Lubrication control system

Abstract

A lubrication control system (10) for controlling a pump (2) of a central lubrication system (1) is disclosed, wherein the central lubrication system (1) has the pump (2) and a distributor (6), wherein the distributor (6) has at least one outlet (8) with a piston and an inlet, wherein the inlet is connected to the pump (2), wherein the pump (2) is arranged to supply lubricant to the distributor (6) during a lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4), wherein the lubrication control system (10) is arranged to start the pump (2) at the start of the lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4) and to receive an input signal (14) during the lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4), wherein the input signal (14) is indicative of a number of piston strokes performed by the piston of the distributor (6) during the lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4), wherein the lubrication control system (10) is further arranged to output an output control signal (12) to the pump (2) based on the input signal (14) and a predetermined number (X) of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4), wherein the output control signal (12) causes the pump (2) to start and / or deactivate the pump (2).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a lubrication control system and a method for controlling a lubrication system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In various technical systems, it is necessary to lubricate the present components, such as bearings. For this purpose, a lubrication system can be used to ensure that the required amount of lubricant is obtained in the right place.

[0003] For this purpose, a central lubrication system can be used, which has a pump and a distributor. When the pump or the motor of the pump is started, lubricant is pumped through a lubrication line to the inlet of the distributor. The distributor is then responsible for distributing the received lubricant to the individual lubrication points. The distributor can have one or more outlets, each outlet having one outlet piston, wherein each outlet of the lubrication points precisely carries the required amount of lubricant. This amount is predefined, and the size of the distributor and its outlets is also accordingly.

[0004] After starting the pump, the lubricant is transported from the pump to the distributor and in turn to the outlets. As soon as the delivery chamber of the piston of the first outlet is filled with lubricant, the piston is moved by the pressure of the lubricant, and the amount of lubricant contained therein is discharged from the delivery chamber of the piston. With each piston stroke, the amount of lubricant injected at the outlet is determined by the size and volume of the delivery chamber of the piston and is determined when the size of the lubrication system is determined. After the piston of the first outlet has been moved, the second piston is moved and the lubricant located in the associated delivery chamber is discharged, then the third piston, etc. If all the pistons of all the outlets have been operated, the distributor will start again to release lubricant through the first outlet and then in turn through all the subsequent outlets.

[0005] In principle, the lubricant must be reliably output by the central lubrication system to the connected technical system or its components to ensure sufficient lubrication of the individual components. However, this regulated supply of lubricant depends on many external factors, which are sometimes unpredictable, such as the temperature or malfunctions of the lubrication system, which can change, in particular during the operation of the lubrication system. SUMMARY

[0006] The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a lubrication control system which allows easy monitoring and correction of the lubrication system during operation.

[0007] In order to be able to safely control the central lubrication system and to adjust it if necessary, a lubrication control system is provided to control the pump of the central lubrication system.

[0008] A central lubrication system has a pump and a distributor, where the distributor has at least one outlet with a piston and an inlet, where the inlet is connected to the pump. When the pump is activated, it builds up pressure and pumps lubricant through the inlet to the distributor. The distributor distributes lubricant through the at least one outlet to the points in the technical system that are to be lubricated. Each outlet or each outlet pair, if the outlets are arranged in pairs, has a piston with a defined delivery chamber in order to be able to deliver a specific amount of lubricant precisely to each lubrication point. The distribution of lubricant to the outlets of the distributor takes place sequentially, as described above.

[0009] The period of lubrication can be divided into a number of lubrication cycles of equal length. The pump is arranged to deliver lubricant to the distributor during the lubrication cycle as long as it is activated. If there is enough lubricant in the delivery chamber of the piston from one of the outlets, the piston is moved by the pressure of the lubricant and the amount of lubricant contained in front of the piston is delivered to the component that is to be lubricated. The amount of lubricant contained in front of the piston is defined by the volume of the delivery chamber of the piston, as described above. If the central lubrication system is installed in an application, the volume of the delivery chamber of the piston of each outlet and the corresponding number of piston strokes can be used to precisely define how much lubricant is supplied to a specific component.

[0010] The lubrication cycle can last for any time (e.g. weeks, days, hours, minutes) and at the start of the lubrication cycle the lubrication control system activates the pump of the central lubrication system, which delivers lubricant to the distributor, which in turn delivers to the pistons. Depending on the connected components that are to be lubricated, the lubrication cycle can have different lengths. In each lubrication cycle, a predetermined number of piston strokes can be performed. For example, two piston strokes can be required in the lubrication cycle, which means that the pistons of each outlet or outlet pair are operated twice.

[0011] For monitoring the system, only one of the outlets of the distributor or one of the pistons is monitored. Preferably, the last piston can be monitored, i.e. the piston that is last and activated during the distribution of lubricant in the distributor. If another piston is monitored, it will become the "last" piston, since it will be deactivated when the pump has completed the required number of piston strokes. For each lubrication cycle, a predetermined number of piston strokes is defined for the monitored piston (and thus also for all other pistons), which corresponds to the amount of lubricant required by the respective component that is supplied through the piston. It is predefined how many piston strokes are required in the lubrication cycle for the component associated with the piston in order to supply the required amount of lubricant to the component. It should be noted that the piston is always understood in the following text to be the piston of an outlet pair of the distributor. Furthermore, only the monitoring of one piston is described, but this can be any piston of the distributor.

[0012] During operation of the system, the lubrication control system receives an input signal, which is indicative of the number of piston strokes performed during a lubrication cycle. A piston detector is provided on the monitored piston, which detects the movement of the piston and forwards a corresponding input signal to the lubrication control system. Based on the input signal and the predetermined number of piston strokes per lubrication cycle, the lubrication control system can issue an output control signal to the pump. This output control signal ensures that the pump remains activated or that it is deactivated. In this way, the lubrication control system can flexibly react to the number of piston strokes performed in a lubrication cycle. Thus, the inertia of the entire lubrication system can be taken into account. For example, it can be taken into account whether the lubricant flows slower or faster due to the current temperature, or whether there is a long supply line between the pump and the distributor, so that the lubricant can continue to run despite the pump having been switched off. Thus, the control of the pump by the lubrication control system can be adjusted in each lubrication cycle. Furthermore, different inertias in different lubrication systems are also reacted to.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the lubrication control system is arranged to deactivate the pump if the number of piston strokes performed during a lubrication cycle corresponds to the predetermined number of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle. Thus, if the required amount of lubricant has been supplied to the component by the performed piston strokes, the lubrication control system deactivates the pump to stop the flow of lubricant to the component. The time at which the pump is deactivated can vary from lubrication cycle to lubrication cycle. In this way, flexible reactions to differences in lubricant flow can be made, which are caused, for example, by external factors such as temperature, etc.

[0014] According to another embodiment, the input signal is a counter value, wherein the counter value is set to a negative value of the predetermined number of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle at the start of the first lubrication cycle. To calculate the performed piston strokes, the lubrication control system is arranged to increase the counter value by 1 for each piston stroke per lubrication cycle. For example, if three piston strokes are to be performed in a lubrication cycle, the counter value is set to -3 at the start of the first lubrication cycle. For each piston stroke, the counter value is then increased by 1, i.e. with the first piston stroke performed, the counter value is equal to -2, with the second piston stroke, the counter value is set to -1, and with the third piston stroke, the counter value is set to 0. If the counter value is 0, the lubrication control system will deactivate the pump, as the specified number of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle has been reached. If the counter value at the end of the lubrication cycle is less than 0, the pump will not be deactivated in this lubrication cycle, so that it does not need to be activated in the next lubrication cycle, as it will continue to run until the required piston strokes are reached.

[0015] In the second lubrication cycle and / or in further lubrication cycles, the lubrication control system is arranged to decrease the counter value by a specified number of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle. If the predetermined number of piston strokes per lubrication cycle is reached in the first lubrication cycle, i.e. the counter value is equal to 0 at the end of the first lubrication cycle, the new counter value is again set to the number of piston strokes to be performed. In the previous example, the counter value is set back to -3. In each lubrication cycle, the counter value is then again increased by 1 for each piston stroke performed.

[0016] If the predetermined number of piston strokes to be performed is not reached in the first lubrication cycle, the counter value at the start of the second lubrication cycle is not equal to 0, but for example equal to -1. This means that the counter value in the second lubrication cycle is not set to -3, but to -4. The advantage of this is that the lubrication control system can be used to adjust the lubrication in multiple lubrication cycles. If too few piston strokes are performed in the first lubrication cycle, more piston strokes than initially intended must be performed in the second lubrication cycle in order to return to the correct amount of lubricant. If not enough piston strokes are performed in the second lubrication cycle to set the counter value to 0, this means that more piston strokes than initially intended must be performed in the next lubrication cycle.

[0017] In general, the system should level out over multiple lubrication cycles. If this is not the case, the counter value will be below the threshold value. In this case, the lubrication control system can issue an error message, for example indicating that the lubrication behavior cannot level out over multiple lubrication cycles. In this case, external intervention can be required. The lubrication system can then for example be run in an emergency lubrication mode until the lubrication system levels out again or no signal is received from the piston indicating piston movement. In these cases, the lubrication pump can be switched off.

[0018] It is also possible that more piston strokes are performed in a lubrication cycle than intended. In this case, the counter value will be greater than 0, for example 1, after the first lubrication cycle. This can occur, for example, if the inertia of the lubrication system causes enough time to elapse between the detection that the counter value is equal to 0 and the actual deactivation of the pump, so that more lubricant has been pumped into the distributor and thus a further piston stroke has occurred. If three piston strokes are to be performed, the counter value will therefore be set to -2 in the second lubrication cycle only, so that only two piston strokes are performed in the second lubrication cycle instead of the three that were actually intended.

[0019] In this case, the system should also level out over several lubrication cycles. If this is not the case, the counter value will exceed the threshold value, in which case the lubrication control system will also issue an error message.

[0020] For example, if the motor of the pump fails, for example if it is permanently activated, even though it actually should be switched off, an over-lubrication beyond the threshold value occurs. If the pump is switched off, an over-lubrication also occurs, but the lubricant continues to run for a certain period of time even after the pump has been switched off, which can occur for example due to the ambient temperature and the lubricant. An under-lubrication occurs for example if the lubrication line between the pump and the distributor is broken and the lubricant is not sufficiently supplied to the distributor, or if a blockage of the lubrication system occurs.

[0021] By controlling based on the number of performed piston strokes and the predetermined number of piston strokes, this is taken into account in a plurality of lubrication cycles, so that it is possible to achieve an automatic balancing of the lubrication, which in particular is able to react to temperature changes which influence the lubrication, for example between summer and winter. At the same time, actual faults of the lubrication system, such as a failure of the pump or a breakage of the lubrication line, can also be detected by means of the constantly increasing or decreasing counter value and can be reacted to accordingly.

[0022] The input signal and / or the output control signal can be a binary signal. This is particularly advantageous, since it allows a very simple signal processing. In particular, here only the rising or falling flank of the signal has to be detected, which indicates the switching off or on of the pump, the piston stroke, etc. The signal does not have to be further interpreted. Preferably, the negative flank of the signal is evaluated in order to avoid false signals due to a "floating" of the piston. Such false signals occur if the piston does not move completely.

[0023] According to a further embodiment, the lubrication control system is set up to receive a user input defining a lubricant quantity to be dispensed by the distributor and to increase or decrease the specified number of piston strokes based on the lubricant quantity to be dispensed. The user input can also be used in response to the desire of a user who wants a higher or lower lubricant quantity. In particular, the user input can specify a percentage by which the lubricant quantity to be dispensed is to be increased or decreased. The lubrication control system can convert this value into piston strokes by adjusting the number of piston strokes accordingly. Furthermore, the duration of the lubrication cycle can also be adjusted if necessary.

[0024] For example, the user input can be converted into a correction factor KF. This correction factor KF can then be used to adjust the previous lubricant quantity of a particular customer, or the number of piston strokes corresponding to the lubricant quantity, wherein KF is calculated as follows:

[0025] KF = 1 + (KW / 100) (1)

[0026] wherein KW is the percentage of increase.

[0027] The previous counter value is then corrected by the correction factor:

[0028] C new = C*KF (2)

[0029] If in the calculation of (2) an integer number of piston strokes has been determined, the number of piston strokes can simply be adjusted accordingly. However, if there is a fraction, the lubrication cycle still needs to be adjusted accordingly in order to return to an integer number of piston strokes per lubrication cycle.

[0030] To this end, the new counter value is first rounded off, then C rounded .

[0031] The new duration of the lubrication cycle P is then calculated:

[0032] P new = P * C rounded / C new (3)

[0033] For example, if the lubricant amount is increased by 25%, KF is calculated as follows:

[0034] KF = 1 + (25 / 100) = 1.25 (1)

[0035] For example, if the previous counter value was 2, the new counter value is C new according to:

[0036] C new = 2 * 1.25 = 2.5 (2)

[0037] Since in this case the calculation of (2) has a non-integer number of piston strokes, the lubrication cycle still needs to be adjusted accordingly in order to return to an integer number of piston strokes per lubrication cycle:

[0038] C rounded = 3

[0039] Subsequently, the new duration of the lubrication cycle P is calculated, where the previous duration P was 60 s, for example:

[0040] P new = 60 * 3 / 2.5 = 72

[0041] Thus, the new duration of the lubrication cycle can be set to 72 s.

[0042] According to another embodiment, the lubrication control system is arranged to monitor the start-up time of the pump and to deactivate the pump if the start-up time of the pump exceeds a predetermined duration. In order to ensure that the pump does not overheat, the pump start-up time can be monitored. If the start-up time of the pump, i.e. the time during which the pump is running, exceeds a predetermined duration, the lubrication control system can deactivate the pump to allow the pump to cool down.

[0043] According to another aspect, a method for controlling a pump of a central lubrication system is presented. The method has the steps of starting the pump at the beginning of a lubrication cycle, receiving an input signal during the lubrication cycle, wherein the input signal is indicative of a number of piston strokes performed during the lubrication cycle, and issuing an output control signal to the pump based on the input signal and a predetermined number of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle, wherein the output control signal causes the pump to start and / or deactivate the pump.

[0044] The embodiments and features described with respect to the presented system apply accordingly to the presented method.

[0045] Furthermore, a computer program product is presented having program code designed to cause the above-mentioned method to be executed on a computer.

[0046] The computer program product, such as the computer program means, can be provided or transmitted as a storage medium, such as a memory card, a USB stick, a CD-ROM, a DVD, or in the form of a file downloadable from a server on a network. This can be done, for example, in a wireless communication network by transmitting the respective file with the computer program product or computer program means.

[0047] Further advantages and advantageous embodiments are indicated in the description, the figures. In particular, the combination of the features specified in the description and the figures is purely exemplary, so that the features can also exist individually or in different combinations.

[0048] In the following, the application will be described in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. The exemplary embodiments and the combinations indicated in the exemplary embodiments are purely exemplary and should not determine the scope of protection of the application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0049] In the drawings:

[0050] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of a lubrication control system and a central lubrication system is shown;

[0051] Figure 2 A flow diagram of a normal operation of a lubrication control system is shown;

[0052] Figure 3 A flow diagram of an operation of a lubrication control system with over-lubrication is shown; and

[0053] Figure 4 A flow diagram of an operation of a lubrication control system with under-lubrication is shown.

[0054] In the following, identical or functionally identical elements are denoted by identical reference signs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] Figure 1A schematic block diagram of a central lubrication system 1 is shown. The central lubrication system 1 has a pump 2 which pumps lubricant from a lubricant reservoir 4 to a distributor 6. When the pump 2 is activated, for example by a pump motor 3, it continuously pumps lubricant to the distributor 6 until it is deactivated again. In the distributor 6, the lubricant is sequentially delivered to one or more outlets 8. In the example shown, a piston (not shown) is always arranged between pairs of outlets. A first piston is moved in the distributor 6 and the lubricant in the delivery chamber is injected via the designated outlet 8 to the component (not shown) to be lubricated. Subsequently, a second piston is moved in the distributor 6 and the lubricant in the delivery chamber is injected via the relevant outlet 8 to the component (not shown) to be lubricated, etc. A piston detector 9 is provided on one of the pistons 8 to detect the movement of the respective piston 8.

[0056] In order to control the lubricant flow to the components, the pump 2 is connected to a lubrication control system 10. The lubrication control system 10 controls the pump 2 by outputting a control signal 12, or activates and deactivates the motor 3. In a number of successive lubrication cycles, the lubrication control system 10 activates the pump 2 at the start of each lubrication cycle if the pump 2 is deactivated, or allows the pump 2 to continue running if the pump 2 is still activated. The pump 2 then pumps lubricant from the lubricant reservoir 4 to the distributor 6, and thus to the pistons 8. The distribution of lubricant to all pistons or lubricant outlets 8 is carried out by the distributor 6. In order to control and monitor the lubrication system 1, one of the pistons is monitored by the piston detector 9. More precisely, the number of piston strokes of the monitored piston 8 is communicated to the lubrication control system 10 by an input signal 14.

[0057] After a planned number of piston strokes, the lubrication control system 10 outputs the control signal 12 to deactivate the pump 2. After the end of the first lubrication cycle, the next lubrication cycle starts in which the pump 2 is activated in turn by the lubrication control system 10, or alternatively remains activated, as described below.

[0058] Figures 2 to 4 Various examples of the operation of the lubrication control system 10 are now described. Figure 2 A normal operation of the lubrication control system 10 is shown, Figure 3 An over-lubrication is shown, Figure 4 An under-lubrication is shown.

[0059] In Figure 2In this case, four lubrication cycles P1 to P4 are shown, in which in each lubrication cycle P1 to P4 the predetermined number X of piston strokes is equal to 2. Thus, at the beginning of each lubrication cycle, the counter value C is reduced by the expected number X of piston strokes, i.e. in normal operation the counter value C is reduced by the value X at the beginning of each lubrication cycle, thus the value 2 is subtracted from the current counter value C. It can be seen that the pump is first activated by the output control signal 12 (the pump starting is shown by the dashed line). With the execution of each piston stroke, the input signal 14 is sent to the lubrication control system 10, which then increases the counter value C by one accordingly. If the counter value C has the value 0 after the increase by one, the pump 2 is deactivated.

[0060] It can be seen that in the lubrication cycle P1 the counter value -2 is set to -1 after the first piston stroke and to 0 after the second piston stroke. At the beginning of the next lubrication cycle P2, the counter value is again reduced by 2, set to -1 by the first piston stroke and to 0 by the second piston stroke, etc. As shown, the piston strokes are performed at different times in different lubrication cycles. This can depend on various factors, such as the length of the line between the pump 2 and the distributor 6 or the current viscosity of the lubricant. However, normal operation occurs in each lubrication cycle and the expected number of piston strokes is performed in each lubrication cycle. Figure 2

[0061] The first piston stroke, the second piston stroke, etc. always refer to the piston stroke of a single piston 8 of the distributor 6, since only one piston 8 is monitored.

[0062] Excessive lubrication or under-lubrication can be caused by external factors, such as temperature, and by the liquid being too thick or too thin, due to the lubricant or even due to a defect in the lubrication system, for example if a lubrication line is broken or clogged. Figure 3 and 4 It is shown how the lubrication control system can compensate for such excessive lubrication or under-lubrication.

[0063] Figure 3 The case of excessive lubrication compensation is shown. As in normal operation, in the lubrication cycle P1 the counter value C is first set from 0 to -2, since the number X of piston strokes expected per lubrication cycle is equal to 2. The lubrication control system 10 first activates the pump in the first lubrication cycle P1 by the output control signal 12. After two piston strokes, the counter value is equal to 0 and the pump is deactivated. However, even though the pump is deactivated, another piston stroke occurs (for example due to the inertia of the system, so that even though the pump has been deactivated, lubricant is delivered to the piston), whereby the counter value C is increased from 0 to 1. This can be the case, for example, although the pump is turned off, the lubricant continues to flow and fills the piston, so that there is another unintended piston stroke.

[0064] ​In the second lubrication cycle P2, the counter value C is reduced by the number of intended piston strokes. However, since in this case the counter value C at the start of the lubrication cycle P2 is not 0, but 1, the counter value C is in this case reduced by 2, but is equal to -1 at the start of the second lubrication cycle. Therefore, only one piston stroke is performed in the second lubrication cycle P2, after which the pump is deactivated, since the counter value C is then equal to 0. In the third lubrication cycle P3, the counter value is again reduced by the number of intended piston strokes, i.e. again by 2, and the control of the pump 2 proceeds normally.

[0065] In the case of insufficient lubrication, as shown in Figure 4 , too few piston strokes are performed in the lubrication cycle, instead of too many piston strokes as shown in Figure 3 . This can be seen in Figure 4 , where in this case only one piston stroke is performed in the lubrication cycle P1. Although the pump is not deactivated here, but continues to run, the intended number of piston strokes is not reached within the predetermined time, i.e. within the first lubrication cycle.

[0066] Therefore, due to the reduction by 2, at the start of the second lubrication cycle P2 the counter value C is set to -3 instead of -2. However, in the second lubrication cycle P2, only two piston strokes are performed, which is why the counter value C is -1 at the end of the second lubrication cycle P2 instead of 0. Also in the second lubrication cycle P2, the pump is therefore not deactivated, but here either the intended number of piston strokes is not reached within the time of the second lubrication cycle. If the maximum allowed lubrication time of the pump 2 is exceeded, the motor 3 is switched off for a defined cooling time. This is, for example, 4 minutes.

[0067] In the next lubrication cycle P3, the counter value is again set to -3. In this case, in the third lubrication cycle P3, three piston strokes are performed, whereby the counter value C at the start of the fourth lubrication cycle P4 is equal to 0, and is therefore set to -2. The operation can then continue normally.

[0068] As shown in Figure 4 , the balancing of the lubrication system can also be carried out over several lubrication cycles. An error message is only issued if a critical threshold value of the counter value is reached, which can be predefined. This error message can be issued to the user to indicate a system failure that should be repaired by maintenance or the like. Therefore, small fluctuations in the lubricant flow from the piston can be compensated for by the lubrication control system 10.

[0069] Thanks to the above-described lubrication control system, it is easy to adjust and balance variations in the lubricant supply. This is achieved by monitoring the number of piston strokes and starting or deactivating the pump as a simple way of controlling the lubricant flow to the piston.

[0070] List of reference signs

[0071] 1 central lubrication system

[0072] 2 pump

[0073] 3 motor

[0074] 4 lubricant reservoir

[0075] 6 distributor

[0076] 8 outlet

[0077] 9 piston detector

[0078] 10 lubrication control system

[0079] 12 output control signal

[0080] 14 input signal

[0081] C counter value

[0082] P1, P2, P3, P4 lubrication cycle

[0083] X predetermined number of piston strokes to be performed

Claims

1. A lubrication control system (10) for controlling a pump (2) of a central lubrication system (1), wherein the central lubrication system (1) has a pump (2) and a distributor (6), wherein the distributor (6) has at least one outlet (8) with a piston and an inlet, wherein the inlet is connected to the pump (2), wherein the pump (2) is arranged to supply lubricant to the distributor (6) during a lubrication cycle (PI, P2, P3, P4), characterized in that, The lubrication control system (10) is arranged to start the pump (2) at the beginning of a lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4) and to receive an input signal (14) during the lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4), wherein the input signal (14) is indicative of a number of piston strokes performed by the piston of the dispenser (6) during the lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4), wherein the lubrication control system (10) is further arranged to output an output control signal (12) to the pump (2) based on the input signal (14) and a predetermined number (X) of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4), wherein the output control signal (12) causes the pump (2) to start and / or deactivate the pump; The lubrication control system (10) is arranged to receive a user input defining a lubricant amount to be dispensed by the dispenser (6) and to increase or decrease the predetermined number (X) of piston strokes based on the lubricant amount to be dispensed; The user input is converted into a correction factor KF; The correction factor KF is used to adjust a previous lubricant amount of a specific customer or a number of piston strokes corresponding to the lubricant amount, wherein KF is calculated as follows: KF = 1 + (KW / 100), wherein KW is a percentage of lubrication increase.

2. The lubrication control system of claim 1, wherein, The lubrication control system (10) is arranged to deactivate the pump (2) if the number of piston strokes performed during the lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4) corresponds to the predetermined number (X) of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4).

3. The lubrication control system of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The input signal (14) is a counter value (C), wherein the counter value (C) at the beginning of a first lubrication cycle (P1) is set to a negative value of the predetermined number (X) of piston strokes to be performed per lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4), and wherein the lubrication control system (10) is arranged to increase the counter value (C) by 1 per piston stroke of each lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4).

4. The lubrication control system of claim 3, wherein, The lubrication control system (10) is arranged to deactivate the pump (2) if the counter value (C) is equal to 0.

5. The lubrication control system of claim 4, wherein, The lubrication control system (10) is arranged to decrease the counter value (C) by a specified number (X) of piston strokes per lubrication cycle (P1, P2, P3, P4) in a second lubrication cycle (P2) and / or further lubrication cycles (P3, P4).

6. The lubrication control system of claim 5, wherein, The lubrication control system (10) is arranged to issue an error message when the counter value (C) is smaller or exceeds a threshold value.

7. The lubrication control system of claim 1, wherein, The input signal (14) and / or the output control signal (12) is a binary signal.

8. The lubrication control system of claim 1, wherein, The lubrication control system (10) is arranged to monitor a start-up time of the pump (2) and to deactivate the pump (2) if the start-up time of the pump (2) exceeds a specified duration.

9. A method for controlling a pump (2) of a central lubrication system (1), wherein the central lubrication system (1) has a pump (2) and a distributor (6), wherein the distributor (6) has at least one outlet (8) with a piston and an inlet, wherein the inlet is connected to the pump (2), wherein the pump (2) is arranged to supply lubricant to the distributor (6) during a lubrication cycle (PI, P2, P3, P4), characterized in that With the lubrication control system according to any one of the preceding claims, the method has the steps of starting the pump (2) at the start of a lubrication cycle (PI, P2, P3, P4), receiving an input signal (14) during the lubrication cycle (PI, P2, P3, P4), wherein the input signal (14) is indicative of a number of piston strokes performed by the piston of the distributor (6) during the lubrication cycle (PI, P2, P3, P4), and outputting an output control signal (12) to the pump (2) based on the input signal (14) and a predetermined number (X) of piston strokes per lubrication cycle (PI, P2, P3, P4), wherein the output control signal (12) causes the pump (2) to start and / or deactivate the pump (2).

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