Patent Publication Number: US-6655342-B1

Title: Pre-lubrication system

Description:
This application claims priority of Provisional Application No. 60/284,257 with a file date of Apr. 18, 2001. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention pertains to the general field of mechanical devices, such as gasoline or diesel engines and, more particularly to a structure and method for pre-lubricating a device or engine before it is started. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Most vehicles, and especially trucks which are driven long distance for extended durations of time require their engines to be rebuilt after accumulating a certain amount of miles. To extend the rebuilding time the engine is often left running during rest stops or the like. This is due to the fact that the cost of fuel is considerably less than the wear that occurs from cold starting the engine, and because most of the wear and tear occurs during the initial engine starting. Many oil additives are available to help solve this problem, however a pre-lubrication system is considered to be the most effective method for reducing wear on the engine. 
     By pre-lubricating the engine before starting, metal-to-metal friction within the engine can be minimized, and a cost saving realized by not having to rebuild the engine due to failed or insufficient lubrication. 
     For the same reason, the engine of a truck that is stopped for a lunch break or the like can now be turned off, as the engine will be pre-lubricated before starting. This will save on fuel, thus lowering the cost of transporting goods and reduce pollution by not running a diesel or gasoline engine when it is stationary for an extended period. 
     A pre-examination search did not disclose any industry catalogs or publications as well as U.S. patents that read directly on the claims of the instant application. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The pre-lubrication system is designed to lubricate a mechanical device or a gasoline or diesel vehicle engine (hereinafter “engine”) prior to starting the engine or after Periods of rest or no operation. By pre-lubricating the engine, the wear and tear on engine components which predominantly occurs when starting the engine is minimized, thus extending the useful life of the engine. The system can be started manually or automatically when the engine oil pressure reaches a pre-set low oil pressure. A low oil pressure can occur during extended periods of slow moving traffic, rest periods, or an oil pump malfunction/failure. 
     In its basic implementation, the pre-lubrication system functions in combination with a vehicle engine oil filter, a vehicle battery, and a vehicle engine that is modified by adding an input port and an output port. The system is comprised of a system starting means that is activated by the vehicle battery and that is followed sequentially by a pre-lube oil pump, a check valve, the vehicle engine oil filter, and a vehicle engine adapter that connects the system to the engine via the added engine input port. To complete the oil flow and oil circulation the added engine output port is connected to the pre-lube oil pump. 
     To enhance the utility of the invention the pre-lubrication system can be modified to include a battery trickle-charging subsystem, a vehicle engine warming subsystem, and a vehicle battery warming subsystem. All the subsystems are operational only when the vehicle engine is off. 
     The battery trickle-charging subsystem, which become operational when plugged into a utility power source, allows the battery to remain at full charge when the battery is connected to the system. The vehicle engine warming subsystem operate in combination with an engine heating element, that is enclosed within the engine pan, and a heating element thermostat. When the thermostat senses that the engine temperature has dropped to a pre-set detrimental level it close. This closure then allows the vehicle battery to energize the engine heating element which heats the engine for a pre-set time interval. The battery warming subsystem consists of a low-power vehicle battery heating element that is designed to be Positioned near or around the battery or the batteries surrounding structure. When the battery thermostat sense a pre-set drop in temperature, the thermostat closes which then allows the vehicle battery to power the battery heating element and heat the battery for a pre-set time interval. 
     In view of the above disclosure, the primary object of the invention is to produce a system that either manually or automatically pre-lubricate an engine prior to starting the engine or when the oil pressure drops below a preset detrimental level. 
     In addition to the primary object of the invention, it is also an object to produce a system that: 
     by pre-lubricating the engine before starting minimizes the metal-to-metal friction wear and tear on the engine, 
     prolongs the system the useful life of an engine, 
     saves fuel by not operating a diesel or gasoline engine when a vehicle is parked for an extended period, 
     is easily installed, and 
     is cost effective from both a manufacturer&#39;s and consumer&#39;s point of view. 
    
    
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the elements that are utilized when the system is operating in a manual mode. 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the element that are utilized when the system is operating in an automatic mode. 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the element utilized in the automatic mode and three additional subsystems that can be added to enhance the utility of the system. 
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     The best mode for carrying out the pre-lubrication system (PLS)  10  is presented in terms of a preferred embodiment that is designed to be implemented in either a manual operating mode or in an automatic operating mode to which three subsystems can be added to enhance the utility of the PLS  10 . In either mode of operation, the PLS  10  is designed to pre-lubricate a mechanical device having interfacing rotating or linear elements, a hybrid/electric engine, or a diesel or gasoline engine. For Purposes of disclosure and brevity, the discussion that follows will be limited to using the PLS  10  on a vehicle diesel or gasoline engine (hereinafter “engine”) 
     By pre-lubricating an engine the wear and damage that can occur during the starting of the engine, after it has been off or after an extended idling period, can be prevented or at least minimized. The PLS  10  is also designed to function during operation of the engine under cold weather conditions and engines having low oil pressure resulting from operation during  510 w moving traffic and/or an engine oil pump failure. 
     In the manual mode of operation, as shown in FIG. 1, the PLS  10  is comprised of the following elements: a system starting means  12 , a pre-lube oil pump  14 , a check valve  18 , a vehicle engine oil filter  22 , a vehicle engine adapter  24 , a vehicle engine/pan  26  and a vehicle battery  40 . 
     To utilize the PLS  10  in the manual mode of operation, the oil pan of the vehicle engine  26  is modified by providing a first input port  3 , a first output port  5  and an electrical Power input  9  that is internally connected to the electrical subsystem of the vehicle. 
     The system starting means  12  is activated when an input power signal  11  is applied from the vehicle battery  40 . The starting means  12 , which produces an output power signal  13 , is preferably comprised of a conventional vehicle ignition switch that produces the output power signal when the ignition switch is placed in either the ON or the ACC position. 
     The pre-lube oil  14  pump, which is comprised of a high-pressure gear pump that delivers a pressure ranging from 10 to 40 psi, has a first electrical input  15 , a first input port  19 , and an output port  21 . The first electrical input  15  is connected to the output power signal  13  from the system starting means  12 , and the first input port  19  is connected to the first output port  5  on the vehicle engine/pan  26 . The check valve, which follows the Pump  14 , has an input port  27  that is connected to the output port  21  on the pre-lube oil  14  pump, and an output port  29  that is connected to the input port  37  on the vehicle engine oil filter  22 . 
     The final element that is used to implement the manual mode is the vehicle engine adapter  24  which has an input port  41  connected to an output port  39  on the vehicle engine oil filter  22 , and an output port  43  connected to the first input port  3  on the vehicle engine/pan  26 . 
     In the manual mode of operation, the system starting means  12  applies 12-VDC to the pre-lube oil pump  14  which starts the pump  14 . The pre-lube oil pump  14  is connected to an output on the vehicle engine  26 , wherefrom the engine oil is applied to the pump  14 . From the pump  14  the oil is pumped sequentially through the check valve  18 , the vehicle engine oil filter  22 , the vehicle engine adapter  24  and back into the vehicle engine  26 . 
     In the automatic mode of operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the PLS  10  is comprised of the following elements: a system starting means  12 , a pre-lube oil pump  14 , a pre-lube oil filter  16 , a check valve  18 , a first T-connector  20 A, a second T-connector  20 B, a vehicle engine oil filter  24 , a vehicle engine/pan  26 , an AND gate  32 , an oil pressure sensing switch  34 , and a vehicle battery  40 . 
     To utilize the PLS  10  in the automatic mode of operation, the oil pan of the vehicle engine  26  is modified by providing a first input port  3 , a first output port  5  and an electrical power input  9  that is internally connected to the electrical subsystem of the vehicle. 
     The system starting means  12  is activated when an input power signal  11  is applied from the vehicle battery  40 . The starting means  12 , which produces an output power signal  13 , is preferably comprised of a conventional vehicle ignition switch that produces the output power signal when the ignition switch is placed in either the on or the ACC position. 
     The pre-lube oil pump  14 , which is comprised of a high-pressure gear pump that delivers a pressure ranging from 10 to 40 psi, has a first electrical input  15 , a second electrical input  17 , a first input port  19 , and an output port  21 . The first electrical input  15  is connected to the output Power signal  13  from the system starting means  12 , and the first input port  19  is connected to the first output port  5  on the vehicle engine/pan  26 . 
     From the output port  21 , the pre-lube oil pump  14  is connected to the input port  23  on the pre-lube oil filter  16  which also has an output port  25 . The pre-lube oil filter  16  is comprised of a cartridge containing a roll of tissue paper. Alternatively, the filter  16  can also be comprised of a cartridge filled with fine particles. 
     From the filter  16  the output port  25  is connected to an input port  27  located on the check valve  18 , which prevents an oil backflow from entering the pre-lube oil filter  16 . The output of the check valve is applied to the first T-connector  20 A having a first input port  31 , a second input port  33  and an output port  35 . The first input port  31  is connected to the output port  29  on the check valve  18 , and the output port  35  is connected to the input port  37  on the vehicle engine oil filter  22 . 
     The vehicle engine adapter  24  has an input port  41  connected to the output Port  39  on the vehicle engine oil filter  22 , and an output port  43  that is connected to the first input port  3  on the vehicle engine/pan  26 . The output from the engine&#39;s second output port  7  is applied to a first input port  45  on the second T-connector  20 B which also has a first output port  47  and a second output port  49 . The first output port  47  is connected to the second input port  33  on the first T-connector  20 A. 
     The oil pressure sensing switch  34  has an input port  51  and an electrical output  53 . The input port  51  is connected to the second output port  49  on the second T-connector  20 B. 
     The electronic control  28  unit has an output  55  and an output  57 , wherein the output  55  is connected to the vehicle battery  40 . The final element utilized in the automatic mode of operation is the AND gate  32  which has a first input  59  applied from the electrical output  53  of the oil pressure sensing switch  34 , and a second enabling input  61  applied from the output  57  of the electronic control unit  28 . The enabled gate produces an output that is applied to the second electrical input on the pre-lube oil pump. 
     The automatic mode of operation can also be designed to include three subsystems: a battery trickle-charging subsystem, a vehicle engine warming subsystem  36 , and a vehicle battery warming subsystem  44 . 
     The battery trickle-charging subsystem, which is operated when the vehicle engine is off, is comprised of: a battery trickle-charger  30  having an input  79  connected to a source of utility power and an output  81 . The output is connected to and controlled by the electronic control unit (ECU). The utility power is typically comprised of 120-volts a-c. 
     The vehicle engine warming subsystem  36  is also operational When the vehicle engine  26  is off. The subsystem is comprised of a low-power, vehicle engine heating element  38  and an engine heater thermostat  40 . The element  38  is located within the vehicle&#39;s oil pan and has a power input  65  and a power control input  69 . The power input  65  is applied at pre-set intervals from a power output  55  produced by the electronic control unit (ECU). The engine heating-element thermostat  40  has an output  71  that is connected to the power control input  69  on the vehicle engine heating element  38 . When the thermostat senses a detrimental pre-set drop in temperature, the thermostat closes, allowing the power input from the ECU  28  to be applied to and energize the vehicle engine heating element  38 . The heating element  38 , is preferably coated with polytetrafloridecthylene (PTSE) to insulate the heating element from the oil in the vehicle engine pan. 
     The final subsystem disclosed is the vehicle battery warming subsystem  44  that is also operational when the vehicle engine is off. The subsystem is comprised of a low-power, vehicle battery heating element  46  positioned adjacent the vehicle battery and having a power input  73  and a power control input  75 . The power input  73  is applied at pre-set intervals from the power output  55  of the electronic control unit (ECU)  28 , This subsystem also utilizes a vehicle battery thermostat  48  having an output connected to the power control input or the vehicle battery heating element. When the thermostat senses a pre-set drop in temperature, the thermostat closes. The closure allows the power input from the ECU  28  to be applied to and energize the vehicle battery heating element  46 . 
     In the automatic mode of operation the electronic control unit (ECU)  28  and the oil pressure sensing switch  34  are operational. The ECU  28 , which is connected to a 12-VDC power source, has an input connected to the output of the battery trickle-charger  30 , which has an input connected to a 120-VAC utility power source. The battery trickle-charge  30  provides a lower charging current to the vehicle battery  40  to maintain the battery&#39;s starting current at full power. 
     The ECU  28  operates an integral electronic relay having a pole connected to a 12-VDC power source, and a first contact and a second contact. The relay is time sequenced to provide a system ON period selectable from 10 to 40 seconds and a system OFF period selectable from 20 to 40 minutes. During the ON period the relay is positioned to cause the ECU  28  to provide a logic  1  signal to the input  61  on the AND gate  32 . When the oil pressure sensing switch  34  senses a drop in engine oil pressure, which can result during slow moving traffic and/or an engine oil pump failure, a second logic  1  signal is produced and applied to input  59  on the AND gate  32 . The application of the logic  1  signals from both the ECU  28  and the oil pressure sensing switch  34  enables and causes the AND gate to produce an output signal  63  which is applied to the pre-lube oil pump  14 . The output signal  63  activates the pre-lube oil pump  14  and allows oil to flow to the vehicle engine  26 . 
     The vehicle engine/pan  26  is maintained at a warm temperature by means of the low-power, vehicle engine heating element  38  and the engine heater thermostat  40 . The heating element  38  has a first input connected to 12-VDC that is derived from the output signal  55  from the ECU  28 . When the engine heater thermostat  40  senses a drop in temperature it closes, which allows the 12-VDC output from the ECU to be applied to and energize the vehicle heating element  38  for a pre-selected time period set into the ECU  28 . The heating element  38  keeps the engine oil from becoming too heavy to pump during an engine startup, thus placing less stress on the starting system. The warmed oil is Pumped to the upper section of the vehicle engine to keep the engine lubricated and from forming frost on the engine parts. 
     The vehicle battery  40  is likewise maintained at a warm temperature by utilizing the vehicle battery heating element  46  and the vehicle battery thermostat  48 . The vehicle battery  40  has an input to which is applied 12-VDC that is derived from the output signal  55  on the ECU  28 , and an input  73  connected to the vehicle battery heating element  46  which is connected to the output of the vehicle battery thermostat  40 . When the thermostat  48  senses a below normal temperature it closes, which then allows the 12-VDC input from the ECU to be applied to and energize the vehicle battery heating element  46 . The heating element heats the battery for a pre-selected time period set into the ECU  28 . 
     When the PLS  10  is not operational, the oil from the vehicle engine/pan  26  is applied sequentially through the T-connector  20 B, the T-connector  20 A, the vehicle engine filter  22 , the vehicle engine adapter  24  and back into the vehicle engine  26 . During this normal oil flow, the check valve  18  prevents oil flow from entering the pre-lube oil filter  16 . 
     While the invention has been described in complete detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the appended claims.