Process for determining a liquid quantity, particularly an engine oil quantity in a motor vehicle

US5831154A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Mercedes-Benz Group AG · DE

Inventors

• Thomas Guertler · Stuttgart, DE
• Markus Hartmann · Mauerstetten, DE
• Klaus Land · Neckargemünd, DE
• Alfred Weinschenk · Fellbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 27, 1997
• Grant date: Nov 3, 1998
• Expiry date: Jan 27, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F16N2260/18
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A process for determining the quantity of a liquid situated in a largely closed system of a motor vehicle is provided. The filling level of the liquid in the system fluctuates as a function of the driving condition. In the case of a known process of this type for determining the engine oil quantity, the oil quantity determination takes place by filling level measurements while the vehicle is standing and the engine is switched off. The present process determines driving-condition-indicating quantities in the driving operation, determines therefrom the momentary driving condition, and, at least during selected driving conditions in the driving operation, continuously sense the filling level, as well as determines therefrom the momentary filling quantity via a given dependence of the liquid quantity on the driving condition and on the filling level. This permits, for example, a monitoring of the engine oil quantity in the continuous driving operation.