Abstract: A method includes providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving a lubricant and including a shaft in a shaft opening, filling the free volume with the lubricant, providing an exclusion seal between the shaft opening and the shaft, the exclusion seal being repeatably and non-destructively shiftable from a sealing state and a release state, the exclusion seal being shiftable from the sealing state to the release state by increasing a pressure in the bearing housing to above a first level and being shiftable from the release state to the sealing state by decreasing the pressure to below the first level; and continuously maintaining a film of the lubricant between the exclusion seal and the shaft by repeatedly causing the pressure of the lubricant in the free volume to rise above and fall below the first level.

Abstract: A bearing system includes a bearing housing configured to house a bearing and enclosing a free volume for receiving a lubricant, a bearing, a pump configured to pump lubricant into the free volume, a shaft in an opening in the housing rotatably supported by the bearing, an exclusion seal between the shaft opening and the shaft that is repeatably and non-destructively shiftable from a sealing state in which it substantially prevents lubricant from leaving the free volume and a release state in which it allows lubricant to escape between the exclusion seal and the shaft. The exclusion seal is caused to shift by increasing and decreasing a pressure in the bearing housing, and the system includes a controller configured to repeatedly shift the exclusion seal by raising and lowering the pressure in the free volume to continuously maintain a lubricating film between the exclusion seal and the shaft.

Abstract: A method includes providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant, providing a quantity of the lubricant in the free volume, and providing a sensor configured to measure at least one parameter affecting a degradation rate at which the lubricant will degrade and to produce at least one output signal indicative of the measured at least one parameter. The method also includes providing a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing, providing a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor and configured to control the pump based the received at least one output signal, and controlling the pump based on a function of the received at least one output signal.

Abstract: A bearing system includes a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant, a quantity of the lubricant in the free volume, a sensor configured to measure at least one parameter affecting a degradation rate at which the lubricant will degrade and to produce at least one output signal indicative of the measured at least one parameter, a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing, and a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor and to control the pump based a function of the received at least one output signal.

Abstract: A method includes providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving a lubricant and including a shaft in a shaft opening, filling the free volume with the lubricant, providing an exclusion seal between the shaft opening and the shaft, the exclusion seal being repeatably and non-destructively shiftable from a sealing state and a release state, the exclusion seal being shiftable from the sealing state to the release state by increasing a pressure in the bearing housing to above a first level and being shiftable from the release state to the sealing state by decreasing the pressure to below the first level; and continuously maintaining a film of the lubricant between the exclusion seal and the shaft by repeatedly causing the pressure of the lubricant in the free volume to rise above and fall below the first level.

Abstract: A bearing system includes a bearing housing configured to house a bearing and enclosing a free volume for receiving a lubricant, a bearing, a pump configured to pump lubricant into the free volume, a shaft in an opening in the housing rotatably supported by the bearing, an exclusion seal between the shaft opening and the shaft that is repeatably and non-destructively shiftable from a sealing state in which it substantially prevents lubricant from leaving the free volume and a release state in which it allows lubricant to escape between the exclusion seal and the shaft. The exclusion seal is caused to shift by increasing and decreasing a pressure in the bearing housing, and the system includes a controller configured to repeatedly shift the exclusion seal by raising and lowering the pressure in the free volume to continuously maintain a lubricating film between the exclusion seal and the shaft.

Abstract: A bearing system includes a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant, a quantity of the lubricant in the free volume, a sensor configured to measure at least one parameter affecting a degradation rate at which the lubricant will degrade and to produce at least one output signal indicative of the measured at least one parameter, a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing, and a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor and to control the pump based a function of the received at least one output signal.

Abstract: A method includes providing a bearing housing configured to house a bearing, the bearing housing enclosing a free volume for receiving lubricant, providing a quantity of the lubricant in the free volume, and providing a sensor configured to measure at least one parameter affecting a degradation rate at which the lubricant will degrade and to produce at least one output signal indicative of the measured at least one parameter. The method also includes providing a pump for pumping lubricant into the bearing housing, providing a controller configured to receive the at least one output signal from the sensor and configured to control the pump based the received at least one output signal, and controlling the pump based on a function of the received at least one output signal.

Abstract: A seal assembly includes a stator attached to a housing and a rotor attached to a shaft. A static sealing member is attached to the stator presenting a contact with the rotor at stand-still. An electromagnetic is attached to the stator at a distance from an end of the static sealing member. The static sealing member is activated and moved away from the rotor by the magnetic force exerted by the electromagnet as the shaft rotates. The electromagnet is controlled by a control system for controlling the equipment in which the bearing isolator is used. To deactivate the static sealing member during shaft rotation, the bearing isolator may have its own control system with a sensor to indicate if the shaft is rotating. As the shaft rotates, contaminants are expelled through gaps between the stator and the rotor.

Abstract: A shaft sealing assembly for static and dynamic sealing includes a stator member attached to a housing and a rotor member attached to a shaft rotatable about an axis. The rotor member includes first and second pocket sections extending from upper and lower radial flanges extending in a cantilevered fashion from a tubular member. At least one static sealing member is attached to and encapsulates each pocket section. Each static sealing member presents a core portion and a pair of radial lips extending from the core portion. The stator member presents an annular wall extending to inner walls inclined conically to a central radial rim or flange separating two pocket portions and the static sealing members presenting a contact and frictionally engaging with the central radial rim as the rotor member is at a stand-still or static position.

Abstract: A seal assembly includes a stator attached to a housing and a rotor attached to a shaft. A static sealing member is attacked to the stator presenting a contact with the rotor at stand-still. An electromagnetic is attached to the stator at a distance from an end of the static sealing member. The static sealing member is activated and moved away from the rotor by the magnetic force exerted by the electromagnet as the shaft rotates. The electromagnet is controlled by a control system for controlling the equipment in which the bearing isolator is used. To deactivate the static sealing member during shaft rotation, the bearing isolator may have its own control system with a sensor to indicate if the shaft is rotating. As the shaft rotates, contaminants are expelled through gaps between the stator and the rotor.

Abstract: A shaft sealing assembly for static and dynamic sealing includes a stator member attached to a housing and a rotor member attached to a shaft rotatable about an axis. The rotor member includes first and second pocket sections extending from upper and lower radial flanges extending in a cantilevered fashion from a tubular member. At least one static sealing member is attached to and encapsulates each pocket section. Each static sealing member presents a core portion and a pair of radial lips extending from the core portion. The stator member presents an annular wall extending to inner walls inclined conically to a central radial rim or flange separating two pocket portions and the static sealing members presenting a contact and frictionally engaging with the central radial rim as the rotor member is at a stand-still or static position.