Lubrication control system

• US 20030047386A1
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Central Lancashire
• Original Assignee: University of Central Lancashire
• Inventors: Sherrington, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 184/7.4
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 2200/06 Film thickness
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 2250/32 Inductive
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 2250/34 Transparency; Light; Photo sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 29/02 for influencing the supply of lubricant

Abstract

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through a piston 10 and cylinder wall 12 of an internal combustion engine. A piston ring 14 is located within a ring groove 16 and the piston 10. The piston ring 14 is part of an oil film thickness measurement section 18, the other parts of which comprise a displacement transducer 20 and an electrical signal conditioning unit 22. The oil supply control system also includes a control system section 24, which comprises an on line calibration section 26, an oil injection system 28 and a controller 30. Also, a user interface 38 and a secondary signal conditioning unit 40 receiving secondary signal measurements from unit 42 or several units 42 are included.

Claims

1. A lubrication control system for a system of engineering components comprises lubricant film thickness measurement means, lubricant input means and control means, wherein the control means is operable to receive signals relating to the thickness of lubricant on at least one part of the system of engineering components from the lubricant film thickness measurement means and is operable to control the lubricant input means to adjust a supply of lubricant to one or more components of the system based on said signals from the thickness measurement means.

2. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1, which includes calibration means, which are operable to determine the value of at least one physical variable of the lubricant.

3. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 2, in which the calibration means supply said value/values to the control means and the control means are operable to control the lubricant input means to adjust the supply of lubricant to the system of engineering components, based on signals from the calibration means.

4. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 3, in which the control means utilises an algorithm based on lubricant thickness signals to control the lubricant input means.

5. A lubricant control system as claimed in claim 4, in which the algorithm also utilises signals relating to engine load, ambient oil sump temperature and/or temperature of one or more points within the engine to control the lubricant input means.

6. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1, in which the lubricant film thickness measurement means includes a displacement transducer for determining the relative distance between the transducer and a target, the position of which target relates to the thickness of lubricant between the target and the transducer.

7. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1, in which the lubricant film thickness measurement means is operable to determine the displacement between two sliding components by direct assessment of a physical variable in which the components themselves serve as elements of the transducer.

8. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 6, in which the oil film thickness transducer uses one or more of capacitative, inductive, optical, resistive, impedance methods, radioactive means and acoustic (ultrasonic) means of determining the lubricant thickness.

9. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 8, in which other transducers are incorporated in the system to record parameters of secondary importance, such as target position, temperature, oil viscosity, optical and electrical constants.

10. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1, in which the lubricant film thickness measurement means includes a plurality of spaced transducers for determining the lubricant thickness at spaced locations in the system of engineering components.

11. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1, in which the lubricant film thickness measurement means are indirect lubricant film thickness measurement means operable to measure the thickness of lubricant on an element of the system of the engineering components by indirect means.

12. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 11, in which the indirect lubricant film thickness measurement means measure one or more variables related to thickness of lubricant on the element, in which the or each variable may be dependent on the thickness of lubricant.

13. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1, in which the lubricant input means are operable to input lubricant into the system of engineering components at a location specified by the control means.

14. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1, in which the lubricant input means are operable to input lubricant at specific locations in the system of engineering components depending on the output of at least one specific transducer.

15. A lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1, in which the system of engineering components is an internal combustion engine.

16. An internal combustion engine comprising a lubrication control system as claimed in claim 1.

17. A method of controlling the distribution of lubricant in a system of engineering components comprises measuring the thickness of lubricant on an element of the system with lubricant film thickness measuring means, passing a signal corresponding to that measurement to control means, determining an amount of lubricant to be supplied to one or more components of the system with the control means, based on the thickness measurement, and sending control signals to lubricant input means to control a supply of lubricant to the system.

18. A method of controlling the distribution of lubricant in a system of engineering components as claimed in claim 17, in which multiple input locations and thickness measurement locations are provided for, which two sets of locations are substantially the same.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17, which includes adjusting the input of lubricant to a part of the system based on a thickness measurement from that part of the system.