Inverted oil level sensor assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9714859-B1
Application number	US-201615002463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2016
Priority date	Jan 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

An oil level sensor assembly for an oil tank includes a cell with a first set of holes along the cell, an oil level sensor within the cell that is configured to be inserted into and removed from a bottom of the cell, and a ball valve column within the cell and adjacent to the oil level sensor. The ball valve column is rotatable, has ball valves that correspond with the first set of holes along the cell, and is configured such that the ball valve column is rotatable to an open position aligning the ball valves with the first set of holes to allow oil to access the oil level sensor and rotatable to a closed position misaligning the ball valves with the first set of holes to prevent oil from accessing the oil level sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An oil level sensor assembly for an oil tank, the assembly comprising:
a cell with a first set of holes along the cell;
an oil level sensor within the cell, the oil level sensor configured to be inserted into and removed from a bottom of the cell; and
a ball valve column within the cell and adjacent to the oil level sensor, the ball valve column being rotatable, having ball valves that correspond with the first set of holes along the cell, and configured such that the ball valve column is rotatable to an open position aligning the ball valves with the first set of holes to allow oil to access the oil level sensor and rotatable to a closed position misaligning the ball valves with the first set of holes to prevent oil from accessing the oil level sensor.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drain port in fluidic connection with the cell and a drain ball valve of the ball valve column, the drain ball valve being within a channel of the drain port that is oriented 90 degrees from the first set of holes such that the ball valve column is rotatable to the closed position aligning the drain ball valve with the channel to allow oil to exit the cell through the drain port.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
a drain plug engageable with an outlet of the drain port.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising:
a handle on a bottom end of the ball valve column,
wherein the drain plug secures the handle and the ball valve column in the open position.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a handle on a bottom end of the ball valve column.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the handle in the open position engages a base of the oil level sensor to prevent the oil level sensor from being removed from the cell.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the handle has an arm with a slot that engages a projection on the base of the oil level sensor.

8. The assembly of claim 5 , further comprising:
a ball valve mount cover adjacent to the handle and the bottom of the ball valve column.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a handle stop on the ball valve mount that is configured to prevent the handle and the ball valve column from rotating past 90 degrees from the open position.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wall that separates the cell into a first cavity that houses the oil level sensor and a second cavity that houses the ball valve column, the wall having a second set of holes that correspond with the first set of holes and the ball valves of the ball valve column such that the ball valve column is rotatable to the open position aligning ball valves with the first set of holes and the second set of holes to allow oil to enter the first cavity without filling the second cavity.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first set of holes includes at least one hole adjacent to a top of the cell and at least one hole adjacent to the bottom of the cell.

12. An oil tank for an engine comprising:
a container;
a tube extending from a bottom of the container, the tube having a series of holes along the tube that open into the container and an inner cavity that is accessible through a bottom of the tube;
an oil level sensor within the tube that is configured to be inserted into and removed from the tube through the bottom of the tube; and
a valve column within the tube and adjacent to the oil level sensor, the valve column having a plurality of valve elements that correspond with the series of holes along the tube and being rotatable between a first position that allows oil to flow through at least one of the series of holes and at least one of the plurality of valve elements to access the oil level sensor and a second position that prevents oil from flowing through the series of holes and the plurality of valve elements.

13. The oil tank of claim 12 , further comprising:
a drain at the bottom of the tube and in fluidic connection with the inner cavity, the drain having a channel that is radially offset from the series of holes; and
a drain valve within the channel and incorporated into and rotatable with a bottom of the valve column such that the drain valve aligns with the channel in the second position to allow oil to flow out of the inner cavity of the tube.

14. The oil tank of claim 13 , further comprising:
a drain plug engageable with an outlet of the drain.

15. The oil tank of claim 14 , further comprising:
a handle extending from the bottom of the valve column out through the bottom of the tube and the bottom of the container.

16. The oil tank of claim 15 , wherein the drain plug secures the handle in the first position.

17. The oil tank of claim 15 , wherein the handle has an arm with a slot that engages a projection on a base of the oil level sensor.

18. The oil tank of claim 15 , further comprising:
a handle stop extending from the bottom of the container to prevent the handle and the valve column from rotating past a set angle from the first position.

19. The oil tank of claim 12 , wherein the tube extends entirely through the container and has a sealed top.

20. The oil tank of claim 12 , wherein the valve column is one continuous element with the plurality of valve elements such that rotation of the valve column rotates all of the plurality of valve elements in unison.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Long Jr Wesley Paul
• Heims Eric J

Classifications

• G01F23/04 Primary

  by dip members, e.g. dip-sticks · CPC title

• F01M11/12 Primary

  concerning lubricant level · CPC title

• F01M2011/0095

  Supplementary oil tank · CPC title

• G01F23/0046

  with a stationary probe, where a liquid specimen is separated from the mean mass and measured (by gauge glasses G01F23/02) · CPC title

• F16N19/006

  Maintaining oil level (level control in general G05D9/00) · CPC title