U.S. patent application number 11/526291 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-29 for reservoir with a channel.
This patent application is currently assigned to MANNGMBH. Invention is credited to David Hewkin.
Application Number | 20070068951 11/526291 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37892601 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070068951 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hewkin; David |
March 29, 2007 |
Reservoir with a channel
Abstract
A reservoir includes a plurality of chambers, an inlet, and a
channel. The channel includes a first opening and a second opening.
The first opening is connected to the inlet to receive fluid, and
the second opening is greater in area than the first opening.
Inventors: |
Hewkin; David; (Battle
Creek, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CROWELL & MORING LLP;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
P.O. BOX 14300
WASHINGTON
DC
20044-4300
US
|
Assignee: |
MANNGMBH
Ludwigsburg
DE
|
Family ID: |
37892601 |
Appl. No.: |
11/526291 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60719970 |
Sep 26, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/507 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01P 11/0285 20130101;
F01P 11/029 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/507 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/04 20060101
B65D025/04 |
Claims
1. A reservoir comprising: a plurality of chambers; an inlet; and a
channel having a first opening and a second opening, wherein the
first opening is aligned with the inlet to receive fluid from the
inlet, and wherein the second opening is greater in area than the
first opening.
2. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein the channel extends through a
wall of one of the chambers.
3. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein the channel extends into at
least two of the chambers.
4. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein the channel includes a section
where an area of the channel gradually increases in a direction
from the first opening to the second opening.
5. The reservoir of claim 4, wherein the section has a generally
conical configuration.
6. The reservoir of claim 5, wherein a cone of the conical
configuration has an angle between 1.degree. to 45.degree..
7. The reservoir of claim 6, wherein a cone of the conical
configuration has an angle between 10.degree. to 30.degree..
8. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein the channel includes a
generally cylindrical section.
9. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein the first opening of the
channel is sealingly connected to the inlet so that all fluid from
the inlet enters the channel.
10. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein the channel does not include
sharp shape changes in its flow path that can cause objectionable
fluid foaming.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisional
patent application No. 60/719,970, filed Sep. 26, 2005, the entire
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a reservoir with a channel, such
as an engine coolant reservoir with a channel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A typical pressurized coolant reservoir has multiple
chambers. The chambers increase the structural strength of the
reservoir, and help remove air from the coolant. In certain
applications, coolant enters the reservoir through its inlet at a
relatively high velocity. This high-velocity coolant then strikes a
chamber wall adjacent to the reservoir inlet, causing the coolant
to foam and adding air to the coolant. This makes a primary
function of the reservoir--removing air from the coolant--difficult
to achieve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention solves this problem by placing a
channel in the reservoir. The channel is designed to receive fluid
from the reservoir's inlet and to reduce the velocity of the fluid
before the fluid is discharged from the channel. Fluid with reduced
velocity is less likely to cause foaming.
[0005] According to the invention, a reservoir includes a plurality
of chambers, an inlet, and a channel. The channel includes a first
opening and a second opening. The first opening of the channel is
aligned with the inlet to receive fluid from the inlet. Preferably,
the first opening of the channel is sealingly connected to the
inlet so that all fluid entering from the inlet is directed to the
channel. The second opening of the channel is greater in area than
the first opening. As a result, as the fluid flows from the
channel's smaller first opening to its larger second opening, the
velocity of the fluid is reduced due to the increase in channel
area. Preferably, the fluid velocity is sufficiently reduced by the
channel such that the fluid velocity at the second opening is not
high enough to produce significant foaming.
[0006] The channel may include a section where the area of the
channel increases gradually in a direction from the first opening
to the second opening. This section may have a generally conical
configuration. The cone may have an angle between 1.degree. to
45.degree., preferably between 10.degree. to 30.degree.. The
channel may include also a generally cylindrical section.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the channel is sufficiently long
for a smooth velocity reduction. Thus, in order for the length of
the channel not to be limited to one chamber, the channel may
extend through a wall of a chamber from one chamber into another
chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The FIGURE illustrates a cross-section of a reservoir
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0009] The FIGURE illustrates a reservoir 10 of the present
invention that includes a plurality of chambers 12, an inlet 14,
and a channel 16. The channel 16 includes a first opening 18 and a
second opening 20.
[0010] In the illustrated embodiment, the first opening 18 is
integrally formed with the inlet 14 so that all fluid entering from
the inlet 14 is directed to the channel 16. However, it is possible
to simply align the first opening with the inlet so that a
significant portion of fluid entering the reservoir is received by
the channel. Furthermore, the first opening may be merely sealingly
connected to (but not integrally formed with) the inlet so that all
fluid entering from the inlet is directed to the channel.
[0011] The second opening 20 is greater in area than the first
opening 18. As a result, as the fluid flows from the channel's
smaller first opening 18 to its larger second opening 20, the
velocity of the fluid is reduced due to the increase in channel
area. Preferably, the fluid velocity is sufficiently reduced by the
channel 16 such that the velocity of the fluid exiting the second
opening 20 is not high enough to produce significant foaming in the
fluid.
[0012] The channel 16 may include a generally conical section 22
where the area of the channel increases gradually in a direction
from the first opening 18 to the second opening 20. The cone 22 may
have an angle between 1.degree. to 45.degree., preferably between
10.degree. to 30.degree.. The channel may include also a generally
cylindrical section 24.
[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, the channel 16 extends
through a wall 26 of a chamber from one chamber into another
chamber. This allows the channel 16 to be sufficiently long for a
smooth velocity reduction.
[0014] The term "channel" as used herein may be defined as a fluid
conduit, such as a pipe, which preferably does not include sharp
shape changes in its flow path that may cause objectionable fluid
foaming. As to what constitute "sharp shape changes," it is
difficult to define in the abstract, because it depends on the
characteristics and velocity of the fluid. However, a person with
ordinary skill in the art, when provided with the necessary design
parameters, can determine what constitute "sharp shape changes"
based on established practice in the art.
* * * * *