| CPC F16H 57/0442 (2013.01) [F16H 57/01 (2013.01); F16H 57/045 (2013.01); F16H 57/0456 (2013.01); F16N 11/04 (2013.01); F16N 19/003 (2013.01); F16N 29/02 (2013.01); F16H 2057/012 (2013.01)] | 9 Claims |
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1. A smart system for lubrication fluid delivery, consisting of:
a) a gearbox assembly including a gearbox and a system of gears mounted therein, the system of gears including gears cooperatively engaged to one another;
b) a dispenser assembly including a channel and a dispenser, the dispenser being an enclosure including a hollow interior, the hollow interior defining a reservoir, wherein a lubrication fluid is stored within the reservoir and is expelled via the channel, the channel being located at a dispenser end, the dispenser having a cylindrical shape and including a threaded portion located opposite of the channel, said threaded portion facilitating mounting the dispenser within a gearbox interior, the gearbox interior including the system of gears, the dispenser being mounted in alignment to the system of gears to facilitate the lubrication fluid being expelled onto said system of gears;
c) a pressure supply assembly including a spring and a plunger, wherein the spring is engaged with the plunger, said plunger being displaced with an expansion and a retraction of the spring, said spring being mounted within the dispenser and oppositely located with respect to the channel, the plunger being located between the spring and the channel; and
d) an electronic assembly including a microphone, at least one lubrication fluid quality sensor, a flow meter, an electric valve, and a microcontroller unit powered by a power source, wherein the microcontroller unit generates a signal to actuate the electric valve to an open state, the electric valve being a proportional flow valve, the open state of the electric valve allows for the lubrication fluid to be expelled via the channel, said flow meter measuring an output quantity of the lubrication fluid to provide an output reading to the microcontroller unit, wherein the output reading prompts the microcontroller unit to actuate the electric valve to a closed state thereby preventing the flow of lubrication fluid through the channel, the microcontroller unit including wireless communication to transmit and receive signals from an additional microcontroller unit located on an additional dispenser, the microphone is configured to record a sound signature from the system of gears, the sound signature being compared to a secondary sound signature of lubricated gears by the microcontroller unit to subsequently generate a signal to actuate the electric valve, the at least one lubrication fluid quality sensor being mounted to the dispenser to relay characteristic data of the lubrication fluid to the microcontroller unit in the form of at least one of viscosity, density, dielectric constant, lubrication fluid temperature, and contaminant detection.
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