Engine Oil Consumption Detection Using Tilt-Corrected Oil Level

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for determining maintenance and overhaul intervals for internal combustion engines do not accurately account for variations caused by operating conditions and individual component differences, leading to potential inaccuracies in timing.

Innovation Solution

A system that incorporates an oil level sensor and a tilt sensor to determine an oil consumption rate, allowing a controller to adjust service intervals based on these measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If predetermined maintenance intervals are used, then maintenance scheduling is simple, but accuracy of maintenance timing is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance scheduling simplicityVSAvoidmaintenance timing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring oil level through sensors and automatically adjusting maintenance intervals based on actual consumption rates. The controller receives real-time data from oil level sensors and tilt sensors, processes this information to determine actual oil consumption, and dynamically updates maintenance schedules accordingly, replacing fixed predetermined intervals with adaptive feedback-driven scheduling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The maintenance interval transitions from a static predetermined value to a dynamic parameter that automatically adjusts based on real-time oil consumption measurements. The system continuously updates the maintenance schedule based on current operating conditions and actual oil usage, making the maintenance timing flexible and adaptive rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If oil level measurement alone is used, then system complexity is low, but measurement precision of oil consumption is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidoil consumption measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple measurement functions into a unified oil consumption detection system. The oil level sensor measurements are combined with tilt sensor data to compensate for positional variations. By integrating these different sensor types and their respective measurements, the system achieves accurate oil consumption measurement while maintaining reasonable system complexity through coordinated operation of the combined sensors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20260071934A1Engine oil consumption detection using oil level and machine tilt

Publication Date: 2026.03.12 CATERPILLAR INC

AI summary

A system for detecting oil consumption includes an internal combustion engine, an oil container configured to receive oil, oil in the oil container having an oil level, an oil level sensor configured to output a signal indicative of the oil level, and a tilt sensor configured to output a signal indicative of an inclination of the oil container. The system further includes a controller configured to receive the signal indicative of the oil level from the oil level sensor, receive the signal indicative of the inclination of the oil container from the tilt sensor, determine an oil consumption rate of the internal combustion engine based on the signal from the oil level sensor and based on the signal from the tilt sensor, and determine a service interval for the internal combustion engine according to the oil consumption rate.