Device for detecting oil leakage

Abstract

A portable oil leak detection system having an oil sensor mountable to an engine and configured to detect the presence of oil and a processor located within a portable housing. The processor is configured to receive a signal indicative of the oil sensor detecting oil, record a timestamp in response to receiving the signal indicative of the oil sensor detecting oil, and activate a warning indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to devices and methods for detecting the presence of oil, and more particularly, to a portable device for detecting oil leakage on an engine. Background Art

[0002] Internal combustion engines employ various oil seals and gaskets to isolate engine components to be lubricated and prevent unwanted leakage. One such seal is the rear main seal of the crankshaft, which keeps oil sealed within the rear of the engine where the crankshaft connects to the driveline and prevents oil from leaking into the flywheel housing. Rear main seals can be made of rubber or silicone, and they can wear due to use, rotational forces of the crankshaft, road salt corrosion, and other environmental factors. Additionally, rear main seal leakage can result from improper installation of the rear main seal, defects in the seal, and defective, worn, dented, or deteriorated engine components (such as the main cap or the crankshaft itself).

[0003] Determining the presence of rear main seal leakage and troubleshooting leaks typically requires taking the engine out of service and disassembling a portion of the driveline, which can be costly and time-consuming. To avoid costs and downtime, some attempts have been made to implement real-time leak detection. For example, Chinese Utility Model Patent CN205981565, titled "Engine Oil Seal’s Real-Time Leak Hunting Device", discloses a device including an EPDM rubber block, a pressure sensor, and a processor. The EPDM rubber block is installed at a location on the engine such that oil leaking from the oil seal will fall or splash onto the EPDM rubber block, causing it to expand. As the EPDM rubber block expands, it will squeeze the pressure sensor, generating a pressure signal that is transmitted to the processor. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one aspect, the present disclosure describes a portable oil leakage detection system having an oil sensor mountable to an engine and configured to detect the presence of oil, and a processor located within a portable housing. The processor is configured to receive a signal indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil, record a timestamp in response to receiving the signal indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil, and activate a warning indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil.

[0005] In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a method for detecting oil leakage on an engine. The method includes: positioning an oil sensor relative to the engine at a location where the oil sensor can detect oil leakage; using the oil sensor to detect the presence of oil and generate a signal indicating the detection of the presence of oil; activating a first warning in response to the signal indicating the detection of the presence of oil; and recording a timestamp in response to receiving the signal indicating the detection of the presence of oil. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for detecting oil leakage; and

[0008] Figure 2 is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for detecting oil leakage. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting oil leakage on an internal combustion engine. According to the present disclosure, the system can be used to detect oil leakage in a variety of applications that utilize an internal combustion engine, including mobile machines such as excavators, mining trucks, highway trucks, automobiles, locomotives, and ships, as well as stationary applications such as diesel generators and pumping stations. The system can be configured as a portable system that can be used on-site to detect oil leakage while the engine is running without taking the engine out of service or disassembling a part of the engine. The system can effectively detect oil leakage in real time and, when oil leakage is detected, record an accurate timestamp and provide a warning. The system can be capable of recording the duration of the oil leakage by providing the timestamp when the oil was first detected and the timestamp when the oil is no longer detected.

[0010] Figure 1FIG. 0 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system 100 for detecting oil leakage. The system 100 can be configured in various ways. For example, compared with the components and configurations of the illustrated embodiment, some embodiments may include one or more different components, and / or the system components may be arranged in different configurations. Unless otherwise stated herein or clearly contradicted by the context, the present disclosure covers any combination of the above components in all possible variations thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 100 includes an oil sensor 102 and a processor 104. The processor 104 can be located within a portable housing 106. A power source 108 can be associated with the system 100 to provide power for the operation of the system. The power source 108 can be a system power source, such as a battery (not shown) disposed within the housing 106, or an external power source, such as 120VAC mains power. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 100 includes a plug (not shown) for insertion into a power outlet to connect the system 100 to the mains power (120VAC).

[0011] The oil sensor 102 can be configured in various ways. Any sensing device capable of detecting the presence of oil and mounted on or adjacent to the engine to detect oil leakage can be used. In the illustrated embodiment, the oil sensor 102 is an optical liquid sensor, but any suitable liquid or leak detection sensor can be used. A suitable optical liquid sensor is the OSP type liquid leak detection sensor from CMR Electrical Co., Ltd.

[0012] The oil sensor 102 can be electrically coupled to the power source 108 to provide power to the oil sensor 102. The oil sensor 102 may further include a mounting portion 110 configured to mount the oil sensor 102 to or adjacent to the engine. The mounting portion 110 can be configured in various ways. Any configuration that allows the oil sensor 102 to be mounted on or adjacent to the engine to detect oil leakage can be used. The mounting portion 110 can, for example, include threads that allow the oil sensor 102 to be screwed into a fitting, a bracket that allows the sensor to be mounted to a surface, or other suitable attachment features or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the mounting portion 110 can include threads configured to mate with corresponding threads on a drain plug hole of a flywheel housing on the engine. Such a configuration allows the oil sensor 102 to be screwed into the drain plug hole such that the oil sensor 102 is positioned to detect oil that has leaked from the rear main seal of the engine's crankshaft.

[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, system 100 includes an oil sensor relay 112 associated with an oil sensor 102. The oil sensor relay 112 can be any suitable electrically operated switch. The oil sensor relay 112 is operatively coupled to the oil sensor 102 and is configured to open and close in response to the oil sensor 102 detecting oil or not detecting oil, respectively. The oil sensor relay 112 is electrically coupled to a power supply 108.

[0014] In the illustrated embodiment, a first rectifier 114 is positioned between the oil sensor relay 112 and the power supply 108. The first rectifier 114 can be any suitable rectifier for converting alternating current to direct current. In the illustrated embodiment, the first rectifier 114 is configured to convert 120VAC to 24VDC.

[0015] The processor 104 is configured to receive a signal indicating that the oil sensor 102 has detected the presence of oil, record a timestamp indicating the time at which the oil was detected by the oil sensor 102, record a timestamp indicating the time at which the oil is no longer detected by the oil sensor 102, and, if applicable, provide one or more alerts indicating that the oil has been detected and / or is currently being detected. The processor 104 can be any suitable processor. The processor 104 can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor, but in an alternative, the processor 104 can be any processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor 104 can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as, for example, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, or any other such configuration. The processor 104 can include functions, steps, routines, data tables, data maps, diagrams, etc. stored in and executed from any type of computer-readable medium such as, for example, a memory device (e.g., random access, flash memory, etc.), an optical medium (e.g., CD, DVD, etc.), firmware (e.g., EPROM), or any other storage medium. In one exemplary embodiment, the processor 104 can be one or more small single-board microcontrollers and microcontroller kit computers, such as Raspberry or system.

[0016] The processor 104 is electrically connected to the power supply 108. In the illustrated embodiment, a second rectifier 116 is positioned between the processor 104 and the power supply 108. The second rectifier 116 is similar to the first rectifier 114, but is configured to convert 120VAC to 12VDC to power the processor 104. The processor 104 includes or is communicatively coupled to a real-time clock 118 that the processor 104 can access to create timestamps for various events and store them in the memory. The real-time clock 118 is electrically coupled to a system power supply (not shown) located within the housing 106, such as a battery. The system power supply for the real-time clock 118 is configured to power the real-time clock 118 to allow accurate time to be maintained even when the system 100 is not connected to the power supply 108.

[0017] In one embodiment, the processor 104 creates and stores timestamps for each moment the oil sensor 102 detects an oil leak and for each moment the oil sensor 102 no longer detects an oil leak after a previous detection of an oil leak.

[0018] In some exemplary embodiments, the processor 104 may be communicatively coupled to the oil sensor 102 to receive a signal indicating that oil has been detected from the oil sensor 102. Thus, the processor 104 can be configured to act when a signal is received from the oil sensor 102 or the oil sensor relay 112. However, in the illustrated embodiment, the processor 104 is not directly communicatively connected to the oil sensor 102 or the oil sensor relay 112. Instead, in the illustrated embodiment, the system 100 includes a light source 120 and a light sensor 122, both of which are located within the housing 106.

[0019] The light source 120 is electrically coupled to the oil sensor relay 112 and is configured to turn on when the oil sensor 102 detects oil. The light sensor 122 is communicatively coupled to the processor 104 and is configured to detect that the light source 120 has been activated and send a signal indicating that the light source 120 has been activated to the processor 104.

[0020] The light source 120 and the light sensor 122 can be any suitable combination of a light source 120 and a light sensor 122. Specifically, the light source 120 must have a sufficient brightness when activated to be detected by the light sensor 122 used, and the light sensor 122 used must have a sufficient high sensitivity to detect that the light source 120 used has been activated. In the illustrated embodiment, the light source 120 is an LED strip.

[0021] Suitable light sensors 122 include photoresistors, photodiodes, and phototransistors. In the illustrated embodiment, the light sensor 122 is a digital light sensor. The light sensor 122 is positioned and oriented within the housing 106 to detect whether the light source 120 has been activated.

[0022] System 100 may also include one or more display devices 124 that are communicatively coupled to the processor 104 and configured to display various information to a user. The one or more display devices 124 can be configured in a variety of ways and can include any type of known display device 124. In some embodiments, the one or more display devices 124 can also be configured to allow user input, such as, for example, a touchscreen, etc. In the illustrated embodiment, the display device 124 is an LCD screen mounted to the exterior of the housing 106.

[0023] System 100 may also include one or more alerts or indicators for providing an indication of the system status or the occurrence of one or more events. For example, the alert or indicator can provide an indication that system 100 is powered on, that the oil sensor 102 is currently detecting oil, that the oil sensor 102 has detected oil during a test period even if the oil sensor 102 is no longer detecting oil, that a fault has occurred, or any other event or status. The alert or indicator can be configured in a variety of ways. For example, the alert and indicator can be visual, audio, tactile, or otherwise configured. The alert and indicator can be, for example, light, beep, bell, vibration, notification, email, or a text message sent to a computing or mobile device, or other suitable alert and indicator. The alert and indicator can also be one or more actions, such as automatically shutting down the engine when a leak is detected or other suitable actions.

[0024] In the illustrated embodiment, system 100 includes a first light 130, a second light 132, and a third light 134. Each of the lights 130, 132, 134 can be mounted to the exterior of the housing 106 or any other suitable location. The lights 130, 132, 134 can be any suitable lights, such as, for example, LED lights. In different embodiments, the size, shape, location, brightness, type, color, and other properties of the lights can vary.

[0025] The first lamp 130 and the second lamp 132 are operably connected to a relay 136. The relay 136 can be any suitable electrically operated switch. In the illustrated embodiment, the relay 136 is electrically connected to a power supply 108 and operably coupled to a processor 104. The processor 104 is configured to open and close the relay 136. When closed, the relay 136 connects the first lamp 130 to the power supply 108 to activate the first lamp 130 when the second lamp 132 is deactivated. When open, the relay 136 connects the second lamp 132 to the power supply 108 to activate the second lamp 132 when the first lamp 130 is deactivated. The third lamp 134 is operably connected to an oil sensor relay 112. When closed, the oil sensor relay 112 electrically connects both the third lamp 134 and a light source 120 to the power supply 108 to activate both the third lamp 134 and the light source 120. When open, the oil sensor relay 112 isolates both the third lamp 134 and the light source 120 from the power supply 108.

[0026] The housing 106 can be configured and sized to be portable and easily transportable. In the illustrated embodiment, the processor 104, the light source 120, the light sensor 122, the relay 136, the real-time clock 118, and the first rectifier 114 and the second rectifier 116 are located within the housing. The LCD display 124, the first lamp 130, the second lamp 132, and the third lamp 134 are located outside the housing. However, in other embodiments, the system components can be positioned and mounted in other ways.

[0027] Industrial applicability

[0028] The present disclosure is applicable to detecting oil leaks on an internal combustion engine. The disclosed systems and methods can be used to detect oil leaks in a variety of engine applications. For example, the engine can be associated with a mobile machine, such as an excavator, a mining truck, a road truck, an automobile, a locomotive, a ship, or other mobile machine. The engine can alternatively be associated with a stationary application, such as a pumping station or a diesel generator. The methods disclosed below are described in connection with detecting an oil leak at the rear main seal of the engine's crankshaft. However, it is contemplated that the systems and methods can be used to detect oil leaks at multiple locations on the engine. The systems and methods are capable of detecting an oil leak while the engine is running without taking the engine out of service or disassembling a part of the engine. In one exemplary embodiment, other components of the system 100, in addition to the oil sensor 102 and the oil sensor relay 112, are mounted within or to the housing 106. The housing 106 is sized such that the system 100 is portable and can be easily moved to a location near or adjacent to the engine.

[0029] Figure 2A flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method 200 for detecting an oil leak is shown. At step 202, the oil sensor 102 is positioned relative to the engine at a location where the oil sensor 102 can detect an oil leak. For example, the oil sensor 102 can be mounted to or adjacent to the engine. In one exemplary embodiment, the oil sensor 102 is threaded into a drain plug hole in the flywheel housing of the engine such that the oil sensor 102 can detect oil leaking from the rear main seal of the engine into the flywheel housing.

[0030] At step 204, the system 100 is powered on. For example, the system 100 can include an electrical plug that can be inserted into an electrical outlet to provide access to 120VAC mains power. When the system 100 is powered on and the oil sensor 102 is activated but not detecting oil, the oil sensor relay 112 is in an open state and the third light 134 and the light source 120 are off or deactivated. Additionally, the relay 136 is in a closed state, the first light 130 is on or activated, and the second light 132 is off or deactivated. Thus, the first light 130 can act as an indicator or warning that the system 100 is powered on and no oil is currently being detected. When the engine is running, the oil sensor 102 is activated and senses the presence of oil in the flywheel housing.

[0031] At step 206, if the oil sensor 102 does not detect oil, then the presence of oil will continue to be monitored at step 204. If the oil sensor 102 does detect oil, then the oil sensor relay 112 will change from an open state to a closed state, delivering power to the third light 134 and the light source 120 at steps 208 and 210, respectively, to turn on both the third light 134 and the light source 120. In one exemplary embodiment, the third light 134 and the light source 120 are turned on simultaneously or almost simultaneously. Thus, the third light 134 can act as an indicator or warning that oil is currently being detected.

[0032] At step 212, the light sensor 122 detects that the light source 120 is now on and sends a signal indicating that the light source is on (and that the oil sensor has detected oil) to the processor 104. At step 214, the processor 104 receives the signal from the light sensor 122 and turns on the relay 136. When the relay 136 is on, it delivers power to the second light 132 and stops delivering power to the first light 130, such that at step 216, the second light 132 is on and the first light 130 is off. In an exemplary embodiment, once oil is initially detected, the processor 104 will keep the relay 136 in an off state and the second light 132 will remain on even if oil is no longer detected. Thus, the second light 132 can act as an indicator or warning that oil has been detected at each point in time during the test.

[0033] At step 218, the processor 104 receives a signal from the optical sensor 122. The processor 104 also records a timestamp and stores it in the memory. As indicated by the real-time clock 118, the timestamp indicates the time when the oil sensor 102 detected oil. In some embodiments, in addition to the lights 130, 132, 134, the system 100 may also provide additional or alternative indicators or warnings indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil. For example, the system 100 may be configured to provide a push notification, text message, or email to a mobile device.

[0034] The oil sensor 102 will continue to sense the presence of oil in the flywheel housing. If the oil sensor 102 no longer detects oil in the flywheel housing, then the oil sensor relay 112 will change from the closed state back to the open state, causing the third light 134 and the light source 120 to turn off.

[0035] Once the light source 120 is turned off, the optical sensor 122 stops sending a signal to the processor 104. In response to the absence of a signal from the optical sensor 122, the processor 104 records the timestamp indicated by the real-time clock 118 and stores it in the memory. The timestamp indicates the time when the oil sensor 102 no longer detected oil. However, as previously described, the processor 104 keeps the relay 136 in the open state, and the second light 132 will remain on even if oil is no longer detected.

[0036] It should be understood that the foregoing description provides examples of the disclosed systems and techniques. However, it is contemplated that other embodiments of the present disclosure may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to the present disclosure or its examples are intended to refer to the particular example being discussed at that time and are not intended to imply any more general limitation on the scope of the present disclosure. All distinctions and disparaging language about certain features are intended to indicate that those features are not preferred, but unless otherwise indicated, those features are not completely excluded from the scope of the invention.

[0037] In the context of describing the present invention (especially in the context of the following claims), the terms "a", "an", "the", "at least one", and similar referents should be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless the context otherwise indicates or is clearly inconsistent with the context. The use of the term "at least one" followed by a list of one or more items (e.g., "at least one of A and B") should be construed to mean either one of the listed items (A or B) or any combination of two or more of the listed items (A and B), unless the context otherwise indicates or is clearly inconsistent with the context. Thus, as permitted by applicable law, the present disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the appended claims. Additionally, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly inconsistent with the context, the present disclosure covers any combination of the above elements in all possible variations.

Claims

1. A portable oil detection system, comprising: An oil sensor, which can be installed on an engine and is configured to detect the presence of oil; A processor, which is positioned within a portable housing and is configured to: Receive a signal indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil; Record a timestamp in response to receiving the signal indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil; Activate a warning indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil; A light source and a light sensor disposed within the housing, wherein the light source is configured to turn on in response to the oil sensor detecting oil, and wherein the light sensor is configured to generate a signal indicating that the light source is on and send the signal to the processor; And A lamp installed on the housing, and the system is configured to turn on the lamp when the oil sensor detects oil and turn off the lamp when the oil sensor does not detect oil.

2. The portable oil detection system according to claim 1, wherein the oil sensor is an optical liquid sensor, and the optical liquid sensor is configured to be screwed into a drain plug hole on a flywheel housing by a thread.

3. The portable oil detection system according to claim 1, wherein the signal indicating that the oil sensor has detected oil received by the processor is the same as the signal generated by the light sensor indicating that the light source is on.

4. A method for detecting oil leakage on an engine, the method comprising: Positioning the oil sensor at a position where the oil sensor can detect oil leakage relative to the engine; Using the oil sensor to detect the presence of oil and generating a signal indicating the detection of the presence of oil; Activating a light source within the housing in response to the signal indicating the detection of the presence of oil; The light sensor detects that the light source is now on, and sends a signal indicating that the light source is on and the oil sensor has detected oil to the processor; Activating a first warning in response to the signal indicating the detection of the presence of oil; and Recording a timestamp in response to receiving the signal indicating the detection of the presence of oil.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising detecting the activation of the light source and generating a signal indicating that the light source is activated.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the timestamp is recorded in response to the signal indicating that the light source is activated.

7. The method according to any one of claims 4-6, further comprising turning on a lamp installed outside the housing simultaneously with activating the light source within the housing.

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