Claims
- 1. An anti-drainback apparatus for a filter used in a vehicle transmission, comprising:
a neck member disposed at one of an outlet and inlet of the filter; and a body disposed in said neck member of the filter, said body which is movable to either one of seal with said neck member and prevent fluid from passing downward through said neck member, and unseal from said neck member and allow fluid to pass through said neck member and exit through the filter outlet.
- 2. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a seal disposed within said neck member and around an internal periphery thereof, such that said body abuts said seal to prevent fluid from passing through said neck member and draining back into the filter.
- 3. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 1, wherein said body is a conical body, and said conical body further comprises:
a top opening at one end, and a platform base at another end, said conical body having slanted sides which narrow inward from said top opening toward said platform base; and a plurality of locating tabs disposed around an outer peripheral surface of said top opening of said conical body.
- 4. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 3, said conical body further comprising a plurality of installation tabs disposed below and attached to said platform base of said conical body, said installation tabs which are disposed proximate each other with a space therebetween.
- 5. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 4, wherein said neck member has an opening in which a support rib is disposed, said support rib having a central opening therein, said installation tabs which are inserted within said central opening.
- 6. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 5, wherein said installation tabs each have an outer ribbed portion at a base thereof, said outer ribbed portion which abuts said central opening at a periphery thereof, to prevent said installation tabs from being removed from said central opening of said support rib during use.
- 7. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 2, wherein said seal is one of an o-ring and a multi-lobed seal.
- 8. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 7, wherein said seal is comprised of rubber with a metal carrier.
- 9. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 6, wherein said ribbed portion is one of integral with said installation tabs and attached to said installation tabs by adhering means.
- 10. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 3, wherein said slanted sides of said conical body abuts said seal when said conical body is disposed in said neck member, to seal said neck member and prevent fluid from flowing downward through said neck member and draining back into the filter.
- 11. The anti-drainback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conical member is comprised of one of plastic, metal, and metal and plastic composite.
- 12. The anti-drainback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conical body further comprises retaining means for retaining said conical body within said neck member.
- 13. The anti-drainback apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said retaining means comprises a plurality of installation tabs disposed below and attached to said platform base of said conical body, said installation tabs each having an outer ribbed portion at a base thereof.
- 14. The anti-drainback apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said platform base of said conical body covers said opening of said neck member when said conical body is inserted in said neck member and seals with said neck member.
- 15. An anti-drainback apparatus for a filter used in a vehicle transmission, comprising:
a neck member disposed at one of an inlet and an outlet of the filter; means for preventing drainback of fluid downward through said neck member.
- 16. The anti-drainback apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said drainback prevention means comprises:
a body disposed in said neck member of the filter; and a seal disposed within said neck member and around an internal periphery thereof; wherein said body is movable within said neck member to abut said seal in one position, to prevent fluid from draining backward through said neck member.
- 17. The anti-drainback apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said drainback prevention means comprises means for sealing said neck member.
- 18. The anti-drainback apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said sealing means comprises:
a conical body disposed in said neck member of the filter, said conical body having a top opening at one end and a platform base at another end, and having slanted sides which narrow inward from said top opening toward said platform base; and a seal disposed within said neck member and around an internal periphery thereof; wherein said slanted sides of said conical body abut said seal to prevent fluid from passing downward through said neck member and draining back into the filter.
- 19. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 16, wherein said conical body further comprises:
a top opening at one end, and a platform base at another end, and having slanted sides which narrow inward from said top opening toward said platform base; wherein said slanted sides of said conical body abut said seal to prevent fluid from passing downward through said neck member and draining back into the filter.
- 20. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 19, wherein said conical body further comprises a plurality of locating tabs disposed around an outer peripheral surface of said top opening of said conical body.
- 21. The anti-drainback apparatus of claim 20, wherein said conical body further comprises a plurality of installation tabs disposed below and attached to said platform base of said conical body, said installation tabs which are disposed proximate each other with a space therebetween.
- 22. A method of preventing drainback of fluid from a pump of a vehicle transmission into a filter, comprising:
inserting a seal into a neck member of the filter, such that said seal is disposed around an internal periphery of said neck member; and inserting a body into said neck member such that said body abuts said seal and seals said neck member such that fluid can not drain backward through said neck member.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein said body inserting step further comprises:
inserting a plurality of installation tabs disposed at a base of said body into a central opening of a support rib disposed at a central position of said neck member.
- 24. The method of claim 23, wherein said installation tabs inserting step further comprises:
pressing said body downward into the filter outlet such that said installation tabs are pressed together and close a space between said installation tabs to allow insertion of said installation tabs into said central opening of said support rib.
- 25. The method of claim 22, wherein said body inserting step further comprises:
sealing slanted sides of said body against said seal such that fluid can not drain back downward from the transmission into the filter.
- 26. A method of operation of an anti-drainback apparatus which prevents drainback of fluid from a transmission of a vehicle engine into a filter, comprising:
inserting a seal into a neck member of the filter, such that said seal is disposed around an internal periphery of said neck member; inserting a body into said neck member such that said body abuts said seal and seals said neck member; applying a vacuum to the filter such that said body is pulled upward, breaking the seal between said body and said neck member and allowing fluid flow through the neck member and out through the filter into the transmission; and removing said vacuum to the filter such that said body slides backward in said neck member and returns to a sealing position with said seal.
- 27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising retaining said body in said neck member during the vacuum applying step by an abutment of outer ribbed portions on installation tabs located at a base of said body, against a support rib disposed in an opening of said neck member.
- 28. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of applying said vacuum is performed by turning on the vehicle engine, and said step of removing said vacuum is performed by turning off the vehicle engine.
PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims priority to the Provisional U.S. Patent Application entitled, RECIPROCATING CONE ANTI-DRAINBACK APPARATUS, filed Sep. 19, 2001, in the name of James B. Wolford et al., disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.