Engine lubricating oil replacement timing monitoring system and method for an automotive vehicle
First Claim
1. An engine lubricating oil replacement timing monitoring system for an automotive vehicle which indicates to a vehicle occupant the end of service life of the engine lubricating oil, comprising:
- (a) a first sensor which detects the engine speed (n);
(b) a second sensor which detects the load on the engine (L);
(c) a calculating means which calculates the amount of soot (T) presently contained in the engine lubricating oil from the detected values of said first and second sensors;
(d) a memory means which receives and additively stores the calculated amount of soot in the engine lubricating oil from said calculating means so as to record the total amount of soot therein;
(e) a judging means which judges whether the total amount of soot additively stored in said memory means arrives at a first predetermined amount (R), the first predetermined amount being a maximum allowable amount of soot suspended in the engine lubricating oil; and
(f) an alarm unit which produces an alarm to the vehicle occupant when said judging means judges that the total amount of soot becomes equal to the first predetermined amount.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microcomputer system for indicating that engine lubricating oil should be exchanged when the working life of the engine lubricating oil is over. The system comprises: (a) a first sensor which detects and signals the number of engine revolutions per time; (b) a second sensor which detects the load on the engine; (c) a calculating means which calculates the amount of soot suspended in the lubricating oil during the operation of engine on a basis of the output values of the first and second sensors; (d) a memory means which adds up and stores the calculated amount of soot so as to record a total amount of soot; (e) a judging means which judges whether the total amount of soot in the lubricating oil exceeds a predetermined amount; and (f) an alarm unit which produces an alarm in a predetermined form to request a lubricating oil change when the total amount of soot exceeds the predetermined amount, whereby the working life of the engine lubricating oil can more accurately be determined.
68 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An engine lubricating oil replacement timing monitoring system for an automotive vehicle which indicates to a vehicle occupant the end of service life of the engine lubricating oil, comprising:
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(a) a first sensor which detects the engine speed (n); (b) a second sensor which detects the load on the engine (L); (c) a calculating means which calculates the amount of soot (T) presently contained in the engine lubricating oil from the detected values of said first and second sensors; (d) a memory means which receives and additively stores the calculated amount of soot in the engine lubricating oil from said calculating means so as to record the total amount of soot therein; (e) a judging means which judges whether the total amount of soot additively stored in said memory means arrives at a first predetermined amount (R), the first predetermined amount being a maximum allowable amount of soot suspended in the engine lubricating oil; and (f) an alarm unit which produces an alarm to the vehicle occupant when said judging means judges that the total amount of soot becomes equal to the first predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of monitoring engine lubricating oil replacement timing comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining the proportion of impurities at which the engine lubricating oil is no longer acceptably effective for engine lubrication, and producing an allowable limit value indicative thereof; (b) sensing engine operating conditions and producing sensor signals indicative thereof; (c) calculating the quantity of soot produced by the engine and admixed into the oil in accordance with the sensor signals; (d) adding the calculated value of soot quantity to a total soot value, which represents the sum of all calculated values since the last previous change of engine lubricating oil, in order to update the total contaminant value; (e) comparing the total contaminant value to the soot limit value; (f) repeating steps (b) through (e) until the total calculated value exceeds the limit value; and (g) indicating to a vehicle occupant that engine lubricating oil should be changed. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification