Method in and device for the manual lubrication of a plurality of lubrication points

• US 6,997,286 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Assalub AB
• Original Assignee: Assalub AB
• Inventors: Funck, Paer-Olof, Rehn, Niklas
• Primary Examiner(s): FENSTERMACHER, DAVID MORGAN
• Application Number:
  US10/009,165
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• Field of Search: 189/7.4, 189/6, 189/105.1, 189/1.5, 222/14, 222/282
• US Class Current: 184/105.2
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 29/02 for influencing the supply of lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 7/38 with a separate pump; Central lubrication systems

Abstract

A method and a device for the manual lubrication of a plurality of lubrication points with a quantity of lubricant individually predetermined for each lubrication point. The lubrication points are provided with individual identification elements. Information on the quantity of lubricant that is to be administered to each individual lubrication point in each instance of lubrication is stored in a memory. During lubrication, the lubrication point is identified and information on the predetermined quantity of lubricant is retrieved from the memory, following which lubricant is administered to the lubrication point. Information on the lubrication carried out and the time thereof is stored in the memory. The device includes a lubricant gun with a lubricant reservoir, a pump device, a measuring device with indicating element and a nozzle.

Claims

1. A system for manual lubrication of an apparatus having a plurality of lubrication points with a quantity of lubricant individually predetermined for each lubrication point, wherein

the lubrication points of the apparatus are provided with an-identification element, based upon which information on the quantity of lubricant that is to be administered to each individual lubrication point in each instance of lubrication is retrievable from a fixed computer memory, wherein

the lubricant is delivered by a lubricant gun having a lubrication nozzle adapted for contacting a single lubrication point at a time, and wherein,

in the lubrication of a lubrication point of the apparatus, the identification element associated with the lubrication point is detected by a lubrication point identification device arranged at the lubrication nozzle and information on the predetermined quantity of lubricant for the lubrication point identified is retrieved from the fixed computer memory,

following which the quantity of lubricant is administered to the lubrication point, and information on the lubrication carried out is stored in the fixed computer memory.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein, in connection with a planned lubrication round, information on the quantities of lubricant for each individual lubrication point stored in the fixed computer memory is transmitted from the fixed computer memory to a second, mobile memory and that, after carrying out the lubrication round, the information is transmitted from the mobile memory to the fixed computer memory.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein, on identification of an individual lubrication point, the quantity of lubricant is shown that is to be administered to the lubrication point in question and that, when the quantity has been administered, the administration is shown and/or indicated by audible means.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein a list of lubrication points visited during a lubrication round and the quantity of lubricant individually administered to each lubrication point is retrieved from the fixed computer memory.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the time for a subsequent lubrication round and information on the quantity of lubricant for the individual lubrication points is calculated from information stored in the memory.

6. A device for manual lubrication of an apparatus having a plurality of lubrication points with a quantity of lubricant individually predetermined for each lubrication point, wherein the device comprises:

an identification element unique to the lubrication point at each lubrication point of the apparatus,

a lubricant gun with a lubricant reservoir, which is connected by way of a pump device and a measuring device with indicating element to a nozzle adapted for contacting a single lubrication point at a time, and

a control element connected to the measuring device and the pump device, connected to which control element is a mobile memory containing stored data on the lubrication requirement of each individual lubrication point of the apparatus, with which mobile memory the lubricant gun is designed to communicate for transfer to the control element of a lubricant quantity specification for each separate lubrication point and for feeding information stored in the control element on the lubrication carried out at the individual lubrication points,

and a lubrication point identification device arranged in connection with the nozzle and designed, when the nozzle is connected to a lubrication point, to automatically identify the lubrication point in question and its lubrication requirement by means of the identification element, together with means for storing in the mobile memory data on the quantity of lubricant administered to the lubrication point in question in each lubrication operation.

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the device comprises communications equipment designed to achieve communication between the control element and a fixed computer.

8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the communications equipment is radio communications equipment.

9. Device according to claim 7, wherein the control element comprises mobile memory elements designed to store the data and information for a time interval between a beginning and end of one lubrication round and wherein the mobile memory elements are designed to communicate with the fixed computer memory.

10. A lubricant gun for manual lubrication of an apparatus having a plurality of lubrication points with a quantity of lubricant individually predetermined for each lubrication point, the lubricant gun comprising:

a lubrication nozzle adapted for contacting a single lubrication point at a time, that is adapted to be connected, by way of a pump device, to a lubricant reservoir;

a measuring device adapted for measuring an amount of fed lubricant;

a control element connected to the measuring device and the pump device;

a mobile memory connected to the control element and containing stored data on a lubrication requirement of each individual lubrication point of the apparatus; and

a lubrication point identification device arranged in connection with the nozzle and adapted, when the nozzle is connected to one of the plurality of lubrication points, to automatically identify the lubrication point and associated lubrication requirement using an identification element unique to the lubrication point;

wherein the mobile memory communicates to the control element a lubricant quantity specification for each one of the plurality of lubrication points, and feeding information stored in the control element on the lubrication carried out at each one of the plurality of lubrication points is stored in the mobile memory.