OA17065A - Device and method for checking and validating manual lubrication. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for checking and validating manual lubrication for an installation provided with at least one lubrication point (12), said device comprising: - means of identification (4, 11) of said lubrication point. lubrication (12), - means (8) for measuring the quantity of injected grease and, means (9) for determining whether the injected grease is properly conveyed to the lubrication point (12), said means comprising a sensor of pressure and / or an ultrasonic sensor.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CHECKING AND VALIDATION OF MANUAL LUBRICATION

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a device for controlling and validating the manual lubrication operation in an installation comprising numerous lubrication points. This device makes it possible to increase the reliability of the lubrication operation, to limit the failures following a lack of lubrication and to perform predictive maintenance. The present invention also relates to the control and validation method implemented using the aforementioned device 20.

STATE OF THE ART [0002] It is well known that a lack, an absence, or even an excess of lubrication can have serious consequences on the correct functioning of a bearing and therefore more generally on all industrial installations concerned. In fact, this can result in a stoppage of the production tool, consequently causing production losses but also requiring an increase in the need for storage of spare parts. Therefore, delivering the ideal amount of grease at a defined interval is critical to maximizing the life of the production tool, reducing the failure rate and reducing the stock of spare parts.

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I [0003] At present, for manual lubrication operations on a production tool having several lubrication points, the operator in charge of lubrication has a document showing the location for each lubrication point, the type of grease, the quantity of grease to be injected and the periodicity at which the injection must be carried out. The quality of the lubrication act is therefore validated through the experience and vigilance of the operator during his lubrication round.

It is fairly easy to notice that an error in the document provided to the operator or an incorrect interpretation of the data can lead to a critical situation for production.

[0005] On the other hand, even if the lubrication operation is carried out according to the required criteria present in the support document, it may happen that the lubrication is ineffective, among other things following poor delivery of the new grease in the body to grease. A plug or a leak in the delivery duct may be preventing grease from reaching the component to be lubricated. Only the vigilance of an experienced operator familiar with the installation can detect this type of problem.

[0006] In addition, due to the fact that several different operators can perform the lubrication on the same installation, it is difficult to maintain uniform control over the quality of the lubrication carried out by human experience alone.

[0007] There is therefore a need to provide a control and validation system for these operations making it possible to resolve these problems so as to minimize the downtime of the production tool for any reason whatsoever as well as the storage of spare parts.

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I [0008] Patent EP 1 192 387 B1 of ASSALUB AB attempts to provide a solution to this problem by proposing a manual lubrication device making it possible to combine a unique identifier and the information associated with it with each lubrication point of an installation, the information associated with each lubrication point being composed of the quantity of grease to be injected and the periodicity of the injections calculated according to the temporal and quantitative indications recorded during the previous lubrication.

[0009] However, this solution is only based on the quantitative aspect of the lubrication and offers no element of response to the qualitative aspect of the operation, namely whether the fat has been transported to the organ. to grease. In addition, based only on quantitative data, standardization of lubrication validation cannot be performed safely and efficiently. Likewise, the automatic lubrication device disclosed in document US 2011/0253481 does not provide a solution to this problem since this device only guarantees that a predetermined quantity of grease is injected without ensuring that this grease has actually sent to the component to be lubricated.

AIMS OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention aims to provide a device making it possible to make manual lubrication operations more reliable by a quantitative and qualitative control of these operations.

[0012] It also aims to provide a device making it possible to keep a history of these operations in order to detect any drifts on the various lubricated organs and thus to be able to deduce therefrom a degradation thus leading to a predictive maintenance solution.

Main characteristic elements of the invention [0013] The present invention relates to a device for controlling and validating manual lubrication for an installation provided with at least one lubrication point, said device comprising:

- means for identifying said lubrication point,

- means for measuring the quantity of fat injected and,

- Means for determining whether the injected grease is properly conveyed to the lubrication point, said means comprising a pressure sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor.

According to particular embodiments of the invention, the device comprises at least one or an appropriate combination of the following characteristics:

the means for measuring the quantity of grease injected 20 comprise a flow sensor;

- it comprises a nozzle intended, in use, to be connected to the lubrication point;

- Said means for identifying the lubrication point comprise an identification system located on the nozzle and an identifying element placed next to the lubrication point, said means being configured so that, in use, the identification system interacts with the identifying element so as to identify said lubrication point;

- it further comprises means for identifying the type of grease contained in a reservoir, said means comprising a radio-identification system communicating with an identifier placed on the reservoir

I of grease or a sensor for measuring the viscosity of the grease;

- It comprises a display system indicating the information relating to the lubrication point connected to the nozzle and an input peripheral making it possible to interact with the information supplied on the display system;

- it comprises a controller, said controller being connected to the means for measuring the quantity of injected grease, to the identification system, to the display system, to the input peripheral, to the means for determining whether the injected grease is correctly conveyed to '' the lubrication point and the means of identifying the type of grease;

- it comprises a base station and means of communication between said base station and the controller.

[0015] The present invention also relates to a method of checking and validating manual lubrication using the device described above, said method comprising the steps of:

- Login of the mouthpiece of said device at point of lubrication; - Identification point lubrication; - Display of related information at point of lubrication identified; - Measurement of the quantity of injected fat; - Evaluation of injection stress of the fat

in the lubrication point;

- Comparison of said injection stress with nominal values specific to the identified lubrication point.

According to particular embodiments of the invention, the method comprises at least one or an appropriate combination of the following characteristics:

- the evaluation of the injection stress is carried out from measurements of pressure, flow rate and / or ultrasound level;

- It includes a step of identifying the type of grease ready to be injected in order to ensure that the latter corresponds to that displayed in the information relating to the identified lubrication point;

- it also includes the steps of:

- Recording of measurements of the quantity of fat injected, of pressure, and / or of ultrasound level;

- Update of the lubrication history, planning of the next lubrication and detection of a deviation from the nominal lubrication values of the lubrication point.

[0017] The present invention further relates to the manual lubrication device comprising the control and validation device as described above.

Brief Description of the Figures [0018] Figure 1 is a front view of the portable device and the base station according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the interior of the housing comprising the controller, the measuring systems and the battery.

[0020] Figure 3 is a front view of the system identifying a uniquely lubricating point.

Caption:

(1) Housing (2) Grease circulation pipe (3) Grease nipple (4) Grease point identification system (5) Display system (6) Input device (7) Controller (8) ) Means for measuring the quantity of grease injected (9) Means for evaluating the quality of the lubrication (10) Connection tube (11) Element identifying the lubrication point (12) Lubrication point (13) Base station (14) Means of adaptation of the control and validation device to the manual lubrication device

General description of the invention [0021] The present invention relates to a device for controlling and validating manual lubrication for an installation provided with one or more lubrication points. It can be adapted to any standard manual lubrication device, whether it is hand-held, electric, pneumatic, etc. or be integrated into the manual lubrication device.

To achieve the aforementioned objects, the device according to the invention must include means for measuring the quantity of grease injected into the member being lubricated, means for evaluating the quality of the lubrication which is carried out on a point. lubrication point as well as means to identify the lubrication point. The latter make it possible to safely associate the lubrication point 30 with quantitative and qualitative parameters of the lubrication to be carried out, such as the type of grease and the quantity of grease to be injected.

[0023] The device according to the invention must also include:

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- a display system showing all the information necessary for carrying out the lubrication round by an operator familiar with the installation and operation of the device;

- an input device making it possible to interact with the information provided on the display system;

- a non-volatile memory making it possible to store all the information necessary for lubrication and to record the physical parameters measured during the lubrication;

- a communication module allowing the exchange of data with a base station installed on a computer;

A controller managing all the functionalities mentioned above in order to control the lubrication operation and to carry out a validation of the quality of the operation;

- a base station installed on a computer making it possible to carry out a reliable historization of data concerning the lubrication carried out, detection of components which are the subject of a lubrication defect, detection of a drift in nominal lubrication parameters for a point announcing the presence of an anomaly on the component and an assisted generation of a lubrication tour according to a periodicity determined in advance;

- means for identifying the fat located inside the reservoir because a large majority of the parts to be lubricated require a specific grease which may differ from one organ to another. These means are therefore necessary in order to warn the operator of a mismatch between the type of grease located in the reservoir and the information recorded in the base station for the identifier of the lubrication point to which the device is connected.

Detailed description of the invention [0024] As shown in Figure 1, the device according to the invention comprises a housing 1 connected at one end to a grease nipple 3 via a pipe 2 in which circulates the grease and at the other end to means of adaptation to the manual lubrication device (gun, reservoir, etc.), the latter not being shown. In use, the nozzle 3 is connected to a lubrication point 12 shown in Figure 3.

The housing 1 comprises on an outer face a display system 5 on which is indicated the information relating to the lubrication point connected to the nozzle and an input device 6 for entering data. Inside the housing 1 shown in FIG. 2, are the means 8 for measuring the quantity of grease injected, the means 9 for evaluating the quality of the lubrication and a controller 7. The latter is connected to the means 8 for measuring the grease. quantity of grease injected, to the means 9 for evaluating the quality of the lubrication, to an identification system 4 of the lubrication point located on the grease nipple 3, to the display system 5, to the input device 6 and to the means of identifying the type of grease.

The means 8 for measuring the quantity of fluid injected comprise a flow sensor and the means 9 for evaluating the quality of the lubrication comprise one or more sensors. The latter are preferably arranged on the connecting tube 10 arranged upstream of the pipe 2. The qualitative sensors 9 may include a pressure sensor and / or an ultrasound level sensor. The flow sensor ensures that the quantity of fluid injected is that requested. This single sensor ίο is usually insufficient because it cannot identify a leak or a large plug that would divert the grease to another location (eg, a leak in a fitting). It is then preferable to add a pressure sensor to assess the quality of the lubrication. Too low a pressure level indicates that there is a large leak in the device upstream of the component to be lubricated, eg. a bearing, while an excessively high pressure level indicates that a plug or other obstacle is preventing grease from reaching the bearing. There are intermediate cases where the plug and the leak are moderately large and where, consequently, no anomaly is detected on the basis of the flow and pressure sensors alone. In this case, an ultrasonic sensor is used to know whether the grease has reached the level of the bearing to be lubricated. This can be seen qualitatively but also quantitatively by the decrease in decibels of the ultrasonic noise produced by the bearing.

The measurements from the various sensors make it possible to evaluate the injection stress in the lubrication point. Then, the comparison of the injection stress with nominal values for a given lubricator 12 loaded in the memory of the controller 7 makes it possible to evaluate the quality of the lubrication. An injection stress outside the limits of authorized variations around the nominal values is thus the sign of a lack of lubrication or of over-lubrication.

The means for identifying the lubrication point comprise the aforementioned identification system 4 30 as well as an identifying element 11 placed next to the lubrication point 12 on which the lubrication nipple 3 is connected (see figure 3). During connection, the identification system 4 interacts with the identifying element 11 thus achieving a secure and unique identification of the lubrication point 12 in question. This identification makes it possible to link the information contained in the memory of the controller 7 to the identifier 11 of the lubrication point and, consequently, to display the information necessary for the operator to carry out correct lubrication.

The memory of the controller 7 must therefore be loaded beforehand with the data necessary for carrying out the lubrication of the various points of the installation to be lubricated. To do this, the controller must communicate with a base station 13 installed on a computer and which contains information relating to all the lubrication points of the installation (see figure

1).

Thanks to the information loaded in the memory of the controller 7, the operator can thus see in real time the points which require lubrication, thus preventing him from forgetting points during a lubrication tour.

During the lubrication of a point, the controller 7 records in memory not only the data relating to the quantity injected for each point, but also the information coming from the qualitative sensors 9. These data are retrieved in the base station 13 on the computer to update the lubrication history, schedule, and lubrication quality data.

The device according to the invention can further include means for identifying the type of grease to be injected (not shown). This may be a viscosity sensor or a radio identification system similar to that described for the identification of the lubrication point. In the latter case, the identifying element arranged on the grease reservoir communicates with an identification system arranged on the control and validation device according to the invention.

Advantages of the device according to the invention The device according to the invention makes it possible to eliminate the risk present following a lack of lubrication by checking that the manual lubrication operations are carried out optimally while allowing a reliable history of the lubrication operations 10 carried out for each lubrication point authenticated in the system. It also makes it possible to compare the evolution over time of the quality of the lubrication at each lubrication point in the installation.

Claims (13)

1. Device for checking and validating manual lubrication for an installation provided with at least one lubrication point (12), said device comprising: - means of identification (4,11) of said lubrication point (12), - means (8) for measuring the quantity of fat injected and, - Means (9) for determining whether the injected grease is properly conveyed to the lubrication point (12), said means comprising a pressure sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor. 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the means (8) for measuring the quantity of grease injected comprise a flow sensor. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a nozzle (3) intended, in use, to be connected to the lubrication point (12). 4. Device according to claim 3, wherein the means for identifying the lubrication point comprise an identification system (4) located on the nozzle (3) and an identifying element (11) placed next to the lubrication point. (12), said means being configured so that, in use, the identification system (4) interacts with the identifying element (11) so as to identify said lubrication point (12). 5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising means for identifying the type of grease contained in a reservoir, said means comprising a grease viscosity sensor or a radio-identification system communicating with an identifier placed on it. the grease reservoir. 6. Device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, comprising a display system (5) indicating information relating to the lubrication point (12) connected to the nozzle (3) and an input device (6). ) allowing interaction with the information provided on the display system (5). 7. Device according to any one of claims 3 to 6, comprising a controller (7), said controller (7) being connected to the means (8) for measuring the quantity of grease injected, to the identification system (4), to the display system (5), to the input peripheral (6), to the means (9) for determining whether the injected grease is correctly conveyed to the lubrication point (12) and to the means for identifying the type of fat. 8. Device according to claim 7, comprising a base station (13) and means of communication between said base station (13) and the controller (7). 9. Method for checking and validating manual lubrication using the device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, said method comprising the steps of: - Connection of the end piece (3) of said device to the lubrication point (12); - Identification of the lubrication point (12); - Display of information relating to the identified lubrication point (12); - Measurement of the quantity of fat injected; - Evaluation of the grease injection stress in the lubrication point (12); - Comparison of said injection stress with nominal values specific to the identified lubrication point (12). 10. Method according to claim 9, in which the evaluation of the injection stress is carried out from measurements of pressure, flow rate and / or ultrasound level. 11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, comprising a step of identifying the type of grease ready to be injected in order to ensure that the latter corresponds to that displayed in the information relating to the lubrication point (12) identified. 12. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising the steps of: - Recording of measurements of the quantity of fat injected, of pressure, and / or of ultrasound level; - Update of the lubrication history, planning of the next lubrication and detection of a deviation from the nominal lubrication values of the lubrication point (12). 13. Manual lubrication device comprising the control and validation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.