Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for monitoring the quality of lubricant

US6803563B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

12References

9Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Flender Service GmbH · DE

Inventors

Edwin Becker · Reken, DE
Mark Zundel · Duisburg, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 16, 2003
Grant date	Oct 12, 2004
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Dec 16, 2023

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01N33/2888
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for monitoring the quality of lubricant that is in a gear mechanism or machine that contains effective materials. A sample of the lubricant or of the vapor that escapes from the lubricant is withdrawn from the gear mechanism or machine. The sample is conveyed to an ion mobility spectrometer, where materials present in the vapor phase above the lubricant are analyzed. The change of the content and of the type of the analyzed materials in the sample is utilized as the actual condition for the aging of the lubricant.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.