Marine propulsion – Means for accomodating or moving engine fluids – Cooling for engine
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-15
2004-08-17
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Means for accomodating or moving engine fluids
Cooling for engine
Reexamination Certificate
active
06776677
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to engine maintenance devices, more particularly to a device for flushing water cooling systems and winterizing these same systems for marine engines.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Efforts are constantly being taken to improve fresh water flushing systems for marine engines, due to the degrading effects of corrosion brought about by salt within the confines of the water cooling systems of the engines. Fresh water flushing systems is strongly recommended universally by every single marine engine manufacturer because flushing fresh water through a marine engine substantially prolongs the life of the equipment, lowers the maintenance costs, and consequently protects the significant investment in the engine itself. It is also well known that any water cooled engine should be also be protected against freezing because of the threat of a cracked block brought about by increase in the volume of water when shifting from the water phase to the solid phase, i.e., freezing. Prior art devices and techniques range from the simple to the complex. For example, a garden hose can be plumbed into a marine engine and subsequently be used to flush the salt water within the engine with fresh water. Another example might simply be opening up a drain valve on the engine. Traditional flushing systems currently available are time consuming to use, error prone, and in many cases just not feasible to use for commercial crafts or pleasure crafts.
A wide variety of engine flushing devices is currently available on the commercial market and an even larger number of these types of devices are known in the art of engine flushing, for example, the purge valve for cooling fluid conduit systems disclosed by Maxon in U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,612; the fresh water flushing kit disclosed by Patti in U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,618; the flushing valve for inboard boat engines disclosed by Parker in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,880; the fresh water flushing system disclosed by Brogdon in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,252; the mini fresh water flushing device disclosed by Brogdon in U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,023; and the chemical dispenser valve for a boat engine flusher disclosed by Peeples in U.S. Pat. No. D368,129.
While all of the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an engine flushing device having a connector attachable to an output of a garden hose; a conduit; a shutoff valve having a shutoff gate; a fluid entry valve having a fluid entry gate; and a tube which is operatively attachable to the intake port of the engine. This combination of elements would specifically match the user's particular individual needs of making it possible to conveniently winterize and flush a marine engine by performing the steps of adjoining, affixing, aligning, conjoining, connecting, coupling, lining, mating, moving, obtaining, placing, positioning, running, and turning. The above-described patents make no provision for an engine flushing device having a connector attachable to an output of a garden hose; a conduit; a shutoff valve having a shutoff gate; a fluid entry valve having a fluid entry gate; and a tube which is operatively attachable to the intake port of the engine.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved engine flushing device having a connector attachable to an output of a garden hose; a conduit; a shutoff valve having a shutoff gate; a fluid entry valve having a fluid entry gate; and a tube which is operatively attachable to the intake port of the engine. In this respect, the engine flushing device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a convenient means for winterizing and/or flushing a marine engine by performing the steps of adjoining, affixing, aligning, conjoining, connecting, coupling, lining, mating, moving, obtaining, placing, positioning, running, and turning.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present device and associated method of using, according to the principles of the present invention, overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a engine flushing device and an associated method. The device includes a connector attachable to an output of a garden hose; a conduit; a shutoff valve having a shutoff gate; a fluid entry valve having a fluid entry gate; and a tube which is operatively attachable to the intake port of the engine. The method includes the steps of adjoining, affixing, aligning, conjoining, connecting, coupling, lining, mating, moving, obtaining, placing, positioning, running, and turning.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known type engine flushing devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved engine flushing device, which will be described subsequently in great detail, is to provide a new and improved engine flushing device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a connector attachable to an output of a garden hose; a conduit; a shutoff valve having a shutoff gate; a fluid entry valve having a fluid entry gate; and a tube which is operatively attachable to the intake port of the engine.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution of the art may be better appreciated.
The invention may also include an optional funnel. There are of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved engine flushing device that has all the advantages of the prior art engine flushing device and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved engine flushing device that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved engine flushing device that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such multipurpose storage unit and system economically available to the buying public.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new engine flushing device that provides in the apparatuses a
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