OIL DIVERTER AND RETURN SYSTEM. RELATES TO DIVERTING A PORTION OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OIL FROM THE PRIMARY LUBRICATION SYSTEM TO SECONDARY DEVICES. SYSTEM PROVIDES FOR RETURNING DIVERTED OIL TO LUBRICATION SYSTEM AFTER USE BY DEVICES. TWO SECONDARY DEVICES CAN BE USED. ONE BEING PROVIDED RESTRICTED OIL FLOW AND THE SECOND BEING PROVIDED FULL FLOW. SYSTEM INCLUDES METHOD FOR ATTACHMENT TO ENGINE. SYSTEM INCLUDES METHOD FOR CAPTURING SAMPLE OIL DURING OPERATION OF ENGINE.
This embodiment is for diverting a portion of oil away from the primary lubrication system of an internal combustion engine to a secondary device while maintaining full oil pressure for another secondary device. The oil diverter provides restricted out going only oil flow to a device requiring oil flow back to the engine. The devices out going only anti flow back valve allows the secondary oil use device to maintain its oil level when oil pressure stops. The system includes the oil return device with the purpose to send the diverted oil back to the primary lubrication system after use by the secondary oil use device or devices. The oil return contains a reservoir that facilitates the capture of sample oil during the operation of the engine.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/511,091 filed 2011 Jul. 24 by the present inventor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Prior Art
Increased use of the diesel engine commonly finds deployment of a by-pass filter in addition to the standard full flow oil filter to assist with improved filtration of the engine oil. This practice allows the oil to be cleaned as the engine is running. The benefit is evident when extended oil change intervals are possible. The result is reduced oil use and decreased cost. By-pass filter cartridges are available in a variety of filtration grades. Many commercial grade vehicles that use diesel engines have the availability of systems to integrate the by-pass filter process.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many systems have been produced that allow connectivity of remotely located secondary oil filtration devices. The predominant method used connects the various filters and adapter bases together to route engine oil away from the internal lubrication system and back. Many engine types require the connectivity of the parts to be designed by the individual deploying the filtration device resulting in few standards and difficult to fabricate solutions. All remote filtration mounts heretofore are known to suffer from a number of disadvantages:
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- (a) Single device connectivity adapters limit the usefulness of the oil diverting component.
- (b) The use of common secondary filter systems will only allow installation in the upright position as gravity will not allow the installation in an inverted orientation without drain back.
- (c) Other systems rely on alteration or machining of engine components for the oil to effectively return to the engine oil supply.
- (d) Oil samples are extracted and used for analysis to determine wear rates on internal components of the engine. Sample extraction is difficult and risky when removal of a component, while running the engine is required for collection.
- (e) A lack of standardization and difficult installation when connecting oil diverter, filtration, and return devices to engines complicates their use.
Several advantages of one or more aspects are as follows: Use without modification to the engine, oil feed to multiple devices simultaneously, oil flow is restricted within the anti flow back valve circuit while allowing unrestricted flow in a parallel circuit, oil samples collect constantly while the engine is running permitting access to the sample after the engine and oil have cooled. Other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings and description.
See accompanying drawings.
The apparatus of the present invention is depicted schematically in
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The present invention relates to an apparatus separate from the internal combustion engine and its primary oil filtration and oil circulation system. The two external devices as part of said invention provide a method for diverting a portion of primary engine oil flow to a conventional secondary oil device. The function of oil diverter 234 is to produce unrestricted oil out flow sensor/sender 232 for oil sensor/sender port 236 and unrestricted oil out flow 218 while producing out only restricted oil out flow 226 through oil out port 228 for conventional secondary oil device 322. Anti flow back valve spring 212 and anti flow back valve ball 214 comprise the flow restricting portion of oil diverter 234. The method to retain valve spring 212 is the anti flow back valve spring retainer plug 210 inserted into anti flow back valve plug hole 216. When engine oil out flow 224 applies sufficient pressure to valve ball 214 the oil supply overcomes the valve spring 212 bias on the ball against the seat thereby permitting out only restricted oil out flow 226 and providing diverter oil out flow 320 to conventional secondary oil device 322. In the event said pressure subsides said bias on valve ball 214 is relaxed resulting in blockage of restricted out flow 226 preventing reverse flow. Oil diverter 234 attaches to the engine block 314 via the engine block oil outlet 316 and Conventional banjo bolt 242 utilizing oil diverter mounting hole 222, top mortise 220, and bottom mortise 246.
Invention further includes the second method and device oil return body assembly 124 for returning said engine oil flow from conventional secondary oil device 322 back to the engine valve cover enclosure 168 and into the oil circulation system. Oil return o ring 174 creates the seal between return assembly 124 and enclosure 168. Oil out flow 224 passes through oil inlet passage 318 by way of conventional banjo bolt 242 to oil diverter inlet passage 238. Additionally said passage 318 connects through oil diverter 234 and inlet passage 238 to oil passage plug hole 230. Said engine oil outflow 224 is dispersed with full flow and pressure to oil sensor/sender port 236 while at the same time providing full flow and pressure to unrestricted oil out flow port 248 and additionally as out only restricted oil out flow 226 to said oil out port 228 for use by conventional secondary oil device 322. Secondary device oil out flow 324 routes to return assembly 124 by way of conventional oil line fitting 310 and conventional oil line 312 through threaded oil input port 122 then oil return inlet passage 176 and into retainer assembly 153 via concavity passage 156 through oil inlet hole 158 and oil groove 148 through oil inlet hole 144 to the oil capture vessel 150 where a small amount of oil is collected while allowing excess oil flow to return back to the engine as overflow through the openings on both sides of the retainer assembly 153 created by the fit into return assembly 124.
The return assembly 124 also includes the retainer assembly 153 providing a method and device for attachment of return assembly 124 to engine oil inlet boss 170 within the enclosure 168 by way of the retainer locking lug 166 inserted into the engine oil inlet boss notch 172. A twisting action engages said retainer locking lug 166 into said boss notch 172 providing the vertical and first of two methods comprising attachment of said return assembly 124 to the engine. The clamp assembly 134 provides the method to apply horizontal clamping action by way of the oil return clamp clearance slot 130 and clamping bolt 142. Said horizontal clamping action increases as clamping bolt 142 is tightened reducing the gap for clearance slot 130 until entire return assembly 124 is secured to the boss 170.
The clamp assembly 134 and the retainer assembly 153 are associated and to be used in unison as a method of attachment for the entire return assembly. Said clamp assembly 134 is secured to return assembly 124 by way of clamp screw 136 in two places through left 132 and right 140 clamp screw chamfers attaching to threaded hole left 120 and right 126. Additionally this attachment utilizes left 128 and right 138 clamp flanges. Once return assembly 124 and retainer assembly 153 are assembled a further securing method is utilized by tightening threaded locking socket screw 164 resulting in the coupling of the retainer assembly 153 previously locked into the boss notch 172 and the clamp assembly 134 already tightened by way of clamping bolt 142. The resulting union of the two assemblies provides secure attachment to said enclosure 168. Once return assembly 124 and retainer assembly 153 are combined conventional oil cap 110 uses oil cap mortise 154 and 160 as clearance to fit to retainer assembly 153.
CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPEThus the reader will see that the embodiment of the oil diverter, oil return body, twist retainer and oil return clamp assemblies provide an apparatus, methods and devices facilitating an integrated apparatus for utilizing conventional secondary oil devices with internal combustion engines. Some of the unique features of each being the multi output port diverter with anti flow back valve, the method of attachment for the twist retainer and oil return body and the oil capture vessel.
While my above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of one embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible.
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- For example one or more conventional secondary oil devices can be attached. If only one is needed threaded plug 244 can be deployed blocking unrestricted oil out flow port 248.
- The oil diverter 234, oil return body assembly 124, oil return clamp assembly 134, twist retainer assembly 153, or oil capture vessel 150 can be created from a variety of materials or changed in size to still perform the same function. Color is not a factor. Shapes can vary as well.
- The anti flow back valve ball 214 and anti flow back valve spring 212 seat within anti flow back valve plug hole 216 and can vary in size of ball and bias of spring to fit the flow or restriction desired. The seat for anti flow back valve ball 214 is created by striking a hardened ball of the same size for suitable seal in aluminum. Alternatively harder material can be used in creation of the oil diverter 234 and lapping procedures or other custom seat creation will then assure seal of ball to valve seat.
- Methods other than threaded plugs may be used to cap anti flow back valve plug hole 216 and unrestricted oil out flow port 248.
- Conventional banjo bolt 242 can vary in material of construction and configuration of overall size, length, thread specification, internal axial bore and transverse port size and length.
- Conventional circlip fastener 146 is available in a variety of sizes and configurations to fit the oil capture vessel as created.
- Conventional oil cap 110 is available in a variety of size and fit depending on the sizing and configuration used when creating oil cap boss 112, oil cap rotation stop, clearance hole 118, and oil cap retainer slot 116. Variations in the size and dimensions can be adjusted to fit the conventional oil cap 110 and any of the associated oil return assembly, including the oil return clamp assembly 134 and twist retainer assembly 153 and also including the oil capture vessel 150.
- Thus the oil return clamp assembly 135, oil return body assembly 124, twist retainer assembly 153 can be adjusted or created in alternate sizes and configurations to fit a variety of engine valve cover enclosures. Engine valve cover enclosure 168 being one embodiment. Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims
1. An apparatus for diverting engine oil from an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having an engine block and internal oil lubrication system, the apparatus comprising:
- means for diverting a portion of engine oil to one or more out flowing ports while at the same time restricting out flowing oil from one of those ports in out flowing direction only.
2. An apparatus for returning engine oil from said internal combustion engine of a vehicle having an engine block and internal oil lubrication system after said engine oil has been used by a conventional secondary oil device or multiple devices, the apparatus comprising:
- means for attachment of oil return device to engine
- means for attachment of twist retainer device to engine
- means for attachment of oil return and twist retainer devices to each other and as a unit to the engine
- means for collection of sample oil during normal engine operation
- means for returning said portion of engine oil back to said internal oil lubrication system after use by one or multiple conventional secondary oil devices.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 30, 2012
Publication Date: Oct 24, 2013
Inventor: Kim Eugene Mallett (Independece, MO)
Application Number: 13/539,331
International Classification: F01M 7/00 (20060101);