Oil filling assembly, system, and method

Abstract

An oil filling assembly is configured to couple to an intake port of an engine to fill an oil tank connected to the intake port. The intake port is located behind an access door of the engine. The oil filling assembly includes a hopper defining an oil retention chamber that is configured to receive oil, and a coupler extending from the hopper. The coupler includes a neck defining an oil outlet fluidly connected to the oil retention chamber. The coupler is configured to removably mount to the intake port of the engine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oil filling assembly that is configured to couple to an intake port of an engine to fill an oil tank connected to the intake port, wherein the intake port is located behind an access door of the engine, the oil filling assembly comprising:
 a hopper defining an oil retention chamber that is configured to receive oil; and   a coupler extending from the hopper, wherein the coupler comprises a neck defining an oil outlet fluidly connected to the oil retention chamber, wherein the coupler is configured to removably mount to the intake port of the engine.   
     
     
         2 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper is configured to extend through an access opening of the engine and hold the access door open when the coupler is mounted to the intake port. 
     
     
         3 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper is upwardly and outwardly curved. 
     
     
         4 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the neck comprises a sealing member that sealingly engages the intake port when the coupler is mounted to the intake port. 
     
     
         5 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler further comprises a shroud surrounding the neck. 
     
     
         6 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plunger including a plug that is configured to be removably inserted into the oil outlet of the neck, wherein the plug prevents oil from passing through the oil outlet when the plug is inserted into the oil outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the plug comprises a sealing member that is configured to sealingly engage the neck at an area that defines at least portion of the oil outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap that is removably secured to the hopper opposite from the coupler. 
     
     
         9 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper and the coupler are integrally formed and molded as a single piece. 
     
     
         10 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper is configured to modularly connect to the coupler and at least one other different coupler, and wherein the coupler is configured to modularly connect to the hopper and at least one different hopper. 
     
     
         11 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler comprises one or more locking members that are configured to securely lock the oil filling assembly to the intake port in an upright position. 
     
     
         12 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more locking members comprises one or more tabs that are configured to be urged through one or more reciprocal slots of the intake port, and wherein the oil filling assembly is configured to be rotated into a locked upright position. 
     
     
         13 . The oil filling assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more locking members comprises one or more latches that are configured to securely latch onto a portion of the intake port. 
     
     
         14 . An oil filling system comprising:
 an engine including a main housing, an oil tank secured within the main housing, and an intake port in fluid communication with the oil tank, wherein the intake port is behind an access door that selectively covers and uncovers an access opening of the main housing; and   an oil filling assembly that is configured to couple to the intake port of the engine to fill the oil tank, the oil filling assembly comprising:
 a hopper defining an oil retention chamber that is configured to receive oil; 
 a coupler extending from the hopper, wherein the coupler comprises a neck defining an oil outlet fluidly connected to the oil retention chamber, wherein the coupler is configured to removably mount to the intake port of the engine, wherein the hopper extends through the access opening of the engine and holds the access door open when the coupler is mounted to the intake port; 
 a plunger including a plug that is configured to be removably inserted into the oil outlet of the neck, wherein the plug prevents oil from passing through the oil outlet when the plug is inserted into the oil outlet; and 
 a cap that is removably secured to the hopper opposite from the coupler. 
   
     
     
         15 . The oil filling system of  claim 14 , wherein the hopper is upwardly and outwardly curved. 
     
     
         16 . The oil filling system of  claim 14 , wherein the neck comprises a first sealing member that sealingly engages the intake port when the coupler is mounted to the intake port, and wherein the plug comprises a sealing member that is configured to sealingly engage the neck at an area that defines at least portion of the oil outlet. 
     
     
         17 . The oil filling system of  claim 14 , wherein the coupler comprises one or more locking members that securely lock the oil filling assembly to the intake port in an upright position. 
     
     
         18 . The oil filling system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more locking members comprises one or more tabs that are configured to be urged through one or more reciprocal slots of the intake port, and wherein the oil filling assembly is configured to be rotated into a locked upright position. 
     
     
         19 . The oil filling system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more locking members comprises one or more latches that are configured to securely latch onto a portion of the intake port. 
     
     
         20 . An oil filling method comprising:
 removably mounting a coupler of an oil filling assembly to an intake port of an engine, wherein the intake port is located behind an access door of the engine, wherein the removably mounting comprises extending a hopper coupled to the coupler through an access opening of the engine and holding the access door open with the hopper when the coupler is mounted to the intake port;   retaining oil within an oil retention chamber of the hopper;   unplugging an oil outlet defined by a neck of the coupler that is fluidly connected to the oil retention chamber; and   passing the oil from the oil retention chamber into an oil tank of the engine that is fluidly connected to the intake port through the unplugging.   
     
     
         21 . The oil filling method of  claim 20 , wherein the removably mounting comprises securely locking the oil filling assembly to the intake port in an upright position.