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.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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

This invention relates to a reservoir with a channel, such as an engine coolant reservoir with a channel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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

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.

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.

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° to 45°, preferably between 10° to 30°. The channel may include also a generally cylindrical section.

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

The FIGURE illustrates a cross-section of a reservoir according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

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.

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.

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.

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° to 45°, preferably between 10° to 30°. The channel may include also a generally cylindrical section 24.

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.

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.

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° to 45°.

7. The reservoir of claim 6, wherein a cone of the conical configuration has an angle between 10° to 30°.

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.