Automatic Lubricator Blockage Detection via Force Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic lubricators lack the ability to reliably detect blockages in lubricant containers, leading to insufficient lubrication and potential system failures, which can shorten the lifespan of machinery and increase maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
An automated lubricator with a housing, electric motor, sensor, and control circuitry that detects blockages by measuring forces exerted on the rotatable shaft and container, using sensor signals to determine partial or full blockages and trigger corrective actions, and communicates wirelessly for remote monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automatic lubricators are used to lubricate machinery, then maintenance effort and costs are reduced, but the ability to detect blockages is insufficient leading to potential system failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using sensors to detect forces exerted by the electric motor on the rotatable shaft and forces exerted by lubricant on the container. The control circuitry processes these sensor signals to determine whether a blockage exists, creating a closed-loop feedback system that continuously monitors lubrication status and provides real-time detection of blockages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual inspection methods with automated sensor-based detection. Instead of mechanically checking for blockages through direct observation or physical intervention, the system uses sensors to measure forces and control circuitry to analyze these measurements, substituting mechanical inspection with electronic sensing and signal processing.
2Reliability
If sensors and control circuitry are added to detect blockages, then reliability of lubrication is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuitry serves multiple functions: it processes sensor signals to detect blockages, controls the electric motor operation, and can communicate the status of the lubrication system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining high reliability.
3Ease of operation
If manual lubrication is replaced with automatic lubrication, then maintenance effort is reduced, but blockage detection capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic lubricator performs self-monitoring through the integrated sensor and control circuitry system. The device automatically detects blockages without requiring external inspection or intervention, enabling it to service and monitor itself. This self-service capability maintains ease of operation while providing reliable blockage detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures reliable lubrication, extends equipment lifespan, reduces maintenance efforts and costs by accurately detecting blockages and preventing insufficient lubrication, while allowing for remote monitoring and operation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one sensor configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of at least one of a force exerted by the electric motor onto the rotatable shaft and a force exerted by the lubricant onto the container
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic lubricator for lubricating an object is provided. The lubricator includes a housing with a coupling section configured to couple with a lubricant container containing a lubricant, wherein the lubricant container comprises a rotatable shaft with a piston to dispense the lubricant from an output of the lubricant container. The lubricator further comprises an electric motor configured to drive the rotatable shaft of the lubricant container, such that at least a part of the lubricant is dispensable from the lubricant container, at least one sensor configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of at least one of a force exerted by the electric motor onto the rotatable shaft and a force exerted by the lubricant onto the container, and a control circuitry configured to determine a blockage of the output of the lubricant container based on the sensor signal of the at least one sensor.