Patent Application
20160160715
Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to an oil filter housing for a vehicle system.
Oil filters are used in engine systems to remove contaminants from engine oil before the oil enters the engine. Oil filter elements are mounted within the oil filter and are made up of porous media. As oil passes through the oil filter elements in the oil filter, contaminants become entrained in the filter while clean oil passes through the pores and exits the filter to enter the engine. Such oil filters may be contained within a vehicle system, and thus may include a support frame for mounting the oil filter to the vehicle system. The vehicle system may also include various sub-assemblies, such as fuel sub-assemblies, that are also mounted via a support frame. The inclusion of multiple vehicle sub-assemblies each supported by separate support frames may increase the cost and weight of the vehicle.
In one embodiment, an oil filter system comprises a housing and a frame. The housing includes a hollow cylinder having a convex curvature and which is configured to receive a plurality of oil filter elements disposed therein. The frame supports the housing and includes a first set of support arms and a second set of support arms, each support arm having a first, straight side facing away from the housing and a second, curved side having a concave curvature in one or more regions that contact the convex curvature of the housing. The straight side of each support arm of the first set of support arms are located in the same first plane, and the straight side of each support arm of the second set of support arms are located in the same second plane, each straight side of each support arm further including one or more mountings configured to support one or more vehicle sub-assemblies.
The invention will be better understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein below:
Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to an oil filter system for an engine system. The oil filter system may include a housing which is configured to receive a plurality of filter elements therein, e.g., the plurality of filter elements are disposed in the housing for operation of the engine system, but may be removed for servicing, replacement, or before the engine system is first put into service. The filter elements may trap particles within engine oil, removing the particles before the engine oil is sent to the engine. The housing may be supported by a frame. The frame may be configured to couple the oil filter to a desired vehicle structure as well as prevent the oil filter from experiencing a high level of movement or vibrations. Further, the frame may also be configured to support one or more vehicle sub-assemblies, such as fuel sub-assembly (including, for example, fuel filters, fuel pump, fuel-water separator, etc.) and an oil cooler sub-assembly. In this way, a common frame may be used to support not only the oil filter, but also the fuel sub-assembly and the oil cooler sub-assembly, eliminating the need for multiple, separate support frames and reducing the weight of the entire oil filter, frame, fuel, and oil cooler assembly.
An example of a vehicle system in which the oil filter and frame described above may be installed is illustrated in
The approach described herein may be employed in a variety of engine types, and a variety of engine-driven systems selected with reference to application specific criteria. Some of these systems may be stationary, while others may be on semi-mobile or mobile platforms. Semi-mobile platforms may be relocated between operational periods, such as mounted on flatbed trailers. Mobile platforms include self-propelled vehicles. Such vehicles can include on-road transportation vehicles, as well as mining equipment, marine vessels, rail vehicles, and other off-highway vehicles (OHV). For clarity of illustration, a locomotive may be used as an example of a mobile platform supporting a system incorporating an embodiment of the invention.
Before further discussion of the oil filter housing embodiments, a positioning of an oil filter in an engine system is shown.
The engine receives intake air for combustion from an intake passage 114. The intake passage receives ambient air from an air filter (not shown) that filters air from outside of the vehicle. Exhaust gas resulting from combustion in the engine is supplied to an exhaust passage 116. Exhaust gas flows through the exhaust passage, and out of an exhaust stack of the vehicle.
The engine system may include a turbocharger 120 (“TURBO”) that is arranged between the intake passage and the exhaust passage. The turbocharger increases air charge of ambient air drawn into the intake passage in order to provide greater charge density during combustion to increase power output and/or engine-operating efficiency. The turbocharger may include a compressor (not shown in
In some embodiments, the engine system may include an exhaust gas treatment system coupled in the exhaust passage upstream or downstream of the turbocharger. In one example embodiment having a diesel engine, the exhaust gas treatment system may include a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF). In other embodiments, the exhaust gas treatment system may additionally or alternatively include one or more emission control devices. Such emission control devices may include a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst, three-way catalyst, NOx trap, as well as filters or other systems and devices.
Engine oil may be used to lubricate various engine components within the engine, such as pistons, bearings which allow rotation of a crankshaft and camshaft, or the like. Before oil is routed to the various engine components, the engine oil may first pass through an oil filter to remove contaminants such as dirt, carbon, and metallic particles. In this way, engine degradation from abrasive wear between particles and engine components may be reduced.
Engine oil may flow from the engine to an oil inlet of an oil filter 130. The engine oil then flows through the inside of the oil filter where contaminants may be filtered from the engine oil. After passing through the oil filter, filtered engine oil exits at an oil outlet of the oil filter and flows back into the engine where the oil may be used again by the engine components.
The oil filter may comprise an oil filter housing and one or more oil filter elements within the oil filter housing (not shown in
A controller 148 may be employed to control various components related to the vehicle system. In one embodiment, the controller includes a computer control system. The controller further includes computer readable storage media (not shown) including code for enabling on-board monitoring and control of vehicle operation. The controller, while overseeing control and management of the vehicle system, may receive signals from a variety of sensors 151, as further elaborated herein, to determine operating parameters and operating conditions, and correspondingly adjust various engine actuators 152 to control operation of the vehicle. For example, the controller may receive signals from various engine sensors including, but not limited to, engine speed, engine load, boost pressure, exhaust pressure, ambient pressure, exhaust temperature, and the like. Correspondingly, the controller may control aspects and operations of the vehicle system by sending commands to various components such as traction motors, alternator, cylinder valves, throttle, and the like.
Turning now to
The oil filter has two filter engagement surfaces or doors positioned at either end of the oil filter housing, including a first door 204 and a second door 206. The first door is arranged on a front side of the oil filter housing proximate the oil outlet, such that oil directed out of the oil filter through the oil outlet tube passes over the first door. The second door is arranged on the back side (e.g., opposite the front side) of the housing. The doors are sealable to the ends of the oil filter housing, at an engagement ring, for example, with a plurality of fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts) positioned around the circumference of each door. In one embodiment, the engagement ring may comprise a plurality of mounting brackets for fastening the door to the oil filter housing. The doors may be sealable to the ends of the oil filter housing such that no air or fluid may pass into or out of the oil filter through the doors when the doors are closed or sealed to the oil filter housing. In one embodiment, the doors may be seep-drawn closure doors.
Thus, in one embodiment, the oil filter system includes a first door coupled to a first open end of the housing and a second door coupled to a second open end of the housing, each door movably coupled to the housing via a respective set of hinges. Each open end of the housing includes an engagement ring configured to contact a respective engagement surface of the first door and the second door. The oil filter system further includes a first set of locking members to maintain the first door in contact with the housing and a second set of locking members to maintain the second door in contact with the housing.
The oil filter system includes a frame 214. The frame may provide support to the oil filter (e.g., prevent/protect from movement and/or vibration) and allow for mounting of the oil filter to a desired vehicle structure. Further, the frame may include mountings to couple various vehicle sub-assemblies to the oil filter.
As mentioned above, the frame may be integrated with the oil filter housing. Thus, the frame and housing may be a single component. In other embodiments, the frame may be coupled to the housing of the oil filter in a suitable manner, such as fastened (e.g., with bolts), welded, adhered with an adhesive, etc. The frame may be in face-sharing contact (e.g., directly contacting) with the oil filter housing. In some embodiments, the frame may contact the housing of the oil filter, but may not be permanently or removably fixed to the housing. The frame may be shaped to receive the oil filter, e.g., have concave curvature in the region that contacts the convex curvature of the oil filter. The frame may be comprised of a suitable material, such as stainless steel or other steel, aluminum, or other suitable material. Additional detail regarding the structure of the frame in combination with the oil filter will be provided below with respect to
The frame and oil filter housing will be described collectively with respect to
As explained above, the oil filter 130 includes a hollow cylindrical housing 202 configured to hold a plurality of oil filter elements. Each end of the housing includes a door to seal the oil filter.
The frame 214 of the oil filter comprises two sets of support arms. The first set of support arms 403, 503 is positioned on a first side of the oil filter housing with respect it the central axis, and a second set of support arms 402, 502 is positioned on a second side of the oil filter housing, where the second side is opposite the first side with respect the central axis. For example, the first side may be the left side of the housing and the second side may be the right side of the housing. The support arms extend from a bottom of the frame and along a portion of the oil filter housing, and terminate at a position above the oil filter housing. Each of the support arms may be parallel to each other and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the oil filter housing. Each support arm may have a first side that faces away from the oil filter housing that is substantially straight, and a second side that faces toward the oil filter housing that is curved to accommodate the oil filter housing. The second side of each support arm may be face-sharing contact (e.g., directly contacting) with the oil filter housing along a portion of the second side.
The first set of support arms includes a first front arm 403 and a first back arm 503. The first front arm may be positioned relatively proximate the front side of the oil filter and the front door of the oil filter. The first back arm may be positioned relatively proximate the back side and back door of the oil filter. Each of the first front arm and first back arm may be positioned a suitable distance from the respective oil filter door and a suitable distance from each other. As illustrated, the distance separating the first front arm and the first back arm may be greater than a distance between the oil filter housing-door interface and the respective support arm. Each of the first (front) door and second (back) door may swing open towards the first set of support arms. Each arm of the first set of support arms may be comprised of a single continuous piece of material, or one or both of the arms may be comprised of two or more pieces of material coupled (e.g., bolted, welded, etc.) together. Each arm of the first set of support arms includes one or more openings to facilitate mounting of a frame sub-assembly. The first front arm includes a straight surface 403a and a curved surface 403b opposite the straight surface. The curved surface may have a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the housing and may be contact with the housing and/or with an intervening saddle. Likewise, first back arm includes a straight surface 503a and a curved surface 503b opposite the straight surface. The curved surface may have a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the housing and may be contact with the housing and/or with an intervening saddle. The straight surface 403a and the straight surface 503a may be located in the same plane.
The second set of support arms includes a second front arm 402 and a second back arm 502. The second front arm may be positioned relatively proximate the front side of the oil filter and the front door of the oil filter. The second back arm may be positioned relatively proximate the back side and back door of the oil filter. Each of the second front arm and second back arm may be positioned a suitable distance from the respective oil filter door and a suitable distance from each other. As illustrated, the distance separating the second front arm and the second back arm may be greater than a distance between the oil filter housing-door interface and the respective support arm. Each of the first (front) door and second (back) door may swing open away the second set of support arms. Each arm of the second set of support arms may be comprised of a single continuous piece of material, or one or both of the arms may be comprised of two or more pieces of material coupled (e.g., bolted, welded, etc.) together. Each arm of the second set of support arms includes one or more openings to facilitate mounting of a frame sub-assembly. The second front arm may be positioned proximate the oil outlet and cylindrical tube. The second front arm may be in contact with the oil outlet/cylindrical tube to provide support to the cylindrical tube. The second front arm includes a straight surface 402a and a curved surface 402b opposite the straight surface. The curved surface may have a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the housing and may be contact with the housing and/or with an intervening saddle. Likewise, second back arm includes a straight surface 502a and a curved surface 502bopposite the straight surface. The curved surface may have a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the housing and may be contact with the housing and/or with an intervening saddle. The straight surface 402a and the straight surface 502a may be located in the same plane.
Each of the support arms may terminate at a coupling to a respective side support plate of the frame. The first set of support arms may be coupled to a first side support plate 414, while the second set of support arms may be coupled to a second side support plate 412. The first side support plate may extend along the first (e.g., left) side of the oil filter housing, while the second side support plate may extend along the second (e.g., right) side of the oil filter housing. Each of the side support plates may include various cut-outs, openings, or other sub-structures. Further, each of the side support plates may be in face-sharing (e.g., directly contacting) contact with the oil filter housing along a top side of each respective side support plate.
Each side support plate is coupled to two bottom support plates, including a front bottom support plate 410 and a back bottom support plate 510. (The bottom support plates may be referred to as brackets in some examples.) The front bottom support plate may span a width of the frame (e.g., may be coupled across the oil filter housing), underneath the oil filter housing, from the first side support plate to the second side support plate, and may be located proximate the first front support arm and the second front support arm. In some embodiments, the front bottom support plate may be in face-sharing contact with a portion of the oil filter housing (e.g., directly contacting), while in other embodiments a gap may be present between the front bottom support plate and the oil filter housing.
The back bottom support plate may span a width of the frame (e.g., may be coupled across the oil filter housing), underneath the oil filter housing, from the first side support plate to the second side support plate, and may be located proximate the first back support arm and the second back support arm. In some embodiments, the back bottom support plate may be in face-sharing contact with a portion of the oil filter housing (e.g., directly contacting), while in other embodiments a gap may be present between the back bottom support plate and the oil filter housing. Each of the front and back bottom support plates may include cut-outs, openings, mountings, or other sub-structures.
In some embodiments, the first front support arm and the front bottom support plate may couple to the first side support plate at a common location. Likewise, in some embodiments, the second front support arm and the front bottom support plate may couple to the second side support plate a common location.
In some embodiments, the first back support arm and the back bottom support plate may couple to the first side support plate at a common location. Likewise, in some embodiments, the second back support arm and the back bottom support plate may couple to the second side support plate a common location.
However, as will be appreciated in
In some embodiments, the frame may also include a middle brace 602 positioned under the oil filter housing and between the front and back bottom support plates. The middle brace may be coupled to each of the front and back bottom support plates. Further, in some embodiments a dirty side oil drain 802 may be present on the bottom of the oil filter housing, as shown in
Turning now to
As described previously, the oil filter housing 202, in an embodiment, is a hollow tube. (The tube may be cylindrical, or have some other shape, e.g., oval or square in cross section, that defines a hollow, elongate interior that is shaped to receive one or more filter elements.) As shown in
The central oil passage comprises a hollow cylinder positioned centrally along the longitudinal axis of the oil filter. The central oil passage includes a fluid opening which allows oil to pass from the interior cavity of the central oil passage to the oil outlet.
Each oil filter element may be annular shaped with a cylindrical bore centered along a longitudinal axis of the oil filter element. The oil filter element comprises a porous material, wherein the porous material may be one or more of a cellulose media or a fibrous media, for example. The pores of the oil filter element allow oil to pass through the filter element while entraining larger particles and/or impurities suspended in the oil. These particles may be too large to pass through the pores, thereby causing them to remain within the porous material of the oil filter element. As such, a smaller pore size of the porous media may allow more particles to be removed from the engine oil.
Engine oil may flow from a supply source (e.g., the engine) into the oil filter through the oil inlet. Engine oil passes through the porous material of the oil filter element and into the cylindrical bore. Engine oil then flows through the bore toward the central oil passage. Each filter element may be coupled to a respective cylindrical projecting tube (such as cylindrical projecting tube 1010), which allows engine oil to flow from the cylindrical bore of the oil filter element to the interior cavity of the central oil passage. Engine oil then flows through the cavity of the central oil passage and out the fluid opening to the oil outlet. Filtered oil may then return to the engine.
In some embodiments, a clean side oil drain 1012 may be present in the central oil passage. The drain may allow excess oil to drain out of the oil filter and collect in a sump (e.g., oil pan) under the oil filter, for example. The clean side drain may used if a catastrophic failure of filter were to occur, then the clean side of the oil filter housing may be compromised. This clean side oil drain may have a magnet drain plug that can be checked for metallic fragments. If it does have metallic fragments then the clean chamber would need cleaned out. A removable cover 1014 can be taken off to give access to the clean chamber (central oil passage 1004). This allows canister to be re-used without risk of future cleanliness issues of the engine.
As explained above, the oil filter may be coupled to one or more vehicle sub-assemblies via the frame.
The fuel sub-assembly includes a fuel filter 1202 (herein illustrated as two fuel filter stacked vertically), a fuel drain tank 1204, a fuel transfer pump 1206, a fuel water separator 1212, a fuel heater 1214, a fuel drain 1216, a fuel strainer 1218, and a fuel vent 1220. The components of the fuel sub-assembly are mounted to the frame of the oil filter via the second frame sub-assembly 320.
The oil cooler sub-assembly includes an oil cooler 1210 mounted to the frame of the oil filter via first frame sub-assembly 310. The oil cooler may be a suitable heat exchanger, such as a brazed heat exchanger (BHE), configured to transfer heat between oil and a thermal fluid, such as engine coolant.
Also shown in
In this way, the fuel components may be consolidated into one sub-assembly. As shown in
By packaging the oil filer, fuel sub-assembly, and oil cooler sub-assembly in the manner described above, lower costs may be obtained due to a smaller package size and weight reduction. For example, the entire assembly may be approximately 14 inches (35 cm) shorter than previous configurations, leaving increased space for a coalescer and optimizing a water inlet pipe. Further, the entire assembly may be approximately 175 pounds (80 kg) lighter than previous configurations. The configuration described herein may also provide for enhanced serviceability, due to increased fuel-water separator and pre-lube pump access as well as the positioning of the fuel filter drain and oil filter drain on the same side of the assembly.
An embodiment for an oil filter is provided. The oil filter comprises a housing. The housing comprises a hollow cylinder having a convex curvature. Within the housing, a plurality of oil filter elements are disposed. A frame supports the housing. The frame comprises two sets of support arms, each support arm having a first, straight side facing away from the oil filter housing and a second, curved side having a concave curvature in one or more regions that contact the convex curvature of the oil filter housing. The frame includes one or more mountings configured to support one or more vehicle sub-assemblies.
In an embodiment, the frame has a first set of mountings to couple to a first frame sub-assembly and a second set of mountings to couple to a second frame sub-assembly. The first frame sub-assembly is configured to couple a fuel sub-assembly to the frame, and the second frame sub-assembly is configured to couple an oil cooler sub-assembly to the frame. The frame may include a set of side support plates and a set of bottom support plates. A first side support plate may couple to a first set of the two sets of support arms, and a second side support plate may couple to a second set of the two sets of support arms. A first, front bottom support plate may couple to the first and second side support plates. A second, back bottom support plate may couple to the first and second side support plates.
In an embodiment, the frame is not, or is not part of, an engine block. In another embodiment, the frame is not part of the vehicle frame. The frame may be a separate support of the oil filter that may also be used to support other sub-assemblies.
Another embodiment relates to a system. The system comprises an oil filter comprising a housing within which are disposed a plurality of oil filter elements. The system also comprises a fuel sub-assembly and an oil cooler sub-assembly. The fuel sub-assembly comprises one or more of a fuel filter, a fuel drain tank, a fuel transfer pump, a fuel water separator, a fuel heater, a fuel drain, a fuel strainer, or a fuel vent. The oil-cooler sub-assembly comprises a brazed heat exchanger. The system further comprises a frame coupling the fuel sub-assembly and the oil cooler sub-assembly to the oil filter. In some embodiments, the frame is separate from an engine block and/or a vehicle frame.
As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising,” “including,” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property. The terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-language equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements or a particular positional order on their objects.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 62/088,758, filed Dec. 8, 2014, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein by reference for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62088758 | Dec 2014 | US |
