  200  provided at an end of the housing  112 . The inner end of the recess  200  may be at least in part defined by the partition  188 . The rolling bearing  132  is housed in the recess  200 . The housing  10  may be held in place in the recess  200  by an end cap  202  that may be secured to the housing  12  by bolts, clamps, screws or any other suitable securing mechanism. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the lubricant transfer device  138  may comprise a hollow frustoconical body secured to the rotor shaft  124 . The lubricant transfer device  138  has a longitudinal axis that is coincident with the longitudinal axis  126  of the rotor shaft  124 . The lubricant transfer device  138  has an outer surface  206  that tapers radially outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis  126  as it approaches the rolling bearing  132 . The rotor shaft  124  and lubricant transfer device  138  may be provided with male and female threads respectively to enable the lubricant transfer device to be screwed onto the rotor shaft in the manner of a nut. Alternatively, in some examples, the lubricant transfer device  138  may comprise a sleeve-like construction that is slid onto the rotor shaft  124  and secured to the rotor shaft by means of a nut, holt, screw or other suitable securing means, In other examples, the lubricant transfer device may be a solid body provided which a male thread at one end to screw into a female thread provided in an end of the rotor shaft. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , when the rotor shaft  124  rotates about the axis of rotation  126 , lubricant transferred to the lubricant transfer device  138  via the finger  156  is moved along the tapered outer surface  206  of the lubricant transfer device and into the rolling bearing  132  as indicated by the arrows. Lubricant that passes through the rolling bearing  132  impinges on the first major surface  181  of the deflector  140 , which deflects, or flings, the lubricant towards the collection channel  168  where it is absorbed by the collector body  176 . The lubricant collected in the collector body  176  migrates to the downstream end  170  of the collection channel  168  by a capillary or wicking action and passes into the lubricant return member  158  via which it is returned to the reservoir of the lubricant container body  154 . Thus, lubricant supplied to the rolling bearing  132  can be effectively returned to the lubricant reservoir for recirculation. 
     The collection channel  168  may be an annular channel, or passage that surrounds the rotor shaft such that the upstream end  172  of the collection channel is defined by the inner circumference of the annular channel and the downstream end  170  is defined by the outer circumference of the annular collection channel. In some examples, an annular collector body  176  may be fitted in the collection channel  168 , in which case the upstream end of the lubricant return member  158  may about the collector body at or adjacent the outer periphery of the collector body. In some examples the absorbent collector body  176  may be omitted, in which case the upstream end  174  of the lubricant return member  158  may be disposed in the collection channel  168  such that, in use, it is in direct contact with lubricant pooling in the collection channel  168 . 
     An additional collar  155  is connected to the lubricant container body  154  and surrounding the lubricant transfer device  138 . Therein, the collar  155  is not in contact neither with the lubricant transfer device  138  nor with the rolling bearing  132 . The collar  155  is also made from a porous material and is in fluid communication with the lubricant reservoir of the lubricant container body  154 . Thus, if the vacuum pump  110  is in inverted position, oil or lubricant centrifuged away from the outer surface  206  of the lubricant transfer device  138  too far from the rolling bearing or before reaching the lower edge  220  of the lubricant transfer device  138 , is collected by the collar  155  and recirculated to the lubricant reservoir of said lubricant container body  154 . Thus, no excess oil or lubricant can drip into the rolling bearing  132  in an undesired way. 
     The lubricant container body  154 , collar  155 , finger  156 , lubricant return member  158 , body member  160  and collector body  176  (when provided) may be made of a stable fibrous material or materials that are able to conduct lubricant by a capillary or wicking action. The fibrous material may be natural or synthetic and, in some examples, may be a felt material. The lubricant container body  154 , collar  155 , finger  156 , lubricant return member  158  and body member  160  may be made of the same fibrous material, although in some examples different fibrous materials may be used. Although not essential, one or both lubricant container body portions  154 - 1 ,  154 - 2  of the lubricant reservoir body may comprise a plurality of relatively thin layers of fibrous material stacked one upon another as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4A  shows a lubricant supply system in accordance to the present invention. The lubricant supply system is built as cartridge having an annular housing  10  containing the lubricant container body  154 . The lubricant container body  154  comprises a through-hole  12 , which is centrically arranged in order to receive the lubricant transfer device  138 . The hole  12  is surrounded by the additional collar  155  that extends away from the housing  10  towards the rolling bearing  132 , thereby surrounding the lubricant transfer device  138 . Therein, the additional collar  155  is surrounded by a ring element  14 , which is connected to the housing  10  by webs  16  providing sufficient stability to the additional collar  155 . Further, the lubricant supply system of  FIG. 4A  shows three lubricant return members  158  extending also from the housing  10  of the lubricant supply system. Therein, the lubricant return member  158  extends beyond the rolling bearing  132 , while the additional collar  155  extends towards the rolling bearing  132  but ends before the rolling bearing as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
       FIG. 4A  also shows strip elements  18  connected to the collar  155 . The strip elements  18  are made from the material as the collar  155 . The collar  155  is in fluid communication with the strip elements  18 . Preferably collar  155  and the strip elements  18  are integrally formed or one piece. The excess oil or lubricant collected by the collar  155  is fed back to the lubricant reservoir of the lubricant container body  154  and recirculated. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 5A  the collar and the strip elements are made from a single flat element  19 , which is incised and provides a plurality of partial incisions  20  as well as an uncut part  22 . The uncut part  22  will form the collar while the incised part forms the strip elements  18 . After incising of the flat element  19 , the flat element  19  is rolled up in order to form the collar  155  integrally connected to the strip elements  18  as shown in  FIG. 5B  by bending the cut parts outside by about 90 degrees. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 4B  showing another embodiment of the lubricant supply system having a cartridge formed by a housing  10 . Therein several ring elements  14  are used in order to stabilize the collar  155  as well as attaching the strip elements  18  to the lubricant container body  154  in order to maintain fluid communication between the reservoir of the lubricant container body  154  and the collar  155  via the strip elements  18 . 
     Although elements have been shown or described as separate embodiments above, portions of each embodiment may be combined with all or part of other embodiments described above. 
     Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are described as example forms of implementing the claims.