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Sensor and method for detecting oil deterioration and oil level

  • US 8,340,928 B2
  • Filed: 03/24/2010
  • Issued: 12/25/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A sensor for detecting oil deterioration and oil level, comprising:

  • a. a measurement sensor comprising a sensing capacitive sensor that includes left, middle and right identical upward plated electrodes having the respective top and bottom ends, said electrodes are positioned to be equally spaced apart in order, alignment and parallel with each other, wherein said top ends of the respective left and right electrodes are electrically connected in parallel by a first lead wire serving as a first electrical pole, said top end of said middle electrode is connected by a second lead wire serving as a second electrical pole, said measurement sensor is positioned into an oil system of a machine, wherein said sensing capacitive sensor is immersed into an oil that is dry and disposed into said oil system;

    b. a reference sensor comprising a referencing capacitive sensor that is identical to said sensing capacitive sensor, said referencing capacitive sensor is immersed into a reference oil that is positioned inside of a sealed container of said reference sensor, said reference sensor is positioned in a common temperature environment with said oil of said oil system;

    c. an alternating current (AC) analyzing device is connected to said sensing and referencing capacitive sensors, wherein said AC analyzing device applies an AC voltage at a frequency to said sensors from a first measurement to thereby detect first measured electrical properties of the respective sensing and referencing capacitive sensors;

    d. said first measured electrical properties are combined to obtain a first measured temperature compensated electrical property of said sensing capacitive sensor, which represents a first measured temperature compensated electrical property of said oil;

    e. a profile of predicted temperature compensated electrical properties of said oil is obtained so that said first measured temperature compensated electrical property of said oil is compared with a first predicted temperature compensated electrical property of said oil according to a first actual usage of said oil from said profile of said predicted properties;

    f. a first predicted remaining usage of said oil is determined according to said first actual usage of said oil, and a second measured temperature compensated electrical property of said oil is obtained according to said first actual usage of said oil from a second measurement to thereby obtain a second measured remaining usage of said oil;

    g. a normal deterioration of said oil is determined which occurs in the absence of water if said second measured remaining usage is similar to said first predicated remaining usage, and said second measured remaining usage is confirmed to represent a remaining actual usage of said oil;

    h. an abnormal deterioration of said oil is determined which occurs in the presence of water if said second measured remaining usage is less than said first predicated remaining usage; and

    i. a top level of said oil is determined to reduce to a top level of a predetermined threshold amount of said oil if said second measured remaining usage is larger than said first predicted remaining usage.

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