FIELD OF ART

The present disclosure is generally directed to an apparatus for changing engine oil and more particularly to an apparatus for removing used lubricant oil from an engine using a vacuum source and related methods.

BACKGROUND

Quick lube oil change centers are widely available to provide oil change services to vehicle engines and to quickly fill the engines with new oil. This process may take about 15 to 25 minutes per vehicle depending on the vehicle type. In a typical quick lube store or center, a way for a technician to remove used oil is from below the vehicle and working from a space known as the pit. The technician removes the engine shroud or splash pan, which covers and protects the oil pan and the bottom of the engine from debris or from contact with the ground. These shrouds or splash pan may use anywhere from four (4) screws to eighteen (18) screws. In some cases, the splash pan or shroud also covers the oil pan plug. Even where there is no shroud or splash pan, the technician still has to remove the oil pan plug to drain the oil in a typical oil change process.

Before the technician removes the oil pan plug, after removing the shroud or splash pan, the technician usually removes the dipstick from the engine and check the oil level as many times the engine may be low of oil. Once the technician has read the specifications of the vehicle oil requirements (usually in quartz), the technician below in the pit will remove the oil pan plug and let the oil drain out. This process can take several minutes depending on the capacity of oil in the engine. The oil plug is then reinstalled and the shroud or splash guard mounted.

Based on the foregoing processes, the quick lube shop owner may be subjected to a few liability issues. Because technicians at these shops will often try to do the oil change services as quickly as possible, the technicians may inadvertently cause the heads of the screws to accidentally snap off during removal, especially if they are corroded or rusted. When replacing the screws, over-tightening has been known to strip the oil pan screws and/or plugs, causing oil leak. When this occurs, the quick lube shop owner needs to buy a new oil pan and provide the warranty repair, or the customer may need to take his or her car to a dealership and have the broken screws removed from the lower casing of the engine so the shroud can be put back into place.

SUMMARY

An oil change machine or apparatus for removing used oil from an engine has flow lines for removing oil directly from the engine, which can be an automobile engine or a boat engine, such as an inboard engine. The oil change machine can remove oil using a suction or a vacuum to pull the oil directly from the engine, as opposed to draining the oil via the oil pan plug. Because different engines can have different requirements, adapters, called draw hose assemblies, may be used to enable connection to different ports for suctioning the used oil.

Once used oil is collected in a service holding tank, the used oil can be transferred directly from the service holding tank to a designated waste oil bin or transferred first to an offloading tank to hold discrete quantities of used oil removed from multiple engines. The offloading tank saves time that the technicians otherwise may have to spend to dispose the used oil to a designated waste bin after every oil service.

The oil change machine can use a pump, which can operate using compressed air or electricity, to remove used oil from an engine. A separate process can supply new oil to replace or replenish the removed used oil. Thus, the oil change machine of the present invention is understood to be usable in an oil change process to change used oil with new oil.

The oil change apparatus or machine can be located at a shop, can be portable and maneuverable from locations to locations, or be mounted on a service vehicle for on-site use, such as to perform oil change away from an oil lube center. The oil change machine can have adaptors for use with various engine models and can include an onboard offloading tank, in addition to a service holding tank, for performing multiple oil changes. In an example, a suction line is in fluid communication with an engine, such as to the used oil located proximate a dipstick port of an engine, and to an inlet of a pump such that vacuum generated by the pump can draw up oil through the suction line and into the pump.

Aspects of the invention include an oil change machine comprising a pump for providing the vacuum source used to suction used oil from an engine. The oil change machine can include a suction line having a fitting with a hose and wherein the hose is configured to suction oil directly from an engine. The used oil can be suctioned by placing the hose directly into the engine compartment, such as into a dipstick port or tube of an engine.

The oil change machine can have a pump inlet and a pump discharge, the pump being operable using pressurized air or electrical power; a first multi-port valve having a first control switch connected to the pump inlet; a second multi-port valve connected to the pump discharge; a suction line located upstream of the first multi-port valve and configured to suction used oil directly from an engine; and a flow line connected to the second multi-port valve and to a service holding tank.

The oil change machine can comprise a housing having a main body and a top section, and wherein the pump and the service holding tank can be located at least partially inside the main body.

Two or more wheels for supporting and moving the housing can be provided or the housing can be located on a service vehicle, such as a service truck or a service van for moving the oil change machine to a remote, on-site, location for servicing an engine.

The oil change machine can further comprise an offloading tank, and wherein a second flow line can connect the offloading tank to the second multi-port valve.

Aspects of the invention further include an oil change machine comprising a pump having a pump inlet and a pump discharge, the pump being operable using pressurized air or electrical power; a first multi-port valve having a first control switch connected to the pump inlet; a second multi-port valve connected to the pump discharge; a suction line located upstream of the first multi-port valve and configured to suction used oil directly from an engine; a flow line connected to the first multi-port valve and to a service holding tank; and wherein the oil change machine is located on a service vehicle.

Yet a further aspect of the invention includes an oil change machine comprising a pump having a pump inlet and a pump discharge, the pump being operable using pressurized air or electrical power; a first multi-port valve having a first control switch connected to the pump inlet; a second multi-port valve connected to the pump discharge; a suction line located upstream of the first multi-port valve and configured to suction used oil directly from an engine, said suction line comprising a connection fitting; and at least two draw hose assemblies, which include a first draw hose assembly and a second draw hose assembly, each draw hose assembly comprising a mating fitting for coupling to the connection fitting and a hose extending from the mating fitting.

The hose of the first draw hose assembly can have a first inside bore diameter and the hose of the second draw hose assembly can have a second inside bore diameter, and wherein the second inside bore diameter can be larger or smaller than the first inside bore diameter.

A still yet further aspect of the invention is an oil change machine comprising a housing having at least two openings, including a first opening and a second opening; a pump having a pump inlet and a pump discharge located inside the housing, the pump being operable using pressurized air or electrical power; a first multi-port valve having a first control switch connected to the pump inlet; a second multi-port valve connected to the pump discharge; a suction line located upstream of the first multi-port valve and configured to suction used oil directly from an engine; a service holding tank for receiving used oil discharged from the pump partially projecting into the first opening; and an offloading tank located inside the housing and having a flow line connected to a port of the offloading tank and a port of the second multi-port valve.

Aspects of the invention further include a method for removing used oil from an engine comprising placing a hose having a first inside bore diameter into a dipstick tube and powering a pump to draw the used oil through the hose and into an inlet of the pump.

The method can comprise discharging the used oil into a service holding tank located at least partially inside a housing, which also has the pump located therein.

The method can further comprise replacing the hose with a second hose having a second inside bore diameter, and wherein the second inside bore diameter can be larger than or smaller than the first inside bore diameter.

Yet another aspect of the invention includes a method for removing used oil from an engine comprising turning on an air driven pump to suction used oil from an engine; emptying the used oil into a service holding tank; and moving the used oil from the service holding tank into an offloading tank.

The pump and the offloading tank can both be located inside an interior of a housing.

The service holding tank can be located at least partially inside the interior of the housing.

Another method in accordance with aspects of the invention can include a method of making an oil change machine comprising providing a housing with an interior and at least one opening; placing a pump having a pump inlet and a pump discharge into the interior of the housing; wherein the pump is operable by air pressure or electricity; connecting a first multi-port valve having a first control switch to the pump inlet; connecting a second multi-port valve to the pump discharge; connecting a suction line upstream of the first multi-port valve, said suction line configured to suction used oil directly from an engine; placing a service holding tank at least partially into the interior of the housing for holding used oil discharged from the pump.

The method can comprise the step of supplying DC power to electrical components mounted on or inside the housing.

The DC power can be supplied using a number of sources or options, including using household power with a converter, using a lithium ion rechargeable battery, using rechargeable lead acid battery, or using an inline turbine generator.

Aspects of the invention can include wireless communications between the oil change machine and a smart electronic device, such as a smartphone, a tablet, or a computer.

Methods of using and of making the oil change assembly or machine disclosed herein and components thereof are within the scope of the present disclosure.

