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A method and apparatus to automatically monitor a lubricant supply of a unit lubricated according to the principle of oil and air lubrication. The method and apparatus detect oil streaks traveling on the wall of the lubricant line by using a capacitive or opto-electronic control. The method and appa

A method and apparatus to automatically monitor a lubricant supply of a unit lubricated according to the principle of oil and air lubrication. The method and apparatus detect oil streaks traveling on the wall of the lubricant line by using a capacitive or opto-electronic control. The method and apparatus further utilize signals that depend on wave movements of these streaks for control purposes.

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1. A method of monitoring an oil flow in a device for oil and air lubrication of at least one of a unit and bearings of the unit, in which oil drops are transported through an air flow along a wall of a tube and are thereby expanded in a streak-like manner, comprising:detecting fluctuations of the o

1. A method of monitoring an oil flow in a device for oil and air lubrication of at least one of a unit and bearings of the unit, in which oil drops are transported through an air flow along a wall of a tube and are thereby expanded in a streak-like manner, comprising:detecting fluctuations of the oil flow;outputting a signal that corresponds to the detected fluctuations,wherein the fluctuations of the oil flow are detected by a streak sensor, which opto-electronically detects at least one of a streak shape, a streak size, a streak frequency, and a streak sequence of the oil flow,wherein radiation intensity of a light source is controlled by a controller in rhythm of the streaks such that a receiver is permanently biased by a same amount of light. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal output of the streak sensor is used for generating a display. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a signal output of the streak sensor is used for varying an oil quantity introduced into the tube. 4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signal output of the streak sensor is used for varying an oil quantity introduced into the tube. 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a signal output of the streak sensor is used for varying a strength of the air flow introduced into the tube. 6. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signal output of the streak sensor is used for varying a strength of the air flow introduced into the tube. 7. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the signal output of the streak sensor is used for varying a strength of the air flow introduced into the tube. 8. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the signal output of the streak sensor is used for varying a strength of the air flow introduced into the tube. 9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein untypical signals of the streak sensor are suppressed by a filter. 10. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein untypical signals of the streak sensor are suppressed by a filter. 11. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein untypical signals of the streak sensor are suppressed by a filter. 12. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein untypical signals of the streak sensor are suppressed by a filter. 13. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein untypical signals of the streak sensor are suppressed by a filter. 14. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein untypical signals of the streak sensor are suppressed by a filter. 15. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein untypical signals of the streak sensor are suppressed by a filter. 16. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein untypical signals of the streak sensor are suppressed by a filter. 17. A device for monitoring an oil flow in a device of oil and air lubrication of at least one of a unit and bearings of the unit, comprising:a tube that has transparent sections, through which an air flow is directed and along whose wall oil drops expanded in a streak-like manner are formed;a sensor arranged on the tube configured to detect fluctuations of oil flow and to output a signal corresponding to the detected fluctuations of the oil flow to an evaluation unit,wherein the sensor is formed as a streak sensor through which at least one of a streak shape, a streak size, a streak frequency, and a streak sequence is detected and that comprises a receiver and a light source directed towards the receiver, arranged in an area of at least one of the transparent sections of the tube,wherein the streak sensor comprises a controller through which light intensity of a light source is configured to be controlled such that the receiver during operation can permanently be biased with a same amount of light.