Claims
- 1. An apparatus for determining a direction of flow of a fluid in a system including a transmission system and a fluid circuit, said fluid circuit having a first port and a second port, said apparatus comprising:a first conduit having a clear portion; a second conduit having a clear portion; and a valve assembly including a shut-off valve, said valve assembly connecting said first conduit to said second conduit; wherein said first conduit is coupled to said first port and said second conduit is coupled to said second port, wherein said shut-off valve is closed to prevent flow of said fluid between said first conduit and said second conduit, wherein said direction is determined by visually observing said fluid in one of said conduits through its said clear portion, and wherein a transmission service system is connected to said ports according to said direction.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said clear portions include clear tubes.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said valve assembly includes:a release valve; and a release mechanism; wherein said release mechanism is used to open said release valve for releasing said fluid from said valve assembly.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each said conduit is clear in its entirety.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of adapters for coupling said conduits to said ports.
- 6. A method of detecting a direction of flow of a fluid in a system including a transmission system and a fluid circuit, said fluid circuit having a first port and a second port, said method comprising the steps:coupling a first conduit to said first port, said first conduit having a clear portion; coupling a second conduit to said second port, said second conduit having a clear portion, wherein a valve connects said first conduit to said second conduit, said valve assembly includes a shut-off valve; closing said shut-off valve to prevent flow of said fluid between said first conduit and said second conduit; visually observing said direction of flow of said fluid in one of said conduits through its said clear portion; decoupling said conduits from said ports; and connecting a transmission service system to said ports according to said observing step.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said clear portions include clear tubes.
- 8. The method of claim 6, wherein said valve assembly further includes a release valve and release mechanism, said method further comprising the step of utilizing said release mechanism to open said release valve for releasing said fluid from said valve assembly.
- 9. The method of claim 6, wherein each said conduit is clear in its entirety.
- 10. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of opening said shut-off valve to allow flow of said fluid between said first and said second conduits after said observing step.
- 11. An apparatus for determining a direction of flow of a fluid in a system having a first port and a second port, said apparatus comprising:a first conduit having a clear portion, a first end and a second end; a second conduit having a clear portion, a first end and a second end; and a first valve connecting said first end of said first conduit to said first end of said second conduit; a second valve connected to said second end of said first conduit; a third valve connected to said second end of said second conduit; wherein said second end of said first conduit is coupled to said first port and said second end of said second conduit is coupled to said second port, wherein said valves are closed, and wherein said direction is determined by visually observing said fluid in one of said conduits through its said clear portion.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said clear portions include clear tubes.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first valve includes:a release valve; and a release mechanism; wherein said release mechanism is used to open said release valve for releasing said fluid from said first valve.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said system includes a transmission system and a fluid circuit, said fluid circuit includes said first port and said second port, and wherein a transmission service system is connected to said second valve and said third valve according to said direction.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said second valve and said third valve are opened to allow flow of said fluid to said system and flow of a new fluid from said system.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each said conduit is clear in its entirety.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of adapters for coupling said conduits to said ports.
- 18. A method of detecting a direction of flow of a fluid in a system having a first port and a second port, said method comprising the steps:coupling a first end of a first conduit to said first port, said first conduit having a clear portion and a second end; coupling a first end of a second conduit to said second port, said second conduit having a clear portion and a second end, wherein a first valve connects said second end of first conduit to said second end of said second conduit, said first end of said first conduit is connected to a second valve and said first end of said second conduit is connected to a third valve; closing said valves; and visually observing said direction of flow of said fluid in one of said conduits through its said clear portion.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein said clear portions include clear tubes.
- 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of releasing said fluid from said first valve.
- 21. The method of claim 18, wherein said system includes a transmission system and a fluid circuit, and wherein said fluid circuit includes said first port and said second port, said method further comprising the steps of:opening said first valve; and connecting a transmission service system to said second valve and said third valve according to said observing step.
- 22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:closing said first valve; and opening said second valve and said third valve.
- 23. The method of claim 18, wherein each said conduit is clear in its entirety.
- 24. An apparatus for determining a direction of flow of a gas in a system having a first port and a second port, said apparatus comprising:a first conduit having a clear portion and a nozzle; a second conduit having a clear portion and a nozzle; and a first valve connecting said first conduit to said second conduit; wherein said first conduit is coupled to said first port and said second conduit is coupled to said second port, said first valve is closed to prevent flow of said gas between said first conduit and said second conduit, a smoke or luminescent mixture enters through one of said nozzles, and wherein said direction of flow of said gas is determined by visually observing flow direction of said smoke or luminescent mixture in one of said conduits through its said clear portion.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said clear portions include clear tubes.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said first valve includes:a release valve; and a release mechanism; wherein said release mechanism is used to open said release valve for releasing said gas from said first valve.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said system includes a pneumatic system and a gaseous circuit, said gaseous circuit includes said first port and said second port.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein each said conduit is clear in its entirety.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a plurality of adapters for coupling said conduits to said ports.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:a second valve having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second valve being coupled to said nozzle of said first conduit; a third valve having a first end and a second end, said first end of said third valve being coupled to said nozzle of said second conduit; and an entry nozzle coupled to said second end of said second valve and said second end of said third valve; wherein said smoke or luminescent mixture is injected into said entry nozzle.
- 31. A method of detecting a direction of flow of a gas in a system having a first port and a second port, said method comprising the steps:coupling a first conduit to said first port, said first conduit having a clear portion and a nozzle; coupling a second conduit to said second port, said second conduit having a clear portion and a nozzle, wherein a first valve connects said first conduit to said second conduit; closing said first valve to prevent flow of said gas between said first conduit and said second conduit; and providing a smoke or luminescent mixture through one of said nozzles; visually determining said direction of flow of said gas by observing flow direction of said smoke or luminescent mixture in one of said conduits through its said clear portion.
- 32. The method of claim 31, wherein said clear portions include clear tubes.
- 33. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of releasing said gas from said first valve.
- 34. The method of claim 31, wherein said system includes a pneumatic system and a gaseous circuit, said gaseous circuit includes said first port and said second port.
- 35. The method of claim 31, wherein each said conduit is clear in its entirety.
- 36. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of opening said first valve to allow flow of said gas between said first and said second conduits after said observing step.
- 37. The method of claim 31 further comprising the steps of:coupling a first end of a second valve to said nozzle of said first conduit, said second valve having a second end; and coupling a first end of a third valve to said nozzle of said second conduit, said third valve having a second end; wherein said providing step includes injecting said smoke or luminescent mixture into an entry nozzle coupled to said second end of said second valve and said second end of said third valve.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application serial No. 60/292,476, filed May 21, 2001, which is hereby fully incorporated by reference in the present application.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/292476 |
May 2001 |
US |