Abstract: A lubricant additive dispensing system includes a cartridge defining an inner cavity to house at least one additive material section and a release opening in communication with a lubrication circulation system of a machine. The lubricant additive dispensing system also includes a spring element arranged to bias the at least one additive material section towards the release opening and a release lever arranged to selectively retain the at least one additive material sections within the cartridge. The lubricant additive dispensing system further includes an actuator coupled to the release lever wherein actuation of the release lever ejects a next one of the at least one additive material sections into the lubrication circulation system.

Abstract: A lubrication system in a machine includes a sump to collect a bulk portion of lubricant and a pump adapted to circulate the lubricant from the sump through a lubricant line to an area of the machine for lubrication. The lubrication system also includes an oil filter disposed along the lubrication line adapted to filer the lubricant flowing through the lubricant line. The lubrication further includes an additive fixture in fluid flow communication with the oil filter adapted to house at least one additive material section and distribute the additive material in a lubrication flow circulation.

Abstract: A lubrication system for a machine includes a sump to collect a bulk portion of a fluid lubricant and a pump adapted to circulate the lubricant from the sump through a lubricant line to a lubrication target area of the machine. The lubrication system also includes a dip stick defining a first end outside of the machine, a second end immersed in the bulk portion of lubricant, and a lubricant level indicator between the first end and the second end. The lubrication system further includes an additive fixture coupled to the second end of the dip stick. The additive fixture includes at least one additive material section adapted to dissolve in the lubricant to distribute an additive chemical in lubricant circulating through the machine.

Abstract: A lubrication system for a machine includes a sump to collect a bulk portion of a fluid lubricant and a pump adapted to circulate the lubricant from the sump through a lubricant line to a lubrication target area of the machine. The lubrication system also includes a dip stick defining a first end outside of the machine, a second end immersed in the bulk portion of lubricant, and a lubricant level indicator between the first end and the second end. The lubrication system further includes an additive fixture coupled to the second end of the dip stick. The additive fixture includes at least one additive material section adapted to dissolve in the lubricant to distribute an additive chemical in lubricant circulating through the machine.

Abstract: A lubricant additive dispensing system includes a cartridge defining an inner cavity to house at least one additive material section and a release opening in communication with a lubrication circulation system of a machine. The lubricant additive dispensing system also includes a spring element arranged to bias the at least one additive material section towards the release opening and a release lever arranged to selectively retain the at least one additive material sections within the cartridge. The lubricant additive dispensing system further includes an actuator coupled to the release lever wherein actuation of the release lever ejects a next one of the at least one additive material sections into the lubrication circulation system.

Abstract: A lubrication system in a machine includes a sump to collect a bulk portion of lubricant and a pump adapted to circulate the lubricant from the sump through a lubricant line to an area of the machine for lubrication. The lubrication system also includes an oil filter disposed along the lubrication line adapted to filer the lubricant flowing through the lubricant line. The lubrication further includes an additive fixture in fluid flow communication with the oil filter adapted to house at least one additive material section and distribute the additive material in a lubrication flow circulation.

Abstract: An oil drain plug and wireless oil level sensor assembly is provided including an oil drain plug having a shaft and a head, the shaft having external threads and an axial passage extending axially therein in communication with at least one radial passage extending through the shaft from the axial passage to an exterior of the shaft. An oil level sensor includes a housing having an annular mounting portion defining an aperture extending there through for receiving the shaft of the oil drain plug. A pressure transducer is in fluid communication with the aperture and connected to a circuit and a battery disposed within the housing that provide wireless signals representative of the oil level.

Abstract: A control methodology for a wireless oil level sensor includes mounting a wireless oil pressure sensor to the oil plug of an engine. The oil pressure sensor detects a pressure which is used to determine a volume or level of oil in the oil pan. The oil level sensor can include an accelerometer sensor that can be excited by the vibration caused by the starting of the engine to “wake up” the sensor. The sensor can take an initial pressure reading at start up and associate the pressure reading with an oil level that can then be transmitted to a vehicle control unit. The sensor can remain idle until the accelerometer sensor no longer detects engine vibrations. The sensor is activated to take pressure readings at predetermined time intervals and to transmit an associated oil level to the vehicle central processor unit until a predetermined time period has expired.

Abstract: An oil drain plug and wireless oil level sensor assembly is provided including an oil drain plug having a shaft and a head, the shaft having external threads and an axial passage extending axially therein in communication with at least one radial passage extending through the shaft from the axial passage to an exterior of the shaft. An oil level sensor includes a housing having an annular mounting portion defining an aperture extending there through for receiving the shaft of the oil drain plug. A pressure transducer is in fluid communication with the aperture and connected to a circuit and a battery disposed within the housing that provide wireless signals representative of the oil level.

Abstract: A control methodology for a wireless oil level sensor includes mounting a wireless oil pressure sensor to the oil plug of an engine. The oil pressure sensor detects a pressure which is used to determine a volume or level of oil in the oil pan. The oil level sensor can include an accelerometer sensor that can be excited by the vibration caused by the starting of the engine to “wake up” the sensor. The sensor can take an initial pressure reading at start up and associate the pressure reading with an oil level that can then be transmitted to a vehicle control unit. The sensor can remain idle until the accelerometer sensor no longer detects engine vibrations. The sensor is activated to take pressure readings at predetermined time intervals and to transmit an associated oil level to the vehicle central processor unit until a predetermined time period has expired.

Abstract: A system, for use in accounting for an effect of a long-trip cycle on remaining life of engine oil, being used in a vehicle, using a long-trip rebate value. The system includes a computer processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that is in operative communication with the processor and has instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The operations include determining a long-trip time indicating an amount of time that the vehicle was operated recently in the long-trip cycle. The operations further include determining the long-trip rebate according to a rebate function using the determined long-trip time.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a thermal harvesting device that is positioned adjacent a heat-generating vehicle system. The thermal harvesting device generates electricity based on a temperature differential to power a sensor and a wireless transmitter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically evaluating the useful life of an engine oil based on data corresponding to a plurality of preselected key oil properties. The evaluation includes determining, in connection with each of the pre-selected key oil properties, a first current measured oil property value, a first reference oil property value, a first deterioration-limit value, and a first weighting factor. The evaluation also includes determining a single index value, indicating a state of deterioration of the engine oil, in a calculation using each of the values and factors.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining remaining oil life prior to an oil change in an internal combustion engine that uses a body of oil. The method includes transferring the body of oil to the engine and determining a volume of the transferred body of oil. The method also includes determining quality of the transferred body of oil and determining the remaining oil life based on the determined quality and volume of the body of oil. The method additionally includes activating an oil change indicator when the remaining oil life reaches a predetermined level. A system for determining a number of engine revolutions permitted on a volume of oil is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically evaluating the useful life of an engine oil based on data corresponding to a plurality of preselected key oil properties. The evaluation includes determining, in connection with each of the pre-selected key oil properties, a first current measured oil property value, a first reference oil property value, a first deterioration-limit value, and a first weighting factor. The evaluation also includes determining a single index value, indicating a state of deterioration of the engine oil, in a calculation using each of the values and factors.

Abstract: A system, for use in accounting for an effect of a long-trip cycle on remaining life of engine oil, being used in a vehicle, using a long-trip rebate value. The system includes a computer processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that is in operative communication with the processor and has instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The operations include determining a long-trip time indicating an amount of time that the vehicle was operated recently in the long-trip cycle. The operations further include determining the long-trip rebate according to a rebate function using the determined long-trip time.

Abstract: A lubrication system in a machine has a lubricant comprising a plurality of differently-sized species of lubricant molecules and a pump that circulates the lubricant to an area of the machine for lubrication, wherein a molecular sieve in the lubrication system adsorbs a species of lubricant molecules in a predetermined lubricant temperature range and desorbs the species of lubricant molecules at temperatures outside the predetermined lubricant temperature range.

Abstract: Disclosed are articles, lubrication systems, and methods that sequester lubricant viscosity modifiers via adsorption of the viscosity modifier molecules onto a molecular sieve material at lubricant temperatures below a threshold temperature and release of the viscosity modifier molecules from the molecular sieve material at lubricant temperatures at about the threshold temperature so that the viscosity modifier molecules are in the lubricant at temperatures from about the threshold temperature and higher. In this way, the viscosity modifier molecules are removed from the lubricant at temperatures where the lubricant has sufficient viscosity but released into the lubricant when they can useful increase the lubricant viscosity because it otherwise would be too low.

Abstract: Systems and methods for system for encouraging compliance with a recommendation related to engine oil of a vehicle. The system includes a computer-readable medium having instructions causing a processor to (A) determine that a communication regarding the engine oil life should be sent providing at least one datum of (i) information considered in generating the communication, (ii) a predicted result of following the recommendation, being a first predicted result, (iii) a predicted result of not following the recommendation, being a second predicted result, (iv) a message including a positive remark, being a first message, and (v) a message including a remark identifying an improvement that can be made, being a second message. The method can also include (B) sending the communication from the processor to a destination.

Abstract: An engine system includes a concentration determination module and an additive dispensing module. The concentration determination module determines an amount of an additive in at least one of an oil system of an engine and a fuel system of the engine. The additive dispensing module dispenses a supplemental additive into at least one of the oil system and the fuel system when the amount of the additive is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.