Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Apparatus – With treating fluid purifying or separating means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-22
2004-11-23
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Apparatus
With treating fluid purifying or separating means
C134S16600C, C134S16900A, C210S203000, C123S19800E
Reexamination Certificate
active
06820627
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a direct fuel injector cleaner injection device. More particularly, the invention relates to a device which is connected in-line with the fuel supply of an engine, and automatically mixes fuel injector cleaner with the fuel before it reaches the engine.
Since the mid '80s, fuel injection has largely replaced carburetion as a system for supplying fuel to the cylinders of internal combustion engines. With carbureted engines, gasoline had a tendency to “gum up” in time. However, since fuel injection employs plumbing having much smaller openings, both “gumming” of gasoline and impurities can easily clog fuel injection tubing and either reduce engine performance or cause cylinder “missing”.
Accordingly, fuel injector cleaner is mandated by most automobile manufacturers to keep the injection system clean and purge impurities. However, adding fuel injector cleaner to gasoline requires regular action by the automobile owner. Such action is often forgotten, ignored, or neglected. Thus, the greater majority of automobiles having fuel injection systems are not maintained properly.
What is desired is a system which effectively cleans fuel injectors on a regular basis, but which does not require frequent intervention by the automobile owner.
Various manufacturers have included fuel filters which seek to eliminate or reduce fuel impurities, so that they do not reach the engine or fuel injection system. However, such filters are incapable of cleaning the inevitable clogging of fuel injectors. In fact, depending on the nature of the filter used, such filters can actually impeded fuel injector cleaner added to the gas tank from reaching the injectors.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to produce a fuel injector cleaner injection device which automatically and continuously adds fuel injector cleaner to the fuel supply in an automobile, so that fuel injector cleaning takes place whenever the automobile is in use. Accordingly, the device mixes fuel injector cleaner solution with the fuel before it reaches the engine.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a fuel injector cleaner injection device which adds fuel injector cleaner on a continual basis without frequent intervention by the automobile owner. Accordingly, the device installs “in-line”, between the gas tank and/or fuel filter of the automobile and the engine. The device houses or attaches to a reservoir of fuel injector cleaner which is constantly mixed with the fuel supply before it reaches the engine.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a fuel injector cleaner injection device which is adjustable by the user to control the rate of fuel injector cleaner injection and the relative mix of cleaner to fuel. Accordingly, the device has an adjustment valve for allowing varying degrees of injector cleaner to be mixed, to accommodate different engine and driving conditions, different grades of gasoline, and the like. The device can further be adjusted to enhance the flow of cleaner during periods of poor engine performance which is suspect of being related to clogging.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a fuel injector cleaner injection device which can itself filter impurities from the gasoline. Accordingly, the device has filters which mechanically remove impurities from the gasoline, to provide an extra level of protection, and to compensate for the lack of fuel filters in many automobiles.
The invention is a fuel injector cleaner injection device for use with an automobile having an engine having a fuel injection system, a fuel supply, and a fuel line extending between the fuel supply and fuel injection system, the device having a main housing defining an interior volume, and a reservoir. The main housing has a first side having a fuel in port which is connected to the fuel line as it extends to the fuel supply, a second side having a fuel out port which is connected to the fuel line as it extends to the engine, and a bottom wall having a cleaner in port in communication with the reservoir through an adjustment valve. During use of the automobile, fuel flows from the fuel supply through the fuel in port through the interior volume to the fuel out port into the engine. The reservoir contains fuel injector cleaner, which is selectively introduced into the fuel flow in the interior volume of the housing through the cleaner in port, under the control of the adjustment valve.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however,that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.
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patent: 4784170 (1988-11-01), Romanelli et al.
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patent: 5287834 (1994-02-01), Flynn
patent: 5516370 (1996-05-01), Karnauchow et al.
patent: 6073907 (2000-06-01), Schreiner et al.
patent: 6238554 (2001-05-01), Martin et al.
patent: 6584993 (2003-07-01), Chang
Goldstein Law Offices P.C.
Perrin Joseph
Stinson Frankie L.
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