Lubrication Management

• US 20110202187A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bel-Ray Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bel-Ray Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Bowmer, Ian
• Application Number:
  US12/707,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202187A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/283
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

In methods of and apparatus for managing lubrication of equipment, particulars of equipment requiring lubrication are stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The particulars include at least a desired frequency of scheduled lubrication. A computer provides from the stored particulars a report of scheduled lubrication due. The computer receives information of a specific lubrication having been carried out. The stored particulars are updated to include at least one of when the specific lubrication was carried out and when the specific lubrication is next due in accordance with the desired frequency. In other methods, the report is received, specific lubrication is carried out, and the information of a specific lubrication having been carried out is returned to the computer.

Claims

1. A method of managing lubrication of equipment, comprising:

storing on a computer-readable storage medium particulars of equipment requiring lubrication, wherein the particulars include at least a desired frequency of scheduled lubrication;

providing through use of a computer and the stored particulars a report of scheduled lubrication due for a particular equipment;

receiving by the computer information of a specific lubrication that has been carried out; and

updating the stored particulars to include at least one of when said specific lubrication was carried out and when said specific lubrication is next due in accordance with said desired frequency.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said particulars for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising storing said particulars for a plurality of different scheduled lubrications for a piece of equipment.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein for each scheduled lubrication said stored particulars further include at least:

an identification of a piece of equipment;

a lubricant to be applied; and

a method of lubrication.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising surveying equipment at a customer location, collecting at least some of said particulars of said equipment at said customer location, and including said collected particulars in said stored particulars.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing said report comprises permitting a customer to access said computer over the internet and obtain said report.

7. A computer-readable storage medium carrying computer-readable instructions to cause a suitable general-purpose computer to carry out a method of managing lubrication of equipment, the method comprising:

storing on a computer-readable storage medium particulars of equipment requiring lubrication, wherein the particulars include at least a desired frequency of scheduled lubrication;

providing through use of a computer and the stored particulars a report of scheduled lubrication due for a particular equipment;

receiving by the computer information of a specific lubrication that has been carried out; and

updating the stored particulars to include at least one of when said specific lubrication was carried out and when said specific lubrication is next due in accordance with said desired frequency.

8. A system for managing lubrication of equipment, comprising a server computer programmed to carry out a method of managing lubrication of equipment, the method comprising:

storing on a computer-readable storage medium particulars of equipment requiring lubrication, wherein the particulars include at least a desired frequency of scheduled lubrication;

providing through use of a computer and the stored particulars a report of scheduled lubrication due for a particular equipment;

receiving by the computer information of a specific lubrication that has been carried out; and

updating the stored particulars to include at least one of when said specific lubrication was carried out and when said specific lubrication is next due in accordance with said desired frequency.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said server computer is remote from said equipment, further comprising a client computer at a location with said equipment in communication with said server computer to receive said report.

10. A system according to claim 9, comprising a plurality of said client computers at respective locations with said equipment, and wherein said server computer is operative to provide each said client computer with said reports relating only to equipment at the respective said location.

11. A method of managing lubrication of equipment, comprising:

accessing a remote computer that comprises a database of particulars of equipment requiring lubrication, wherein the particulars include at least a desired frequency of scheduled lubrication;

obtaining from the remote computer a report of scheduled lubrication due to said equipment;

carrying out said lubrication on said equipment; and

inputting to said remote computer information of a specific lubrication carried out.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising obtaining said report for, lubricating, and inputting said information of lubrication carried out for a plurality of pieces of equipment.

13. A method according to claim 11, further comprising obtaining said report for a plurality of different scheduled lubrications for at least one piece of equipment.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein for each scheduled lubrication said report further includes at least:

an identification of a piece of equipment;

a lubricant to be applied; and

a method of lubrication.

15. A method according to claim 11, further comprising surveying equipment at a customer location, collecting said particulars of said equipment at said customer location, and providing said collected particulars to said remote computer.