US4699509A — Device for measuring contamination of lubricant

Claim 1

Independent Claim 108 words

A device for measuring contamination of a lubricant, comprising: measuring means, dipped in said lubricant, for detecting an amount of contaminant in said lubricant, said measuring means having an optical path gap provided between a light source window provided at a light source side and a light receiving window provided at a light receiving element side for measuring said contamination in accordance with a transmittance of light through the optical path gap, said measuring means including a spacer ring having a plurality of projections each extending from said light source window to said light receiving window to cause said optical path to be less than substantially 0.34 mm.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 108 words

A device for measuring contamination of a lubricant, comprising: measuring means, dipped in said lubricant, for detecting an amount of contaminant in said lubricant, said measuring means having an optical path gap provided between a light source window provided at a light source side and a light receiving window provided at a light receiving element side for measuring said contamination in accordance with a transmittance of light through the optical path gap, said measuring means including a spacer ring having a plurality of projections each extending from said light source window to said light receiving window to cause said optical path to be less than substantially 0.34 mm.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 91 words

A device for measuring contamination of a lubricant, comprising: measuring means, dipped in said lubricant, for detecting an amount of contaminant in said lubricant; temperature detecting means for detecting a lubricant temperature; controlling means for generating a control signal in response to respective signals from said measuring means and said temperature detecting means; and signaling means for signaling a level of contamination in response to the control signal; wherein said controlling means operates said signaling means when said temperature detecting means detects that the lubricant temperature has reached a predetermined temperature.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 91 words

A device for measuring contamination of a lubricant, comprising: measuring means, dipped in said lubricant, for detecting an amount of contaminant in said lubricant; temperature detecting means for detecting a lubricant temperature; controlling means for generating a control signal in response to respective signals from said measuring means and said temperature detecting means; and signaling means for signaling a level of contamination in response to the control signal; wherein said controlling means operates said signaling means when said temperature detecting means detects that the lubricant temperature has reached a predetermined temperature.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 87 words

A device according to claim 2 for use with an engine to measure lubricant contamination therein, wherein said controlling means comprises holding means for holding a measurement value generated from said measuring means irrespective of whether said engine is running or stopped; signaling driving means for driving said signaling means in accordance with the measurement value held in said holding means during the operation of the engine; and updating means for updating the measurement value held in said holding means to a new value upon each measurement.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 39 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein said temperature detecting means supplies a small forward bias current to a light-emitting diode so as to detect the lubricant temperature by means of a voltage drop generated across the light-emitting diode.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein said signaling mcans comprises a plurality of indicators, and the amount of contaminant in the lubricant is indicated stepwise by the number of illuminated indicators.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 111 words

Apparatus for measuring contamination in a lubricant, comprising a measuring device dipped in said lubricant, said measuring device including: light source means for providing light; a light source window adjacent said light source means; light receiving means for receiving the light provided by said light source means and propagated through said lubricant a light receiving window adjacent said light receiving means and defining an optical gap path length with respect to said light source window; and spacer means having a plurality of projections each extending between said light source window and said light receiving window; whereby a measure of said contamination corresponds to light transmittance through said optical gap path length.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 111 words

Apparatus for measuring contamination in a lubricant, comprising a measuring device dipped in said lubricant, said measuring device including: light source means for providing light; a light source window adjacent said light source means; light receiving means for receiving the light provided by said light source means and propagated through said lubricant a light receiving window adjacent said light receiving means and defining an optical gap path length with respect to said light source window; and spacer means having a plurality of projections each extending between said light source window and said light receiving window; whereby a measure of said contamination corresponds to light transmittance through said optical gap path length.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said spacer means projections extend between said light source window and said light receiving window so as to hold said optical path length to less than substantially 0.34 mm.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each of said light source window and said light receiving window are substantially flat windows.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 12 words

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said spacer means includes three projections.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of said three projections has a width which is less than substantially 0.34 mm.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said spacer means includes: a spacer ring mounted adjacent one of said light source window and said light receiving window; and a plurality of U-shaped projections coupled to said spacer ring and having one arm of each said U-shaped projection extending between said light source window and said light receiving window.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-10-12	1991-04-13	1991-10-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-10-12	1995-04-13	1995-10-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-10-12	1999-04-13	1999-10-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Device for measuring contamination of lubricant

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