Motor vehicles – With plural fuel tanks
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-21
2001-04-10
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Motor vehicles
With plural fuel tanks
C285S062000, C285S133110, C285S124100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213243
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dual draw and return fuel manifold with an integral mounting bracket for use on a mobile vehicle containing at least two fuel tanks such as a heavy duty truck. The invention overcomes problems associated with assembling several fittings to a bracket and reduces the opportunities for leaks to develop in a vehicle fuel system by incorporating the fittings and mounting apparatus into a one piece design.
THE PRIOR ART
Heretofore, vehicles with dual fuel tanks required multiple fittings to provide parallel supply and return of fuel to and from an internal combustion engine of the vehicle. Diesel engines reject some fuel hence the requirement for a fuel return. There were fuel lines that ran from each tank as a supply. At some point the lines joined to become a single fuel supply line to the engine fuel system. In most cases conventional single piece or multi-piece Tee joints were used. The fuel which was unused by the engine was returned by a single fuel line which at some time split to return to both fuel tanks. Conventional single pieces in combination or multi-piece tee joints also accomplished this return fuel split. The tee joints were mounted directly to a chassis component such as a frame rail or a frame rail to frame rail cross support or the tee joints were mounted to one or more mounting brackets. The mounting brackets would be mounted to a chassis component or a chassis mounted component. Some of the prior art mounting brackets and tee joints are shown in
FIGS. 1
to
6
. The prior art embodiment shown in
FIG. 1
has a separate steel bracket
210
with a high flow return flow splitter
211
engaged to the steel bracket
210
. There are separate straight brass fittings
212
engaged to each side of the return flow splitter
211
, with a 45 degree brass fitting
213
engaged to the front of the return flow splitter
211
. There is a separate brass elbow
214
engaged to a brass bulkhead fitting
215
through a hole in the steel bracket
210
. The bulkhead fitting
215
is engaged to a brass tee
216
. In the prior art shown in
FIG. 2
, there is a separate steel bracket
220
. There are separate brass elbows
221
engaged to brass bulkhead fittings
222
. There are separate brass tees
223
engaged to the bulkhead fittings
222
. The main draw back of the prior art was the complexity of assembly which added both time and cost to vehicle production. The prior art shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
a
to
4
g
have integral passageways
230
, however these were valves with unnecessary complexity in the distribution pathway. The tortuous pathway shown in
FIG. 4
f
reduces the ability of the manifold to effectively distribute fuel due to pressure head loss. Additionally, the mounting arrangement of the prior art shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
a
to
4
g
is too cumbersome for vehicle chassis mounting.
FIGS. 5
a
to
5
d
show an additional prior art design. There is a separate bracket
240
with separate tees
241
as in the other prior art shown. A different prior art tee
242
is shown in FIG.
6
. There is a need for a non-complex, single piece, dual fuel supply and return manifold with an integral mounting bracket for use on a mobile vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a simple one piece dual draw and return fuel manifold with an integral mounting bracket for use on a mobile vehicle.
A manifold that contains two three way tees integrated onto a mounting bracket or body meets the primary object of invention as well as other objects. The mounting bracket has two engagement legs for engagement to a chassis or a chassis mounted component. One such chassis mounted component would be an upper portion of a vehicle transmission of the vehicle drive train. In a preferred embodiment these engagement legs will be engaged on the upper sides of a transmission of the vehicle. The return and supply manifolds may be located one on top of another on the manifold such that they may be easily connected to the tubing of the fuel system. The mounting bracket in one embodiment is on a slight angle such that the hook up to the engine from each of the return and supply three way tees are at a slight up angle rather than horizontal. The slight up angle of the hook up to engine ports of the three way tees further improves the accessibility for installation on an assembly line. In a second embodiment the two three way tees may be integrated into a single body unit with the two engagement legs.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1483663 (1924-02-01), Johnson
patent: 3088755 (1963-05-01), Klamm
patent: 4287908 (1981-09-01), Storgard
patent: 5018499 (1991-05-01), Usui
patent: 5323808 (1994-06-01), Shimizu
DePoy Michael C.
Studebaker Curt J.
Calfa Jeffrey P.
Dennis Kelly Sullivan Gilberto Hernandez
English Peter C.
Navistar International Transportation Corp.
Powell Neil T.
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