Apparatus and method for lubricant condition control and monitoring
AssigneeTrico Mfg. Corp.
InventorsBrad Rake, Keith Cravillion, Mark Moertl
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Abstract
A plurality of sensors are utilized to record operating conditions of the machine, element, environment, and lubricant. The apparatus is controlled either manually or with the aid of a controller unit such as a microprocessor. A stand-alone humidity sensor mechanism is disclosed, in which signal process circuitry is electrically coupled to a humidity sensor, designed to be attached to the mechanism to be monitored so that it is juxtaposed in the atmosphere above the lubricant material that is being monitored.
Claims1
A humidity sensing mechanism for use with a device desired to be lubricated, said humidity sensing mechanism comprising:
- a housing carrying a lubricant and a device desired to be lubricated by said lubricant;
- a humidity sensor coupled with headspace of said housing, said humidity sensor being removably coupled to said housing;
- said humidity sensor measuring a percentage of saturation of water within said lubricant by measuring said air within said housing;
- a first indicating mechanism;
- a second indicating mechanism;
- said humidity sensor communicative with said first and second indicating mechanisms;
- said humidity sensor controlling said first indicating mechanism to illuminate when said humidity sensor detects saturated relative humidity levels below a predetermined unsafe level of saturated relative humidity;
- said humidity sensor controlling said second indicating mechanism to illuminate when said humidity sensor detects saturated relative humidity levels above said a predetermined unsafe level of saturated relative humidity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.