How Aircraft Engine Oil Is Drained and Checked Automatically
A specialized tool on an extendable arm that connects to an airplane to drain engine fluid and test its quality in real-time.
Original patent title: “Device and method for emptying and monitoring fluid drained from an engine of an aircraft”
A specialized tool on an extendable arm that connects to an airplane to drain engine fluid and test its quality in real-time. Granted to Safran Aircraft Engines SAS in 2024 with 16 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This device uses an articulated, telescopic pole to create a leak-tight connection with an aircraft's engine drain. Once connected, the fluid flows directly into the device, where sensors measure its quality—such as viscosity or the presence of pollutants—before the fluid is potentially treated. This allows ground crews to assess engine health immediately during routine maintenance without needing to send samples to a lab. For example, an airport service vehicle can drive up to the plane, extend the arm, and automatically perform these checks while the fluid is being drained.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover manual draining methods that do not incorporate an integrated quality sensor.
- Does not cover stationary ground systems that lack the articulated or telescopic pole mechanism.
- Does not cover systems that analyze engine fluid while it remains inside the engine (in-situ monitoring).
- Does not cover the internal design of the aircraft's own engine or its drainage ports.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
By integrating the sensor directly into the drain path on an articulated, telescopic pole, the system captures fluid data at the exact moment of extraction, eliminating the need for manual sampling and laboratory wait times.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Automated ground support equipment for commercial jetliners
Smart airport service vehicles for engine maintenance
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology streamlines aircraft maintenance by combining two separate tasks—draining and testing—into one automated step. By providing instant data on fluid quality, airlines can detect potential engine wear or contamination issues faster, potentially preventing costly delays or failures.
Filed
June 7, 2019
Granted
June 18, 2024
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Safran Aircraft Engines is the primary developer of this technology. Other major aerospace service providers and ground support equipment manufacturers are likely to monitor this to improve their own automated maintenance fleets.
Market impact
This patent supports the industry-wide push toward 'smart' maintenance and autonomous ground operations. It helps move the aviation sector away from time-based maintenance schedules toward condition-based maintenance, where repairs are triggered by real-time data rather than fixed intervals.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This device uses an articulated, telescopic pole to create a leak-tight connection with an aircraft's engine drain. Once connected, the fluid flows directly into the device, where sensors measure its quality—such as viscosity or the presence of pollutants—before the fluid is potentially treated. This allows ground crews to assess engine health immediately during routine maintenance without needing to send samples to a lab. For example, an airport service vehicle can drive up to the plane, extend the arm, and automatically perform these checks while the fluid is being drained.
The clever bit
By integrating the sensor directly into the drain path on an articulated, telescopic pole, the system captures fluid data at the exact moment of extraction, eliminating the need for manual sampling and laboratory wait times.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover manual draining methods that do not incorporate an integrated quality sensor.
- Does not cover stationary ground systems that lack the articulated or telescopic pole mechanism.
- Does not cover systems that analyze engine fluid while it remains inside the engine (in-situ monitoring).
- Does not cover the internal design of the aircraft's own engine or its drainage ports.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
11/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$21K – $67K
Midpoint $42K · 13.0 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
16 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Coupard, J. X., & GARNIER, A. P. L. (2024). How Aircraft Engine Oil Is Drained and Checked Automatically (U.S. Patent No. 12,012,230). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12012230/starship-isru-in-situ-resource-utilization
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Aircraft Engine Oil Is Drained and Checked Automatically cover?
A specialized tool on an extendable arm that connects to an airplane to drain engine fluid and test its quality in real-time.
Who owns patent US 12012230?
Safran Aircraft Engines SAS owns this patent, granted in 2024.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on June 18, 2044, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology streamlines aircraft maintenance by combining two separate tasks—draining and testing—into one automated step. By providing instant data on fluid quality, airlines can detect potential engine wear or contamination issues faster, potentially preventing costly delays or failures.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover manual draining methods that do not incorporate an integrated quality sensor.
Patent monitoring