Method and system for monitoring the film thickness of a lubricant within a lubricated bearing

Abstract

Disclosed is a monitoring method for monitoring the film thickness of a lubricant within a lubricated bearing, the bearing having an inner ring, an outer ring and rolling elements being arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring. The monitoring method comprises a capacitance measuring step for measuring the total capacitance of the bearing; a first calculation step for determining a film thickness of the lubricant based on the measured capacitance of the bearing and for determining whether the lubrication condition is fully flooded or starved, and when the lubrication condition is fully flooded, a second calculation step for correcting the film thickness determined in the first calculation step.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.