JP2008286276A - Lubricant feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lubricant feeding device capable of correctly detecting a lubricant amount supplied to multiple lubrication points and promptly and correctly identifying presence of leakage or insufficiency of lubricant. <P>SOLUTION: A piston rod 35 is moved by pressing forward forcibly by supplying compressed air into an air cylinder 31, and a piston rod 23 of a cylinder pump 21 connected to the piston rod 35 is moved by pressing forward forcibly. By this action, a lubricant having operating pressure is forcibly fed into each continuous flow valve 2 from the cylinder pump 21, and a certain amount of lubricant is discharged from each continuous flow valve 2. Then, the pressure of lubricant is reduced to less than an operating pressure by stopping the supply of compressed air. By repeating this lubricant feeding action, a certain amount of lubricant is intermittently discharged from each continuous flow valve 2. Then, the feeding amount of lubricant discharged by one action of lubricant feeding is calculated, based on the displacement of the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a lubricating oil supply device that supplies lubricating oil to a plurality of metering valves.

  Conventionally, there is a centralized lubrication device that feeds lubricating oil stored in a tank with a pump, distributes it with a distributor, and supplies it to a plurality of locations. For example, machine tools such as machining centers and transfer machines have a large number of sliding portions, and a centralized lubricating device is used as a device for supplying lubricating oil to the large number of sliding portions.

  As shown in FIG. 5 which is a diagram for explaining the prior art, the conventional centralized lubrication apparatus 100 is illustrated with a storage tank 101 for storing lubricating oil, a pumping pump 102 for pumping lubricating oil in the storage tank 101, and A plurality of metering valves 103 attached to the lubrication points of the sliding parts of the machine tool that are not connected to each other and the pump pump 102 and the distributor 104 are communicated with each other by one main flow passage, and by a plurality of branch passages. An oil supply pipe 105 that communicates between the distributor 104 and each metering valve 103, a pressure sensor 106 that detects the pressure of the lubricating oil in the oil supply pipe 105, and a pressure feed pump 102 based on a detection signal from the pressure sensor 106. A control device 107 for controlling is provided.

  When the metering valve 103 is supplied with lubricating oil having a prescribed operating pressure, the metering valve 103 is configured to discharge the lubricating oil by a certain amount. The control device 107 drives the pumping pump 102 at an interval of once every 30 minutes, for example. When the pumping pump 102 is driven, the lubricating oil in the storage tank 101 is pumped into the oil supply pipe 105, and when the pressure of the lubricating oil in the oil supply pipe 105 rises to the operating pressure, a certain amount of lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 103. It is discharged and supplied to each lubrication location.

  The metering valve 103 is closed when the lubricating oil is discharged. Therefore, when all the metering valves 103 finish discharging the lubricating oil, the pressure of the lubricating oil in the oil supply pipe 105 further rises above the operating pressure.

  When the pressure sensor 106 detects that the pressure in the oil supply pipe 105 has risen above the operating pressure, the control device 107 performs control to stop driving the pressure feed pump 102. By the above control, for example, about 0.1 cc of lubricating oil is supplied at one time per place.

  As described above, the centralized lubrication apparatus 100 is directly connected to the pressure feed pump 102 and the metering valve 103 by the oil supply pipe 105, and the condition is that the pressure of the lubricating oil in the oil supply pipe 105 is higher than the operating pressure. It is assumed that the lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 103.

  Therefore, these can be detected when the lubricating oil leaks in the middle of the oil supply pipe 105 or when the lubricating oil is not normally supplied to the lubrication location due to malfunction of the metering valve 103 or clogging of the pipe. There wasn't. The leakage of the lubricating oil causes the coolant liquid to become dirty and the consumption amount of the lubricating oil to be excessive. The poor supply of the lubricating oil may cause the sliding portion to become galled or seized.

  As a technique for detecting such a leakage of lubricating oil, first and second level sensors for detecting the liquid level of the lubricating oil are provided at different positions of the lubricating oil tank of the centralized lubricating device, The oil of the centralized lubrication device that detects and warns of the presence or absence of oil leakage in the pipe by comparing the time from when the liquid level reaches the first level to the second level with the set time. A leak detection device has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, as a technique for detecting whether the lubricating oil is normally supplied, the pressure of the greasing pipe is reduced momentarily when the greasing valve is actuated by supplying the working pressure, Detected as pressure fluctuation by the sensor, if the number of lubrication valves and the count number of pressure fluctuation match, it is judged that there is no clogging, that is, lubricating oil is supplied normally, and if it does not match, there is clogging. That is, a greasing state detection method for determining that the lubricating oil is not normally supplied has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  In addition, as a device for detecting whether the lubricating oil is properly supplied by the centralized lubricating device, a flow sensor and a temperature sensor are provided in all the oil supply pipes leading to the respective lubrication points, and the signals of each flow sensor and each temperature sensor are provided. Is input to the computer, and the oil supply amount for each oil supply pipe is calculated, checked against the preset oil supply amount to determine if there is an abnormality, and an alarm is output if the lubricating oil is not properly supplied in the event of an abnormality. An apparatus has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

JP 2003-236732 A JP 2000-356297 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-22695

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, when a large amount of lubricating oil is leaking, the change in the liquid level in the lubricating oil tank is large, and the leakage of lubricating oil can be detected at an early stage. When there is a small amount of leakage from the pinhole due to loosening or corrosion of the joint, the change in the liquid level is slow, and there is a risk that a large amount of lubricating oil will leak before it is judged that leakage has occurred.

  Moreover, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, when used for lubrication of a large machine facility or a large number of machine devices, the resistance is large at the oil supply point far away from the automatic grease pump, and the pressure fluctuation is remarkable. It does not appear and detection by the pressure sensor is difficult, and it is difficult to accurately determine whether or not the grease supply is properly performed from the grease supply valve.

  Furthermore, in the technique described in Patent Document 3, since the temperature sensor and the flow rate sensor are provided for each oil supply location, the number of parts increases and the cost increases. In addition, electrical wiring for connecting each sensor and the control unit is required, and there is a problem that the structure is complicated and the construction is complicated. Moreover, when the amount of oil supply per one time is very small, highly accurate detection cannot be performed by a flow sensor such as an area flow meter or a turbine flow meter.

  The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lubricating oil that can quickly and accurately detect a small amount of leakage of a lubricating oil and poor supply to a lubricated portion with a simple configuration. It is to provide a supply device.

  The lubricating oil supply apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention that solves the above-described problem is a plurality of metering valves that perform an operation of discharging a predetermined amount of lubricating oil by receiving supply of lubricating oil having a preset operating pressure. In the lubricating oil supply device that supplies lubricating oil to the cylinder, the piston rod is reciprocally accommodated in a cylinder chamber that communicates with each metering valve via a supply pipe and stores the lubricating oil. Cylinder pump that pumps the lubricant oil to each metering valve, and the pressure of the lubricant oil pumped from the cylinder pump to each metering valve by pressing the piston rod in the forward direction by receiving the supply of compressed air While the supply of compressed air is stopped, the piston rod stops pressing in the forward direction, and each metering valve from the cylinder pump An air cylinder that lowers the pressure of the lubricating oil that is pumped below the operating pressure, and a lubricating oil supply operation means that repeatedly performs pressing and stopping by the air cylinder as a single lubricating oil supply operation based on preset conditions. A moving position detecting means for detecting the position of the piston rod at the start of pressing by the air cylinder as a moving start position, and detecting the position of the piston rod at the time of stopping pressing by the air cylinder as a moving end position; and a moving position detecting means The movement amount of the piston rod by one lubrication oil supply operation is calculated from the movement start position and the movement end position detected by, and is pumped from the cylinder pump by one lubrication oil supply operation based on the calculated movement amount. And supply amount calculation means for calculating the supply amount of the lubricating oil.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the air cylinder receives supply of compressed air, the piston rod of the cylinder pump is pushed and moved in the forward direction, and lubrication having an operating pressure from the cylinder pump to each metering valve. Oil can be supplied and a fixed amount of lubricating oil can be discharged from each metering valve.

  When the supply of compressed air to the air cylinder is stopped, the pressure of the lubricating oil supplied to each metering valve is lowered below the operating pressure, and the air cylinder is next supplied with compressed air. The lubricating oil having the operating pressure can be supplied again from the cylinder pump to each metering valve so that a certain amount of lubricating oil can be discharged.

  By repeatedly operating this air cylinder pressing and pressing stop as a single lubricating oil supply operation based on preset conditions, a fixed amount of lubricating oil can be intermittently discharged from each metering valve.

  Then, the position of the piston rod at the start of pressing by the air cylinder is detected as the movement start position, and the position of the piston rod at the time of pressing stop by the air cylinder is detected as the movement end position, and the movement start position and the movement end position are detected. From this, the amount of movement of the piston rod by one lubricating oil supply operation is calculated, and the amount of lubricating oil fed from the cylinder pump by one lubricating oil supply operation is calculated based on the amount of movement. Thus, an accurate supply amount of the lubricating oil supplied from the cylinder pump can be obtained.

  Therefore, for example, it can be compared with the previous supply amount, or can be compared with a preset reference amount. As a result of comparison, if the current supply amount is larger than the previous supply amount, the lubricating oil supply device If it can be determined that there is a lubricating oil leak in the middle of the lubricating oil path to each metering valve, and if the current supply is less than the previous supply, the supply pipe is clogged or the metering valve is broken. For example, it is possible to determine that a certain amount of lubricating oil is not discharged from each metering valve, and that there is a supply failure of the lubricating oil.

  Then, by comparing the supply amount every time the lubricant supply operation is performed, it is possible to determine whether or not there is a lubricant leak or supply failure, and quickly determine whether or not there is a lubricant leak or supply failure. Can be judged. Therefore, it is possible to quickly and accurately determine the presence or absence of lubricating oil leakage between the cylinder pump and each metering valve, and the poor supply of lubricating oil to the lubrication location.

  In addition, since an accurate supply amount can be obtained, not only a large amount of lubricating oil leaks, complete clogging of the supply pipe, complete inoperability of the metering valve, but also lubrication that exudes from the joint of the supply pipe, for example. Supply piping such as minute leakage of oil, minor leakage of lubricating oil from pinholes formed in the piping due to corrosion of cutting residue etc. accumulated on the supply piping, or the flow path being narrowed by dust etc. Incomplete clogging, supply failure to the extent that a certain amount of lubricating oil cannot be completely discharged due to slow operation of the metering valve, and the like can be accurately determined.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the lubricating oil supply apparatus according to the first aspect, when the supply amount is calculated by the storage unit that stores the supply amount calculated by the supply amount calculation unit, and the supply amount calculation unit The calculated supply amount is the current supply amount, the previous supply amount stored in the storage means is the previous supply amount, and the current supply amount and the previous supply amount are compared to determine a certain amount, Threshold determination means for determining whether or not the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold when it is determined by the determination means that the current supply amount is larger than the previous supply amount. If the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is determined to be greater than a preset threshold value by the threshold determination means, it is determined that a lubricating oil leak has occurred, and the current supply amount is somewhat determined by the determination means. Is determined to be less than the previous supply amount, or the threshold judgment means Ri and having a lubricating oil leakage determining means for determining the lubricant leakage does not occur when the difference between the current supply amount and the previous feed amount is determined to be below the threshold.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the current supply amount that is the supply amount calculated by the supply amount calculation unit and the previous supply amount that is the previous supply amount stored in the storage unit are compared to some extent. If the current supply amount is determined to be greater than the previous supply amount, it is determined whether the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is greater than a threshold value. When it is determined that the difference from the amount is larger than the threshold value, it is determined that a lubricating oil leak has occurred on the way from the cylinder pump to each metering valve. When the current supply amount is compared with the previous supply amount and it is determined that the current supply amount is equal to or less than the previous supply amount, or the current supply amount is greater than the previous supply amount, the current supply amount and the previous supply amount If it is determined that the difference is smaller than the threshold value, it is determined that no lubricating oil leakage has occurred.

  Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not a lubricating oil leak has occurred each time a lubricating oil supply operation is performed, and to quickly determine whether or not a lubricating oil leak has occurred. Therefore, the lubricating oil leakage can be detected at an early stage, and the conventional dripping of the lubricating oil can be prevented.

  And since the supply amount in one lubrication oil supply operation | movement is obtained correctly, the leak amount of lubricating oil can be grasped | ascertained correctly. Further, since it is determined whether or not the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than the threshold value, an error in the supply amount caused by the lubricant supply operation can be excluded, and whether or not a lubricant leak has occurred. It can be judged accurately.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the lubricating oil supply apparatus according to the first aspect, when the supply amount is calculated by the storage unit that stores the supply amount calculated by the supply amount calculation unit, and the supply amount calculation unit The calculated supply amount is the current supply amount, the previous supply amount stored in the storage means is the previous supply amount, and the current supply amount and the previous supply amount are compared to determine a certain amount, Threshold determination means for determining whether or not the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold when the determination means determines that the current supply amount is smaller than the previous supply amount. If the threshold judgment means judges that the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold value, it is judged that a lubricating oil supply failure has occurred, and the judgment means When the supply amount is determined to be greater than the previous supply amount, or the threshold And having a lubricating oil supply failure determining means for determining the supply failure of the lubricating oil does not occur when the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is determined to the threshold value or less by means.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the current supply amount, which is the supply amount calculated by the supply amount calculation means, and the previous supply amount, which is the previous supply amount stored in the storage means, are compared somewhat. If it is determined that the current supply amount is smaller than the previous supply amount, it is determined whether the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is greater than the threshold, and the current supply amount and the previous supply amount are determined. When it is determined that the difference from the amount is larger than the threshold value, it is determined that a lubricating oil supply failure has occurred. Then, when the current supply amount is compared with the previous supply amount and it is determined that the current supply amount is equal to or greater than the previous supply amount, or the current supply amount is smaller than the previous supply amount, the current supply amount and the previous supply amount When it is determined that the difference between the two is smaller than the threshold value, it is determined that there is no supply failure of the lubricating oil.

  Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not a lubricating oil supply failure has occurred each time the lubricating oil supply operation is performed, and to quickly determine the lubricating oil supply failure. Therefore, it is possible to prevent wear and backlash of the sliding portion due to lack of lubricating oil, and to prevent deterioration of the processing accuracy of the machine tool.

  And since the supply amount in one lubricating oil supply operation | movement is obtained correctly, the supply shortage amount of lubricating oil can be grasped | ascertained correctly. Further, since it is determined whether or not the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than the threshold value, it is possible to exclude an error in the supply amount caused by the lubricant supply operation, and whether or not a lubricant supply failure has occurred. Can be determined accurately.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an accurate supply amount of lubricating oil supplied by a single lubricating oil supply operation. Therefore, for example, the leakage of the lubricating oil or the supply failure can be quickly and accurately determined by comparison with the previous supply amount or comparison with a preset reference amount.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of a centralized lubrication device 1 to which a lubricating oil supply device 3 according to the first embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining input / output to / from control means of the lubricating oil supply device 3. It is a figure to do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the centralized lubricating device 1 includes a plurality of metering valves 2 that discharge a certain amount of lubricating oil by receiving a supply of lubricating oil having a preset operating pressure, and the plurality of metering valves 2. And a lubricating oil supply device 3 connected through a supply pipe LO2.

  Each metering valve 2 is attached to an oil supply location provided in the vicinity of each sliding portion (not shown) such as a machining center or a transfer machine, for example, and the discharged lubricating oil lubricates the sliding portion. It is like that. As is well known, the metering valve 2 has a free piston in the valve body, and the free piston is moved forward by the supply of lubricating oil having an operating pressure, so that a certain amount of lubricating oil stored in the valve body in advance is supplied. While discharging, the free piston is moved backward due to a decrease in the pressure of the supplied lubricating oil, and a certain amount of lubricating oil is stored in the valve body to prepare for the next discharge. In the present embodiment, the metering valve 2 includes a plurality of machine tools such as transfer machines arranged in a production line of a factory and each sliding portion of a work transfer device provided between the machine tools. A total of 337 pieces are provided at the oil supply points. The total discharge amount per one is set to 64.64 cc (one discharge per one metering valve is about 0.192 cc).

  The lubricating oil supply device 3 includes a storage tank 11 for storing lubricating oil, a cylinder pump 21 for supplying lubricating oil to each metering valve 2, an air cylinder 31 for driving the cylinder pump 21, and an air source P for the air cylinder 31. 4 port 3 position switching type solenoid valve 41 for switching and supplying compressed air from, a moving position detecting means 51 for detecting the moving position of the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21, and various operations of the lubricating oil supply device 3 are controlled. Control means (control device) 61 is provided.

  The storage tank 11 has a bottomed box-shaped tank body 12 having a side wall portion standing upright at the peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion and having an open top, and the tank body 12 so as to close the upper portion of the tank body 12. And a lid 13 attached to the floor, and is configured on a floor surface to store a predetermined amount of lubricating oil.

  The cylinder pump 21 has a cylinder body 22 which forms a cylinder chamber having a constant diameter and extending in the axial direction, and a forward direction (downward direction in FIG. 1) and a backward movement in the cylinder chamber of the cylinder body 22 along the axial direction. It is comprised by the piston rod 23 supported so that reciprocation was possible in the direction (upward direction in FIG. 1).

  The piston rod 23 includes a piston portion that forms an oil chamber capable of storing lubricating oil on the forward direction side in the cylinder chamber, and a rod portion that has a proximal end connected to the piston portion and a distal end protruding from the retracted end portion of the cylinder body 22. have.

  The forward end of the cylinder body 22 is provided with a through hole communicating with the oil chamber in the cylinder chamber, and a suction pipe LO1 for sucking the lubricating oil stored in the storage tank 11 into the oil chamber, Supply piping LO2 for supplying the lubricating oil in the chamber to each metering valve 2 is connected in communication.

  In the present embodiment, the cylinder pump 21 is provided so that the cylinder body 22 extends vertically in the tank body 12. In the cylinder body 22, the retracted end portion of the cylinder body 22 is fixed to the lid body 13, and the advance end portion of the cylinder body 22 is disposed in the vicinity of the bottom wall portion of the storage tank 11. The rod portion of the piston rod 23 is inserted through a through hole formed in the lid body 13 and protrudes upward from the lid body 13.

  The suction pipe LO1 is provided in the tank main body 12, and the tip is open near the bottom wall. A one-way valve 14 for preventing the backflow of lubricating oil from the cylinder pump 21 into the storage tank 11 and a filter 15 are provided in the middle of the suction pipe LO1.

  The supply pipe LO2 extends from the tank body 12 of the storage tank 11 to each machine tool or the like on the production line, and is connected to a distributor 4 disposed in the vicinity of each machine tool or the like. And is connected to each metering valve 2. The length of the supply pipe LO2 in the present embodiment has a length of about 60 meters to about 100 meters.

  A one-way valve 16 that prevents the backflow of lubricating oil from the metering valve 2 side to the cylinder pump 21 side and a pressure sensor 56 that detects the pressure in the supply pipe LO2 are provided in the middle of the supply pipe LO2. ing. The pressure sensor 56 is connected to the control means 61 and changes the signal from OFF to ON by detecting a pressure equal to or higher than a preset pressure.

  The air cylinder 31 has a cylinder body 32 forming a cylinder chamber having a constant diameter and extending in the axial direction, and a forward direction (downward direction in FIG. 1) along the axial direction in the cylinder chamber of the cylinder body 32. The piston rod 35 is supported so as to be reciprocally movable in the backward direction (the upward direction in FIG. 1).

  The piston rod 35 has a piston portion that divides the cylinder chamber into a first air chamber on the forward side and a second air chamber on the reverse side, a base end connected to the piston portion, and a tip that extends from the forward end of the cylinder body 32. It has a protruding rod part.

  The forward end of the cylinder body 32 is provided with a first through hole 33 that communicates with the first air chamber in the cylinder chamber, and the retracted end of the cylinder body 32 has a first communication hole that communicates with the second air chamber in the cylinder chamber. Two through holes 34 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the air cylinder 31 has a cylinder body 32 that extends vertically above the storage tank 11 and a piston rod 35 that protrudes downward from the lid 13 via a bracket 14. It is attached.

  The air cylinder 31 is provided so that the piston rod 35 is disposed coaxially with the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21. The tip of the rod portion of the piston rod 35 is connected to the tip of the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 by a joint 36, and the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 is integrated with the piston rod 35 of the air cylinder 31. Thus, it can reciprocate in the forward direction (downward direction in FIG. 1) and the backward direction (upward direction in FIG. 1).

  Therefore, by supplying compressed air to the second air chamber on the backward side (the upper side in FIG. 1) of the air cylinder 31, the piston rod 35 is pressed and moved in the forward direction, and the piston rod 35 moves the cylinder pump. The piston rod 23 of 21 can be pushed and moved toward the forward direction, and the lubricating oil in the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 can be pumped to each metering valve 2.

  Further, the supply of compressed air to the air cylinder 31 is stopped, and both the first air chamber on the forward side (lower side in FIG. 1) and the second air chamber on the backward side of the air cylinder 31 are opened to the atmosphere. The pressing of the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 by the piston rod 35 of the cylinder 31 can be stopped, and the pressure of the lubricating oil supplied from the cylinder pump 21 to each metering valve 2 can be reduced to an atmospheric pressure lower than the operating pressure. .

  Further, by supplying compressed air to the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31, the piston rod 35 is pushed and moved in the backward direction, and the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 is pushed in the backward direction. The lubricating oil in the storage tank 11 can be sucked and stored in the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 via the suction passage LO1.

  The solenoid valve 41 performs a switching operation in accordance with a control signal from the control means 61, selectively supplies compressed air to the first air chamber or the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31, and The second air chamber can be opened to the atmosphere.

  The electromagnetic valve 41 is configured by a four-port three-position switching type electromagnetic valve that switches the connection of the four ports a1, a2, b1, and b2 by moving the spool to the three positions. The port a1 of the solenoid valve 41 is connected to an air source P that supplies compressed air, and the port a2 is connected to an exhaust muffler 42. The port b1 is connected to the first through hole 33 communicating with the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31 via the air pipe LA1, and the port b2 is connected to the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 via the air pipe LA2. Is connected to a second through hole 34 communicating with the.

  In the solenoid valve 41, when the solenoids SOL1 and SOL2 are not energized, the spool is held at the center position by a spring as shown in FIG. 1, and the ports b1 and b2 and the port a2 are connected to each other. Both chambers can be opened to the atmosphere. Then, when the solenoid SOL1 alone is energized, the spool moves to one side (right side in FIG. 1), connects the port a1 and the port b2, connects the port a2 and the port b1, and supplies compressed air to the second air cylinder 31. It can be supplied to the air chamber. Further, when the solenoid SOL2 alone is energized, the spool moves to the other side (left side in FIG. 1), connects the port a1 and the port b1, connects the port a2 and the port b2, and supplies compressed air to the first air cylinder 31. It can be supplied to the air chamber.

  The moving position detecting means 51 is constituted by a sensor dog 53 and a linear scale 52 that detects the position of the sensor dog 53. The sensor dog 53 is provided on the joint 36. The linear scale 52 is provided on the top of the lid 13 so as to extend along the rod portions of the piston rods 23 and 35. The linear scale 52 detects the position of the sensor dog 53 and outputs the position signal to the control means 61.

  The control unit 61 includes a calculation unit, a storage unit, and the like. In the present embodiment, the control unit 61 includes a sequence program controller, a power supply circuit, a timer relay circuit, and the like in which a sequence program for controlling the centralized lubricating device 1 is installed. Are accommodated in a control panel (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control means 61 has a linear scale 52 and a pressure sensor 56 electrically connected to the input side of the control means 61, and solenoids SOL1 and SOL2 of the solenoid valve 41 to the output side, the display means 5, and an alarm. Means 6 are electrically connected. And based on the input signal from the pressure sensor 56 grade | etc., Connected to the input side, it has the structure which controls the solenoid valve 41 grade | etc., Connected to the output side.

  The control means 61 is lubricated by a lubricating oil supplying operation process for supplying lubricating oil from the cylinder pump 21 to each metering valve 2, a replenishing operation process for supplying lubricating oil to the oil chamber in the cylinder chamber, and a single lubricating oil supplying operation process. Supply amount calculation processing for calculating the total supply amount (hereinafter simply referred to as “supply amount”) of the lubricating oil supplied from the oil supply device 3 to each metering valve 2, lubrication from the lubricant oil supply device 3 to each metering valve 2 Lubricating oil leakage judgment process for judging whether or not a lubricating oil leak has occurred in the middle of the oil supply path, Lubricating oil supply judgment for judging whether or not there is a poor supply of lubricating oil to the lubricating point Process.

  Next, each process by the control means 61 will be described below.

(Lubricating oil supply operation processing)
The control means 61 executes a lubricating oil supply operation process by satisfying preset operation conditions. That is, the control means 61 controls the electromagnetic valve 41 to operate the cylinder pump 21 via the air cylinder 31 and has a function as a lubricating oil supply operation means. In the present embodiment, the preset operation condition is set to be performed once every 30 times the machine tool is operated, but is not limited to this. For example, the rate is once every 30 minutes. May be set at time intervals so as to perform the lubricating oil supply operation.

  In the lubricating oil supply operation processing, only the solenoid SOL1 is energized from the control means 61 to switch the solenoid valve 41, the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31 is communicated with the exhaust muffler 42, and the air is released to the atmosphere. The second air chamber of the cylinder 31 and the air source P are communicated.

  Thereby, compressed air is supplied from the air source P to the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31, and the piston rod 35 of the air cylinder 31 is pressed and moved in the forward direction, and the piston of the cylinder pump 21 is moved by the piston rod 35. The rod 23 is pressed and moved in the forward direction. Due to the forward movement of the piston rod 23, the volume of the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 is reduced, and lubricating oil stored in advance in the oil chamber is pushed out to the supply pipe LO2.

  The lubricating oil pushed out from the oil chamber into the supply pipe LO2 passes through the supply pipe LO2, is distributed by the distributor 4, and is pumped to each metering valve 2. When the pressure of the lubricating oil supplied to each metering valve 2 rises to the operating pressure, a certain amount of lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 2 and is supplied to each oil supply location.

  When the lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 2, the pressure of the lubricating oil in the supply pipe LO2 rises to a pressure higher than the operating pressure by shutting off the free piston in each metering valve 2. When the control means 61 receives a signal from the pressure sensor 56 to detect that the pressure of the lubricating oil in the supply pipe LO2 has risen to a pressure higher than the operating pressure by the switching operation of the electromagnetic valve 41, the control means 61 receives the signal. The supply of compressed air from the air source P to the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 is continued until a preset driving time elapses.

  Then, after a predetermined drive time has elapsed, the energization of the solenoid SOL1 is cut off, both solenoids SOL1, 2 are deenergized, the spool of the solenoid valve 41 is moved to the center position, and the first air of the air cylinder 31 is moved. Both the chamber and the second chamber are opened to the atmosphere. Note that the control means 61 preliminarily determines the time from when the lubricant having the operating pressure is supplied to each metering valve 2 to when a certain amount of lubricant is discharged by each metering valve 2 as the driving time. Is set.

  When the first air chamber and the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 are opened to the atmosphere, the pressure of the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 by the piston rod 35 of the air cylinder 31 is stopped, and the pressure in the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 is also reduced. The operating pressure is reduced from the atmospheric pressure, and the pressure in the supply pipe LO2 is also reduced to a pressure lower than the operating pressure.

  Due to this pressure drop, each metering valve 2 stores a certain amount of lubricating oil in the valve body in preparation for the next discharge. Next, the air cylinder 31 receives supply of compressed air from the air source P to the second air chamber to drive the cylinder pump 21, and each metering valve 2 again supplies lubricating oil having operating pressure from the cylinder pump 21. When received, a certain amount of lubricating oil can be discharged.

  The controller 61 repeats the operation from the start of energization to the solenoid SOL1 as a single lubricant supply operation every time a preset operation condition is satisfied. By the above-described lubricating oil supply operation, a fixed amount of lubricating oil is intermittently discharged from each metering valve 2, and this lubricating oil is supplied to each oil supply location, and each sliding portion is lubricated.

(Supply operation processing)
When the control means 61 determines that the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 has moved in the forward direction by the above-described lubricating oil supply operation and has reached the forward end position based on the detection signal from the linear scale 52, the control means 61 A replenishment operation process for replenishing lubricating oil in the oil chamber is executed.

  In the replenishment operation process, only the solenoid SOL2 is energized from the control means 61 to switch the solenoid valve 41, the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 is communicated with the exhaust muffler 42 to open the atmosphere, and the air source P And the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31 are connected to each other, and compressed air is supplied to the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31. Thereby, the piston rod 35 of the air cylinder 31 is moved in the backward direction, and the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 is moved in the backward direction together with the piston rod 35. Thereby, the volume of the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 is expanded, and the lubricating oil in the storage tank 11 can be sucked and stored in the oil chamber via the suction pipe LO1.

  When the control means 61 determines that the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 has moved in the backward direction to reach a preset backward end position and has reached the backward end position based on a detection signal from the linear scale 52, The energization of the solenoid SOL2 is cut off, the spool of the solenoid valve 41 is moved to the center position, and the first and second air chambers of the air cylinder 31 are opened to the atmosphere.

  With the above-described replenishment operation process, for example, when the lubricating oil stored in the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 is reduced by the lubricating oil supply operation, the lubricating oil can be replenished into the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21.

(Supply amount calculation process)
The control means 61 performs a supply amount calculation process for calculating the supply amount of the lubricating oil pressure-fed from the cylinder pump 21 to each metering valve 2 every time one lubricating oil supply operation process is completed. That is, the control means 61 has a function as a supply amount calculation means. In the supply amount calculation process, the movement amount of the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 in one lubrication oil supply operation is calculated based on the position of the sensor dog 53 at the start and end of the lubricant supply operation process. Processing for calculating the supply amount of the lubricating oil is performed using the movement amount.

  The control means 61 detects the position of the sensor dog 53 at the start of pressing by the air cylinder 31 with the linear scale 52 and stores the position in the storage means as the movement start position of the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21. Then, the position of the sensor dog 53 when the air cylinder 31 stops pressing is detected by the linear scale 52, and the position is stored in the storage means as the movement end position of the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 (moving position detecting means). .

  Then, the movement amount of the piston rod 23 by one lubrication oil supply operation is calculated from the movement start position and the movement end position, and each lubrication oil supply device 3 performs each lubrication oil supply operation 3 based on the calculated movement amount. The supply amount of the lubricating oil pumped to the metering valve 2 is calculated (supply amount calculation means).

  When the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 moves in the forward direction, the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 is narrowed and the volume is reduced in accordance with the movement, and the same amount of lubricating oil as the reduced volume is removed from the oil chamber. Extruded. As the piston rod 23 moves, the sensor dog 53 also moves together.

  Accordingly, the amount of movement of the sensor dog 53 and the amount of lubricating oil pushed out from the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 are in a certain proportional relationship, and the amount of movement of the sensor dog 53 is used to push out from the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21. The amount of lubricating oil can be calculated, and the calculated amount of lubricating oil can be used as the amount of lubricating oil supplied from the lubricating oil supply device 3 to each metering valve 2.

  The linear scale 52 can detect the position of the sensor dog 53 with extremely high accuracy. Accordingly, the amount of movement of the sensor dog 53 is calculated from the position of the sensor dog 53 detected by the linear scale 52, and the amount of supply of the lubricant is calculated based on the amount of movement, thereby performing a single lubricant supply operation. An accurate supply amount of lubricating oil in the processing can be obtained.

  The supply amount calculated by the supply amount calculation process is stored in the storage unit of the control unit 61 together with data such as date and time. The supply amount is displayed by the display means 5. The display means is provided on a panel surface or the like of a control panel (not shown) so that an operator or the like can easily see.

(Lubricating oil leak judgment processing)
The control means 61 performs a lubricating oil leakage judgment process every time one lubricating oil supply operation process is completed. In the lubricant leakage determination process, when one supply operation process is completed and the supply amount is calculated by the supply amount calculation process, the calculated supply amount is set as the current supply amount and stored in the storage unit. The previous supply amount is read out and used as the previous supply amount, and the current supply amount and the previous supply amount are compared to determine whether the current supply amount is larger than the previous supply amount (some determination means).

  When the current supply amount is larger than the previous supply amount, it is determined whether or not the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold value (threshold determination means).

  Here, when the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than the threshold value, it is determined that the lubricant leakage is occurring in the middle of the path between the lubricant supply device 3 and each metering valve 2. On the other hand, when the current supply amount is less than or equal to the previous supply amount, or when the current supply amount is larger but the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is less than or equal to the threshold value, a lubricating oil leak has occurred in the middle of the path. It is judged that there is no (lubricant leakage judging means).

  For example, when there is no leakage of lubricating oil, each time the lubricating oil supply operation process is performed, only a fixed amount of lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 2, and the supplied amount is almost the same value each time. It becomes.

  However, when a lubricating oil leak occurs in the path from the lubricating oil supply device 3 to each metering valve 2, the current supply amount is the sum of the supply amount and the leakage amount, and the leakage amount is greater than the previous supply amount. Increase by the amount of.

  Accordingly, it is possible to quickly and accurately determine whether or not a lubricating oil leak has occurred. For example, a slight leakage of lubricating oil that oozes out from loosening of connecting parts such as the supply pipe LO2, the distributor 4, and each metering valve 2 or the like. Further, it is possible to detect a minute leakage of the lubricating oil due to the pinhole formed by the corrosion caused by the cutting residue accumulated on the supply pipe LO2. Therefore, the lubricating oil leakage can be detected at an early stage, and the conventional dripping of the lubricating oil can be prevented.

  And when the lubricating oil leaks, the exact amount of leakage can be obtained. Therefore, the cause of the lubricating oil leakage can be specified to some extent based on the leakage amount, and quick repair is possible.

  When it is determined by the lubricating oil leakage determination process that a lubricating oil leak has occurred, an alarm is issued by the alarm means 6. The alarm means 6 is provided on the surface of the control panel (not shown), etc., and emits an alarm when a red light illuminates / flashes and an alarm sound is generated, so that an operator can easily recognize the occurrence of a lubricant leak. It can be done. In addition, you may make it display on the display means 5 that the lubricating oil leakage generate | occur | produced here.

(Lubricant supply failure judgment process)
Further, the control means 61 performs a lubricating oil supply failure determination process every time one lubricating oil supply operation process is completed. In the lubricant supply failure determination process, when one supply operation process is completed and the supply amount is calculated by the supply amount calculation process, the calculated supply amount is set as the current supply amount and stored in the storage unit. The previous supply amount is read out and used as the previous supply amount, and the current supply amount and the previous supply amount are compared to determine a certain amount (some determination means).

  When the current supply amount is smaller than the previous supply amount, it is determined whether or not the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold value (threshold determination means).

  Here, when the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold value, it is determined that a lubricant supply failure has occurred. On the other hand, when the current supply amount is larger than the previous supply amount, or when the current supply amount is smaller than the previous supply amount but the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is equal to or less than the threshold value, the supply failure of the lubricating oil is It is determined that it has not occurred (lubricant supply failure determination means).

  For example, when the supply pipe LO2 is not clogged and each metering valve 2 is operating normally, a certain amount of lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 2, and the supply amount is It becomes almost the same value every time. Therefore, it is possible to determine that there is no supply failure of the lubricating oil and that the lubricating oil is normally supplied to each oil supply location.

  However, when the supply pipe LO2 is clogged or the metering valve 2 is out of order, a certain amount of lubricating oil cannot be discharged from all the metering valves 2, and each sliding part is properly lubricated. When the situation cannot be performed, the current supply amount is reduced from the previous supply amount by the amount of clogging or the discharge amount of the failed metering valve 2.

  Therefore, by comparing the current supply amount with the previous supply amount, it is possible to quickly and accurately determine the occurrence of supply failure of the lubricating oil due to clogging of the supply pipe LO2 or failure of the metering valve 2.

  Further, for example, in addition to complete clogging that blocks the supply pipe LO2, incomplete clogging that narrows the inside of the supply pipe LO2 can be detected, and the free piston of the metering valve 2 is completely fixed. In addition to a failure in which the lubricating oil cannot be discharged at all, it is possible to detect a supply failure due to a failure in which the amount of lubrication discharged with a slow operation of the free piston is less than a certain amount. Therefore, the supply failure of the lubricating oil can be detected at an early stage, and abnormal wear of each sliding portion can be prevented.

  Further, the cause of the supply failure can be specified to some extent based on the decrease amount of the supply amount, and a quick response can be made.

  If it is determined by the lubricant supply failure determination process that a lubricant supply failure has occurred, an alarm is issued by the alarm means 6. The alarm means 6 is provided on the surface of the control panel (not shown), etc., and it is easy for an operator to generate a lubricant supply failure by emitting an alarm when a red light is lit or blinking or an alarm sound is generated. Can be recognized. In addition, you may make it display on the display means 5 that the supply failure of lubricating oil generate | occur | produced here.

  According to the lubricating oil supply device 3, lubricating oil having an operating pressure can be intermittently supplied to each metering valve 2, and a certain amount of lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 2 to supply each lubricating point. And each sliding part can be lubricated. The supply amount of the lubricant discharged from each metering valve 2 can be calculated by a single lubricant supply operation process.

  Then, by comparing with the previous supply amount, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not there is a leakage of the lubricating oil in the middle of the path from the lubricating oil supply device 3 to each metering valve 2. If a leak has occurred, it is possible to accurately grasp the amount of the leak.

  Further, by comparing the current supply amount with the previous supply amount, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not a lubricant supply failure has occurred due to clogging of the supply pipe LO2 or failure of each metering valve 2. If the supply failure of the lubricant occurs, it is possible to accurately grasp the amount of decrease in the lubricant.

  Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the number of parts is small, a simple structure can be obtained, and the manufacturing can be performed at low cost.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the centralized lubrication device 7 to which the lubricating oil supply device 8 according to the second embodiment is applied, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the input / output to the control means of the lubricating oil supply device 8. It is a figure to do.

  What is characteristic in the present embodiment is that an electromagnetic valve 43 that performs selective switching to supply compressed air to one of the first air chamber and the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 and the operating pressure to each metering valve 2. The electromagnetic valve 44 for reducing the pressure of the lubricating oil to the atmospheric pressure after supplying the lubricating oil having the above is provided.

  Hereinafter, the structure of the centralized lubrication apparatus 7 in 2nd Embodiment is demonstrated. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component similar to 1st Embodiment, and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The centralized lubrication apparatus 7 of this embodiment has a short distance of several meters between the cylinder pump 21 and each metering valve 2, and performs centralized lubrication of each sliding portion with respect to a single or a small number of machine tools. It is a device to perform.

  The centralized lubrication device 7 includes a plurality of metering valves 2 and a lubricant oil supply device 8 that intermittently supplies lubricant oil having an operating pressure to each metering valve 2. The lubricating oil supply device 8 supplies the solenoid valve 43 that selectively switches compressed air to the first air chamber and the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 and supplies each metering valve 2 to the cylinder pump 21 or storage. An electromagnetic valve 44 that selectively communicates with the tank 11 is provided.

  The solenoid valve 43 and the solenoid valve 44 are both constituted by a four-port two-position switching type solenoid valve that switches the connection of the four ports a1, a2, b1, and b2 by moving the spool to one of the two positions. Yes.

  An air source P for supplying compressed air is connected to the port a1 of the electromagnetic valve 43, and an exhaust muffler 42 is connected to the port a2. The port b1 is connected to the first through hole 33 communicating with the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31 via the air pipe LA1, and the port b2 is connected to the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 via the air pipe LA2. Is connected to a second through hole 34 communicating with the.

  The solenoid valve 43 moves the spool to one side by energizing the solenoid SOL4, as shown in FIG. 3, and connects the port a1 and the port b2 between the air source P and the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31. In addition to communicating, the port a2 and the port b1 are connected to communicate the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31 to the exhaust muffler 42, and compressed air is supplied from the air source P to the second air chamber. It is comprised so that 35 can be pushed and moved toward a forward direction (downward direction in FIG. 3).

  Then, by energizing the solenoid SOL3, the spool is moved to the other side, the port a1 and the port b1 are connected to connect the air source P and the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31, and the port a2 and the port b2 are connected. Then, the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 is communicated with the exhaust muffler 42, compressed air is supplied to the first air chamber, and the piston rod 35 of the air cylinder 31 is pressed in the backward direction (the upward direction in FIG. 3). And can be moved.

  The port a1 of the electromagnetic valve 44 is connected to the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 via the supply pipe LO2 ′, and the port a2 is opened in the storage tank 11 via the drain 45. The port b1 is connected to the distributor 4 via the supply pipe LO2 ″, branched by the distributor 4, and connected to each metering valve 2. The port b2 is closed. A one-way valve 16 is provided in the middle of the pipe LO2 ′, and a pressure sensor 56 is provided in the middle of the supply pipe LO2 ″.

  Next, lubricating oil supply operation processing and replenishment operation processing by the control means 61 will be described below. Note that the supply amount calculation process, the lubricating oil leakage determination process, and the lubricating oil supply failure determination process are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

(Lubricating oil supply operation processing)
The control means 61 executes a lubricating oil supply operation process by satisfying preset operation conditions. In the present embodiment, the preset operation condition is set to be performed once every 30 times the machine tool is operated, but is not limited to this. For example, the rate is once every 30 minutes. May be set at time intervals so as to perform the lubricating oil supply operation.

  In the lubricating oil supply operation process, the controller 61 energizes the solenoid SOL4 of the solenoid valve 43 to connect the ports a1 and b2 of the solenoid valve 43 as shown in FIG. The chamber and the air source P are communicated with each other, and the port a2 and the port b1 are connected to open the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31 through the exhaust muffler 42 to the atmosphere. Then, the solenoid 61 is energized from the controller 61 to switch the solenoid valve 44 to connect the ports a1 and b1 of the solenoid valve 44, and the oil of the cylinder pump 21 is connected via the supply pipes LO2 'and LO2 ". The chamber communicates with each metering valve 2.

  Thereby, compressed air is supplied from the air source P to the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31, and the piston rod 35 of the air cylinder 31 is pressed and moved in the forward direction. The piston rod 23 of the pump 21 is pressed and moved in the forward direction.

  Therefore, the volume of the oil chamber is narrowed by the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21, and the lubricating oil previously stored in the oil chamber is pushed out from the oil chamber into the supply pipe LO2 '.

  The lubricating oil pushed out from the oil chamber into the supply pipe LO2 ′ passes through the electromagnetic valve 44 and the supply pipe LO2 ″, is distributed by the distributor 4 and is pumped to each metering valve 2. Then, the lubricating oil is supplied. When the pressure rises to the operating pressure, a certain amount of lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 2 and is supplied to each oil supply location.

  When the lubricating oil is discharged from each metering valve 2, the pressure of the lubricating oil in the supply pipe LO2 ″ rises to a pressure higher than the operating pressure by shutting off the free piston in each metering valve 2. The control means 61 When a signal for detecting that the pressure of the lubricating oil in the supply pipe LO2 ″ has risen to a pressure higher than the operating pressure is received from the pressure sensor 56, the air is received until a preset driving time elapses after receiving the signal. The supply of compressed air from the source P to the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 is continued.

  Then, after a predetermined drive time has elapsed, the energization to the solenoid SOL5 is cut off, the switching operation is performed by the solenoid valve 44, the port a1 and the port b2 are connected, and the port a2 and the port b1 are connected. Therefore, the lubricating oil pumped from the cylinder pump 21 into the supply pipe LO2 ′ is stopped by the electromagnetic valve 44, and the supply pipe LO2 ″ communicates with the storage tank 11 via the drain 45 by the electromagnetic valve 44. The pressure is released, and the pressure in the supply pipe LO2 ″ is reduced to the atmospheric pressure that is lower than the operating pressure.

  When the pressure in the supply pipe LO2 ″ decreases to the atmospheric pressure, each metering valve 2 stores a certain amount of lubricating oil in the valve body for the next discharge. Then, the switching operation of the solenoid valve 44 is performed. This is done so that each metering valve 2 can discharge a certain amount of lubricating oil when it receives a supply of lubricating oil having an operating pressure from the cylinder pump 21.

  The control means 61 repeats the operation from the start of energization to the solenoid SOL5 of the solenoid valve 44 as a single lubricating oil supply operation every time a preset operating condition is satisfied. By the above-described lubricating oil supply operation, a fixed amount of lubricating oil is intermittently discharged from each metering valve 2, and this lubricating oil is supplied to each oil supply location, and each sliding portion is lubricated.

(Supply operation processing)
When the control means 61 determines that the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 has moved in the forward direction by the above-described lubricating oil supply operation and has reached the forward end position based on the detection signal from the movement position detection means 51, the cylinder pump 21 A replenishment operation process for replenishing lubricating oil into the oil chamber 21 is executed.

  In the replenishment operation processing, the solenoid 61 is energized from the control means 61 to cause the solenoid valve 43 to perform the switching operation, the port a1 and the port b1 are connected, the port a2 and the port b2 are connected, the air source P and the air cylinder The first air chamber 31 is communicated with the air chamber 31, and the second air chamber of the air cylinder 31 is opened to the atmosphere via the exhaust muffler 42.

  As a result, compressed air is supplied to the first air chamber of the air cylinder 31, the piston rod 35 of the air cylinder 31 is moved in the backward direction, and the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 is moved in the backward direction together with the piston rod 35. Move to.

  By moving the piston rod 23 in the backward direction, the volume of the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 is expanded, and the lubricating oil in the storage tank 11 can be sucked and stored in the oil chamber via the suction pipe LO1.

  The control means 61 determines that the piston rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 has moved in the backward direction to reach the preset backward end position, and has reached the backward end position based on the detection signal from the movement position detecting means 51. Then, the energization of the solenoid valve 43 to the solenoid SOL3 is cut off.

  With the above-described replenishment operation process, for example, when the amount of lubricating oil stored in the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21 is reduced by the lubricating oil supply operation, the lubricating oil can be replenished into the oil chamber of the cylinder pump 21.

  According to the centralized lubrication device 7 having the lubricating oil supply device 8, the solenoid valve 44 can reliably reduce the pressure in the supply pipe LO2 ″ to the atmospheric release pressure lower than the operating pressure. After a certain amount of lubricating oil is discharged from 2, each metering valve 2 is reliably stored with a certain amount of lubricant, and each metering valve 2 is constant when the next supply of lubricating oil having an operating pressure is received. An amount of lubricating oil can be discharged.

  Therefore, for example, even in the centralized lubrication device 7 having the supply pipe line LO2 ″ that has a relatively short pipe length and is less likely to expand when supplied with lubricating oil having an operating pressure, each metering valve 2 has a certain amount. The lubricating oil can be reliably stored.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the linear scale 52 is used has been described as an example. However, any means capable of detecting the position of the rod 23 of the cylinder pump 21 may be used. For example, a potentiometer or the like may be used. . Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the cylinder pump 21 is accommodated in the storage tank 11 has been described as an example. However, the cylinder pump 21 may be provided outside the storage tank 11.

It is a figure explaining the whole structure of the centralized lubrication apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment and to which a lubricating oil supply apparatus is applied. It is a figure explaining the input-output to a control means same as the above. It is a figure explaining the whole structure of the centralized lubrication apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment and to which a lubricating oil supply apparatus is applied. It is a figure explaining the input-output to a control means same as the above. It is a figure explaining a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 7 Centralized lubrication apparatus 2 Metering valve 3, 8 Lubricating oil supply apparatus 11 Storage tank 21 Cylinder pump 23 Piston rod 31 Air cylinder 41, 43, 44 Solenoid valve 51 Moving position detection means 52 Linear scale 61 Control means LO1 Intake piping LO2 , LO2 ', LO2 "supply piping

Claims (3)

In a lubricating oil supply device that supplies lubricating oil to a plurality of metering valves that perform an operation of discharging a certain amount of lubricating oil by receiving a supply of lubricating oil having a preset operating pressure,
A piston rod is reciprocally accommodated in a cylinder chamber communicating with each metering valve via a supply pipe and storing lubricant, and the piston rod moves forward to move the lubricant oil in the cylinder chamber to each metering valve. A cylinder pump for pressure feeding;
By receiving the supply of compressed air, the piston rod is pushed in the forward direction to increase the pressure of the lubricating oil pumped from the cylinder pump to each metering valve to the operating pressure, while the supply of compressed air is stopped. An air cylinder that stops pressing the piston rod in the forward direction and reduces the pressure of the lubricating oil pumped from the cylinder pump to the metering valves below the operating pressure;
Lubricating oil supply operation means for repeatedly operating the pressing and stopping by the air cylinder based on a preset condition as a single lubricating oil supply operation;
A movement position detecting means for detecting the position of the piston rod at the start of pressing by the air cylinder as a movement start position and detecting the position of the piston rod at the time of stopping pressing by the air cylinder as a movement end position;
The movement amount of the piston rod by one lubrication oil supply operation is calculated from the movement start position and the movement end position detected by the movement position detecting means, and one lubrication oil supply operation is performed based on the calculated movement amount. And a supply amount calculating means for calculating a supply amount of the lubricating oil pumped from the cylinder pump. Storage means for storing the supply amount calculated by the supply amount calculation means;
When the supply amount is calculated by the supply amount calculation unit, the calculated supply amount is set as the current supply amount, the previous supply amount stored in the storage unit is set as the previous supply amount, and the current supply amount and the previous supply amount are calculated. Some judgment means to judge the amount by comparing the supply amount,
Threshold determination for determining whether or not the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold value when it is determined by the determination means that the current supply amount is larger than the previous supply amount. Means,
When the threshold value judging means judges that the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold value, the lubricating oil leaks at an intermediate position in the lubricating oil supply path from the cylinder pump to each metering valve. When the current supply amount is determined to be less than or equal to the previous supply amount by the determination unit, or the threshold determination unit determines that the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is equal to or less than the threshold value. The lubricating oil supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a lubricating oil leakage determining unit that determines that no lubricating oil leakage has occurred. Storage means for storing the supply amount calculated by the supply amount calculation means;
When the supply amount is calculated by the supply amount calculation unit, the calculated supply amount is set as the current supply amount, the previous supply amount stored in the storage unit is set as the previous supply amount, and the current supply amount and the previous supply amount are calculated. Some judgment means to judge the amount by comparing the supply amount,
Threshold determination for determining whether or not the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold value when it is determined by the determination means that the current supply amount is smaller than the previous supply amount. Means,
When it is determined that the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is larger than a preset threshold value by the threshold value determination means, it is determined that a lubricant supply failure has occurred, and the current determination amount is When it is determined that the supply amount is equal to or greater than the previous supply amount, or when the difference between the current supply amount and the previous supply amount is determined to be equal to or less than the threshold value by the threshold determination means, it is determined that there is no poor supply of lubricant The lubricating oil supply device according to claim 1, further comprising: a lubricating oil supply failure determination unit.

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