Method and instrument for determining the condition of an operating bearing
First Claim
1. A method for determining the lubricational condition of an operating rolling element bearing comprising the steps of providing a lubricated control bearing having physical characteristics substantially matching the physical characteristics of the operating bearing, running the control bearing, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements of the running control bearing, determining the elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameter of the running control bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the running control bearing, establishing a schedule of occurring shocks and elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameters, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements of the operating bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the operating bearing, and determining the elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameter of the operating bearing from said established schedule.
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Abstract
A method and system for determining the lubricational condition of an operating rolling element bearing utilizing a shock pulse measuring technique. A schedule of occurring shock pulses and lubricant film parameters for a running rolling element control bearing is established. The magnitude of occurring shocks within the operating bearing is determined and the lubricational condition of the operating bearing determined with reference to the established schedule. A programed shock pulse measuring instrument provides direct output of information relative to the lubricational condition of an operating bearing.
41 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. A method for determining the lubricational condition of an operating rolling element bearing comprising the steps of providing a lubricated control bearing having physical characteristics substantially matching the physical characteristics of the operating bearing, running the control bearing, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements of the running control bearing, determining the elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameter of the running control bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the running control bearing, establishing a schedule of occurring shocks and elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameters, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements of the operating bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the operating bearing, and determining the elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameter of the operating bearing from said established schedule.
- 2. A method for determining the lubricational condition of an operating rolling element bearing comprising the steps of providing a control bearing having physical characteristics substantially matching the physical characteristics of the operating bearing, running the control bearing in a lubricated condition, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements of the lubricated running control bearing, determining the elastrohydrodynamic lubricant film parameter of the lubricated running control bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the lubricated running control bearing, running the control bearing in an unlubricated condition, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements in the unlubricated running control bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the unlubricated running control bearing, establishing a schedule of differences in magnitude of occuring shock pulses within the lubricated and unlubricated running control bearing and elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameters of the lubricated running control bearing corresponding to various relative rolling velocities of the rolling elements of the control bearing, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements in the operating bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the operating bearing, and determining the elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameter of the operating bearing from the established schedule.
- 3. A method for determining the lubricational condition of an operating rolling element bearing comprising the steps of providing a control bearing having physical characteristics substantially matching the physical characteristics of the operating bearing, running the control bearing in a lubricated condition, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements of the lubricated running control bearing, determining the central elastrohydrodynamic lubricant film thickness of the lubricated running control bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the lubricated running control bearing, running the control bearing in an unlubricated condition determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements in the unlubricated running control bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the unlubricated running control bearing, establishing a schedule of differences in magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the lubricated and unlubricated running control bearing and central elastohydrodynamic lubricant film thickness of the lubricated running control bearing corresponding to various relative rolling velocities of the rolling elements of the control bearing, determining the relative rolling velocity of the rolling elements in the operating bearing, determining the magnitude of occurring shock pulses within the operating bearing, and determining the central elastohydrodynamic lubricant film thickness of the operating bearing from the established schedule.
- 13. A system for determining and indicating the lubricational condition of an operating bearing comprising transducer means for converting vibrations within the operating bearing into oscillatory electrical signals and shocks occurring within the operating bearing into oscillatory electric transient signals, means for discriminating between said oscillatory electric signals and said transient signals, means for analyzing said transient signals and providing information output, memory means for containing a schedule of occurring shocks and corresponding elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameter information, means for comparing said information output from said analyzing means with said information contained within said memory means, and signal means for providing an output signal indicative of the elastohydrodynamic lubricant film parameter of the lubricant in said operating bearing when said information output from said analyzing means corresponds to information contained in said memory means.
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14. A system for determining and indicating the lubricational condition of an operating bearing comprising transducer means for converting vibrations within the operating bearing into oscillatory electrical signals and shocks occurring within the operating bearing into oscillatory electric transient signals, means for discriminating between said oscillatory electric signals and said transient signals, means for analyzing said transient signals and providing information output, memory means for containing a schedule of occurring shocks and corresponding central elastohydrodynamic lubricant film thickness information, means for comparing said information output from said analyzing means with said information contained within said memory means, and signal means for providing an output signal indicative of the central elastohydrodynamic lubricant film thickness of the lubricant in said operating bearing when said information output from said analyzing means corresponds to information contained in said memory means.
Specification