Power plants – Pressure fluid source and motor – Pulsator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-13
2001-02-20
Lopez, F. Daniel (Department: 3745)
Power plants
Pressure fluid source and motor
Pulsator
C060S453000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189319
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the removal of contaminants from a hydraulic system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The braking system of a motor vehicle is generally bled by opening the bleed valve for each brake individually and pumping the brakes. This procedure not only requires two people but is also very time-consuming.
These drawbacks are overcome by U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,823 in which a reciprocating pump is used to pump brake fluid into the servo cylinders of the braking system. Bleeding of a brake is complete when clear brake fluid enters the reservoir of the master cylinder. In order for the person bleeding the brakes to ascertain that clear brake fluid is entering the reservoir, a long feed line must be provided from the pump to the brake being bled. This is cumbersome.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,417 employs a motor-driven rotary pump for bleeding a braking system. The pump inlet is immersed in the reservoir of the master cylinder while the pump outlet is connected to a manifold. Flexible hoses lead from the manifold to the bleed valves of the respective servo cylinders. In operation, brake fluid is pumped from the reservoir to the servo cylinders via the manifold and the flexible hoses. The brake fluid returns to the reservoir through the brake lines of the braking system. This arrangement is complicated and, in addition, requires considerable time to set up.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,629 eliminates these problems by injecting brake fluid into the servo cylinders via a syringe. However, the syringe is associated with its own difficulties. To begin with, two hands are required to operate the syringe. Furthermore, the syringe cannot be very large since otherwise the force necessary to operate the syringe becomes excessive. Due to the limited size of the syringe, the syringe must be refilled frequently thereby increasing the time to bleed the braking system. In addition, the refilling operation requires disconnection of the syringe from the brake system and the attendant risk of introducing air upon reconnection. Moreover, following the injection of brake fluid with the syringe, the master cylinder must be observed to insure that all air bubbles are dissipated. Finally, as a practical matter people tend to impart too much force to the syringe at the beginning of each bleeding operation and cause rapid flow and upward splashing and/or spilling of fluid from the master cylinder.
Prior application Ser. No. 08/441,187 discloses a portable pump or fluid conveying device which is simpler and quicker than the syringe. Although the pump operates very satisfactorily, it has been found that certain improvements would be beneficial. For instance, the prior application fails to teach a convenient manner of priming the pump. Moreover, while the prior application discloses pressure bleeding, there are situations where vacuum bleeding, either alone or in combination with pressure bleeding, yields best results. Accordingly, it would be of advantage if the pump could be easily switched back-and-forth. Furthermore, although the prior application shows the pump connected to the servo cylinder of a brake system, pressure bleeding through a master cylinder reservoir is recommended under certain circumstances. However, since different reservoirs have openings of different size, it is not possible to employ the pump for a variety of reservoirs.
In addition, a problem exists with the portable pump as well as with other arrangements for bleeding or flushing hydraulic systems. This is the lack of any provision for protecting hydraulic fluid from air when hydraulic fluid is delivered to a hydraulic system. Thus, hydraulic fluid tends to deteriorate when it comes into contact with air. The improvements addressed in this application are directed at solving these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement which allows a fluid conveying device to be conveniently primed.
Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which can easily adapt a fluid conveying device to apply either pressure or suction to a hydraulic system.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which permits a fluid conveying device to be adjusted to openings of different size.
A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple method of priming a fluid conveying device.
One more object of the invention is to provide a relatively quick method of switching a fluid conveying device between pressurization and suctioning of a hydraulic system.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method which makes it possible for a fluid conveying device to pressurize hydraulic systems through openings of different size.
It is also an object of the invention to package hydraulic fluid in a manner which makes it possible to limit exposure of the hydraulic fluid to air during delivery to a hydraulic system.
Finally, another object of the invention is to provide a method which enables hydraulic fluid to be supplied to a hydraulic system while inhibiting contact of the hydraulic fluid with air.
The preceding objects, as well as other which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by the invention.
One aspect of the invention resides in an arrangement for removing contaminants from a hydraulic system. The arrangement comprises a portable fluid conveying device for introducing fluid into or evacuating fluid from the hydraulic system, and the device has an inlet and an outlet.
In one embodiment, the arrangement further comprises a first conduit connectible with the inlet, a second conduit connectible with said outlet, and a portable container for fluid introduced into or discharged from the hydraulic system. The container has a first opening for fluid and a second opening for fluid, and the first conduit is connectible with one of the openings whereas the second conduit is connectible with the other of the openings.
When the first conduit is connected to the inlet of the fluid conveying device and to one opening of the container while the second conduit is connected to the outlet of the device and to the other opening of the container, a flow path through the device is established. This permits the fluid conveying device to be primed in a convenient manner with fluid from the container.
Another embodiment of the arrangement comprises a first conduit connectible with the inlet of the fluid conveying device, a second conduit connectible with the outlet of the device, and a third conduit connectible with the hydraulic system. This embodiment additionally comprises a first coupling element for the first conduit, a second coupling element for the second conduit, and a third coupling element for the third conduit. The third coupling element is complementary to both the first and second coupling elements.
Since the third coupling element is complementary to the first coupling element as well as the second coupling element, the third conduit can be connected to each of the first and second conduits. The third conduit, which is connectible to the hydraulic system, may consequently be coupled to either the inlet or the outlet of the fluid conveying device. The fluid conveying device can thus be readily made to apply pressure or suction to the hydraulic system.
An additional embodiment of the arrangement comprises a resilient adapter for the fluid conveying device to allow the latter to charge fluid through openings of different size.
The resilient adapter enables the fluid conveying device to be adjusted to openings of various sizes. This makes it possible to use the device for different types of hydraulic systems.
Still another aspect of the invention resides in a hydraulic fluid packet. The packet comprises a container including at least one receptacle, and hydraulic fluid in the receptacle. The receptacle is collapsible in response to withdrawal of the hydraulic fluid from the receptacle.
If the receptacle is allowed to collapse onto the hydraulic fluid as the hydraulic fluid is evacuated,
Durando Antonio R.
Lopez F. Daniel
Phoenix Systems, L.L.C.
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