Lubrication – Systems – With measuring or metering value system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-20
2001-02-20
Fenstermacher, David (Department: 3682)
Lubrication
Systems
With measuring or metering value system
C184S067000, C184S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189656
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lubricant supply system for continuously and automatically lubricating machine parts, especially bearings, comprising a housing connectable to the machine to be lubricated in which a lubricant reservoir and a device for a metered supply of the lubricant are arranged.
Lubricant supply systems of the aforementioned kind are known in a plurality of embodiments in the prior art. German patent application DE-A1 195 44 692 discloses, for example, a lubricant supply system with electromotor-driven supply of lubricant to a machine. This lubricant supply system is used to lubricate machine or device parts which are difficult to access or very remote or which are of a design requiring shutdown of the machine for lubrication. In order to provide for a continuous lubrication of machine or device parts, the lubricant supply systems of the aforementioned kind are connected to the machines to be lubricated. Lubricant is then supplied in a metered amount to the machine by a drive system that is based on a gas generator or an electromotor. Depending upon the adjusted amount to be supplied, the lubricant reservoir of a lubricant supply system can, for example, ensure continuous lubrication for up to one year. In addition to a fixed adjustment of a single metering program, lubricant supply systems are also known in practice which can be set to an alternative lubrication program by adjusting the gear ratio. A disadvantage of such known lubricant supply systems is that, for adjusting the system to a different lubricant supply program, the lubricant supply system must be demounted and manually adjusted. For this purpose, depending upon the type of machine, the machine must be shut down or the lubrication process must be interrupted for a certain amount of time.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to design a lubricant supply system of the aforementioned kind such that a flexible adjustment to different lubricant supply systems is possible without requiring a machine shutdown, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, the system for supplying a lubricant is provided with a control device for a variable operation of the supply system and the control device comprises a receiver for receiving by wireless remote transmission operating and/or service data to be transmitted to the control device.
By employing a control device that can be accessed by wireless remote date transmission, it is possible for the first time to change the lubricant supply program of a lubricant supply system by a central control unit without requiring manual adjustment of the individual lubricant supply systems. With such a remote-controlled adjustment of the lubricant supply systems, machine downtimes or interruptions of the lubricant supply, as has been required in the past, are no longer needed so that the use of the inventive lubricant supply system provides for a considerable operational improvement and cost reduction.
According to a preferred embodiment, the control device comprises in addition a sender for a wireless remote transmission of data to a central control unit. With this additional provision of a sender, a direct communication between the central control unit and each individual lubricant supply system is possible. For example, in this manner data relating to the filling level of the lubricant reservoir and/or the drive of the metering device and/or the proper function of the pump or metering device can be monitored.
The wireless remote data transmission inventively is realized in an advantageous manner by infrared or high frequency (HF) signal transmission.
In order to ensure smooth operation of the lubricant supply system, it is inventively suggested that the sender of the control device periodically transmits the actual or current operational and service data to the central control unit so that by comparison of the actual value to the nominal or preset value in the central control unit a continuous monitoring of the operation of the lubricant supply system is realized.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the device for metering the lubricant is embodied as a pump device or a piston device each operated by an electromotor. These electromotor-driven metering devices are usually supplied with energy by batteries which are to be introduced into the housing of the lubricant supply system. When employing such drives for the metering device, it is of course also possible to monitor the charge level of the batteries via the control device.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, the device for metering the lubricant is embodied as a pump device or a piston device driven by a gas generator. This gas generator which is known in the prior art, operates such that two chemical substances are brought into contact with one another and, during the course of the chemical reaction, produce a gas. This gas generation produces a pressure within a closed housing of the lubricant supply system which is used for operating the pump device or the piston device. Of course, it is also possible to employ a compressed gas for driving the pump or piston device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5743231 (1998-04-01), Reindsa
patent: 5782315 (1998-07-01), Reindsa
patent: 5921350 (1999-07-01), Tsai
patent: 6008724 (1999-12-01), Thompson
patent: 195 44 692 A1 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 0 374 958 (1990-06-01), None
patent: 2 307 954 (1997-06-01), None
Follert Wolfgang
Morgenstern Garhard
De Limon Fluhme GmbH
Fenstermacher David
Robert W. Becker & Associates
LandOfFree
Lubricant supply system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Lubricant supply system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Lubricant supply system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2558776