METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY MEASURING OIL CONSUMPTION OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND FOR CHANGING THE OIL OF SAID ENGINE

• US 20090120176A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Despres, Jean-Pierre, Murgui De Fuentes, Jesus
• Granted Patent: US 7,946,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/114.520
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/003 by measuring the weight
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/06 having means for controlling the supply or discharge

Abstract

A method for measuring an amount of oil consumed by an internal combustion engine including an oil pan for supplying lubricating fluid. The method: causes the gravitational flow of the oil contained in the engine oil pan, from the oil pan towards a measuring tank; measures and stores a first value of the oil volume contained in the measuring tank; subjects the oil contained in the measuring tank to a pressurized gas thrust causing the rise of the oil from the measuring tank towards the oil pan; and repeats the preceding method at least once to obtain a second value of the oil volume contained in the tank.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. :

A method for measuring an amount of oil consumed by an internal combustion engine including an oil pan for supplying lubricating fluid, the method comprising;

a) causing gravitational flow of the oil contained in the engine oil pan, from the oil pan toward a measuring tank;

b) measuring and storing a first value of oil weight contained in the measuring tank;

c) subjecting the oil contained in the measuring tank to a pressurized gas thrust causing the oil to rise from the measuring tank toward the oil pan; and

d) repeating preceding operations a)-c) at least once to obtain a second value of the oil weight contained in the tank.

11. :

The measuring method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the oil consumption of the internal combustion engine is obtained by calculating the difference between the first value and the second value of the oil weight contained in the measuring tank.

12. :

A device for measuring oil consumption of an internal combustion engine including an oil pan, a hermetically sealed measuring tank, at least a first line conveying the oil from the oil pan to the measuring tank, a mechanism configured to measure a characteristic quantity of the oil and an electronic control unit suitable for controlling various effectors of the device, the device comprising;

mobile means for shutting the first line whereof the opening and gravitation cause the oil to flow from the oil pan toward the measuring tank; and

a second line including mobile shutting means, connecting the measuring tank to a pressurized gas source, whereof the opening causes the lubricating fluid present in the measuring tank to rise toward the oil pan of the tested engine, which is thereby subjected to thrust of the pressurized gas.

13. :

The device for measuring the oil consumption of an engine as claimed in claim 12, wherein the measuring tank is positioned below the oil pan of the engine whose oil consumption is measured.

14. :

The device for measuring the oil consumption of an engine as claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for shutting the first line includes a solenoid valve.

15. :

The device for measuring the oil consumption of an engine as claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for shutting the second line includes a pneumatic valve.

16. :

The device for measuring the oil consumption of an engine as claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for measuring a characteristic of the oil includes a scale on which the measuring tank is placed.

17. :

The device for measuring the oil consumption of an engine as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a removing line configured to remove spent lubricating fluid from the oil pan toward a recovery tank, the removing line including a discharge valve allowing or preventing passage of the spent oil from the pan to the recovery tank.

18. :

The device for measuring the oil consumption of an engine as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a supply line configured to supply fresh lubricating fluid from a feed tank, the supply line including a valve allowing or preventing flow of the fresh lubricating fluid from the storage tank toward the measuring tank.