Systems and methods for automatic maintenance of lube oil quality include a storage tank for storing fresh lube oil, a lube oil reservoir containing a volume of operational lube oil, and an oil disposal tank. A first controllable flow system transports lube oil from the reservoir to the oil disposal tank, and a second controllable flow system transports fresh lube oil from the storage tank to the reservoir. Provided are a level transmitter to measure a level of lube oil within the reservoir and an antioxidant sensor to measure a concentration of antioxidant level inside the lube oil reservoir. A control system activates and deactivates the first controllable flow system based upon the concentration of antioxidant measured by the antioxidant sensor, and activates and deactivates the second controllable flow system based upon the level of lube oil measured by the level transmitter.

Systems and methods for automatic maintenance of lube oil quality include a storage tank for storing fresh lube oil, a lube oil reservoir containing a volume of operational lube oil, and an oil disposal tank. A first controllable flow system transports lube oil from the reservoir to the oil disposal tank, and a second controllable flow system transports fresh lube oil from the storage tank to the reservoir. Provided are a level transmitter to measure a level of lube oil within the reservoir and an antioxidant sensor to measure a concentration of antioxidant level inside the lube oil reservoir. A control system activates and deactivates the first controllable flow system based upon the concentration of antioxidant measured by the antioxidant sensor, and activates and deactivates the second controllable flow system based upon the level of lube oil measured by the level transmitter.

A lubrication system includes a lubricator. A detecting unit includes an oil introducing part, multiple chambers, multiple blockage detectors and a processor. The oil introducing part is connected between the detecting unit and the lubricator. The oil introducing part communicates with the chambers. The blockage detectors are electrically connected to the processor and monitor transportation status of lubrication oil of the chambers. The processor judges the transportation status of the lubricating oil of the chambers by results from the blockage detectors. The lubrication system finds out blockage in the oil paths immediately so as to remove the blockage timely.

A lubrication system includes a lubricator. A detecting unit includes an oil introducing part, multiple chambers, multiple blockage detectors and a processor. The oil introducing part is connected between the detecting unit and the lubricator. The oil introducing part communicates with the chambers. The blockage detectors are electrically connected to the processor and monitor transportation status of lubrication oil of the chambers. The processor judges the transportation status of the lubricating oil of the chambers by results from the blockage detectors. The lubrication system finds out blockage in the oil paths immediately so as to remove the blockage timely.

Magnetic chip detectors for detecting magnetic chips in a lubrication fluid are provided. The chip detector includes a first electric terminal, a second electric terminal and a magnet. The second electric terminal is spaced apart from the first electric terminal to define a gap between the first and second electric terminals. The gap exposes a cavity formed in the magnet for collecting magnetic chips. The cavity accommodates the accumulation of smaller and relatively harmless magnetic chips without triggering an alarm to reduce the occurrence of nuisance alarms.

An abnormality detection device for a rolling bearing includes a filter that allows passage of lubricating oil, while preventing passage of metal pieces, from the bearing space between the outer ring and the inner ring of the rolling bearing to the exterior of the bearing space. The device further includes an electrical circuit including a pair of permanent magnets mounted, as a pair of electrodes, to the filter so as to be spaced apart from each other, and electrical lines extending from the respective electrodes to a power source. A state detector detects a change in electrical output from the electrical circuit when metal pieces adhere between the pair of permanent magnets, thereby detecting the state of the metal pieces contained in the lubricating oil.

An abnormality detection device for a rolling bearing includes a filter that allows passage of lubricating oil, while preventing passage of metal pieces, from the bearing space between the outer ring and the inner ring of the rolling bearing to the exterior of the bearing space. The device further includes an electrical circuit including a pair of permanent magnets mounted, as a pair of electrodes, to the filter so as to be spaced apart from each other, and electrical lines extending from the respective electrodes to a power source. A state detector detects a change in electrical output from the electrical circuit when metal pieces adhere between the pair of permanent magnets, thereby detecting the state of the metal pieces contained in the lubricating oil.

The invention relates to a device for determining the actual state and/or the remaining service life of a construction, materials-handling and/or conveyor machine, having a plurality of sensors provided on the construction, materials-handling and/or conveyor machine for recording various state information, a recording unit connected to the sensors for gathering the recorded state information, a central unit able to be connected to the recording unit for evaluating the gathered state information and determining the actual state and/or the remaining service life from the gathered state information, and a display device for displaying the determined actual state and/or the determined remaining service life, wherein the sensors comprise various sensor types for recording at least two different categories of information from the group comprising component oscillations, lubricant properties, component and/or lubricant temperature and drive loading and the central unit is designed to ascertain the actual state and/or the remaining service life on the basis of the at least two different categories of information.

The invention relates to a device for determining the actual state and/or the remaining service life of a construction, materials-handling and/or conveyor machine, having a plurality of sensors provided on the construction, materials-handling and/or conveyor machine for recording various state information, a recording unit connected to the sensors for gathering the recorded state information, a central unit able to be connected to the recording unit for evaluating the gathered state information and determining the actual state and/or the remaining service life from the gathered state information, and a display device for displaying the determined actual state and/or the determined remaining service life, wherein the sensors comprise various sensor types for recording at least two different categories of information from the group comprising component oscillations, lubricant properties, component and/or lubricant temperature and drive loading and the central unit is designed to ascertain the actual state and/or the remaining service life on the basis of the at least two different categories of information.

Magnetic chip detectors for detecting magnetic chips in a lubrication fluid are provided. The chip detector includes a first electric terminal, a second electric terminal and a magnet. The second electric terminal is spaced apart from the first electric terminal to define a gap between the first and second electric terminals. The gap exposes a cavity formed in the magnet for collecting magnetic chips. The cavity accommodates the accumulation of smaller and relatively harmless magnetic chips without triggering an alarm to reduce the occurrence of nuisance alarms.