Patent Application
20190368394
The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
The present invention relates generally to the field of internal combustion engines of existing art and more specifically relates to gas separation.
Many individuals drive vehicles for work and recreation between locations. Many of the vehicles have internal combustion engines to propel them forward and backward. Internal combustion engines deliver contaminated air from the crankcase oil which enters the intake manifold. These engines typically have a vacuum hose from the valve cover or valley pan connected to the intake manifold. The ‘blow by’ from the engine needs to be effectively evacuated. This blow by air is contaminated with oil vapors. The oil deposits inside the intake manifold and the spark plugs. Removing the dirty air would allow the engine to breathe clean air. What is desired is increased engine life, increased efficiency and performance as well as a reduction in air pollution. A suitable solution is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,846 to Robert A. Walker, Jr. relates to a combination air-filter/air-oil separator with integral vacuum regulator. The described combination air-filter/air-oil separator with integral vacuum regulator includes a combination apparatus which silences and filters air flow, separates air-contaminant mixtures, and maintains a regulated vacuum therein. An air filter joins an annular housing which has an outer wall and a channel defining a central axis, the channel having a primary gas inlet coupled to the air filter and a primary gas outlet and a channel wall. The apparatus has a secondary inlet port passing through the outer wall. A secondary outlet port defines an opening in the channel wall such that there is no straight line flow path between the secondary inlet and the secondary outlet. An air silencer is contained within the channel. A passageway between the secondary inlet and the secondary outlet is defined exteriorly by the outer wall and interiorly by the channel wall. A vacuum regulating means is disposed within the annular housing and is positioned next to an opening in the secondary outlet to regulate the amount of vacuum imposed within the passageway so that it does not exceed a determined maximum.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known internal combustion engine art, the present disclosure provides a novel oil air separator system. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a reliable means to stop oil contaminated air from entering the intake manifold. The device effectively evacuates ‘blow by’ from the engine; the air contaminated with oil vapors is virtually eliminated such that oil is prevented from depositing inside the intake manifold and on the spark plugs. By removing the ‘dirty air’, the engine can breathe clean air. The container holds the oil and water while the filter inside keeps the air clean and thereby reduces pollution.
An oil air separator system is disclosed herein. The oil air separator system includes a canister having a body forming a housing with an inner volume and an outer surface (generally cylindrically shaped); an ingress port; an egress port; a removable filter; and an ingress tube. The housing defines the outer surface enclosing the inner volume via a wall; the ingress port permitting an input-air-solution to enter the ingress tube from an internal combustion engine to pass through to be filtered through the removable filter and passing through the inner volume to the egress port and out to an intake manifold such that the contaminants are removed from the input-air-solution. In this way the (now) clean-filtered-air is able to pass into the intake manifold to increase efficiency in operation and longevity of the internal combustion engine.
According to another embodiment, a method of use for the oil air separator system is also disclosed herein. The method includes installing the device disclosed herein (retro-fit or OEM), using the device to remove contaminates before the air reaches the intake manifold, changing the filter (or cleaning as needed), and servicing as required.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, an oil air separator system, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.
The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.
As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a filtering means for use with internal combustion engines and more particularly to an oil air separator system and method as used to improve the longevity of engine life and to minimize air pollution.
Generally, the present invention serves to promote engine efficiency and reduce pollution by collecting contaminants from the crankcase and prevents them from entering the intake manifold. Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in
As illustrated, starting with
The ingress tube 160 is located in bottom portion 117 during use such that the contaminants flowing through the ingress tube 160 traveling from the crankcase come to rest in the bottom portion 117 are stopped and are contained within the bottom portion 117 for later disposal and not allowed to pass further into the intake manifold 104. This filtration reduces maintenance on the remainder of the system (spark plugs, etc.) of the internal combustion engine 102. The canister 110 comprises a top shell 108 and a bottom shell 106 (comprising bottom portion 117). The top shell 108 and the bottom shell 106 are removably couplable to and from each other via threads (threading as shown in
Referring now to the bottom shell 106; the bottom shell 106 comprises a filter shelf 124 such that when the removable filter 140, when placed, is located above the surface of the bottom portion 117 such that oil and other contaminates do not come into contact with the removable filter 140. The ingress port 120 and the egress port 130 pass into the inner volume 116 of the body 112 from the top shell 108; wherein the ingress port 120 and the egress port 130 in preferred embodiments each comprise a respective fitting (90-degree fitting or other may be used as per vehicular specific application for ease of fitting within the engine bay space provided). Each of the respective fittings preferably comprises a barbed-end (
The bottom shell 106 of the canister 110 of the oil air separator system 100 comprises the bottom portion 117. The top shell 108 and the bottom shell 106 are removably couplable to and from each other, as shown in
Removable filter 140 comprises mesh 144 comprising a particulate air filter composed of fibrous or porous materials which removes solid particulates such as dust, pollen, and the like from the air. Removable filter 140 may contain an absorbent or catalyst such as charcoal (carbon) to remove odors and gaseous pollutants in alternate embodiments. In certain embodiments foam, pleated paper, cotton filters, or spun fiberglass filter elements may be used. Those with ordinary skill in the art will now appreciate that upon reading this specification and by their understanding the art of filters as described herein, methods of filtration will be understood by those knowledgeable in such art.
According to one embodiment, the oil air separator system 100 may be arranged as a kit 105. In particular, the oil air separator system 100 may further include a set of instructions 107. The instructions 107 may detail functional relationships in relation to the structure of the oil air separator system 100 such that the oil air separator system 100 can be installed, used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner.
A method of use includes steps of: installing the device disclosed herein (retro-fit or OEM), using the device to remove contaminates before the air reaches the intake manifold, changing the filter (or cleaning as needed), and servicing as required. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for use of the oil air separator system 100, are taught herein.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
