US 12,188,612 B2
Interchangeable control module for fixed and portable lubricant dispensing devices
Neila Ben Amar, Calgary (CA); Nathan Donovan, Columbia, IL (US); Shawn Gibson, Calgary (CA); Timothy Andrew Harris, Calgary (CA); Craig McFarland, Calgary (CA); Brian Mitchell, Ballwin, MO (US); Lois Gayle Wride, Calgary (CA); and Waheeduz Zaman, Calgary (CA)
Assigned to SKF Canada Limited, Scarborough (CA); and Lincoln Industrial Corporation, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed by SKF Canada Limited, Scarborough (CA); and Lincoln Industrial Corporation
Filed on Jul. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/939,195.
Application 16/939,195 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/669,570, filed on Aug. 4, 2017, granted, now 11,199,293.
Prior Publication US 2020/0355323 A1, Nov. 12, 2020
Int. Cl. F16N 29/02 (2006.01); B67D 7/08 (2010.01); F16N 7/00 (2006.01); F16N 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16N 29/02 (2013.01) [B67D 7/08 (2013.01); F16N 7/00 (2013.01); F16N 9/00 (2013.01); F16N 2230/02 (2013.01); F16N 2250/00 (2013.01); F16N 2270/20 (2013.01); F16N 2270/70 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for maintaining the operating condition of a machine, the system comprising: a dispensing device having:
an interchangeable control module, the interchangeable control module including control hardware that provides a central processing unit, a data storage memory, and communication modules, wherein
the data storage memory collects and stores at least one of the group of operating condition data of the machine consisting of: temperature, vibration, and power consumption, wherein
the dispensing device, having a dispensing device chassis where a portion of the control hardware resides, is configured to dispense lubricant in order to maintain the operating condition of the machine, wherein
the interchangeable control module is configured to interchangeably control and interchangeably reside in either a fixed or a portable dispensing device, wherein
the interchangeable control module communicates to an external or internal intermediary computing device, wherein
the interchangeable control module includes interface hardware for facilitating with at least one condition monitoring sensors,
wherein the interchangeable control module is further configured to receive data from the at least one condition monitoring sensor and data from the dispensing device at the same time, and
wherein, based on measurements received from the at least one condition monitoring sensor, the interchangeable control module determines the amount or type of lubricant required, and creates a maintenance action to be completed.