Adaptation of a wireless oil level sensor to an oil pan drain plug
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsDavid R. Staley, Roxann M. Bittner, Eric W. Schneider
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An oil drain plug and wireless oil level sensor assembly is provided including an oil drain plug having a shaft and a head, the shaft having external threads and an axial passage extending axially therein in communication with at least one radial passage extending through the shaft from the axial passage to an exterior of the shaft. An oil level sensor includes a housing having an annular mounting portion defining an aperture extending there through for receiving the shaft of the oil drain plug. A pressure transducer is in fluid communication with the aperture and connected to a circuit and a battery disposed within the housing that provide wireless signals representative of the oil level.
Claims18
An assembly for installation in an oil pan, comprising:
- an oil drain plug having a shaft and a head, the shaft having a proximal end adjacent to the head and a distal end axially spaced from the head, the shaft having external threads adapted for threadedly engaging internal threads in the oil pan and extending generally from the distal end to an unthreaded region along the shaft adjacent to the head and an axial passage extending axially from the distal end of the shaft and in communication with at least one radial passage extending through the shaft from the axial passage to an exterior of the unthreaded region of the shaft that is adapted to be exterior to the oil pan;
- and
- an oil level sensor having a housing having an annular mounting portion defining an aperture extending there through for receiving the shaft of the oil drain plug and surrounding the shaft at the at least one radial passage at a location exterior to the oil pan, a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the aperture and connected to a circuit and a battery disposed within the housing that provide wireless signals representative of the oil level.
An oil pan assembly, comprising:
- an oil pan having an internally threaded drain hole;
- an oil drain plug having a shaft and a head, the shaft having a proximal end adjacent to the head and a distal end axially spaced from the head, the shaft having external threads extending generally from the distal end to an unthreaded region along the shaft adjacent to the head, the external threads engage with the internally threaded drain hole and an axial passage extending axially from the distal end of the shaft and in communication with at least one radial passage extending through the shaft from the axial passage to an exterior of the unthreaded region of the shaft that is exterior to the oil pan;
- and
- an oil level sensor having a housing having an annular mounting portion defining an aperture extending there through for receiving the shaft of the oil drain plug and surrounding the shaft at the at least one radial passage at a location exterior to the oil pan, a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the aperture and connected to a circuit and a battery disposed within the housing that provide wireless signals representative of the oil level.
An internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an engine block defining a plurality of cylinders;
- a plurality of pistons disposed in the plurality of cylinders and drivingly connected to a crankshaft;
- an oil pan mounted to the engine block and having an internally threaded drain hole;
- an oil drain plug having a shaft and a head, the shaft having a proximal end adjacent to the head and a distal end axially spaced from the head, the shaft having external threads extending generally from the distal end to an unthreaded region along the shaft adjacent to the head, the external threads engage with the internally threaded drain hole and an axial passage extending axially from the distal end of the shaft and in communication with at least one radial passage extending through the shaft from the axial passage to an exterior of the unthreaded region of the shaft that is exterior to the oil pan;
- and
- an oil level sensor having a housing having an annular mounting portion defining an aperture extending there through for receiving the shaft of the oil drain plug and surrounding the shaft at the at least one radial passage at a location exterior to the oil pan, a pressure transducer in fluid communication with the aperture and connected to a circuit and a battery disposed within the housing that provide wireless signals representative of the oil level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.