A method and apparatus for detecting a restricted or bypassed transmission oil filter

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting a restricted or bypassed transmission oil filter (18) by providing pressure transducers (16, 30) on both sides of the oil filter (18) whereby the pressure difference will indicate the extent of filter restriction. A first alarm (38) is activated at a first pressure difference to indicate a restricted filter (18) and the need for filter replacement. A second, higher level, alarm (40) is activated to indicate the filter (18) is bypassed and the engine (14) is reduced in speed to allow the pressure and the pressure difference to drop to the point that the filter (18) is no longer bypassed. This enables the vehicle to be operated with limited capabilities to allow the vehicle to be driven to the shop for filter replacement. If the lowered engine speed is insufficient to reduce the pressure difference to stop the bypass, then the engine speed is further reduced to a low idle and the transmission shifted to neutral. The filter (18) must be replaced before the vehicle can be operated again to prevent damage to the hydrostatic unit in the transmission.

Description: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for warning a vehicle operator of the need to service a vehicle transmission, in particular to replace a transmission oil filter due to filter restriction or filter bypassing. The hydrostatic unit of an infinitely variable, hydro-mechanical transmission is susceptible to damage if the oil is contaminated by particles. Oil filters are used to remove contaminants from the oil. However, to enable continued operation of the vehicle, such as an agricultural tractor, a bypass valve is also provided that will automatically open in the event the filter is excessively restricted. The current state of the art for detecting filter restriction is with a pressure switch that only indicates when the filter is restricted by more or less than a fixed value. The switch can not indicate whether or not the filter is restricted to the point of bypass. As a result, the transmission controller can not do any more to protect the transmission than to turn on an indicator light to signal a restricted filter. If the operator chooses to ignore the warning, then the vehicle can continue to be operated until the filter is bypassed and debris is passed through sensitive hydraulic components. US-4,685,066 discloses a contamination monitor for sensing particle contamination in a liquid system having a service filter, a first sensor for measuring the pressure differential across the service filter and a reference apparatus for providing information relative to at least one of the viscosity changes and the flow changes of the liquid passing through the service filter. A programmable data processing and interface unit receives data from the first sensor and from the reference apparatus and provides a recognizable compensated output corresponding to the contamination level of the liquid system. The data processing and interface unit can provide a plurality of command signals for lighting a plurality of lights if certain pressure differential values are exceeded. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for detecting a restricted or bypassed transmission oil filter and for warning the operator that the filter has become restricted, for further warning if the filter is bypassed and for taking preventative measures to close the bypass valve before any damage occurs. This and other objects are achieved by the present invention according to one of the claims 1 or 10. Further advantageous arrangements and developments of the invention appear from the dependent claims. A transmission is equipped with pressure transducers on both sides of an oil filter whereby the pressure difference will indicate the extend of filter restriction. A warning or alarm is activating when the pressure difference exceeds a first predetermined value. According to the invention the warning or alarm is activated only when the transmission input speed is above a first predetermined speed level. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention in addition to the filter a bypass valve is provided. One pressure transducer measures the pump pressure at the pump outlet while the other transducer is at the filter outlet. The second pressure transducer is located adjacent the park brake to measure the pressure in the park brake piston. However, this second pressure transducer can be located anywhere that will measure the pressure at the filter outlet. The outputs of the two pressure transducers are directed to an electronic controller that compares the two pressure measurements and takes appropriate action to activate alarms, depending on the magnitude of the pressure difference across the filter. A first alarm will be activated when the filter is partially restricted, enabling the operator to continue operating the tractor and schedule maintenance. If the pressure difference exceeds a second higher level, indicating a bypassed filter, the controller will activate a second, more serious, alarm. The controller will also reduce the engine speed, thereby reducing the pump outlet pressure whereby the pressure difference across the filter will hopefully be reduced to the point that the bypass valve will close. In the event the bypass valve does not close, the controller will reduce the engine speed to a low idle until the engine is shut down and will shift the transmission to neutral, thereby forcing action to be taken. This prevents continued operation of the transmission with the bypass valve opened and the possibility for damage of the hydrostatic unit. The alarms are only activated when the oil temperature is above a predetermined level, such as 20°C. A greater pressure difference across the filter will occur due to the higher viscosity of cold oil. Thus, when the oil is cold the pressure difference is not indicative of a restricted or bypassed filter. The use of two pressure transducers produces an accurate measure of the extent of filter restriction. An accurate measurement allows for the use of more sophisticated software to activate alarms rather than a simple difference pressure switch. Furthermore, a downstream pressure transducer can be used to diagnose leaks or other problems in the transmission. Multiple alarms may be activated for varying degrees of filter restriction instead of the single, restricted filter alarm previously known. A gauge display can also be employed to show the ongoing filter status. The invention and further advantageous developments and arrangements of the invention will now be described and explained in more detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a schematic representation of a portion of a transmission hydraulic circuit together with the electronic controller. The transmission hydraulic circuit includes a pump 12 driven by the vehicle engine 14 through the transmission input shaft. A pressure transducer 16 is located at the pump outlet for measuring the pump pressure. From the pump 12, hydraulic fluid flows through a filter 18 and from there to the remainder of the transmission including the transmission hydraulic controls 20, the hydrostatic unit 22, the park brake release valve 24 and the park brake release piston 26. A filter bypass valve 28 is parallel with the filter 18 and is designed to open when the pressure difference across the filter reaches a predetermined limit, e.g. 550 kPa +/- 50 kPa. Downstream from the filter 18 is a second pressure transducer 30. In the drawing, the second pressure transducer 30 is located adjacent to the park brake release piston to measure the fluid pressure at the park brake release piston. The pressure drop between the outlet of the filter 18 and the park brake piston is negligible and thus the output of the transducer 30 is indicative of the pressure at the outlet of the filter 18. The pressure transducer 30 could be located immediately adjacent to the filter 18 outlet if desired. A temperature transducer 34 at the inlet side of the pump 12 provides a measurement of the transmission oil temperature. An electronic controller 36 receives inputs from the pressure transducers 16 and 30 as well as the temperature transducer 34. The controller 36 also receives and sends signals to and from the engine 14, including engine speed. The controller 36 activates the alarms 38 described below in greater detail. With the two pressure signals, an accurate pressure difference is measured to indicate the extent of filter restriction. When the engine is operating at a speed greater than 800 rpm, the pump 12 is operating at a high enough speed that the pressure difference across the filter provides a meaningful indication of the filter restriction. If the transmission oil temperature is low, for example below 20°C, the increased oil viscosity may produce a large pressure difference across the filter even when the filter is not restricted. Thus, the oil temperature must be greater than 20°C for the pressure difference to indicate the extent of filter restriction. The controller is programmed such that if the pressure difference across the filter is greater than 350 kPa, the engine speed is greater than 800 rpm, the oil temperature above 20°C and these conditions have existed for a minimum length of time, such as three seconds, an alarm 38 is activated. This alarm indicates that the transmission oil filter is restricted and the filter should be replaced. The alarm is cleared when the above conditions no longer exist. A second, higher level, alarm 40 is activated if the pressure difference exceeds 500 kPa, the lowest level at which the bypass valve can open. If the engine speed is greater than 1500 rpm, the oil temperature is greater than 20°C, the park brake is released for at least five seconds and the pressure difference is greater than 500 kPa then the second alarm is activated until 5 seconds after these conditions no longer exist. Once the alarm is activated, the controller will scale down the engine throttle so that the maximum engine speed is reduced to 1500 rpm. When the engine speed is reduced to below 1500 rpm, the pump 12 speed will be reduced, thus lowering the pressure in the hydraulic system. By lowering the hydraulic system pressure, the pressure difference across the filter 18 should be reduced as well. This will enable the bypass valve to close so the oil is again filtered. The reduced engine speed will allow the vehicle to be moved, but will reduce its ability to perform work and thereby encourage the operator to change the oil filter immediately. If, after the engine speed has been reduced to less than 1500 rpm, the pressure difference of more than 500 kPa persists for longer than three seconds, then the electronic controller will reduce the engine speed to a low idle speed and shift the transmission into neutral until the filter is replaced. This prevents continued operation of the transmission with the filter bypassed. The use of two pressure transducers provides greater accuracy in assessing the condition of the filter and enables the provision of warning alarms to the operator that service is needed prior to reaching the point where the filter is bypassed and damage is occurring to the hydrostatic unit. By activating a first alarm before the filter is bypassed the operator will still be able to use the vehicle while filter replacement is scheduled. Furthermore, by stopping the transmission when the filter remains bypassed, damage can be prevented. While the invention is shown and described in the context of an infinitely variable hydro-mechanical transmission, the invention can be used in any hydraulic system having components that are sensitive to contamination. The invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiment, but should be limited solely by the claims that follow.

Claims: A method of warning a vehicle operator of the need to service a vehicle transmission having a hydraulic pump (12) and filter (18) downstream from the pump (12), the method comprising the steps of: sensing the pressure on both sides of the filter (18); comparing the two pressures to determine a pressure difference across the filter (18); and activating a warning or alarm when the pressure difference exceeds a first predetermined value, characterized in that the warning or alarm is activated only when the transmission input speed is above a first predetermined speed level. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the warning or alarm is activated only when the transmission oil temperature is above a predetermined temperature amount. The method as defined by one or more of the preceding claims wherein the transmission includes a filter bypass valve (28) which opens to bypass the filter (18) in the event the pressure difference across the filter (18) exceeds a second predetermined value and wherein the first predetermined value is less than the second predetermined value whereby the operator is warned of a restricted filter (18) prior to the filter (18) being bypassed. The method as defined by one or more of the preceding claims wherein a second warning or alarm is activated when the pressure difference across the filter (18) exceeds a second predetermined value by a third predetermined value. The method as defined by claim 4 wherein if the engine speed is above a second predetermined speed level when the second warning or alarm is activated, the engine speed is reduced to below the second predetermined speed level whereby the pump pressure is reduced. The method as defined by claim 5 further comprising the step of reducing the engine speed to a low idle speed if after the engine speed is reduced to below the second predetermined speed level the pressure difference across the filter (18) remains above the third predetermined value. The method as defined by one of the claims 4 to 6 wherein the second and third predetermined values are approximately equal whereby the second alarm is activated when the filter (18) is bypassed. The method as defined by one or more of the preceding claims wherein if the pressure difference exceeds a predetermined value and a transmission input speed is above a predetermined value, a warning or alarm is activated and the transmission input speed is reduced. The method as defined by claim 8 further comprising the steps of: further reducing the transmission input speed and/or shifting the transmission to neutral in the event the pressure difference continues to exceed the predetermined speed value after the input speed has been reduced. A vehicle having an engine (14), transmission and electronic controller (36), the transmission having a hydraulic pump (12), filter (18), and filter bypass valve (28), a first pressure transducer (16) in communication with the pump outlet for measuring a pump pressure and a second pressure transducer (30) in communication with the filter outlet for measuring the pressure at the filter outlet wherein the electronic controller (36) determines a pressure difference across the filter (18), characterized in that an engine speed sensor is provided and that at least one alarm (38, 40) is activated by the electronic controller (36) based on the pressure difference across the filter (18) and that the warning or alarm is activated only when the transmission input speed is above a first predetermined speed level. The vehicle as defined by claim 10 wherein the second pressure transducer (30) is also in communication with a park brake release piston (26) and measures the oil pressure at the park brake release piston (26). The vehicle as defined by claim 10 or 11 further comprising multiple alarms (38, 40) wherein one alarm (38) is activated when the pressure difference indicates a restricted filter (18) and a second alarm (40) is activated when the pressure difference reaches a value at which the filter bypass valve (28) will open. The vehicle as defined by one of the claims 10 to 12 further comprising means for performing a method according to one or more of the claims 1 to 9.

Inventors: GOODNIGHT TRENT LYNN, JOHNSON DOUGLAS RENE, SPARKS GREGORY EVAN, GOODNIGHT, TRENT LYNN, JOHNSON, DOUGLAS RENE, SPARKS, GREGORY EVAN
Applicants: DEERE & CO, DEERE & COMPANY
Application year: 2001
Main classification: F16H61
IPC codes: F01M1, B01D35, F16H61, F16H59