LUBRICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110048857A1
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Pinghui, Hua, Dongyun, McGilvray, Andrew N.
• Application Number:
  US12/551,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20110048857A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 184/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/03 Mounting or connecting of lubricant purifying means relative to the machine or engine; Details of lubricant purifying means filters B01D
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/10 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/1486 by considering duration of operation
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 9/02 having means for introducing additives to lubricant

Abstract

In one aspect a method for lubricating a tribosystem is provided that may include providing a new tribosystem including at least two solid surfaces that interact during operation of the tribosystem and providing lubrication oil for lubricating the tribosystem. The method may further include operating the tribosystem while lubricating the tribosystem with the lubrication oil during an initial period and supplying anti-wear additives to the lubrication oil at the end of the initial period. In another aspect a lubrication assembly for containing lubrication oil may be provided. The lubrication assembly may include an anti-wear additive storage and a releaser that is configured for releasing anti-wear additive from the anti-wear additive storage into the lubrication oil after an initial period of operation.

Claims

1. A method for lubricating, the method including:

providing a new tribosystem including at least two solid surfaces that interact during operation of the tribosystem;

providing lubrication oil for lubricating the tribosystem;

operating the tribosystem while lubricating the tribosystem with the lubrication oil during an initial period;

supplying anti-wear additives to the lubrication oil at the end of the initial period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein during the initial period the lubrication oil does not contain anti-wear additives.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the lubrication oil used during the initial period has such a composition that it allows polishing action of the at least two solid surfaces of the tribosystem during the initial period while micropitting of the at least two solid surfaces during the initial period is minimal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the tribosystem makes stress cycles when operated and that the end of the initial period is determined on the basis of the number of stress cycles of the tribosystem.

5. The method of claim 4, including:

monitoring the number of stress cycles of the tribosystem after being made operative for the first time;

releasing the anti-wear additives in the lubrication oil after the number of stress cycles has reached a release value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the release value is in the range of 300.000-1.000.000 stress cycles.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the supplying of anti-wear additives to the lubrication oil is performed automatically.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the anti-wear additives comprise at least one of molybdenum, zinc, phosphor and sulphur.

9. A lubrication assembly for containing lubrication oil, the lubrication assembly comprising:

an anti-wear additive storage;

a releaser configured for releasing anti-wear additive from the anti-wear additive storage into the lubrication oil after an initial period of operation.

10. The lubrication assembly according to claim 9, including:

a controller for controlling the releaser.

11. The lubrication assembly according to claim 10, the controller being configured for measuring the duration of the initial period and for controlling the releaser so as to release the anti-wear additives from the anti-wear additive storage after the duration has reached a release value.

12. The lubrication assembly according to claim 11, wherein the releaser is a valve having a closed and an open condition.

13. The lubrication assembly according to claim 12, including a temperature sensitive member that keeps the valve in the closed condition against a biasing member biasing the valve into the open condition, the temperature sensitive member configured to allow the valve to move from the closed condition to the open condition when the temperature sensitive member has reached a release temperature value.

14. The lubrication assembly according to claim 13, wherein the temperature sensitive member is configured to melt or soften above the release temperature value.

15. The lubrication assembly according to claim 14, wherein the anti-wear additive storage and the releaser are an integral part of an oil filter.

16. An assembly comprising:

a tribosystem having at least one first solid surface and at least one second solid surface that interact when the assembly is in operation; and

a lubrication assembly for lubricating the tribosystem, and including an anti-wear additive storage and a releaser;

the releaser being configured for releasing anti-wear additive from the anti-wear additive storage into the lubrication oil after an initial period of operation of the tribosystem of the assembly.

17. The assembly according to claim 16, including a controller for controlling the releaser, the controller being configured for monitoring a number of stress cycles made by the tribosystem, at least during the initial period of operation of the tribosystem, the controller being configured to activate the releaser for releasing anti-wear additive from the anti-wear additive storage into the lubrication oil after the number of stress cycles has reached a release value.

18. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein the release value is in the range of 300.000 to 1.000.000 stress cycles.