Method for monitoring a lubricant of a combustion engine, wherein measured numerical values are acquired with at least one sensor over a running time of a combustion engine, wherein the measured numerical values are representative of an oil quality of an engine oil of the combustion engine, wherein an oil sampling interval is adapted depending on at least one measured numerical value and/or a variable derived therefrom.

Provided is a life evaluating device that evaluates the life of a lubricant in a machine including a motor and a transmission mechanism that is lubricated by the lubricant and transmits power of the motor to a movable unit. The life evaluating device includes a motor-heat-value calculating unit that calculates a motor heat value on the basis of a current value of the motor, a frictional-heat-value calculating unit that calculates a frictional heat value in the transmission mechanism on the basis of rotating speed of the motor and a coefficient of friction of the transmission mechanism, a lubricant-temperature estimating unit that estimates temperature of the lubricant on the basis of the calculated frictional heat value and the calculated motor heat value, and a life estimating unit that estimates the life of the lubricant on the basis of the estimated temperature of the lubricant.

A system and method for monitoring a service life of lubricant that is applied to vehicle components is disclosed. The method includes receiving at least one input parameter. The input parameter relates to the vehicle's operation. The method also includes determining a remaining service life of a lubricant. The lubricant is applied to a driveline component of the vehicle. The determination of the remaining service life of the lubricant is based on the receiving of at least one input parameter.

A method and system that monitors various functions and criteria within a standard vehicle platform (SVP) or a small engine platform (SEP). The SVP uses an OBD-II adapter as a central controller to collect the information and communicate with a mobile communication device or a cloud based application to monitor the health of in-vehicle systems within the SVP and determine if maintenance is required. The SEP utilizes a run hour meter to collect information and communicates with a mobile communication device, an OBD-II adapter, or a cloud based application to monitor the health of an engine within the SEP and determine if maintenance is required. The method and system can automatically dispatch maintenance resources if maintenance is deemed necessary, thereby providing a managed maintenance solution for either a SVP or SEP.

The present invention provides an abnormality detector for a rolling bearing including an outer race, and an inner race. The abnormality detector includes a filter configured to prevent metal pieces contained in lubricating oil flowing through the bearing space between the outer and inner races from passing through the filter, while allowing the lubricating oil to pass through the filter so as to flow to the outside space of the bearing space; an electric circuit including a pair of permanent magnets mounted, as a pair of electrodes, to the filter so as to be spaced apart from each other, and lines extending from the respective electrodes to a power source; and an output detector configured to detect a change in electrical output from the electric circuit when metal pieces adhere between the pair of permanent magnets, thereby detecting the state of metal pieces contained in the lubricating oil.

A device for determining fluid degradation includes a memory and processing circuitry configured to cause the device to generate first calibration data of an e-machine at a first time, generate second calibration data of the e-machine at a second time subsequent to the first time, and determine that the fluid is degraded in response to a difference between the first calibration data and the second calibration data being greater than or equal to a degradation threshold.

A system includes a sensor configured to be in contact with lubricant within an engine of a vehicle system. The sensor includes a sensing region circuit that is configured to generate stimuli at different times during an operational life of the engine. The system also includes one or more processors configured to receive signals from the sensor. The signals are representative of responses of the lubricant to the stimuli. The one or more processors are configured to analyze the responses and determine a characteristic of the lubricant that represents one or more of a total base number (TBN) or a total acid number (TAN) of the lubricant. The one or more processors are configured to determine an unhealthy state of one or more of the engine or the lubricant based on the characteristic of the lubricant that is determined.

A sensing system for detecting degradation of a machine fluid is disclosed. The sensing system may comprise a tag having electrical contacts. The tag may be configured to transmit a wireless signal when the electrical contacts are in electrical communication. The sensing system may further comprise a dissolvable element separating the electrical contacts and obstructing electrical communication between the electrical contacts. The dissolvable element may be configured to dissolve and allow electrical communication between the electrical contacts when an acid content of the machine fluid reaches a level indicative of the degradation of the machine fluid.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for estimating remaining useful life of vehicle engine oil. Such methods may comprise operating at least one processor to: receive telematics data originating from a plurality of vehicles, the telematics data comprising odometer data and engine oil quality data associated with each of the plurality of vehicles; determine, for one or more of the plurality of vehicles, a start point of a current oil cycle based on when an oil cycle event previously occurred by identifying within the engine oil quality data: a first series of engine oil quality datapoints, and a second series of engine oil quality datapoints immediately following the first series, a difference between a final datapoint of the first series and an initial datapoint of the second series being greater than a predetermined threshold; synchronize the odometer data and the engine oil quality data by associating odometer datapoints and engine oil quality datapoints reported within a same time period; determine a remaining useful vehicle engine oil distance by applying to synchronized odometer and engine oil quality data reported during the current oil cycle a regression model; and determine a remaining useful vehicle engine oil time by converting the remaining useful vehicle engine oil distance thereto based on an average difference in odometer datapoints reported during a selected time period, whereby the remaining useful life of vehicle engine oil is estimated based on vehicle operational factors associated with the current oil cycle, and independently from those of a previous oil cycle.

A lubrication system includes a lubricant supply reservoir, a supply line connecting the reservoir with one or more dispenser valves, a return valve and a pump. A control is operatively connected with a pump and with the return valve, the control being configured to operate the pump and the return valve such that a quantity of lubricant within the supply line flows out of the supply line and into the reservoir when a period of storage within the supply line of the quantity of lubricant exceeds an estimated period of effectiveness of the quantity of lubricant or a predetermined portion of the estimated lubricant effectiveness period.