Oil monitoring system

• US 7,521,945 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Voelker Sensors, Inc
• Original Assignee: Voelker Sensors, Inc
• Inventors: Hedges, Joe D., Voelker, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez; Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): NATALINI, JEFF WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US11/676,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 324/698
• US Class Current: 324/698
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides for a sensing element comprising a non-conductive housing with three chambers for detecting oil conductivity, additive depletion and oxidation, and water contamination, respectively. Through the monitoring of an array of oil sensors, an early warning of oil degradation due to oxidation is provided. The monitoring system further detects excess soot, water and other contaminants in the oil. The oil sensor array and related monitoring system decrease the likelihood of catastrophic engine failure through the early detection and warning of a decrease in oil quality thereby reducing vehicle owner outlays for servicing and disposal fees while further aiding in the satisfaction of environmental protection regulations.

Claims

1. An oil quality monitoring system, comprising:

a sensing element mounted in a drain plug, the sensing element configured to generate oil measurement data associated with oil quality of a monitored oil sample, the sensing element comprising;

a housing,

a plurality of chambers within the housing,

a wire tracing individually coupled to each of the plurality of chambers, and

a cable connector pin individually coupled to each of the individual wire tracings by an output connector, wherein each cable connector pin extends outward from the drain plug and couples the sensing element to a monitoring device via a data cable and provides the oil measurement data generated by the plurality of chambers to the monitoring device via the wire tracings and intermediate output connectors; and

a monitoring device coupled to the sensing element, the monitoring device comprising a software module executable by a processor to differentially analyze the oil measurement data generated by the sensing element, and wherein the oil monitoring device is configured to display an indicia of oil quality of the monitored oil sample in a user interface based on the differential analysis of the oil measurement data.

2. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising an external computing device communicatively coupled to the monitoring device.

3. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the communicative coupling of the external computing device to the monitoring device includes a data cable.

4. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the communicative coupling of the external computing device to the monitoring device includes a wireless network connection.

5. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the external computing device includes a database of oil measurement data and results of differential analysis of oil measurement data.

6. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is further coupled to an alternating current power source.

7. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is further coupled to a direct current power source.

8. The quality oil monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the direct current power source comprises a battery.

9. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the direct current power source comprises an automobile power outlet.

10. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device further comprises a thermistor configured to compensate for thermal variations in the oil measurement data generated by the sensing element.

11. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

12. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes indicates the oil quality of the monitored oil sample.

13. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes indicates a presence of soot in the monitored oil sample.

14. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes indicates a presence of water in the monitored oil sample.

15. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes indicates a status of the monitoring device.

16. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a graphical output.

17. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the graphical output includes an output bar that changes based on the oil quality of the monitored oil sample.

18. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the graphical output includes a digital output displaying a number indicative of the oil quality of the monitored oil sample.

19. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensing element housing is electrically nonconductive.

20. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensing element housing is coated with an electrically non-conductive material.

21. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein a mechanical interface of the drain plug corresponds to a particular environment hosting the monitored oil sample.

22. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the output connectors and cable connector pins is a single, uninterrupted element.

23. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the output connectors extends through the drain plug and toward the sensing element housing and is soldered to a wire tracing.

24. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the drain plug is concave such that the cable connector pins are at least partially housed within the concave portion of the drain plug.

25. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of chambers within the sensing element housing is open and configured to directly detect the conductivity of the monitored oil sample.

26. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of chambers within the sensing element housing is covered by a conductive mesh screen.

27. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 26, wherein the conductive mesh screen is constructed of stainless steel cloth.

28. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 26, wherein at least one of the chambers covered by the conductive mesh screen houses a matrix of insoluble polymeric beads that generate oil measurement data when the monitored oil sample is differentially analyzed.

29. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 28, wherein the differential analysis of the matrix of insoluble polymeric beads and the monitored oil sample indicates oxidation.

30. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 28, wherein the differential analysis of the matrix of insoluble polymeric beads and the monitored oil indicates a presence of soot as a result of the soot adhering to the surface of the polymeric beads and forming a bridge across the chamber.

31. The oil quality monitoring system of claim 28, wherein the differential analysis of the matrix of insoluble polymeric beads and the monitored oil indicates a presence of water, the matrix being relatively insensitive to water contamination, and as a result of a comparative electrical measurement of the insensitive matrix to a matrix that is highly sensitive to water contamination.

32. An oil sensing element for generating oil measurement data associated with oil quality of a monitored oil sample, the sensing element comprising:

an electrically nonconductive housing mounted within a drain plug;

a plurality of chambers within the housing, wherein at least one of the plurality of chambers is open and configured to directly detect the conductivity of the monitored oil sample and at least one of the plurality of chambers is covered by a conductive mesh screen constructed of stainless steel cloth and houses a matrix of insoluble polymeric beads configured to generate at least a portion of the oil measurement data used in a differential analysis of the monitored oil sample;

a wire tracing individually coupled to each of the plurality of chambers;

a cable connector pin individually coupled to each of the individual wire tracings by an output connector, wherein the connector pins extend outward from the drain plug and couple the sensing element to a physically separate monitoring device via a data cable thereby providing the oil measurement data generated by the plurality of chambers to the monitoring device via the wire tracings and intermediate output connectors.

33. The oil sensing element of claim 32, wherein a mechanical interface of the drain plug corresponds to a particular environment hosting the monitored oil sample.

34. The oil sensing element of claim 32, wherein the drain plug is concave such that the cable connector pins are at least partially housed within the concave portion of the drain plug.