Lubrication injector with energy harvesting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801667-B2
Application number	US-201615570176-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A system for harvesting energy from a lubrication event includes a fluid pump, a fluid injector, an energy harvesting device, a wireless transmitter, and a controller unit. The fluid injector receives fluid from the fluid pump. The fluid injector is connected to the energy harvesting device, which is configured to produce electrical energy in response to a firing of the fluid injector. Electrical energy produced by the energy harvesting device powers the wireless transmitter, which is configured to transmit a wireless signal. The wireless signal indicates that the fluid injector fired. The wireless signal is received by the controller unit, which controls the fluid pump.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a fluid pump;
a fluid injector in communication with the fluid pump, the fluid injector comprising an indicator pin movable between a first position and a second position;
an energy harvesting device connected to the fluid injector and configured to produce electrical energy in response to a firing of the fluid injector, the energy harvesting device comprising a threaded end attached to the fluid injector and adapted to receive the indicator pin;
a wireless transmitter powered by the electrical energy from the energy harvesting device and configured to transmit a wireless signal indicating that the fluid injector fired; and
a controller unit configured to receive the wireless signal and control the fluid pump.

2. The system of claim 1 , and further comprising:
second fluid injector in communication with the pump; and
a second energy harvesting device connected to the second fluid injector and configured to generate a second electrical signal.

3. The system of claim 2 , and further comprising:
a second transmitter connected to the second energy harvesting device and configured to receive the second electrical signal from the second energy harvesting device and transmit a second wireless signal.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller unit is configured to receive the second wireless signal.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy harvesting device further comprises:
a housing attached to the threaded end;
a passage defined by an internal surface of the housing;
an elastic actuation element disposed within the passage and located near the threaded end;
a striking element attached to the actuation element and actuatable between a first position and a second position, the striking element comprising:
a first end connected to the actuation element; and
a second end generally opposite the first end;

a drive spring attached to the actuation element and the striking element; and
a piezoelectric element disposed within the internal chamber near the second end of the striking element and connected to the transmitter.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein
the indicator pin engages the striking element when the indicator pin is in the second position.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the passage further comprises:
a first chamber; and
a second chamber, wherein a central axis of the first chamber is offset from a second axis of the second chamber.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the passage further comprises:
an obstruction element, wherein a portion of the striking element at or near the second end of the striking element is engaged with the obstruction element when the striking element is in the first position.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the striking element at or near the second end of the striking element is disengaged with the obstruction point when the striking element is in the second position.

10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the device further comprises:
an anvil element attached to the piezoelectric element and positioned to be in contact with the striking element when the striking element is in the second position.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the device further comprises:
a return spring attached to the striking element and to the anvil element.

12. The system of claim 5 , wherein the piezoelectric element is formed from a lead zirconate titanate material.

13. A system for converting mechanical energy from a fluid dispensing event into electrical energy, the system comprising:
a fluid injection module comprising:
an indicator pin that moves during the dispensing event;

an energy harvesting device attached to a dispensing module and comprising:
a chamber defined by an internal surface of the energy harvesting device;
an actuation element disposed within the chamber and configured to engage the indicator pin and compress as the indicator pin moves from the first position to the second position;

a striking element connected to the actuation element and movable between a first position and a second position,
a piezoelectric element disposed within the chamber near the striking element; and
a transmitter configured to generate a wireless signal attached to the piezoelectric element.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the energy harvesting device includes a threaded external surface that is engaged with a threaded internal surface of the fluid dispensing module.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the indicator pin moves from the first position to the second position after the fluid dispensing module dispenses a fluid.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the wireless signal transmitter transmits an electrical signal indicating that the fluid dispensing event has occurred.

17. A method of producing a wireless signal from a fluid dispensing device the method comprising:
dispensing a volume of a fluid from a fluid injector, the fluid injector comprising an indicator pin;
moving the indicator pin from a first position to a second position as the fluid is dispensed;
compressing an actuation element in an energy harvesting device with the indicator pin as the indicator pin moves from the first position to the second position, wherein the energy harvesting device comprises a threaded end attached to the fluid injector and adapted to receive the indicator pin;
impacting a piezoelectric element with a striking element when the indicator pin is in the second position;
powering a transmitter with electrical energy generated from the piezoelectric element; and
transmitting a wireless electric signal from a wireless transmitter to a controller unit, the signal indicating that the volume of fluid has been dispensed from the injector.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to indicate that the fluid has been dispensed when the controller receives the wireless electric signal.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a plurality of wireless electric signals from a plurality of transmitters.

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Paar Benjamin J
• Mjolhus Eric J
• Radzyuk Igor V
• Grunloh Andrew M
• Hegdahl Anna M
• Stassen Benjamin R
• Stack Christopher J
• Franklin Iii Walter L

Classifications

• F16N21/04 Primary

  Nozzles for connection of lubricating equipment to nipples · CPC title

• F16N7/385

  Central lubrication systems · CPC title

• H02N2/183

  using impacting bodies (high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q) · CPC title

• F16N2260/00

  Fail safe · CPC title

• F16N29/04

  enabling a warning to be given; enabling moving parts to be stopped · CPC title