Oil sensing system for an internal combustion engine
First Claim
1. A system for detecting a characteristic of oil in a reservoir, said system comprising:
- a sensor, at least partially located in the reservoir, and comprising a chamber for receiving oil from the reservoir, a detector member movably received in the chamber, and an electromagnetic coil application of a voltage across which causes movement of the detector member, the sensor further comprising a first aperture through which oil can drain by gravity from the chamber into the reservoir, and a second aperture between the chamber and the reservoir, the second aperture is opened and closed by movement of the detector member, wherein presence and absence of oil in the chamber affects the movement of the detector member which thereby alters a waveform of electric current flowing through the electromagnetic coil.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detecting a characteristic of oil in a reservoir includes a sensor at least partially located in the reservoir. The sensor has a chamber for receiving oil from the reservoir, a detector member in the chamber, and an electromagnetic coil. Application of voltage across the electromagnetic coil moves the detector member and the presence and viscosity of oil in the chamber affects the rate of that movement. The electric current through the electromagnetic coil is measured and analyzed to determine an amount of time that the detector member took to move between two positions in the chamber. That amount of time is used to determine whether there is at least a predefined amount of oil in the reservoir and, if so, the viscosity of the oil.
14 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for detecting a characteristic of oil in a reservoir, said system comprising:
a sensor, at least partially located in the reservoir, and comprising a chamber for receiving oil from the reservoir, a detector member movably received in the chamber, and an electromagnetic coil application of a voltage across which causes movement of the detector member, the sensor further comprising a first aperture through which oil can drain by gravity from the chamber into the reservoir, and a second aperture between the chamber and the reservoir, the second aperture is opened and closed by movement of the detector member, wherein presence and absence of oil in the chamber affects the movement of the detector member which thereby alters a waveform of electric current flowing through the electromagnetic coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for detecting a characteristic of oil in a reservoir, said system comprising:
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a sensor comprising a chamber for receiving oil from the reservoir, an electromagnetic coil, a detector member that moves within the chamber in response to application of electric current to the electromagnetic coil, wherein a portion of the chamber is formed outside the electromagnetic coil between the detector member and the electromagnetic coil, and wherein presence and absence of oil in the chamber affects the movement of the detector member which thereby alters a waveform of the electric current flowing through the electromagnetic coil; a coil driver that produces an electric voltage which is applied across the electromagnetic coil; a current sensor that measures the electric current flowing through the electromagnetic coil; and a controller coupled to the current sensor and responds to measurement of the electric current by determining an amount of time that the detector member moves between first and second positions in the chamber, and wherein the controller determines the characteristic of the oil in the reservoir based on the amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for detecting a characteristic of oil in a reservoir, said system comprising:
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a sensor, at least partially located in the reservoir, and comprising a chamber for receiving oil from the reservoir, a detector member movably received in the chamber, and an electromagnetic coil application of electric current to which causes movement of the detector member, a first pole piece located within the electromagnetic coil, wherein a first working gap is formed between the first pole piece and the detector member, and a second pole piece extending around the electromagnetic coil, wherein a second working gap is formed between the second pole piece and the detector member, and both the first and second working gaps change in size when the detector member moves; and wherein presence and absence of oil in the chamber affects the movement of the detector member which thereby alters a waveform of the electric current. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification