Lubricant viscosity modification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10301571-B2
Application number	US-201615238309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A system for modifying viscosity of a lubricant. The system including a viscosity modification device configured to change viscosity of the lubricant between a first viscosity and a second viscosity. The second viscosity is lower than the first viscosity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for modifying viscosity of a lubricant, the system comprising:
a viscosity modification device configured to change viscosity of the lubricant between a first viscosity and a second viscosity, the second viscosity is lower than the first viscosity;
wherein the viscosity modification device is one of a frequency pulse generator and an electric pulse generator;
wherein the frequency pulse generator is configured to generate a first frequency pulse and pass the first frequency pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant at the first viscosity and generate a second frequency pulse that is lower than the first frequency pulse and pass the second frequency pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant at the second viscosity; and
wherein the electric pulse generator is configured to generate a first electric pulse and pass the first electric pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant at the first viscosity and generate a second electric pulse that has a lower voltage than the first electric pulse and pass the second electric pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant at the second viscosity.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant includes engine oil, transmission oil, or engine cylinder lubricant.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first frequency pulse is above a natural resonance frequency of the lubricant; and
the second frequency pulse is below the natural resonance frequency of the lubricant.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein at the first viscosity, molecules of the lubricant are, overall, closer together as compared to the second viscosity.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant includes nanoparticles configured to increase effectiveness of the lubricant.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the nanoparticles include at least one of the following: Fe 3 O 4 ; CuO; and TiO 2 .

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the viscosity modification device is connected to one of an engine cylinder, an oil tank, and a coolant tank to modify viscosity of the lubricant contained therein.

8. A system for modifying viscosity of a lubricant, the system comprising:
a viscosity modification device configured to change viscosity of the lubricant, the viscosity modification device is one of a frequency pulse generator and an electric pulse generator; and
nanoparticles included with the lubricant, the nanoparticles configured to increase effectiveness of the lubricant;
wherein the viscosity modification device is in cooperation with one of an engine cylinder, an oil tank, and a coolant tank to modify viscosity of the lubricant contained therein;
wherein the frequency pulse generator is configured to generate a first frequency pulse that is above a natural resonance frequency of the lubricant and pass the first frequency pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant with a first viscosity and generate a second frequency pulse that is below the natural resonance frequency of the lubricant and pass the second frequency pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant with a second viscosity that is less than the first viscosity; and
wherein the electric pulse generator is configured to generate a first electric pulse and pass the first electric pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant with the first viscosity, and generate a second electric pulse that has a lower voltage than the first electric pulse and pass the second electric pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant with the second viscosity that is lower than the first viscosity.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the nanoparticles include at least one of the following: Fe 3 O 4 ; CuO; and TiO 2 .

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the viscosity modification device is configured to arrange molecules of the lubricant at a first distance apart to change viscosity of the lubricant to a first viscosity;
the viscosity modification device is configured to arrange molecules of the lubricant at a second distance apart to change viscosity of the lubricant to a second viscosity; and
the first distance is less than the second distance, and the first viscosity is greater than the second viscosity.

11. A method for modifying viscosity of a lubricant, the method comprising;
raising viscosity of the lubricant to a first viscosity with a viscosity modification device that is one of a frequency pulse generator and an electric pulse generator; and
lowering viscosity of the lubricant to a second viscosity, which is lower than the first viscosity, with the viscosity modification device;
wherein when the viscosity modification device is the frequency pulse generator, the method further comprises generating a first frequency pulse with the frequency pulse generator and passing the first frequency pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant at the first viscosity and generating a second frequency pulse with the frequency pulse generator that is lower than the first frequency pulse and passing the second frequency pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant at the second viscosity; and
wherein when the viscosity modification device is the electric pulse generator, the method further comprises generating a first electric pulse and passing the first electric pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant at the first viscosity and generating a second electric pulse that has a lower voltage than the first electric pulse and passing the second electric pulse through the lubricant to provide the lubricant at the second viscosity.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising distributing nanoparticles throughout the lubricant to increase effectiveness of the lubricant;
wherein the nanoparticles include at least one of the following: Fe 3 O 4 ; CuO; and TiO 2 .

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising distributing the nanoparticles throughout the lubricant with the viscosity modification device.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lubricant is engine oil, engine cylinder lubricant, or engine coolant.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Bima Michael

Classifications

• C10M125/04

  Metals; Alloys · CPC title

• C10N2010/02

  Groups 1 or 11 · CPC title

• C10M125/10

  Metal oxides, hydroxides, carbonates or bicarbonates · CPC title

• C10N2010/04

  Groups 2 or 12 · CPC title

• C10N2040/25

  Internal-combustion engines · CPC title