Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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OIL C~NGING SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of over-the-road trucking, it i8 highly desirable to be able
to minimize the amount of service required on a vehicle ln order that the
vehicle be available for use on the road. The changing of oil and
corresponding filter accounts for a substantial portion of the maintenance
which will be performed on an over-the-road truck during is lifetime. Further,
the service life of a diesel engine is directly related to the cleanliness of
the oil run in the engine.
Thus, it is an ob~ect of this invention to provide a device which wlll
substantially reduce the amount of maintenance time required in changing the
oil on an over-the-road truck as well as any diesel powered vehicle and which
will provide for the oil to remain substantlally clean and effective.
SUMMARY OF T~IE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention an oil changing system is provided
whereby predetermined amounts of lubricating oil are removed from an engine
lubrication system at pPriodic intervals. The periodic intervals are
established such that the entire contents of the lubrication system are removed
during a mileage interval corresponding to a normal oil change interval~ The
lubricating oil removed from the lubricating system i8 deposited with diesel
fuel and thus consumed by the combustion thereof in the diesel engine. The
lubricating oil removed from the lubricating system is replaced so as to
maintain a desired oll level by either conventional or other means.
To this end, a small oil extractor pump is mounted to the oil output off
the oil filter of a diegel engine. The output of the pump is directed to the
fuel tank of the engine for burning along with the conventional diesel fuel.
Operation of the pump is signalled by an impulse timer which is in turn
connected to the ignition of the vehicle. The impulse timer is set so that the
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oil extractor pump ls cycled periodically during vehicle operation to direct a
predetermined amount of engine oil out of the oil pan and into the fuel tank.
An oil level sensor is provided in the oil pan of the engine to sense ~7hen
the oil level has fallen below a predetermined point. The sen~or is in turn
connected to a solenoid valve which selectively allows oil from a reservoir to
be directed into the oil pan and/or other portion of the oil system of the
truck so as to maintain the oil level at the predetermined point. The oil
reservoir is de6irably pressurlzed by the air reservoir which 1~ present on
most over-the-road trucks as part of the braking system. Such pressuri~atlon
allows the oil reservoir to be located at any height relative to the engine of
the truck. The existing air reservoir also serves to actuate the oil extractor
pump by way of a solenold va~ve which i8 attached to the impulse timer
mentioned above.
Provision is also made for pressurizing and depressuri~in~ the oil
reservoir in such a manner as to prevent the spewing of oil and to retain the
cap of the reservoir.
These and other ob~ects and advantages of the invention will become
readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction wlth the
accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to the
views,
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE _RAWING
Figure 1 is a schematic of the invention.
DETAI_ED DESCRIPTION
In accordance with this invention an oil changing system is provided
whereby predetermined amounts of lubricating oil are removed from an engine
lubrication system at periodlc intervals. The perlodic intervals are
established such that the entire con~ents of lubricating oil within the
lubrication system are removed from the lubrication system during a period of
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time corresponding to a normal oil change interval. The lubricating oil
removed from the lubricating system is deposited wLth diesel fuel and thus
consumed by the combustion thereof in the die6el englne. rhe lubricating oil
removed from the lubricating system is replaced so as to maintain a desired oil
level by either conventional means or preferably, by the mearls described and
claimed in my above-referenced copending application. Further description will
be given with reference to the Figure of Drawing.
The oil changing sy6tem in accordance with this invention is sche~atically
illustrated in the Figure of Drawing. An impulse timer 12 is connected to a
power source 14. The power source 14 is the equiv~lent of the ignitlon system
in a key-operated vehicle and thus source 14 and similarly impulse timer 12 are
activated only when the engine 16 of the vehicle is running. Impulse timer 12
is set to produce a short (preferably seven seconds) impulse of power
periodically through lead 18 to solenoid valves 20, 22 and 24. The input slde
of first solenoid valve 20 is connected by line 26 to an air reservoir 28. The
output of first solenoid valve 20 is connected v~a line 32 to air/oil cylinder
34. Valve 20 is a three-~ay valve and in the non-energized position connects
output line 32 to vent 30 and thus vents the air side 38 of cylinder 34 and
allows piston 36 and cylinder 34 to assume the position shown in Figure lo
When solenoid valve 20 is energized, lines 26 and 32 are connected thereby
pressurizing the air chamber 38 of cylinder 34 and forcing piston 36 towards
the right of cylinder 34. Second solenoid valve 22 is normally open in its
non-energized state and connects a source of engine pressurized oil 40 to the
input of solenoid valve 22. This source of pressurized oll 40 may be the
output from the oil filter on the engine. I~le output 42 of solenoid valve 22
is connected to T-fitting 44 which is connected on one side via conduit 46 to
the oil chamber 48 of air/oil cylinder 34.
~he third solenoid valve 24 is of the normally closed type and the lnput
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50 of valve 24 is connected to the remainlng branch of T-fittlng 44. The
output 52 of the third valve 24 is connected to the fuel return llne 54 or may
be routed directly to the fuel tanks if so deslred.
Thls concludes the description of the components ln the oil removlng
portion of the apparatus in accordance with this invention. As a preferred
feature, the oil within the lubrication system is replaced by the oil
replenishing system described below. However, the means for maintaining a
predetermined oil level may be a conventional oil addition port.
~ ngine 16 generally has an oil pan 56. Shown in phantom on oil pan 56 are
the desired oil level 58 and the dangerously low level 60. The desired level
58 is that level at which it is desired to maintain the oil level in the
engine. The dangerously low level 60 is that level at which, if reached,
operation of the vehicle should immediately cease until the oil has been
brought to a proper level. A sensor 62 is located ln oil pan 56 at the
dangerously low level 60. This sensor is then connected to an indicator lamp
64 on the instrument panel 66 which will serve to instruct the operator to
immediately shut the engine down. The normal dipstick in the engine is
replaced by a dipstick sensor 68, wherein the dipstick is for~ed of a fipiral
wound material with a hollow core leaving room for a wire to run downward to
the sensor 70 located at the bottom thereof. This use of the dipstick is an
oil sensor allows very precise location of the desire~ lavel 58 in the engineO
Such location which is formed by comparing dlpstick 68 to the regular dipstick
removed from the engine while giving much re accurate level 58 as opposed to
attempting to drill pan 56 for a sensor similar to sensor 62. Sensor 70 is
connected to time delay unit ~2 by means of leads 74. Time delay unit 72
activates sensor 70 approximately two minutes after engine 16 has been shut
off. This allows time for oil in the engine to draln back to pan 56 thereby
allowing a true reading of the level to be obtained. After this two-minute
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interval, sensor 70 is activated ~or approximately seven minutes thereby
allowing sensor 70 to 6ense whether the level ln the pan 56 has fallen below
desired level 58. If the actual level is below the desired level 58, delay
unit 72 activates by means of leads 76 solenoid va:Lve 78. The intake line 80
of valve 78 is connected to an oil reservoir 82 containing pressurized oil
therein. The output line 84 of valve 78 leads to the valve cover or other
portion of englne 16 wherein fresh oil may be added. Of course, when oil has
come back up to desired level 58, sensor 70 will detect that condition and
through the time delay unit 7Z shut off solenoid valve 78. Sensor 70 i9
activated for approxlmately seven mlnutes in the desired embodiment after the
two-minute delay so as to allow sufflclent time for the oil level to be brought
back up to desired level 58 yet not have power runnlng to sensor 70 at all
times.
Briefly, oil reservolr 82 is pressurized by air reservoir 28. Line 86
leads from air reservoir 28 to air valve 88 which is a three-way type having a
vent 90 and an output 92. Valve 88 is connected via output 92 to bracket 94
which is fixed to oil reservoir 82 as shown.
Oil reservoir 82 may be a generally cylindrical tank as shown and, due to
the pres~urization as will be re fully decribed hereinafter, may be located
anywhere where there is space about the vehicle. The output line 92 of valve
88 is attached to a bracket g4 which is in turn attached to the top of
reservoir 82. A flexible yet pressure resistant hose 96 connects line 92 to
quick-disconnect fitting 98 of the type commonly used for air tools and the
like which is in turn attached to elbow 100 which leads into reservoir 82.
~his air line upon opening of valve 88 serves to pressurize reservoir 82.
Flexible hose 96 is fastened to the top of a filler cap 104 which is secured by
a cam-loc fitting 102 of the type well known in the art~ The length of hose 96
is such that lid 104 may not be removed from reservoir 82 ~ithout fitting 98
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being disconnected. This serves to restrain lid 104.
OPERATION OF PREF~RR~D OIL LEVEL MAINTENANCE M~ANS
When the vehicle i6 started, power source 14 iæ energized along with
impulse timer 12~ After a predetermined period of time, impulse timer 12
energizes solenoid valves 20, 22 and 24. At that time, valve 22 closes and
valves 20 and 24 are opened thereby allowlng the air from air reservoir 28 to
pass through lines 26 and 32 and into air chamber 38 of cylinder 34O Thence,
piston 36 is pressed to the rlght of Fig. 1 thereby forcing the oll in oil
chamber 48 through passage 46, Junction 44, line 50 and 52 to the fuel return
line 54. After approximately seven seconds being energized, impulse timer 12
shuts off thereby opening valve 22, closing valve 24 and causing valve 20 to
move to the vent positlon whereby the pressurized oil from the system forces
piston 36 to the position shown in Fig. 1 and air in air chamber 38 ln line 32
is vented through vent 30 to the atmosphere. Thus, this portion of the system
is ready for the ne~t cycle.
Everytime the engine is turned off, after a delay of appro~i~ately two
minutes in which time the oil has a chance to drain back into oil pan 56, time
delay unit 72 activates dlpstick sensor 70. If sensor 70 sense the presence of
oil at the desired level 58, nothing further happens. Should sensor 70 not
detect oil, delay unit 72 activates and opens solenoid valve 78, thereby
allowing the oil to flow from oil reservoir 82 through lines 80 and 84 and into
engine 16. This continues until sensor 70 detects the presence of oil at which
time solenoid valve 78 is shut off.
Air reservoir 28 is the conventional reservoir present on most
over-the-road trucks for pressurizatlon of brakes and the like. When it is
desired to fill oil reservoir 82, valve 88 is turned to the vent position
wherein the air pressurizing reservoir 82 is vented through vent 90 to the
atmosphere. Then quick-disconnect fitting 98 is uncoupled and cam-loc fitting
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102 unlatched allowing removal of lid 104 for refilling of reservolr 82. It is
to be noted that fittinK 9~ must be disconnected before lid 104 may be removed
from the reservoir for filling by insuring that lid 104 will not be blo~n off
reservoir 82 if reservoir 82 i8 pressuri~ed.
OPERATION OF OIL RE~OVAL MEANS
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In the preferred embodiment, impulse timer 12 is set to activate air/oil
cylinder 34 once for every eight minutes of engine operation; that is, for
every eight minutes that power source 14 is activated. For each cycle of
cylinder 34, approximately .8 ounces of oil is extracted from the oil pan and
delivered to the fuel tank. If the truck averages 35 miles per hour of
operation, this system will result in an effective complete change of oil every
9,000 mile~ with a truck having a 10-gallon oil capacity. The use of such a
system allows the operator to control precisely the amount of impurities and
solids suspended in the oil merely by changing the interv3l on which the
impulse timer l2 operates.
By injecting new oil into the engine lubrication system, the additive
package present in oils is maintained at a de&irably high level and at an
average level higher than that which will result from the normal change-type
cycle. Further, by burning used oll along with the conventional diesel fuel,
the full heat value of the used oil is extracted. ~n summary the instant
invention allows near maintenance-free operation of the oll system of the truck
with only a very occasional check on the reservoir to make sure that it is up
to the desired level.
While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
described, it should be understood that various changes, adaptations and
modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the
invention and the scope of the appended claims.
