A vehicle drive system includes a first prime mover, a transmission, a power take-off (PTO), a lubrication system for the transmission and the PTO, and a control system. The transmission is powered by the first prime mover. The transmission is configured to rotate a drive shaft of the vehicle. The PTO is connected to the transmission at a first interface. The PTO includes the first interface and a second interface. The control system is configured to control fluid flow through the lubrication system for at least one mode where the input section of the PTO is stationary and the output section rotates.

An automatic lubricator for lubricating an object is described, which comprises a housing with a coupling section configured to couple with a lubricant container containing a lubricant, wherein the lubricant container comprises a rotatable shaft with a piston to dispense the lubricant from an output of the lubricant container. The lubricator further comprises an electric motor configured to drive the rotatable shaft of the lubricant container during at least one lubrication action, such that at least a part of the lubricant is dispensable from the lubricant container during the at least one lubrication action, and a power supply configured to supply the electric motor with a supply current during the at least one lubrication action. The lubricator further comprises a control circuitry configured to acquire a current signal indicative of the supply current over time during at least a part of the at least one lubrication action, determine a periodicity of the acquired current signal, and determine, based on the determined periodicity, at least one lubrication parameter indicative of the at least one lubrication action.

A lubricant deterioration detection device of the present invention includes a gas sensor that selectively detects a carbonyl compound. The gas sensor is configured to detect the carbonyl compound from at least one of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propanal, butanal, pentanal, n-hexanal, n-heptanal, formic acid, and acetic acid. The detection deterioration device further includes an oil removal portion that removes an oil mist generated from the lubricant.

A holder for mounting a communication device to a grease gun, which has a housing and a control disposed within the housing, includes a bracket connected with the grease gun. The bracket has a first end coupled with the grease gun housing and a second end coupleable with the communication device so as to secure the device to the grease gun. Preferably, the holder further includes a frame coupled with the bracket second member for receiving the communication device to removably couple the communication device with the grease gun. The communication device may be a smartphone, a portable media player, a portable computing device or any similar device and wirelessly communicates with a control within the grease gun housing.

A system for maintaining the operating condition of a machine is provided. The system includes 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. The dispensing device is configured to dispense lubricant in order to maintain the operating condition of the machine. The interchangeable control module is configured to interchangeably control and interchangeably reside in either a fixed or a portable dispensing device. The interchangeable control module communicates to an external or internal intermediary computing device. The interchangeable control module includes interface hardware for facilitating with at least one condition monitoring sensors, and 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.

A vehicle drive system includes a first prime mover, a transmission, a power take-off (PTO), a lubrication system for the transmission and the PTO, and a control system. The transmission is powered by the first prime mover. The transmission is configured to rotate a drive shaft of the vehicle. The PTO is connected to the transmission at a first interface. The PTO includes the first interface and a second interface. The control system is configured to control fluid flow through the lubrication system for at least one mode where the input section of the PTO is stationary and the output section rotates.

In one embodiment, there is provided a dock for a replaceable fluid container for an engine, the fluid container having: a fluid reservoir; and at least one fluid port having a coupling adapted to couple with a fluid circulation system associated with the engine; the dock having: a fastening mechanism configured to cooperate with the container such that, as the container is inserted into the dock, the fastening mechanism acts first to seat the fluid container in the dock but in an undocked condition and then, as the container is inserted further into the dock, acts to bring the fluid container into an engaged condition in which the fluid container is docked with a docking interface of the dock.

In one embodiment, there is provided a dock for a replaceable fluid container for an engine, the fluid container having: a fluid reservoir; and at least one fluid port having a coupling adapted to couple with a fluid circulation system associated with the engine; the dock having: a fastening mechanism configured to cooperate with the container such that, as the container is inserted into the dock, the fastening mechanism acts first to seat the fluid container in the dock but in an undocked condition and then, as the container is inserted further into the dock, acts to bring the fluid container into an engaged condition in which the fluid container is docked with a docking interface of the dock.

A holder for mounting a communication device to a grease gun, which has a housing and a control disposed within the housing, includes a bracket connected with the grease gun. The bracket has a first end coupled with the grease gun housing and a second end coupleable with the communication device so as to secure the device to the grease gun. Preferably, the holder further includes a frame coupled with the bracket second member for receiving the communication device to removably couple the communication device with the grease gun. The communication device may be a smartphone, a portable media player, a portable computing device or any similar device and wirelessly communicates with a control within the grease gun housing.

A lubrication control system for intermittent dosing of lubricant to one or more lubrication stations in a centrifugal separator includes a lubricant supply arrangement for supplying lubricant to at least one lubrication station. At least one pump is supplying intermittent pulsed volumes of lubricant from the lubricant supply arrangement to at least one lubricant pulse monitoring device including an elastic chamber to receive said pulsed volumes of lubricant from the pump, an outlet export valve at an outlet from the elastic chamber closing when a pulsed volume is delivered to the elastic chamber and opening to deliver the lubricant to the lubrication station, and a pressure transmitter measuring the pressure in said elastic chamber at least when a pulsed volume is received in the elastic chamber. A control computer regulating the pump controlling the pulses, closing the outlet export valve when a pulsed volume is delivered to the elastic chamber, controlling the measured pressure in the elastic chamber and opening the outlet export valve for deliverance of lubricant to the lubrication station. Also a corresponding method includes pumping intermittent pulsed volumes of lubricant to an elastic chamber, measuring the pressure in the elastic chamber when the elastic chamber has received a pulsed volume, controlling if the pressure corresponds to a required volume of lubricant, opening an outlet export valve at an outlet of said elastic chamber and emptying the elastic chamber and closing said outlet export valve to receive next pulsed volume of lubricant to the elastic chamber.