Method of controlling bearing lubrication system
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant;
providing a quantity of the lubricant in the free volume;
providing at least one sensor configured to measure at least one parameter affecting a degradation rate at which the lubricant will degrade and to produce at least one output signal indicative of the measured at least one parameter, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a speed of the bearing and a moisture content of the lubricant;
providing a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing;
providing a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor and configured to control the pump based the received at least one output signal; and
controlling the pump based on a function of the received at least one output signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant, providing a quantity of the lubricant in the free volume, and providing a sensor configured to measure at least one parameter affecting a degradation rate at which the lubricant will degrade and to produce at least one output signal indicative of the measured at least one parameter. The method also includes providing a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing, providing a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor and configured to control the pump based the received at least one output signal, and controlling the pump based on a function of the received at least one output signal.
50 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant; providing a quantity of the lubricant in the free volume; providing at least one sensor configured to measure at least one parameter affecting a degradation rate at which the lubricant will degrade and to produce at least one output signal indicative of the measured at least one parameter, wherein the at least one parameter comprises a speed of the bearing and a moisture content of the lubricant; providing a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing; providing a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor and configured to control the pump based the received at least one output signal; and controlling the pump based on a function of the received at least one output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method comprising:
-
providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant; providing a quantity of the lubricant in the free volume; providing a sensor configured to measure at least one parameter affecting a degradation rate at which the lubricant will degrade and to produce at least one output signal indicative of the measured at least one parameter; providing a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing; providing a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor and configured to control the pump based the received at least one output signal; controlling the pump based on a function of the received at least one output signal, and determining, based on the at least one measured parameter the degradation rate of the lubricant, wherein controlling the pump comprises causing the pump to pump lubricant into the bearing housing based on the determined degradation rate, wherein the at least one parameter affecting a rate at which the lubricant will degrade comprises a property of the lubricant, and wherein the at least one parameter comprises a moisture content of the lubricant.
-
-
14. A method comprising:
-
providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant; placing the lubricant in the free volume; providing a sensor configured to measure a moisture content of the lubricant and to produce at least one output signal indicative the measured moisture content; providing a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing; providing a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor, determine from the at least one output signal whether the moisture level is above or below a first level and control the pump based on the determined moisture level, and pumping lubricant into the bearing housing at a first rate in response to a determination that the moisture content is below a first level and pumping lubricant into the bearing housing at a second rate, greater than the first rate, in response to a determination that the moisture content is at or above the first level. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
Specification