System for the oil-air lubrication of rolling bearings

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (1) for the oil-air lubrication of rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11), comprising: a lubrication unit (2) having a unit controller (3), a data interface (4), a storage tank (5) for lubricant and lubrication ports (6); lubricant lines (7) which extend from the lubrication ports (6) to the rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11); a memory unit (20, 21) in which lubrication parameter data for at least one of the rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11) are stored; and a data connection (22) for transmitting the lubrication parameter data to the data interface (4) of the lubrication unit (2). The unit controller (3) is designed to lubricate the rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11) on the basis of the lubrication parameter data.

Description

[0001] System for oil-air lubrication of rolling bearings

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] The invention relates to a system for oil-air lubrication of rolling bearings.

[0004] It has long been known as state of the art to support rotating elements in mechanical and plant engineering using rolling bearings. It is also known to supply these rolling bearings with lubricant (e.g., an oil-air mixture) during operation using a lubrication unit to increase the service life of the rolling bearings. However, the optimal lubricant quantity and lubrication times vary depending on the type of bearing and the operating parameters.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of offering a system for oil-air lubrication of rolling bearings, which enables lubrication to be individually adapted to the respective bearing location.

[0006] This object is achieved by a system having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

[0007] The system according to the invention for oil-air lubrication of rolling bearings comprises a lubrication unit, lubricant lines, and a storage unit. The lubrication unit has a unit control, a data interface, a lubricant storage tank, and lubrication point connections. The lubricant lines extend from the lubrication point connections to the rolling bearings. Lubrication parameter data for at least one of the rolling bearings to be lubricated is stored in the storage unit. Furthermore, the system has a data connection for transmitting the lubrication parameter data to the data interface of the lubrication unit, and the unit control of the lubrication unit is configured to lubricate the rolling bearings based on the lubrication parameter data stored in the storage unit.

[0008] In this way, individual lubrication parameter data for the respective rolling bearing are available to the lubrication unit and the respective rolling bearing can be optimally lubricated by the lubrication unit.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment, the rolling bearing or bearings to be lubricated are part of a subunit (e.g., an electric motor or a shaft bearing) of a machine, and the storage unit is assigned to this subunit. Assigning the storage unit to the subunit ensures that the rolling bearing-specific lubrication parameter data is reliably available for the respective bearing location, while simultaneously preventing incorrect assignment to another rolling bearing not belonging to this subunit.

[0010] The lubrication parameter data preferably contain information on a lubrication operating mode, in particular information on whether pre-lubrication mode, normal lubrication mode, venting mode, or standby mode is to be performed. Furthermore, the lubrication parameter data preferably contain information on a lubrication cycle, in particular information on the time interval between two consecutive lubrications and the amount of lubricant supplied per lubrication. In addition, the lubrication parameter data can also contain an identifier for the respective subunit or further information about the subunit, for example in the form of a digital nameplate. As mentioned above, the storage unit is preferably assigned to a subunit of a machine. This assignment can be achieved in particular by integrating the storage unit into a housing of the subunit or by attaching it to the subunit in a (separate) housing.However, other embodiments are also conceivable, in which the storage unit is integrated into the machine tool's control system or is designed as a cloud storage unit. It is important, however, that a clear assignment to a subunit is ensured.

[0011] The machine's control system is preferably interposed in the data connection for transmitting the motor spindle's lubrication parameter data. A particularly advantageous approach is to configure the data connection as a bidirectional data connection, particularly according to the IO-Link standard. This allows for the integration of the lubrication control system into the rest of the machine's control system and data processing.

[0012] In an advantageous embodiment, the system further comprises an update unit configured to modify the lubrication parameter data stored in the storage unit. This makes it possible to keep the optimal lubrication parameters up-to-date and adapt them to new findings. For this purpose, the update unit can access the storage unit (e.g., by remote access via a communications network) and overwrite the lubrication parameter data stored there with more current lubrication parameter data.

[0013] The invention is further explained using an embodiment in the drawing figure.

[0014] Fig. 1 schematically shows a system for oil-air lubrication of rolling bearings. The system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is integrated into a machine and has a lubrication unit 2 for oil-air lubrication. The machine can be designed, for example, as a machine tool, packaging machine, air compressor, printing press, conveyor system, food production system, centrifuge, etc. The lubrication unit 2 has a unit control 3, a data interface 4, a storage tank 5 for lubricant, and several lubrication point connections 6, only a few of which are provided with a reference symbol in Fig. 1. Lubricant lines 7 are attached to the lubrication point connections 6. These lubricant lines 7 extend to the respective lubrication points, i.e. to the rolling bearings 8, 9 of an electric motor 12 and to the rolling bearings 10, 11 of a shaft bearing 13. The rolling bearings 8, 9 serve to support the motor shaft 14 in the motor housing 16.The rolling bearings 10, 11 support the shaft 15 in a shaft housing 17. The electric motor 12 is an example of a first subunit of the machine. The shaft bearing 13 is an example of a second subunit of the machine.

[0015] A storage housing 18 is flanged to the motor housing 16 of the electric motor 12. A first storage unit 20 is located in the storage housing 18. This first storage unit 20 stores lubrication parameter data for the first electric motor 12, or lubrication parameter data for the rolling bearings 8 and 9. A storage housing 19 is also flanged to the shaft housing 17 of the shaft bearing 13. A second storage unit 21 is located in this storage housing 19. This second storage unit 21 stores lubrication parameter data for the shaft bearing 13, or lubrication parameter data for the rolling bearings 10 and 11. The lubrication parameter data contain for each rolling bearing 8, 9, 10, 11 information as to whether pre-lubrication operation, normal lubrication operation, venting operation or stand-by operation should be carried out and information on the time interval between two consecutive lubrications and the amount of lubricant supplied per lubrication.In addition, static characteristic data of the electric motor 12 (i.e. static characteristic data of the first sub-unit of the machine) are stored in the storage unit 20, and static characteristic data of the shaft bearing 13 (i.e. static characteristic data of the second sub-unit of the machine) are stored in the storage unit 21.

[0016] The data interface 4 of the lubrication unit 2, the first storage unit 20, and the second storage unit 21 are connected to a machine control unit 23 of the machine via data connections 22. The data connections 22 are designed as bidirectional data connections according to the IO-Link standard and enable data exchange between the elements connected to them. The machine control unit 23, in turn, forwards, for example, the data received and / or requested from the first storage unit 20 or second storage unit 21 to the lubrication unit 2.

[0017] The unit control 3 is designed to receive lubrication parameter data via the data interface 4 and to operate the lubrication unit 2 such that the desired amount of lubricant according to the respective lubrication parameter data is supplied to the rolling bearings 8, 9, 10, 11 via the respective lubricant line 7 at the desired times. In other words, the unit control 3 is programmed to lubricate the rolling bearings 8, 9 based on the lubrication parameter data of the electric motor 12 (i.e., the first subunit of the machine) and to lubricate the rolling bearings 10, 11 based on the lubrication parameter data of the shaft bearings 13 (i.e., the second subunit of the machine). This allows each of the rolling bearings 8, 9, 10, 11 to be optimally lubricated by the lubrication unit 2. However, it is also possible to lubricate all of the rolling bearings 8, 9, 10, 11 with identical lubrication parameters.In this case, the lubrication parameters are set to data that are acceptable for all rolling bearings 8, 9, 10, 11.

[0018] If, for example, the electric motor 12 is replaced by another electric motor ("third subunit"), this third subunit has another storage unit assigned to this third subunit ("third storage unit"). The third storage unit stores lubrication parameter data for the third subunit. After replacing the electric motor 12 with the third subunit, the lubrication unit 2 thus has individually adapted lubrication parameters, allowing the third subunit to be optimally lubricated as well.

[0019] An update unit is not explicitly shown in Fig. 1. The update unit is designed to modify the lubrication parameter data stored in the first storage unit 20 and the second storage unit 21, in particular to replace the lubrication parameter data stored there with more current lubrication parameter data. For this purpose, the update unit can access the first storage unit 20 and / or the second storage unit 21 remotely via a communications network (wired or wireless).

[0020] LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0021] 1 system

[0022] 2 lubrication unit

[0023] 3 Aggregate control

[0024] 4 Data interface

[0025] 5 Lubricant storage tank

[0026] 6 Lubrication point connection

[0027] 7 Lubricant line, 9, 10, 11 Rolling bearing

[0028] 12 electric motor

[0029] 13 Shaft bearing

[0030] 14 Motor shaft

[0031] 15 Wave

[0032] 16 Engine housing

[0033] 17 Shaft housing

[0034] 18, 19 Storage enclosures

[0035] 20 First storage unit

[0036] 21 Second storage unit

[0037] 22 Data connection

[0038] 23 Machine control

Claims

CLAIMS 1 . System (1) for oil-air lubrication of rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11), comprising: a lubrication unit (2) with a unit control (3), a data interface (4), a storage tank (5) for lubricant and lubrication point connections (6); Lubricant lines (7) extending from the lubrication point connections (6) to the rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11); a storage unit (20, 21) in which lubrication parameter data for at least one of the rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11) are stored; and a data connection (22) for transmitting the lubrication parameter data to the data interface (4) of the lubrication unit (2); wherein the unit control (3) is designed to carry out the lubrication of the rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11) based on the lubrication parameter data.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the lubrication parameter data contain information on a lubrication operating mode, in particular information on whether a pre-lubrication mode, a normal lubrication mode, a venting mode or a stand-by mode is to be carried out.

3. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lubrication parameter data contain information on a lubrication cycle, in particular information on the time interval between two consecutive lubrications and on the amount of lubricant supplied per lubrication.

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the storage unit (20, 21) is mounted in a housing (18, 19).

5. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the data connection (22) for transmitting the lubrication parameter data to the data interface (4) of the lubrication unit (2) is designed as a bidirectional data connection, in particular according to the IO-Link standard.

6. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rolling bearings (8, 9, 10, 11) to be lubricated are formed in a sub-unit of a machine and the storage unit (20, 21) is assigned to this sub-unit, in particular attached to a housing of this sub-unit.

7. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the data connection (22) for transmitting the lubrication parameter data runs via a machine control (23).

8. System according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an updating unit configured to modify the lubrication parameter data stored in the storage unit (20, 21).

9. System according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a further storage unit (20, 21) in which lubrication parameter data of further rolling bearings are stored. -IQ- 10. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rolling bearings (8, 9) are designed as rolling bearings (8, 9) in an electric motor (12).

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