Automatic engine oil life determination adjusted for presence of oil squirters

• US 8,359,913 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Schneider, Eric W., Snider, Matthew J., Olree, Robert M., Blossfeld, Daniel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/857,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20120042719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 73/530.5, 731/145.5, 731/145.6
• US Class Current: 73/114.55
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 1/18 Indicating or safety devices concerning lubricant level F01M11/06, F01M11/12
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/14 for indicating the necessity to change the oil
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/1486 by considering duration of operation

Abstract

A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining whether an oil squirter is present in the engine. Additionally, the method includes determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and whether an oil squirter is present in the engine. Moreover, the method includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil, the method comprising:

transferring the body of oil to the engine;

determining a volume of the transferred body of oil;

determining whether an oil squirter is present in the engine;

determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and whether an oil squirter is present in the engine; and

activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising resetting the oil change indicator to represent 100% of oil life remaining following the oil change.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of said determining a volume of the transferred body of oil, said determining the remaining oil life, and said activating and said resetting the oil change indicator is accomplished via a controller operatively connected to the engine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine includes an oil sump arranged to accept the transferred body of oil, and said determining a volume of the transferred body of oil includes determining a level of the transferred body of oil in the sump.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the remaining oil life includes determining a number of revolutions for each combustion event of the engine, and further includes determining a number of combustion events permitted using the determined volume of oil.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the oil squirter is present, and said determining the remaining oil life includes adjusting the remaining oil life by a factor representative of a volume of oil from the transferred body of oil that is provided by the squirter.

7. A system for determining remaining oil life permitted prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil, the system comprising:

an oil sump arranged on the engine to accept the body of oil;

a sensor arranged on the engine and configured to provide a signal indicative of a volume of the body of oil in the sump; and

a controller operatively connected to the sensor and programmed to determine the permitted remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and whether an oil squirter is present in the engine.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an oil change indicator, wherein the controller is configured to activate the oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the oil change indicator is reset to represent 100% of oil life remaining following the oil change.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is programmed with a number of revolutions for each combustion event of the engine, and the controller additionally determines the remaining oil life based on the number of revolutions for each combustion event of the engine.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the signal indicative of a volume of the body of oil is indicative of a level of the body of oil in the sump, and the controller determines the volume based on the level.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is programmed with a number of combustion events permitted per the volume of the body of oil in the sump, and the controller additionally determines the remaining oil life based on the number of combustion events.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the oil squirter is present, and determination of the remaining oil life includes adjusting the remaining oil life by a factor representative of a volume of oil from the transferred body of oil that is provided by the squirter.

14. A method for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil, the method comprising:

transferring the body of oil to the engine;

determining a volume of the transferred body of oil;

determining whether an oil squirter is present in the engine;

determining the remaining oil life based on the determined volume of the body of oil and whether an oil squirter is present in the engine; and

activating an oil change indicator when the number of engine revolutions reaches a predetermined level.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising resetting the oil change indicator to represent 100% of oil life remaining following the oil change.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of said determining a volume of the transferred body of oil, said determining a number of engine revolutions, and said activating and said resetting the oil change indicator is accomplished via a controller operatively connected to the engine.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the engine includes an oil sump arranged to accept the transferred body of oil, and said determining a volume of the transferred body of oil includes determining a level of the transferred body of oil in the sump.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said determining a number of engine revolutions includes determining a number of revolutions for each combustion event of the engine, and further includes determining a number of combustion events permitted using the determined volume of oil.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the oil squirter is present, and said determining the remaining oil life includes adjusting the remaining oil life by a factor representative of a volume of oil from the transferred body of oil that is provided by the squirter.