Lubrication systems with nozzle blockage detection systems
First Claim
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1. A lubrication system for delivering a lubricant to a plurality of nozzles, comprising:
- a reservoir for the lubricant;
a pump fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to remove a flow of the lubricant from the reservoir;
a lubrication sensor positioned between the pump and the plurality of nozzles and configured to detect a blockage in the plurality of nozzles and to generate a blockage signal when the blockage is detected;
an indicator coupled to the lubrication sensor and configured to generate a warning based on the blockage signal from the lubrication sensor; and
a shuttle valve coupled to the pump for receiving the flow of the lubricant from the pump, the shuttle valve comprising a housing defining a cavity;
a shuttle positioned within the cavity to divide the cavity into a first cavity section, a second cavity section, and a third cavity section, the shuttle defining a flow passage therethrough extending between the first cavity section to the third cavity section, the shuttle further having a first position and a second position and translating from the first position to the second position when a pressure in the third cavity section exceeds a predetermined threshold;
an inlet fluidly coupled to the first cavity section; and
an outlet fluidly coupled to the third cavity section such that a flow of fluid is directed through the inlet, through the first cavity section, through the flow passage in the shuttle, through the third cavity section, and through the outlet, the outlet configured to be fluidly coupled to the plurality of nozzles; and
wherein the lubrication sensor is configured to determine when the shuttle is in the first position or the second position and to generate the blockage signal when the shuttle is in the second position.
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Abstract
A lubrication system is provided for delivering a lubricant to a plurality of nozzles. The lubrication system includes a reservoir for the lubricant; a pump fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to remove a flow of the lubricant from the reservoir; a lubrication sensor positioned between the pump and the plurality of nozzles and configured to detect a blockage in the plurality of nozzles and to generate a blockage signal when the blockage is detected; and an indicator coupled to the lubrication sensor and configured to generate a warning based on the blockage signal from the lubrication sensor.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A lubrication system for delivering a lubricant to a plurality of nozzles, comprising:
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a reservoir for the lubricant; a pump fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to remove a flow of the lubricant from the reservoir; a lubrication sensor positioned between the pump and the plurality of nozzles and configured to detect a blockage in the plurality of nozzles and to generate a blockage signal when the blockage is detected; an indicator coupled to the lubrication sensor and configured to generate a warning based on the blockage signal from the lubrication sensor; and a shuttle valve coupled to the pump for receiving the flow of the lubricant from the pump, the shuttle valve comprising a housing defining a cavity; a shuttle positioned within the cavity to divide the cavity into a first cavity section, a second cavity section, and a third cavity section, the shuttle defining a flow passage therethrough extending between the first cavity section to the third cavity section, the shuttle further having a first position and a second position and translating from the first position to the second position when a pressure in the third cavity section exceeds a predetermined threshold; an inlet fluidly coupled to the first cavity section; and
an outlet fluidly coupled to the third cavity section such that a flow of fluid is directed through the inlet, through the first cavity section, through the flow passage in the shuttle, through the third cavity section, and through the outlet, the outlet configured to be fluidly coupled to the plurality of nozzles; and
wherein the lubrication sensor is configured to determine when the shuttle is in the first position or the second position and to generate the blockage signal when the shuttle is in the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A lubrication system for delivering a lubricant to a plurality of nozzles, comprising:
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a reservoir for the lubricant; a pump fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to remove a flow of the lubricant from the reservoir; a shuttle valve coupled to the pump for receiving the flow of the lubricant from the pump, the shuttle valve comprising a housing defining a cavity; a shuttle positioned within the cavity to divide the cavity into a first cavity section, a second cavity section, and a third cavity section, the shuttle defining a flow passage therethrough extending between the first cavity section to the third cavity section, the shuttle further having a first position and a second position and translating from the first position to the second position when a pressure in the third cavity section exceeds a predetermined threshold; an inlet fluidly coupled to the first cavity section;
an outlet fluidly coupled to the third cavity section such that a flow of fluid is directed through the inlet, through the first cavity section, through the flow passage in the shuttle, through the third cavity section, and through the outlet, the outlet configured to be fluidly coupled to the plurality of nozzles;a first port fluidly coupled to the first cavity section when the shuttle is in the first position and to the second cavity section when the shuttle is in the second position; and a second port fluidly coupled to the second cavity section when the shuttle is in the first position and the second position; a sump fluidly coupled to the second port;
a low pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the first port such that the low pressure sensor is fluidly coupled to the first cavity section when the shuttle is in the first position and is fluidly coupled to the second cavity section and the sump when the shuttle is in the second position, the second cavity section having a lower pressure than the first cavity section to activate the low pressure sensor when the shuttle is in the second position; and
an indicator coupled to the low pressure sensor and configured to provide a signal to an operator when the low pressure sensor is activated.
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Specification