Lubrication system and method for a work vehicle
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorMichael R. Gratton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A work vehicle having a joint, a joint sensor, a lubricant reservoir, a pump, and a controller. The joint has a first member connected to a second member by a bearing. The joint sensor is configured to provide a joint signal indicative of at least one of a position, velocity, and acceleration of the joint. The pump is configured to dispense lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to the bearing when actuated. The controller receives the joint signal, determines a cumulative bearing travel based on the joint signal, determines a bearing lubrication value based on the cumulative bearing travel, and actuates the pump based on the bearing lubrication value.
Claims17
A work vehicle comprising:
- a joint comprising a first member connected to a second member by a bearing;
- a joint sensor configured to provide a joint signal, the joint signal indicative of at least one of a position, velocity, and acceleration of the joint;
- a lubricant reservoir;
- a pump configured to dispense lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to the bearing when the pump is actuated;
- and
- a controller in communication with the joint sensor and the pump, the controller configured to:
- receive the joint signal;
- determine a cumulative bearing travel based on the joint signal;
- determine a cumulative bearing direction reversals based on the joint signal;
- determine a bearing lubrication value based on both the cumulative bearing travel and the cumulative bearing direction reversals;
- and
- actuate the pump based on the bearing lubrication value.
A method of lubricating a joint of a work vehicle, the joint comprising a first member connected to a second member by a bearing, the method comprising:
- receiving a joint signal from a joint sensor, the joint signal indicative of at least one of a position, velocity, and acceleration of the joint of the work vehicle;
- determining a cumulative bearing travel based on the joint signal;
- determining a cumulative bearing direction reversals based on the joint signal;
- determining a bearing lubrication value based on both the cumulative bearing travel and the cumulative bearing direction reversals;
- and
- actuating a pump based on the bearing lubrication value, the pump configured to dispense lubricant from a lubricant reservoir to the bearing when actuated.
A work vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- a work implement;
- a linkage movably connecting the work implement to the chassis, the linkage comprising a joint, the joint comprising a bearing;
- a joint sensor configured to provide a joint signal, the joint signal indicative of an angular position of the joint;
- a lubricant reservoir;
- a pump configured to dispense lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to the bearing when the pump is actuated;
- and
- a controller in communication with the joint sensor and the pump, the controller configured to:
- receive the joint signal;
- determine a cumulative bearing travel based on the joint signal;
- determining a cumulative bearing direction reversals based on the joint signal;
- and
- actuate the pump based on both the cumulative bearing travel and the cumulative bearing direction reversals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.