Autonomous Oil Change With Quick-Connect Refill and Spill Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional motor oil change processes are cumbersome, requiring various equipment and tools, leading to inefficiencies, spills, and environmental concerns due to the reliance on gravity drainage and manual handling of oil filters.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous oil change system that includes a user interface, sensors, indicating lights, evacuation, refill, purge, and filter cleansing systems, along with a control circuit, which uses quick-fit connectors and RFID technology to automate the oil change process, minimizing spills and equipment needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional manual oil change process is used, then various equipment and tools are required, but the process becomes cumbersome and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated oil change operations where the machine performs draining, filtering, and refilling tasks autonomously without requiring manual intervention with traditional tools like jacks, socket sets, and funnels
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system integrates multiple functions (draining, filtering, refilling) into a single unified platform that can service multiple vehicles, eliminating the need for separate specialized tools for each operation
2Ease of operation
If gravity drainage method is used, then simple equipment is needed, but oil spillage occurs on ground and equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the passive gravity drainage mechanism with an active controlled drainage system that manages oil flow through regulated channels, preventing uncontrolled spillage while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces controlled drainage channels and containment structures as intermediaries between the oil source and collection point, managing the oil flow path to prevent direct contact with ground and equipment surfaces
3Ease of operation
If manual handling of oil filters is performed, then simple tools are required, but burns and environmental incidents occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs filter replacement autonomously through automated mechanisms, eliminating the need for personnel to manually handle hot oil and filters, thereby preventing burns while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts the hazardous manual handling task from the overall process by implementing automated filter replacement mechanisms that isolate personnel from exposure to hot oil and filters
Data Source
AI summary
An oil change system. The oil change system includes an evacuation system, a refill system, one or more sensors and a control circuit. The evacuation system includes a first quick connect fitting configured to mate with a quick connect valve of a vehicle. The refill system includes a second quick connect fitting configured to mate with the quick connect valve of the vehicle. The control circuit is coupled to the evacuation system, the refill system and the one or more sensors, and is configured to automatically identify the vehicle, determine a type, a viscosity and a volume of oil associated with the vehicle and control a volume of new oil added to the vehicle.