U.S. patent application number 12/379179 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-24 for boat engine cooling system.
Invention is credited to KEVIN P. HAYS.
Application Number | 20090318039 12/379179 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41431720 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090318039 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HAYS; KEVIN P. |
December 24, 2009 |
Boat engine cooling system
Abstract
The boat engine cooling system provides cooling of the engine of
a boat or other nautical vehicle through both chemical coolant,
such as an antifreeze solution, and environmental water; i.e., the
water the vehicle is passing through. In use, heated engine coolant
is expelled by the engine and passes through a coolant inlet port
formed through a hollow tank, where it is transported through a
coolant pipe to the engine. Further, water from the environment
(i.e., the lake, ocean or other body of water the vehicle is
passing through) is injected into a cooling reservoir in the hollow
tank through a water inlet port. The engine coolant passing through
a central portion of the coolant pipe is cooled by the water in the
cooling reservoir prior to circulating back through the engine.
Inventors: |
HAYS; KEVIN P.; (Aztec,
NM) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LITMAN LAW OFFICES, LTD.
POST OFFICE BOX 15035, CRYSTAL CITY STATION
ARLINGTON
VA
22215-0035
US
|
Family ID: |
41431720 |
Appl. No.: |
12/379179 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61129390 |
Jun 23, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
440/88C |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01P 2050/06 20130101;
F01P 11/029 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
440/88.C |
International
Class: |
F01P 3/20 20060101
F01P003/20 |
Claims
1. A boat engine cooling system, comprising: a hollow tank having
an outer wall and an engine coolant inlet port, an engine coolant
outlet port, a water inlet port and at least one water outlet port
formed through the outer wall; an inner wall mounted within said
hollow tank, the inner wall dividing the hollow tank into a cooling
reservoir and an inner tank, the inner wall having a passage formed
therethrough, the cooling reservoir being in communication with the
engine coolant inlet port, the water inlet port and the at least
one water outlet port, the inner tank being in communication with
the engine coolant outlet port; a coolant pipe having an inlet
extending into the tank through the engine coolant inlet port and
an outlet extending through the passage formed through the inner
wall into the inner tank, the inlet of the coolant pipe and the
engine coolant outlet port being adapted for attachment to a boat
engine in order to circulate a chemical coolant through the engine,
the coolant pipe being formed from a thermally conductive material
and forming a heat exchange coil within the tank; means for pumping
a chemical coolant through the coolant pipe; and means for drawing
cool water through the cooling reservoir; whereby the chemical
coolant cools the engine and is itself cooled by heat exchange with
cool water in the cooling reservoir.
2. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 1, further
comprising a pressure relief port formed through said hollow tank,
the pressure relief port being in communication with the inner
tank.
3. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 2, further
comprising a coolant expansion tank positioned external to said
hollow tank, the coolant expansion tank being in fluid
communication with the pressure relief port.
4. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 1, wherein
said coolant pipe has a substantially serpentine contour.
5. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 1, wherein
the passage formed through said inner wall is positioned above the
engine coolant outlet port.
6. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 1, further
comprising means for expelling water from the cooling reservoir
through the at least one water outlet port.
7. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 1, wherein
the water inlet port is formed through an upper portion of said
hollow tank.
8. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 7, wherein
the at least one water outlet port is formed through a lower
portion of said hollow tank.
9. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 8, further
comprising a pressure relief port formed through the upper portion
of said hollow tank, the pressure relief port being in
communication with the inner tank.
10. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 9, further
comprising a coolant expansion tank positioned external to said
hollow tank, the coolant expansion tank being in fluid
communication with the pressure relief port.
11. A boat engine cooling system, comprising: a hollow tank having
an outer wall and an engine coolant inlet port, an engine coolant
outlet port, a water inlet port and at least one water outlet port
formed through the outer wall; an inner wall mounted within the
hollow tank, the inner wall dividing the hollow tank into a cooling
reservoir and an inner tank, the inner wall having a passage formed
therethrough, the cooling reservoir being in communication with the
engine coolant inlet port, the water inlet port and the at least
one water outlet port, the inner tank being in communication with
the engine coolant outlet port; a coolant pipe having an inlet
extending into the tank through the engine coolant inlet port and
an outlet extending through the passage formed through the inner
wall into the inner tank, the inlet of the coolant pipe and the
engine coolant outlet port being adapted for attachment to a boat
engine in order to circulate a chemical coolant through the engine,
the coolant pipe being formed from a thermally conductive material
and forming a heat exchange coil within the tank; means for pumping
a chemical coolant through the coolant pipe; means for drawing cool
water through the cooling reservoir; and means for expelling water
from the cooling reservoir through the at least one water outlet
port; whereby the chemical coolant cools the engine and is itself
cooled by heat exchange with cool water in the cooling
reservoir.
12. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 11, further
comprising a pressure relief port formed through said hollow tank,
the pressure relief port being in communication with the inner
tank.
13. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 12, further
comprising a coolant expansion tank positioned external to said
hollow tank, the coolant expansion tank being in fluid
communication with the pressure relief port.
14. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 11, wherein
said coolant pipe has a substantially serpentine contour.
15. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 11, wherein
the passage formed through said inner wall is positioned above the
engine coolant outlet port.
16. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 11, wherein
the water inlet port is formed through an upper portion of said
hollow tank.
17. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 16, wherein
the at least one water outlet port is formed through a lower
portion of said hollow tank.
18. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 17, further
comprising a pressure relief port formed through the upper portion
of said hollow tank, the pressure relief port being in
communication with the inner tank.
19. The boat engine cooling system as recited in claim 18, further
comprising a coolant expansion tank positioned external to said
hollow tank, the coolant expansion tank being in fluid
communication with the pressure relief port.
20. A boat engine cooling system, comprising: a hollow tank having
an outer wall and an engine coolant inlet port, an engine coolant
outlet port, a water inlet port and at least one water outlet port
formed through the outer wall, the tank forming a cooling
reservoir; a coolant pipe having an inlet extending into the tank
and an outlet extending from the tank, the inlet and the outlet
being adapted for attachment to a boat engine in order to circulate
a chemical coolant through the engine, the coolant pipe being
formed from a thermally conductive material and forming a heat
exchange coil within the tank; means for pumping a chemical coolant
through the coolant pipe; and means for drawing cool water through
the cooling reservoir; wherein the chemical coolant cools the
engine and is itself cooled by heat exchange with cool water in the
cooling reservoir.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 61/129,390, filed Jun. 23, 2008.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to inboard motors for boats,
and particularly to a boat engine cooling system for an inboard
motor.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Typical inboard boat motors operate at temperatures of
approximately 180.degree. F. It is well known in the art to use the
environmental water (i.e., the water of the lake, ocean or other
body of water the boat is traveling in) to cool the engine, with
this water being passed into or around the engine in a conventional
manner.
[0006] However, such systems rely on pure water for the cooling of
the engine. Due to contaminants, such as chemical pollutants, as
well as natural marine life, filter systems must be used before the
water is passed to the engine. Such filters must be changed
regularly, can easily become clogged, and are not 100% effective,
thus resulting in clogged engines, broken blocks and the like,
which must be fixed or replaced. Further, environmental laws of
some jurisdictions have required this type of system to be banned,
since the water passing through the engine and back into the
environment may be contaminated by the engine. It would be
desirable to cool the engine of the boat with environmental water,
but without the risk of contaminating either the environment or the
engine. Thus, a boat engine cooling system solving the
aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The boat engine cooling system provides cooling of the
engine of a boat or other nautical craft through injection of both
chemical engine coolant, such as antifreeze, and environmental
water i.e., the water the vehicle is passing through. The boat
engine cooling system includes a hollow tank adapted for mounting
within the boat or other vehicle. The hollow tank defines an open
interior region therein. An engine coolant inlet port, an engine
coolant outlet port, a water inlet port and at least one water
outlet port are all formed through an outer wall of the hollow
tank.
[0008] A partition wall is mounted within the hollow tank. The
partition wall divides the open interior region of the hollow tank
into a cooling region and an inner tank. The partition wall has a
passage formed therethrough.
[0009] Both the hollow tank and a boat engine are mounted to the
boat (or other nautical craft) in a conventional manner, with the
engine being in fluid communication with the hollow tank. A coolant
pipe having opposed first and second ends extends into the hollow
tank. The first end of the coolant pipe is joined to the coolant
inlet port, and a central portion of the coolant pipe extends
within the cooling region of the hollow tank. The coolant pipe
passes through the passage formed through the partitioning wall,
and the second end thereof terminates in a spout, for injecting
cooled engine coolant into the inner tank.
[0010] In use, heated engine coolant passes through the coolant
inlet port and is transported through the coolant pipe to the inner
tank, and then out of the inner tank and back to the engine for
circulation through coolant passages defined in the engine.
Further, water from the environment (i.e., the lake, ocean or other
body of water the vehicle is passing through) is injected into the
cooling region of the hollow tank through the water inlet port. The
engine coolant passing through the central portion of the coolant
pipe is cooled by heat transfer with the water in the cooling
region of the hollow tank prior to transport thereof to the
engine.
[0011] These and other features of the present invention will
become readily apparent upon further review of the following
specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The sole FIGURE is a diagrammatic side view of the boat
engine cooling system according to the present invention.
[0013] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] The boat engine cooling system 10 provides cooling of the
engine 16 of a boat or other nautical craft through injection of
both chemical engine coolant, such as antifreeze, and environmental
water; i.e., the water the boat is passing through. The boat engine
cooling system is preferably applied to an inboard engine 16. It
should be understood that the system 10 and engine 16 shown in the
sole drawing FIGURE may be used with any type of marine propulsion
system, whether an inboard or outboard engine.
[0015] The boat engine cooling system 10 includes a hollow tank 14.
As shown in the drawing, the hollow tank 14 defines a reservoir.
Hollow tank 14 is mounted within or on the boat and is connected to
the boat engine 16, as will be described below in greater detail.
An engine coolant inlet port 24, an engine coolant outlet port 30,
a water inlet port 36 and a pair of water outlet ports 41, 42 are
all formed through an outer wall 15 of the hollow tank 14. A
pressure relief port 32 may also be formed through outer wall 15
adjacent inner tank 19, and may be releasably covered by a cap or
other seal 34. Hollow tank 14 may have any desired shape and
dimensions. Exemplary dimensions for the cylindrical tank shown in
the drawing are a length of approximately nineteen inches and a
diameter of between approximately ten and twelve inches.
[0016] A bulkhead or partition 20 divides the open interior region
of the hollow tank 14 into a cooling reservoir 17 and an inner tank
19. Partition wall 20 is shown for exemplary purposes only. It
should be understood that the size, shape, and location of
partition wall 20 depend upon the size and contouring of outer tank
14. Partition wall 20 has a passage 28 formed therethrough, as will
be described in greater detail below. Further, as will be described
in greater detail below, partition wall 20 maintains a fluid-tight
compartment 19 for receiving engine coolant 23.
[0017] As shown, a coolant pipe 26 extends through the hollow tank
14. In the FIGURE, the coolant pipe 26 is shown as a substantially
serpentine coil, although coolant pipe 26 may have any shape that
maximizes the surface area of pipe 26 exposed within the hollow
tank 14 for heat exchange. Coolant pipe 26 is formed from a
thermally conductive material, such as aluminum.
[0018] The coolant pipe 26 is joined to coolant inlet port 24 and
extends within the cooling reservoir 17 of the hollow tank 14, as
shown. The coolant pipe 26 passes through the passage 28 formed
through partition wall 20 and terminates in a spout 50.
[0019] In use, heated engine coolant 22, which has been heated by
boat engine 16, passes through the coolant inlet port 24 and is
transported through the coolant pipe 26 to the inner tank 19.
Heated engine coolant 22 has been heated during work within the
boat engine 16 and is expelled under pressure by engine 16 through
pipe 26. As will be described in further detail below, the heated
coolant 22 is cooled within region 17 of tank 14, resulting in
cooled engine coolant 23. Cooled engine coolant 23 is expelled from
pipe 26 through spout 50 to be collected within inner tank 19. The
cooled engine coolant 23 is drawn from inner tank 19 through port
30 by engine 16 for usage therein. The engine coolant passes
through a closed system, thus preventing contamination of the
coolant through the cooling process. A coolant expansion tank 52
may further be mounted within the boat and is in fluid
communication with inner tank 19 through port 32. In the event of
an excess volume of collected coolant, or excessive fluid pressure
within inner tank 19, the excess coolant can be vented through a
pressure relief valve fitted in port 32 into the coolant expansion
tank 52.
[0020] Water 40 from the environment (i.e., the lake, ocean or
other body of water the boat is passing through) is injected into
the cooling reservoir 17 of the hollow tank 14 through the water
inlet port 36. Water 40 is injected into cooling region 17 through
line 38 and water inlet port 36 by any suitable pressurized pump.
The water 40 remains within cooling reservoir 17 and is not mixed
with the engine coolant 22, 23, thus allowing the engine 16 to
remain free of contamination from the external water supply and
preventing contamination from engine 16 into the water supply.
[0021] The engine coolant 22 passing through coolant pipe 26 is
cooled by heat exchange with water 40 in cooling reservoir 17 prior
to transport thereof to the engine 16. Water 40 exits cooling
region 17 through water outlet ports 41, 42 and lines 43, 44,
respectively, and fresh, relatively cool water is drawn through
line 38 and inlet port 36 to replace it. Water is drawn through
ports 41, 42 through the usage of any suitable type of pump or the
like. Typical boat motors equipped with cooling system 10 operate
at temperatures of approximately 180.degree. F. The heated coolant
22 is expelled at approximately this temperature and is then cooled
by the environmental water 40 drawn into tank 14. The environmental
water is typically at a temperature of approximately 70.degree.
F.
[0022] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and
all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
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