WO1994024422A1

WO1994024422A1 - Oil-change means for internal combustion engines

Info

Publication number: WO1994024422A1
Application number: PCT/AU1994/000192
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bryan James Larkin
Original assignee: Miiller, Stephen, James
Priority date: 1993-04-16
Filing date: 1994-04-15
Publication date: 1994-10-27

Abstract

A method of replacing oil in an internal combustion engine sump (20) comprises connecting a riser-tube (10) in fluid communication with the interior of the bottom of the sump (20) so that the riser-tube (10) extends to a level above the operational oil level in the sump (20). A pump unit can operate in conjunction with the method and comprises a flexible hose (16) adapted for connection to the riser-tube (10) and a pump (18) connected to the hose (16), at least one container (26) for clean oil and at least one separate container (30) for dirty oil and fluid valve means (24) connected between the hose (16) and the containers (26, 30) operable to draw dirty oil from the sump (20) via the riser-tube (10) and feed it to the container (30) for dirty oil.

Description

OIL-CHANGE MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to means for changing the oil in internal combustion engines having wet sumps.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Internal combustion engines having wet sumps almost universally have drain plugs on their bottoms and most have dip-sticks which enter an aperture located towards the top of the engine which provides access to the interior of the top of the sump. The sump is filled with oil by pouring it into the engine and allowing it to drain into the sump. To change the oil, it is usual to unscrew the drain plug and allow the oil to flow from the sump into a suitable

container. When the oil has drained, the plug is then replaced and the sump re-filled from the engine.

While this technique works well with car engines where ready access can be gained to the engine sump by jacking up the car, it is not suitable for boat engines which cannot be jacked up, or for the engines of earth moving equipment where access to the engine sump is usually blocked by a stone-guard plate that must be removed first. A similar problem exists for many car owners that do not have jacks but would wish to change the engine oil. Moreover, in all cases where access to the sump plug is restricted, there is the likelihood that oil will be spilt as the plug is being removed or the oil is discharging from the sump through the drain hole.

Thus the apparently simple task of draining an engine sump, especially where access to the sump plug is

restricted, can be a time-consuming and expensive exercise. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an objective of this invention to provide

improved means for changing the oil in internal combustion engines having wet sumps and, especially (though not essentially) those where access to the sump plug is

restricted.

In one broad form the present invention involves the substitution of the sump-plug of an internal combustion engine with a riser-tube that extends vertically to a level substantially above that of the oil in the sump (when full). It is also envisaged, however, that the riser-tube may be attached to the sump at some other point besides the drain-socket.

In a further broad form of the invention there is provided a method for facilitating removing and replacing oil in an engine sump of an internal combustion engine comprising connecting a riser-tube in fluid communication with the interior of the bottom of said sump so that said riser-tube extends to a level substantially above that of the operational oil level in said sump.

In a preferred form the riser-tube is attached to the sump at the sump plug aperture.

Preferably the connection of said riser-tube into said sump plug includes a magnetic trap for metallic filings and the like.

In a particular preferred form said riser-tube is generally of a U-shape or an L-shape.

In yet a further broad form of the invention there is provided a drain-plug extension for the sump of an engine operating according to the above method.

In yet a further broad form of the invention there is provided, either independently or operating in conjunction with said drain-plug extension, a pump unit comprising a flexible hose adapted for connection to a riser-tube extending from the bottom of an engine sump to a level above operational oil level; said unit including a pump connected to said hose, at least one container for clean oil and at least one container for dirty oil; said unit further including fluid valve means connected between the hose and the containers operable to draw dirty oil from said sump via said riser-pipe and feed it to said container for dirty oil.

Preferably said unit is operable to allow clean oil to flow under gravity, or urged by said pump, into said sump.

Preferably first valve means is provided on the inlet side of the pump and second valve means is provided on the outlet side of the pump; the first and second valve means connected to a common controller such that the same pump may be used to pump dirty oil from the sump to the dirty oil container in one control condition, and pump clean oi l from the clean oil container to the sump in a second control condition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of the first example of an oil-changing system formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar diagram to that of Fig. 1

illustrating a second example of an oil- changing system formed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of part of an

engine sump showing the manner in which connection is made to the socket for the drain plug;

Fig. 4 is a general perspective view of the front of a portable oil-changing unit embodying the system of Fig. 1 or Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the rear of the unit of

Fig. 4 with the access door shown open; and Fig. 6 is a side section view of a modification to the sump of Fig. 3.

The first embodiment of an engine-oil changing system formed in accordance with this invention employs a

reversible oil pump and is illustrated in Fig. 1. A riser tube 10 is fitted to the sump-plug of a marine engine 12 that is mounted close to the hull 14 of a boat (not shown) so that normal access to the sump-plug for oil-changing purposes is severely restricted. In addition to riser-tube 10, the system of this example comprises a flexible hose 16 adapted for air-tight connection to the top of riser-pipe 10, a reversible pump 18 which is capable of sucking oil from the sump 20 of engine 12 when operated in one

direction and of pumping oil into the riser-tube when operated in the other direction.

Pump 18 is connected via pipe 22 to a two-way valve 24 that can be operated to connect pipe 22 to either a tank 26 of clean oil (via pipe 28) or to a tank 30 for dirty oil via pipe 32. It will be seen that pipe 28 extends almost to the bottom of tank 26 while pipe 32 terminates at the top of tank 30. Valve 24 and pump 18 are controlled by a common three-position switch 34, the three positions being fill ("F"), off ("0") and empty ("E"). In the off position of switch 34, the pump 18 is not operated and valve 24 is set to connect pipe 32 with pipe 22 so that oil cannot be accidentally siphoned back through the pump 18 and hose 16. In the empty position of switch 34, pump 18 is operated in the direction which sucks oil from engine sump 20 and valve 24 remains set in the position where pipe 22 is connected to tank 30 via pipe 32 so that the dirty oil from the engine 12 is transferred to tank 30. In its fill position, switch 34 connects pipe 28 from the clean oil tank 26 to the pipe 22 and effects the reversal of pump 18 so that oil is pumped from tank 26 into the sump 20 of engine 12 via riser pipe 10.

The amount of oil pumped into sump 20 from tank 26 can be limited by either putting only the requisite amount of oil in tank 26 or by using a flow-meter 36 in line 22 (as shown in broken lines). In this position (as in line 16) flow-meter 36 can measure both the volume of dirty oil removed from the sump and the volume of clean oil fed to the sump 20. Meter 36 may, however, be inserted in line 28 so that dirty oil does not flow through it and so that oil only flows through it in one direction.

It will be appreciated that, in this first example, oil tanks 26 will need to be changed to ensure that the correct grade of oil is delivered to a particular engine, while tank 30 will need to be removed from time to time for emptying. In the second example of an oil-changing system formed in accordance with this invention, dirty oil can be pumped out of its holding tank for disposal. Another feature of the second example, which is illustrated in Fig. 2, is the use of the more common non-reversible pump.

Referring in particular to Fig. 2, the sump 40 of engine 42 is again fitted with a riser-pipe 44, but

flexible oil-hose 46 can be connected either to riser-pipe 44 or to a large dirty oil tank 48. Again tanks 48 and 50 are provided for clean and dirty oil (respectively) and are connectable via pipes and valves to the non-reversible pump and to hose 46, all valves being normally off. In this embodiment, tanks 48 and 50, pump 52 and the valves and piping are all housed within a portable oil-changing unit that can be wheeled to the boat or other engine that needs to have its oil changed. A control switch or panel, like the switch 34 of the first example, is also included in this portable unit, but is not illustrated in Fig. 2.

In operation, the system of the second example works as follows. To empty sump 40, hose 46 is again connected in an air-tight manner to riser-pipe 44 and the controller is set to 'empty'. This effects the opening of valves 54 and 58 and the operation of pump 52 so that oil is drawn from sump 40 via hose 46 and pipes 60 and 62 to the inlet of pump 52 and, then via pipes 64 and 66 to the dirty-oil tank 50. To re-fill sump 40 with clean oil from tank 48, valves 54 and 58 are closed and valves 68, 70 and 72 are opened so that oil is drawn from tank 48 via pipes 74 and 76 to the inlet of pump 52 (which can remain energised during the switch-over) and is discharged via pipe 64a to hose 46.

When dirty-oil tank 50 is full, the whole unit can be wheeled back to a large dirty oil tank 48 and tank 50 emptied into it. This is done by opening valves 58, 70 and 72 and operating the pump 52 when the hose 46 is connected to tank 48. In this operation, the dirty oil is sucked via pipe 66 from tank 50 and fed via pipe 76a to the inlet of pump 52; from the outlet of the pump, it is then fed via pipe 64a to the hose 46.

Fig. 3 provides some detail of the manner in which a riser-pipe may be connected to the socket for a sump-plug, though only a small part of the riser-pipe 82 to sump 84 via the normal socket 86 for the oil-drain plug (not shown). The union comprises, first, a short tubular male , part 88 having spanner-flats 90 that is screwed tight into socket 86 and, second, a female cap-like part 92 which is provided with spanner flats 94 and is internally threaded to screw onto the threaded end of the riser-tube proper 82. Though not shown in this Figure, it is desirable to fix the upper end of the riser pipe to the engine block via a bracket such as that indicated at 100 in Fig. 1.

A portable, battery-powered system formed in accordance with this invention is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It

comprises a casing 200 mounted on a pair of wheels 202 and provided with a handle 204. Conveniently, the control switch 206 is mounted on a sloping face 208 formed by casing 200. A bracket 210 is attached to the side of the casing to accommodate the flexible oil hose 212. The back of casing 200 comprises a door 214 which can be swung open to provide access to the oil containers 216, 218 and 220 inside. Underneath the compartment in which the containers are housed, the battery 222, motor 224 and (reversible) pump 226 are housed.

Three oil containers are convenient because they allow two grades of new oil to be carried (e.g. engine and gearbox), but it is also envisaged that the third container may contain light flushing oil which can be used to flushout the pipes, pump and valves between emptying a sump and re-filling with new oil. This can be simply effected in the examples of Figs. 1 and 2 by connecting the tank of flushing-oil in piace of the new oil tank (26 or 48) either manually or via a pipe and another valve. During flushing, the hose (16 or 46) is connected so as to discharge into the dirty oil tank (30 or 50) via an opening (not shown). The flushing operation can be automatically controlled to continue for a fixed time, or it can be controlled manually .

Fig. 6 illustrates a modification of the invention wherein a magnetic trap 301 is included in the oil outlet from the sump for the purpose of attracting and trapping magnetically attractable materials such as iron filings and the like. The trap 301 can be arranged to be removed by unscrewing the assembly so that the trap can be cleaned and then replaced.

While it will be appreciated that the example of the invention described above meet the objects and advantages set out at the beginning of this specification, those skilled in the art will understand that many variations and modifications can be made to the invention as disclosed without departing from its spirit and scope.

For example, the riser-tube need not be connected to the sump via the socket for the drain-plug, but it may be fixed to any convenient part of the lower part of the sump directly by welding or via a separate socket and union as described for the drain-socket connection.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The arrangement of the various embodiments of the invention can be applied to almost any engine sump in order to aid the removal and replacement of oil therein. It has particular application for sumps which can otherwise be difficult to drain such as those found in commercial earth moving equipment and power boats although should not be limited to application in these environments only.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating removing and replacing oil in an engine sump of an internal combustion engine comprising connecting a riser-tube in fluid communication with the interior of the bottom of said sump so that said riser-tube extends to a level substantially above that of the

operational oil level in said sump.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the riser-tube is

attached to the sump at the sump plug aperture.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the connection of said riser-tube into said sump plug includes a magnetic trap for metallic filings and the like.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said riser-tube is

generally of a U-shape or an L-shape.

5. A drain-plug extension for the sump of an engine

adapted to be operable according to the method of claim 1.

6. A pump unit comprising a flexible hose adapted for connection to a riser-tube extending from the bottom of an engine sump to a level above operational oil level; said unit including a pump connected to said hose, at least one container for clean oil and at least one container for dirty oil; said unit further including fluid valve means connected between the hose and the containers operable to draw dirty oil from said sump via said riser-pipe and feed . it to said container for dirty oil.

7. The pump unit of claim 6 operable to allow clean oil to flow under gravity, or urged by said pump, into said sump.

8. The pump unit of claim 6 wherein first valve means is provided on the inlet side of the pump and second valve means is provided on the outlet side of the pump; the first and second valve means connected to a common controller such that the same pump may be used to pump dirty oil from the sump to the dirty oil container in one control

condition, and pump clean oil from the clean oil container to the sump in a second control condition.