Patent US1677473A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4570069A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
On-board electronic oil contamination detector for vehicle engines
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1982-12-30
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Granted: 1986-02-11
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Expires: 2002-12-30
Abstract
Abstract An on-board oil quality monitor includes a tube for recirculating oil from an engine, which tube has a transparent portion located within an infra red generator and detector that produces a signal indicating excessive oil contamination when the generated infra red that is transmitted to the detector is below a certain threshold.
Inventors
- 👤 Dennis J. Gager
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:44
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/26; G01N33/28; G01N33/2888; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/25; G01N21/31; G01N21/35; G01N21/3577
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
An on-board motor-oil-quality monitor for an over-the-road-vehicle engine comprising means including a small diameter oil tube for continuously drawing a small quantity of oil from an oil pressure point and recirculating oil back to the engine, said oil tube including a transparent monitor portion, said oil tube being a plurality of feet long and positioning said transparent monitor tube portion at a location remote from the engine, the flow volume of said tube being small compared to the oil capacity of said engine; an opaque housing for retaining said transparent monitor rube portion at said remote location; said housing including means for mounting a light-emitting device adjacent said transparent monitor tube portion for supplying infra red radiation thereto and for mounting a photodetector adjacent said transparent monitor tube portion for receiving infra red radiation transmitted therethrough and through engine oil circulating therein; said photodetector being characterized by generating an electrical signal representative in magnitude of the infra red radiation from said device and transmitted by the circulating oil and thereby of the cumulative contamination level of the oil; and means for comparing the magnitude of said electrical signal to a certain threshold signal indicative of a maximum desired cumulative contamination level of the oil and for generating a perceivable signal representative of the contamination level of the oil, so that the contaminated state of the engine oil can be continuously monitored.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
231 words
An on-board motor-oil-quality monitor for an over-the-road-vehicle engine comprising means including a small diameter oil tube for continuously drawing a small quantity of oil from an oil pressure point and recirculating oil back to the engine, said oil tube including a transparent monitor portion, said oil tube being a plurality of feet long and positioning said transparent monitor tube portion at a location remote from the engine, the flow volume of said tube being small compared to the oil capacity of said engine; an opaque housing for retaining said transparent monitor rube portion at said remote location; said housing including means for mounting a light-emitting device adjacent said transparent monitor tube portion for supplying infra red radiation thereto and for mounting a photodetector adjacent said transparent monitor tube portion for receiving infra red radiation transmitted therethrough and through engine oil circulating therein; said photodetector being characterized by generating an electrical signal representative in magnitude of the infra red radiation from said device and transmitted by the circulating oil and thereby of the cumulative contamination level of the oil; and means for comparing the magnitude of said electrical signal to a certain threshold signal indicative of a maximum desired cumulative contamination level of the oil and for generating a perceivable signal representative of the contamination level of the oil, so that the contaminated state of the engine oil can be continuously monitored.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
An on-board motor-oil-quality monitor as recited in claim 1 wherein said oil drawing and recirculating means includes an adapter for conjointly coupling said oil tube and an oil pressure sender to the engine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
An on-board motor-oil-quality monitor as recited in claim 1 wherein said opaque housing is located under the hood of the vehicle, and said perceivable-signal generating means is perceivable from the dashboard of the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
An on-board motor-oil-quality monitor as recited in claim 3 wherein said means for comparing signals is located on a circuit board in said housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
An on-board motor-oil-quality monitor as recited in claim 4 wherein said threshold signal is adjustably settable to change the oil contamination level being monitored.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An on-board motor-oil-quality monitor as recited in claim 1 wherein said light-emitting device is a light emitting diode and said photodetector is a phototransistor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-02-10 | 1989-08-12 | 1990-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-02-10 | 1993-08-12 | 1994-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-02-10 | 1997-08-12 | 1998-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |