Granted Patent B2

US 12,331,880 · App. 18/519,398 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Inventor: Srinarayanprasaadh Srinivasaraghavan (Palatine, IL)

Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC

F16N29/02F16N2250/04F16N2250/08F16N2270/52

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A system for controlling lubrication, the system comprising:

a temperature control module that controls temperature for a lubricant in a vehicle;

a pressure control module that controls pressure for the lubricant in the vehicle; and

a lubrication controller operatively coupled to the temperature control module and the pressure control module, wherein the lubrication controller:

receives a temperature from at least one temperature sensor and a pressure from at least one pressure sensor;

determines a viscosity of the lubricant in the vehicle using the temperature, the pressure, and a pressure-temperature-viscosity correlation;

performs a comparison to determine whether the viscosity is within a predetermined viscosity range or whether the viscosity differs from a predetermined value;

based on the comparison, sends a temperature control signal to the temperature control module, and responsive to the temperature control signal, the temperature control module modifies or maintains the temperature of the lubricant to control lubrication; and

sends a pressure control signal to the pressure control module, and responsive to the pressure control signal, the pressure control module modifies or maintains the pressure of the lubricant to control lubrication.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lubrication controller obtains the pressure-temperature-viscosity correlation from a memory associated with the vehicle, and the pressure-temperature-viscosity correlation relates pressure, temperature, and viscosity values for the lubricant in the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lubrication controller tracks the viscosity over a period of time to determine a condition of the lubricant, the vehicle, or both.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the lubrication controller generates a report indicative of the condition of the lubricant, the vehicle, or both.

5. A method for controlling lubrication, the method comprising:

receiving a temperature of a lubricant in a vehicle measured using at least one temperature sensor disposed on the vehicle;

receiving a pressure of the lubricant in the vehicle measured using at least one pressure sensor disposed on the vehicle;

determining a viscosity of the lubricant using the temperature, the pressure, and a pressure-temperature-viscosity correlation;

performing a comparison to determine whether the viscosity is within a predetermined viscosity range or whether the viscosity differs from a predetermined viscosity value;

sending a temperature control signal to a temperature control module based on the comparison, and responsive to the temperature control signal, controlling lubrication by modifying or maintaining the temperature of the lubricant using the temperature control module;

and

sending a pressure control signal to a pressure control module based on the comparison, and responsive to the pressure control signal, controlling lubrication by modifying or maintaining the pressure of the lubricant using the pressure control module.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising measuring the temperature and the pressure concomitantly.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising obtaining the pressure-temperature-viscosity correlation from a memory associated with the vehicle, wherein the pressure-temperature-viscosity correlation relates pressure, temperature, and viscosity values for the lubricant in the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising tracking the viscosity over a period of time to determine a condition of the lubricant, the vehicle, or both.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising generating a report indicative of the condition of the lubricant, the vehicle, or both.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (20)