OIL CHANGE APPARATUS

• US 20080179139A1
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Montgomery, James Leonard
• Application Number:
  US11/668,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179139A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 184/1.5
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/04 Filling or draining lubricant of or from machines or engines

Abstract

The instant invention relates to a automatic oil change apparatus and system for an internal combustion engine. The apparatus is equipped with a non-volatile memory for receiving data from and transmitting data to the engine controller.

Claims

1. An oil change system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

an engine controller;

a housing separable from the engine providing two or more chambers;

a first said chamber for receiving new oil;

a second said chamber for receiving used oil;

providing with said housing a non-volatile memory capable of communication with the engine controller for transmitting data related to engine operation to the non-volatile memory.

2. The oil change system of claim 1 wherein data related to new oil may be transferred from the non-volatile memory to the engine controller.

3. The oil change system of claim 1 wherein the data from the non-volatile memory is transferred to a file server.

4. The oil change system of claim 3 wherein the data from the non-volatile memory is assembled with other data to identify trends with respect to one or more factors from the group consisting of:

engine life;

engine wear characteristics;

oil performance;

oil lubricity;

oil chemistry;

engine error code;

oil consumption, fuel consumption.

5. The oil change system of claim 3 wherein the file server is located at a location remote from the oil change location.

6. The oil change system of claim 4 wherein the data is transferred to a file server by means of a direct connection by a wireless, or wired interface.

7. The oil change system of claim 4 wherein the data is transferred to a file served by means of an internet connection.

14. The oil change system of claim 4 wherein the data is transferred to a file served by means of an internet connection.

8. An oil change system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

an engine controller;

a housing separable from the engine providing two concatenated chambers;

a first said chamber for receiving new oil;

a second said chamber for receiving used oil;

said chambers having a volume variable by means of a separator;

providing with said housing a non-volatile memory capable of communication with the engine controller for transmitting data related to engine operation to the non-volatile memory.

9. The oil change system of claim 8 data related to new oil charged to the housing may be transmitted to the engine controller.

10. The oil change system of claim 8 wherein the data from the engine controller including data from any one or more of the group consisting of data concerning oil last charged to the housing;

date or engine hours since last previous batch oil change;

engine error codes, engine maintenance requirements, engine performance characteristics engine serial number, oil pH, lubricating oil consumption rate;

accumulated engine hours;

fuel consumption rate;

severity of engine load, from the non-volatile memory is transferred to a file server.

11. The oil change system of claim 10 wherein the data from the non-volatile memory is assembled with other data from any one or more of the group consisting of data concerning:

engine wear characteristics;

oil performance;

oil lubricity;

oil chemistry;

oil source;

oil specifications.

12. The oil change system of claim 11 wherein the data is assembled on a the file server located at a location remote from the oil change location.

13. The oil change system of claim 12 wherein the data is transferred to a file server by means of a direct connection by a wireless, or wired interface.

15. An oil change housing separable from an engine comprising two;

a first said chamber for receiving new oil;

a second said chamber for receiving used oil;

said housing having a non-volatile memory capable of communication with an engine controller for transmitting data related to engine operation to the non-volatile memory.

16. The oil change housing of claim 15 further wherein the chambers are concatenated chambers having a volume variable by means of a separator.

17. The oil change housing of claim 16 wherein the separator is selected from a bellows style membrane, or a piston.

18. The oil change housing of claim 17 wherein the separator is a bellows comprised of a resilient polymer.

19. A method of transferring data concerning oil for an internal combustion engine between the engine controller and a non-volatile memory comprising:

establishing a communication between the non-volatile memory and the engine controller;

transferring data to the engine controller data concerning oil from the non-volatile memory.

20. The method claim 19 wherein the data transferred may be data concerning new oil uploaded from the non-volatile memory to the controller, or data concerning used oil downloaded from the controller to the non-volatile memory.