Lubrication control apparatus
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsBerwin W. Darrow, David J. Wilkinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automatic lubrication control system in which current flow between two mating electrically conductive, lubricated members in sliding contact is integrated with respect to time and used to provide a control signal for a pump that applies lubricant to the contact surface. The voltage level resulting from the integrated current flow can be applied directly to control the pump circuit or it can be counted or sampled at preselected times to provide the pump actuating signal.
Claims10
Lubrication control apparatus comprising:
- first and second relatively movable, electrically conductive members separated by an intermittently broken film of lubricant having high resistivity compared to the direct contact of said members;
- means for applying electric potential across said members and integrating current flow thereacross with respect to time during movement of said members;
- and `means responsive to a predetermined integrated current level for applying additional lubricant between said members.
Lubrication control apparatus comprising:
- first and second relatively moving, electrically conductive, lubricated members having an electrical path therebetween that varies in resistivity during said movement;
- means for applying electrical potential across said members and said path and integrating curent flow therethrough with respect to time during said movement;
- and
- means responsive to a predetermined value of said integrated current for applying additional lubricant to said members.
Lubrication control apparatus comprising:
- first and second relatively moving, electrically conductive, lubricated members having an electrical path therebetween that varies in resistivity during said motion;
- means for applying potential across said members and said path and integrating current flow therethrough with respect to time during said movement;
- means for sensing the level of current at said integrating means and providing first and second output signals representative of current levels above and below a predetermined value;
- counting means for accumulating a count of said second output signals;
- and
- means responsive to said counting means for applying additional lubricant between said members when said count reaches a predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.