Abstract:
A vehicle oil level monitoring system for verifying the amount of oil in an engine without requiring the user to access the engine compartment. The vehicle oil level monitoring system includes a vehicle with an engine and a fuel port, a dipstick, a sensor coupled to the dipstick for sensing the level of oil in the engine, and a monitoring assembly.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/136,864, filed Jun. 1, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to fluid level sensors and more particularly pertains to a new vehicle oil level monitoring system for verifying the amount of oil in an engine without requiring the user to access the engine compartment. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of fluid level sensors is known in the prior art. More specifically, fluid level sensors heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless-objectives and requirements. Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,845,469; 5,019,800; 5,210,769; 3,728,704; 4,912,646; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 352,010. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new vehicle oil level monitoring system. The inventive device includes a vehicle with an engine and a fuel port, a dipstick, a sensor coupled to the dipstick for sensing the level of oil in the engine, and a monitoring assembly. 
     In these respects, the vehicle oil level monitoring system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of verifying the amount of oil in an engine without requiring the user to access the engine compartment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of fluid level sensors now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new vehicle oil level monitoring system construction wherein the same can-be utilized for verifying the amount of oil in an engine without requiring the user to access the engine compartment. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the fluid level sensors mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new vehicle oil level monitoring system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art fluid level sensors, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a vehicle with an engine and a fuel port, a dipstick, a sensor coupled to the dipstick for sensing the level of oil in the engine, and a monitoring assembly. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a-cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the fluid level sensors mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new vehicle oil level monitoring system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art fluid level sensors, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such vehicle oil level monitoring system economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system for verifying the amount of oil in an engine without requiring the user to access the engine compartment. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system which includes a vehicle with an engine and a fuel port, a dipstick, a sensor coupled to the dipstick for sensing the level of oil in the engine, and a monitoring assembly. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system that provides a quantified indication of the amount of oil required if any. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle oil level monitoring system that allows the user to verify oil level without the mess commonly associated with accessing the engine compartment of a vehicle. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a new vehicle oil level monitoring system according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic detail view of the dipstick of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic detail view of the connection port and electronic connector of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic detail view of the dipstick and sensor of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of the monitoring assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the monitoring assembly of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new vehicle oil level monitoring system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6. The vehicle oil level monitoring system  10  generally comprises a vehicle  2  including an engine  4  and a fuel port  5 , a dipstick  20  for inserting into the engine  4  of the vehicle  2 , a sensor  22  coupled to the dipstick  20  for sensing a level of oil in the engine  4 , and a monitoring assembly  40 . 
     The monitoring assembly  40  is operationally coupled to the sensor  22  for indicating the level of oil in the engine  4  sensed by the sensor  22 . The monitoring assembly  40  is positioned proximate the fuel port of the vehicle  2  for facilitating monitoring of the level of oil in the engine  4  sensed by the sensor  22  when filling the vehicle  2  with fuel. 
     The vehicle  2  includes a fuse box  8 . The fuse box  8  is electronically coupled between the sensor  22  and the monitoring assembly  40 . 
     The sensor  22  is coupled to a distal end of the dipstick  20 . An electronic connection port  24  is coupled to a proximal end of the dipstick  20 . A wire  26  is embedded in the dipstick  20 . The wire  26  extends between the electronic connection port  24  and the sensor  22  for electrically connecting the sensor  22  to the electrical connection port  24 . 
     A connection wire  42  is operationally coupled to the monitoring assembly  40 . The connection wire  42  includes an electronic connector  44  which is selectively couplable to the electrical connection port  24 . Thus the dipstick  20  is selectively couplable to the monitoring assembly  40  for facilitating removal of the dipstick  20  from the engine  4 . 
     A plurality of attachment members  60  are used for coupling the connection wire  42  to the vehicle  2 . 
     The vehicle  2  includes a fuel port door  6  for selectively covering the fuel port  5 . The monitoring assembly  40  is coupled to an interior face of the fuel port door  6  for permitting access to the monitoring assembly  40  when the fuel port door  6  is in an open position. 
     The electrical connection port  24  includes a pair of substantially planar faces  62  and  64  and a pair of arcuate ends  66  and  68  which extend between the planar faces such that the electrical connection port  24  is designed for facilitating grasping of the electrical connection port  24  by fingers of a user to facilitate removal of the dipstick  20  from the engine  4 . 
     The monitoring assembly  40  includes an activation button  46 . The activation button  46  is for selectively activating the monitoring assembly  40 . Thus the monitoring assembly  40  indicates a level of oil sensed by the sensor  22  upon depression of the activation button  46 . 
     The monitoring assembly  40  includes a display screen  48 . The display screen  48  is for displaying indicia indicating the level of oil sensed by the sensor  22  upon depression of the activation button  46 . 
     The monitoring assembly  40  displays a first indicia  55  for indicating the level of oil sensed by the sensor  22  exceeds a pre-determined value. Thus the monitoring assembly  40  is designed for indicating to a user that no additional oil needs to be added to the engine  4 . 
     The monitoring assembly  40  displays a one unit needed indicia  51  on the display screen  48  upon the sensor  22  sensing a level of oil over one liquid measuring unit less than a pre-determined value. Thus the monitoring assembly  40  is designed for indicating to the user that one unit of oil needs to be added to the engine  4 . 
     The monitoring assembly  40  displays a two units needed indicia  52  on the display screen  48  upon the sensor  22  sensing a level of oil over two liquid measuring units less than a pre-determined value. Thus the monitoring assembly  40  is designed for indicating to the user that three units of oil need to be added to the engine  4 . 
     The monitoring assembly  40  displays a three units needed indicia  53  on the display screen  48  upon the sensor  22  sensing a level of oil over three liquid measuring units less than a pre-determined value. Thus the monitoring assembly  40  is designed for indicating to the user that three units of oil need to be added to the engine  4 . 
     The monitoring assembly  40  includes a first housing indicia  56  on a housing  50  of the monitoring assembly  40 , a second housing indicia  57  on the housing  50 , and a third housing indicia  58  on the housing  50 . The first housing indicia  56  is positioned adjacent to the display screen  48 . The one unit needed indicia  51  is displayed adjacent to the first housing indicia  56  for facilitating reading of the one unit needed indicia  51 . The second housing indicia  57  is positioned adjacent to the display screen  48 . The two units needed indicia  52  is displayed adjacent to the second housing indicia  57  for facilitating reading of the two units needed indicia. The third housing indicia  58  is positioned adjacent to the display screen  48 . The three units needed indicia  53  is displayed adjacent to the third housing indicia  58  for facilitating reading of the three units needed indicia. 
     In use, the opens the fuel port door and depresses the activation button on the monitoring assembly. The monitoring assembly then displays to appropriate indicia as corresponds to the information sent by the sensor to the monitoring assembly via the connection wire. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional-relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention; 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.