Automated oil-change system and method
First Claim
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1. An automatic oil-change system for an engine comprising:
- a first oil container;
a second oil container;
one or more valves associated with the first oil container and the second oil container, the one or more valves comprising;
a three-way oil pump valve that connects the first oil container and the second oil container to an oil pump, the three-way oil pump valve controlling oil flow from the first oil container and the second oil container to the oil pump;
a three-way return valve that connects a bottom fitting in an oil pan to the first oil container and the second oil container, the three-way return valve controlling oil flow from the oil pan to the first oil container and the second oil container; and
a three-way vacuum valve that connects the first oil container and the second oil container to a vacuum system of the engine, the three-way vacuum valve controlling air flow from the first oil container and the second oil container to the vacuum system of the engine; and
a vacuum regulator located between the three-way vacuum valve and the vacuum system of the engine, wherein the vacuum regulator regulates the vacuum within the first oil container and the second oil container to ensure that a maximum limit is not exceeded;
wherein the engine is provided with oil from the first oil container when the valves are in a first configuration; and
wherein the engine is provided with oil from the second oil container when the valves are in a second configuration; and
a controller operable to switch the valves from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to the valves remaining in the first configuration for a predefined distance, as measured over multiple initializations of the engine.
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Abstract
The present invention may provide an automatic oil-change system for an engine comprising: a first oil container, a second oil container and means for switching between the first oil container and the second oil container. The switching means may provide the engine with oil from the first oil container until a predetermined time and once a predetermined time is reached, the switching means may provide the engine with oil from the second oil container.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An automatic oil-change system for an engine comprising:
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a first oil container; a second oil container; one or more valves associated with the first oil container and the second oil container, the one or more valves comprising; a three-way oil pump valve that connects the first oil container and the second oil container to an oil pump, the three-way oil pump valve controlling oil flow from the first oil container and the second oil container to the oil pump; a three-way return valve that connects a bottom fitting in an oil pan to the first oil container and the second oil container, the three-way return valve controlling oil flow from the oil pan to the first oil container and the second oil container; and a three-way vacuum valve that connects the first oil container and the second oil container to a vacuum system of the engine, the three-way vacuum valve controlling air flow from the first oil container and the second oil container to the vacuum system of the engine; and a vacuum regulator located between the three-way vacuum valve and the vacuum system of the engine, wherein the vacuum regulator regulates the vacuum within the first oil container and the second oil container to ensure that a maximum limit is not exceeded; wherein the engine is provided with oil from the first oil container when the valves are in a first configuration; and wherein the engine is provided with oil from the second oil container when the valves are in a second configuration; and a controller operable to switch the valves from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to the valves remaining in the first configuration for a predefined distance, as measured over multiple initializations of the engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for automatically changing oil in an engine of a vehicle, the engine including multiple valves, the method comprising:
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monitoring usage data, the usage data being an accumulated distance that the vehicle has traveled with the engine using oil from the first oil container, as measured over multiple initializations of the engine; and controlling a flow of oil in the engine, based at least in part on the accumulated usage data, the engine using the oil from the first oil container until the accumulated usage data reaches a predetermined limit and the engine using oil from a second oil container after the predetermined limit is reached; wherein the multiple valves include a three-way oil pump valve that connects the first oil container and the second oil container to an oil pump, a three-way return valve that connects a bottom fitting in an oil pan to the first oil container and the second oil container, a three-way vacuum valve that connects the first oil container and the second oil container to a vacuum system of the engine, and a vacuum regulator located between the three-way vacuum valve and the vacuum system of the engine; and wherein controlling a flow of oil in the engine comprises; controlling oil flow from the first oil container and the second oil container to the oil pump with the three-way oil pump valve, and from the oil pan to the first oil container and the second oil container with the three-way return valve, controlling air flow from the first oil container and the second oil container to the vacuum system of the engine with the three-way vacuum valve, regulating the vacuum within the first oil container and the second oil container with the vacuum regulator to ensure that a maximum limit is not exceeded; and resetting the multiple valves to cause the engine to use oil from the second oil container after the predetermined limit is reached. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification