COMBINED OIL LEVEL OR CONDITION SENSOR AND SIGHT OIL LEVEL GAGE

• US 20110058961A1
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: HENYAN, Oakley, SABINI, Eugene P., NAPOLITANO, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,365,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/02 by gauge glasses or other apparatus involving a window or transparent tube for directly observing the level to be measured or the level of a liquid column in free communication with the main body of the liquid

Abstract

The invention provides an oil level or condition sensor featuring a housing and a baffle or plate arrangement arranged in the housing, where the baffle or plate arrangement forms a capacitor when the housing is filled with oil, the baffle or plate arrangement being responsive to a signal, for providing an oil level or condition sensor signal containing information about the level or condition of the oil in the housing. The baffle or plate arrangement may include one or more plates or a single or multiple star shaped baffles. The one or more plates or multiple star shaped baffles are spaced apart to form the capacitor. The level or condition of the oil within the baffle or plate arrangement changes the inductance. The single or multiple star shaped baffles each have a small hole in the center which provides a visual indication of the oil level. The housing has a transparent window. The inductance change can be measured and used to send alarms or warnings.

Claims

1. An oil level or condition sensor comprising:

a housing; and

a baffle or plate arrangement arranged in the housing, the baffle or plate arrangement configured with parallel baffles or plates arranged in a cavity of the housing and spaced apart to form a single capacitor or inductor when the housing is filled with oil, the baffle or plate arrangement configured to respond to a signal at different instances of time, and to provide an oil level or condition sensor signal containing information about a capacitance or inductance of the parallel baffles or plates of the single capacitor or inductor that can be used to determine the oil level or condition in the housing based on a change in measurements of the capacitance or inductance of the parallel baffles or plates at the different instances of time.

2. An oil level or condition sensor according to claim 1, wherein the parallel baffles or plates includes multiple star shaped baffles having multiple points.

3. An oil level or condition sensor according to claim 2, wherein the baffles or plates comprise three star shaped baffles.

4. An oil level or condition sensor according to claim 2, wherein the multiple star shaped baffles are substantially geometrically the same so that the inductance is substantially constant when used with lubricating oils.

5. An oil level or condition sensor according to claim 1, wherein the level or condition of the oil within the baffle or plate arrangement changes the inductance.

6. An oil level or condition sensor according to claim 2, wherein the multiple star shaped baffles each have a small hole in the center which provides a visual indication of the oil level.

7. An oil level or condition sensor according to claim 6, wherein the housing has a transparent window.

8. An oil level or condition sensor according to claim 1, wherein the inductance change can be measured and used to send alarms or warnings.

9. A pump having an oil level or condition sensor, wherein the oil sensor comprises:

a housing; and

a baffle or plate arrangement arranged in the housing, the baffle or plate arrangement configured with parallel baffles or plates arranged in a cavity of the housing and spaced apart to form a single capacitor or inductor when the housing is filled with oil, the baffle or plate arrangement configured to respond to a signal different instances of time, and to provide an oil level or condition sensor signal containing information about a capacitance or inductance of the parallel baffles or plates of the single capacitor or inductor that can be used to determine the oil level or condition in the housing based on a change in measurements of the capacitance or inductance of the parallel baffles or plates at the different instances of time.

10. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the baffles or plates includes multiple star shaped baffles.

11. A pump according to claim 10, wherein the multiple star shaped baffles are substantially geometrically the same so that the inductance is substantially constant when used with lubricating oils.

12. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the multiple star shaped baffles are spaced apart to form the capacitor.

13. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the level or condition of the oil within the baffle or plate arrangement changes the inductance.

14. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the multiple star shaped baffles each have a small hole in the center which provides a visual indication of the oil level.

15. A pump according to claim 14, wherein the housing has a transparent window.

16. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the inductance change can be measured and used to send alarms or warnings.

17. A pump according to claim 9, wherein the pump has a bearing housing having the oil level or condition sensor arranged therein.

18-35. -35. (canceled)