Lubricant reservoir low level indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9920879-B2
Application number	US-201414909643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2014
Priority date	Aug 7, 2013
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A lubrication system comprises a lubricant reservoir, a motorized pump, a follower plate, a stationary rod, a movable sleeve, and a flexible connection. The motorized pump is disposed to pump fluid from the lubricant reservoir to lubricant work lines. The follower plate is situated within the lubricant reservoir. The stationary rod has a colored indicator portion. The movable sleeve disposed concentrically about the stationary rod. The flexible connection extends between the follower plate and the stationary colored rod, such that the flexible connection pulls the movable sleeve away from the stationary rod to reveal the colored indicator portion as the follower plate drops towards a bottom of the lubricant reservoir.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lubrication system comprises:
a lubricant reservoir;
a motorized pump disposed to pump fluid from the lubricant reservoir to lubricant work lines;
a follower plate situated within the lubricant reservoir;
a stationary rod with a colored indicator portion;
a movable sleeve disposed concentrically about the stationary rod; and
a flexible connection between the follower plate and the stationary colored rod, such that the flexible connection pulls the movable sleeve away from the stationary rod to reveal the colored indicator portion as the follower plate drops towards a bottom of the lubricant reservoir.

2. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the stationary rod and the movable sleeve form an indicator assembly mounted atop the lubricant reservoir.

3. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is configured to draw lubricant from the lubricant reservoir via a substantially centrally located fluid tube.

4. The lubrication system of claim 3 , wherein the flexible connection is substantially parallel to the fluid tube.

5. The lubrication system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller disposed to control the motorized pump.

6. The lubrication system of claim 5 , further comprising a transmitter disposed to transmit an empty signal to the controller when the movable sleeve reaches a position revealing at least a portion of the colored indicator portion of the stationary rod.

7. The lubrication system of claim 6 , wherein the transmitter is disposed to transmit the empty signal when triggered by a switch actuated by translation of the movable sleeve.

8. The lubrication system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible connection is slack except when the follower plate drops towards near the bottom of the lubricant reservoir.

9. An indicator system for a lubricant reservoir, the indicator system comprising:
a follower plate situated within the lubricant reservoir;
an stationary rod with a colored indicator portion;
a movable sleeve disposed concentrically about the stationary rod; and
a flexible connection between the follower plate and the stationary colored rod, such that the flexible connection pulls the movable sleeve away from the stationary rod to reveal the colored indicator portion as the follower plate drops towards a bottom of the lubricant reservoir.

10. The indicator system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a controller; and
a transmitter disposed to transmit an empty signal to the controller when the movable sleeve reaches a position revealing at least a portion of the colored indicator portion of the stationary rod.

11. The indicator system of claim 10 , wherein the transmitter is disposed to transmit the empty signal to the controller when the movable sleeve reaches a position where substantially all of the colored indicator portion is revealed.

12. The indicator system of claim 10 , wherein the transmitter is disposed to transmit the empty signal when triggered by a switch actuated by translation of the movable sleeve.

13. The indicator system of claim 12 , wherein the switch is a reed switch.

14. The indicator system of claim 9 , further comprising a transparent protective window enclosing the stationary rod and the movable sleeve.

15. The indicator system of claim 9 , wherein the movable sleeve is spring biased to obscure the colored indicator portion.

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Klaphake Andrew J
• Kidman Jeffrey
• Nijaguna Suresha S

Classifications

• F16N11/08

  with mechanical drive, other than directly by springs or weights (lubricating-pumps F16N13/00) · CPC title

• F16N11/00

  Arrangements for supplying grease from a stationary reservoir or the equivalent in or on the machine or member to be lubricated; Grease cups · CPC title

• F04B49/065

  and making use of computers · CPC title

• F01M2001/0238

  Rotary pumps · CPC title

• F04B2203/0201

  Current · CPC title