JPH0282139A - Oil deterioration detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve durability and to enable long-period use by providing a light emitting means and a light receiving means with a main control part which compares the light signal from the light emitting means with the received light signal of the light receiving means to detect the attenuation of light. CONSTITUTION:When the main control part 3 allows a light emitting diode 1 to emit light to a certain quantity, the light reaches an oil deterioration measurement part 20 through an optical fiber 6. The light is transmitted through oil passing in the contraction part of a measurement part main body 21, incident on the optical fiber 7 which is arranged coaxially, and received by a photodiode 2 and the optical signal outputted by the diode 1 is compared with the optical signal received by the diode 2 to detect the attenuation of the light. In this case, the control part 3 make a temperature correction of the attenuation rate according to the detected value of a temperature sensor. Then when the attenuation rate of the transmissive light exceeds a predetermined value, the control part 3 turns on an alarm lamp 17 to let a driver know that the deterioration of the oil increases and the oil needs to be replaced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an oil deterioration detection device, and more particularly to an oil deterioration detection device that detects deterioration of engine oil in an internal combustion engine or the like by an electrical method.

[Prior Art] -a. As the engine is used over time, engine lubricating oil (hereinafter referred to as "engine oil") oxidizes due to engine heat and due to sliding and friction of various engine mechanisms. If dirt such as metal powder gets mixed in, the original lubricating function will deteriorate, so it must be replaced as necessary.

As a guideline for changing the oil, many methods were used to visually determine how dirty the oil was on a rod-shaped oil level gauge. However,
With this method, people make judgments by visual inspection, so accurate judgments cannot be made without some knowledge of engines, etc.
Furthermore, it was difficult to judge depending on the type of oil used. To solve this problem, various proposals have been made to detect engine oil deterioration using electrical methods. An example of a method based on this electrical method is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 47-40231.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above conventional example, the light emitting part and the light receiving part, which are composed of a light emitting element, a light receiving element, etc., must be placed in oil at a temperature of about 100 ['C]. Also,
The detection section including the light emitting section and the light receiving section is directly exposed to engine vibrations, which poses a problem in durability. In addition, since the structure is such that measurements are taken at oil stagnation points such as the oil pressure switch hole, dirt such as carbon and sludge and abrasion metal powder generated from the lubrication mechanism during use can be removed between the light emitting part and the light receiving part. This has the disadvantage that it precipitates and adheres to the oil passage, making it difficult to use it for a long period of time.

[Object of the Invention] The object of the present invention is to improve the disadvantages of the conventional example, and in particular to improve durability by protecting the light emitting part, the light receiving part, etc. from heat and vibration, and to improve the durability of the light emitting part and the light receiving part. It is an object of the present invention to provide an oil deterioration detection device that can be used for a long period of time by effectively preventing dust and the like from settling on an oil passage between light receiving sections.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the present invention, a light emitting means and a light receiving means corresponding thereto are provided, and an optical signal outputted from the light emitting means and an optical signal received by the light receiving means are compared to detect the light. A main control section for detecting attenuation is provided in both of these means. Two optical fibers are interposed between the light emitting means and the light receiving means, one end of which faces each other with a predetermined distance apart, and engine oil is circulated through the opposing parts of the two optical fibers. The configuration is such that it is installed within the route. This aims to achieve the above-mentioned objective.

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a light emitting diode 1 as a light emitting means and a photodiode 2 as a corresponding light receiving means. The light emitting diode 1 and the photodiode 2 are provided with a main control unit 3 that compares the optical signal output from the light emitting diode 1 and the optical signal received by the photodiode 2 to detect attenuation of light. . The light emitting diode 1, the photodiode 2, and the main control section 3 form a detection section 4.

This detection section 4 is connected to a battery (not shown) via a switch 5.

Between the light emitting diode 1 and the photodiode 2,
Two optical fibers 6 and 7 are interposed at one end of the optical fibers 6 and 7 facing each other with a predetermined distance apart. Further, the optical fiber opposing portions 8 of these two optical fibers 6.7 are installed in the engine oil circulation path 10 of the diesel engine 100 shown in FIG.

To explain this in more detail, the engine oil circulation path 10 is connected to the oil pump 1 through a strainer (not shown) disposed in the oil pan 101 of the diesel engine 100.
1 through which the oil is sucked up by the oil filter 31 and sent to the oil deterioration measuring section 20 via the oil filter 31.
The oil pan 1 is connected to the oil pipe 12 of the oil deterioration measuring section 20, a measuring section main body 21 (described later) constituting the oil deterioration measuring section 20, and a vacuum pump 9 that generates negative pressure from the oil deterioration measuring section 20 to the exhaust manifold of the diesel engine.
A second oil pipe 13 through which the oil returned to 01 passes.
It is composed of.

The oil deterioration measurement section 20 includes a measurement section main body 21 having a constriction section 21a formed in the center, as shown in FIG.
The optical fiber opposing portion 8 described above is provided inside the narrowing portion 21a.
Optical fiber attached with the side end facing 6.
7. The measurement unit main body 21 has a female threaded portion 21b so that the tubes forming the first oil pipe line 12 and the second oil pipe line 13 can be easily attached and detached.

21c is formed, and a joint 22, 23 with a male threaded portion that engages therewith is mounted. These fittings 22.2
3 consists of a tubular member with one end open and the other end provided with the head of a hexagonal bolt, and a plurality of holes 22a for oil passage in the side surface thereof.

22a, . . . 23a, 23a, . . . are formed. Further, these joints 22, 23 are adapted to be attached together with the annular tube joint 24.25 and washers 26, 26, 27, 27 when attached to the measuring section main body 21. The optical fiber 6°7 is a second
They are assembled with the threaded joints 28 and 29 shown in the figure sandwiching the constricted portion 21a forming the oil passage, and with the respective core portions facing each other on the same axis. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 4, these optical fibers 6.7 are coated with metal such as stainless steel over a predetermined length from the end of the eight optical fiber opposing parts to protect them from heat and vibration. There is. Other parts are coated with silicone rubber to withstand vibrations and shocks during driving. Furthermore, the end faces of these optical fibers 6 and 7 prevent diffuse reflection of the light beams passing through their respective cores, and dirt such as carbon sludge in the oil and abrasion metal powder adhere to the end surfaces, significantly reducing the transmission of the light beams into the oil. It is polished smooth so as not to block it. Furthermore, a temperature sensor 14 for oil temperature measurement is attached to the measurement section main body 21, and is connected to the main control section 3 through lead wires 15 and 16. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 30 indicates a seal.

The diesel engine 100 is installed in an automobile 102 shown in FIG. 3, and the detection unit 4 is actually housed in a control box 4A, not shown in the same figure, and installed on a dash box inside the vehicle. There is. This detection section 4
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, an alarm lamp 17 is attached to the engine to warn the driver that it is time to change the oil.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

When the driver turns on the switch 5 while driving, the car 10
The main control unit 3 causes the light emitting diode 1 to emit light at a certain constant value using power from a battery (not shown) 2. This light reaches the oil deterioration measuring section 20 via the optical fiber 6 on the light emitting section side, passes through the oil passing through the narrowing section 21a of the measuring section main body 21, and passes through the light receiving section disposed on the same axis. The light enters the optical fiber 7 on the side, is received by the photodiode 2 via the optical fiber 7, and is photoelectrically converted. Based on this signal, the main controller 3 controls the light emitting diode 1.
The optical signal output from the photodiode 2 is compared with the optical signal received by the photodiode 2 to detect the attenuation of the light. In this case, the main control section 3 performs temperature correction on the attenuation rate according to the detected value of the temperature sensor. If the attenuation rate of the transmitted light exceeds a predetermined value, the main control unit 3 lights up the alarm lamp 17 to notify the driver that the oil is highly degradable and that it is time to change the oil. .

As explained above, according to the first embodiment, the detection unit 4
Since the control unit 4A including the control unit 4A is placed inside the vehicle, the light emitting diode 1 and photodiode 2 that constitute the detection section 4 can be protected from heat and vibration. Since the structure is such that the flow rate of oil in the portion 8 increases, dirt is more likely to adhere to the lens, and there is an advantage that there is almost no need to consider attenuation of light due to dirt even during long-term use. In addition, a temperature sensor is used to correct the measured value in response to changes in the viscosity of the oil, and the attenuation of light is measured on the oil circulation path, so it can be used instantly and with high precision. It has the advantage of being measurable.

[Second Embodiment 1 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 5 and 6. Here, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the first embodiment described above.
This second embodiment shows a case where an optical fiber opposing part is installed in the oil filter mounting part 30 shown in FIG.

An oil filter mounting portion 30 provided in advance on a cylinder block 51 that forms a part of the diesel engine 100 has a
Optical fibers 6 and 7 are attached as shown in FIG. An oil filter 31, which is a replacement part shown in FIG. 6, is removably mounted on this oil filter mounting portion 30. In this case, engine oil accumulated in the oil pan of the engine body is sucked up through a strainer (not shown) by an oil pump energized by the rotation of the crankshaft when the engine is running, and is pumped into the engine body. The oil is circulated through the oil passage (main hole) of the cylinder block 51 that forms part of the oil circulation passage, and passes through the hole 30A formed in the center of the oil filter mounting portion 30 and the oil filter 3.
Arrow B is inserted into the female threaded hole 31A formed in the center of case 1.
It flows in as shown in . Then, the oil is filtered by an element inside the oil filter 31 to remove dust such as carbon sludge and worn metal powder.

After that, it comes out from the small holes 31B, 31B,...
It flows into the engine body through the hole 30B in the oil filter attachment part 30 of the cylinder block 51, and lubricates (pressures) various drive mechanism parts.

In this embodiment, a temperature sensor 14 is attached to the oil filter attachment part 30.

The other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment described above. Even with this configuration, almost the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, and since the optical fiber opposing part (measuring part) is installed in the oil filter mounting part, it can be used in vehicles equipped with a 4-cycle engine and in power generation. It has the advantage of being highly versatile and can be attached to almost any type of machine, compressor, etc.

[Third example] Next, a third embodiment will be described based on FIG. 7.

This embodiment relates to the mounting position of the oil deterioration measuring section 20 described above in a turbocharged vehicle.

In this embodiment, oil pumped by an oil pump is sent to a turbocharger 40 via an oil filter 31, an oil inlet pipe 41, and a circulation path 10 that returns to the oil pan of the engine body through an oil outlet pipe 42. has been done. The oil deterioration measuring section 20 described above is disposed in the middle of the oil inlet pipe 41 that forms a part of this circulation path 10.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the deterioration of the oil for lubrication of the floating hair ring of the turbocharger 40 can be quickly detected, and the turbine shaft 44 for connecting the turbine blades 43 and 43 of the turbocharger 40 can be quickly detected. Excessive friction and wear caused by surrounding metal (not shown) and dirt in oil and worn metal powder on the housing can be prevented early, and the turbocharger 40
The advantage is that it can extend the life of the device.

[Fourth example] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described based on FIG. 8.

In this embodiment, the oil deterioration measuring section 20 is connected to the oil cooler 6.
It is arranged in the middle of the oil circulation path 10 returning from zero to the engine 100. In this case, since the oil deterioration measuring section 20 is installed downstream of the oil cooler 60, there is almost no need to correct the value measured by the temperature sensor 14.

Therefore, the temperature sensor 14 does not necessarily need to be provided.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, two optical fibers are interposed between the light emitting means and the light receiving means, with one end facing each other with a predetermined distance apart. By appropriately setting the lengths of these optical fibers, the light emitting means, the light receiving means, and the main control unit attached thereto can be placed inside the car, etc., as in the above embodiment. The means can be protected from heat and vibration, and since the two fiber opposing parts are arranged in the engine oil circulation path, dirt will not adhere to the end face of the optical fiber on the opposing part side, making it possible to avoid long-term use. In addition, since the attenuation of light is measured on the oil circulation path, it is possible to provide an unprecedented and excellent oil deterioration detection device that can measure instantaneously and with high precision. .

In addition, in the invention as set forth in claim 2, there is an effect that dirt is less likely to adhere to the end face of the optical fiber, so that it can be used for a longer period of time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the first embodiment of the present invention, the second is a partially cross-sectional explanatory diagram showing details of the oil deterioration measuring section in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the embodiment of the invention in Fig. 1. 4 is a diagram for explaining the coating of the optical fiber in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the oil filter mounting part of Fig. 5 and the oil filter attached to this oil filter mounting part, Fig. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the structure of the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. ■... Light emitting diode as a light emitting means, 2.
...Photodiode as light receiving means, 3...
...Main control unit, 6.7...Optical fiber, 8.
...Optical fiber opposing part, 10...Engine oil circulation path.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Providing a light emitting means and a corresponding light receiving means,
A main controller for detecting attenuation of light by comparing an optical signal output from the light emitting means and an optical signal received by the light receiving means is provided in both the means, and a main controller is provided between the light emitting means and the light receiving means. , an oil deterioration method characterized in that two optical fibers are interposed with one end facing each other with a predetermined distance apart, and the opposing parts of the two optical fibers are installed in an engine oil circulation path. Detection device. (2) The oil deterioration detection device according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the two optical fibers in the optical fiber opposing portion is set small to narrow down the engine oil circulation path.