Portable oil change analyzer
OwnerNelson R. Gomminventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A small sample of combustion engine lubrication oil is analyzed, simultaneously, for its viscosity and contamination level in a compact, self-contained, computer-controlled unit. If the combination of viscosity and contamination level falls outside of the acceptable range, which is determined by comparison to a digitally stored matrix of the various states of used motor oil, a warning is displayed recommending that the oil be changed.
Claims9
An apparatus for determining the lubricating characteristics of combustion engine lubrication oil, said apparatus comprising a viscosity measuring element and a contamination measuring element, said viscosity measuring element comprising a plunger assembly and an oil sample receptacle, said plunger assembly comprising a plunger means, a solenoid means and a switch means for measuring a displacement time of said plunger through oil in said oil sample receptacle, said contamination measuring element comprising a light source and a light sensor operable to optically measure the variance in transmittance of light through an oil sample dish between said light source and said light sensor;
- a calculating element, electronically connected to said viscosity measuring element and said contamination measuring element, comprising a processor means, a memory storage means, and a program means for conversion of said displacement time to a viscosity and the output from said light sensor to a normalized contamination level, and for correlating said viscosity and said contamination level to a state of oil degradation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.