Internal-combustion engines – Cooling – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-20
2003-02-25
Miller, Carl S. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Cooling
Combined
C123S1950AC, C165S041000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06523507
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to engine coolant systems. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved mounting arrangement for a coolant overflow container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Liquid cooled internal combustion engines circulate coolant fluid through one or more cooling circuits having conduit connected to a radiator to cool heat generating components of the engine, such as the cylinders. Coolant fluid expands in volume from heat picked up from the engine. The coolant system therefore must release the additional volume by evacuating it or accommodating it in an expansion or overflow container. The latter option is preferred in that it does not waste the coolant by dumping it to the surrounding environment.
Expansion or overflow containers are commonly used in the cooling circuit of internal combustion engines. The containers are typically connected to the highest point of the radiator, such as the fill cup, by suitable tubing. The containers are commonly mounted near the radiator by a bracket secured in place by threaded fasteners. This requires manufacture and assembly of the mounting hardware and either permanently mounts the container or requires tools to remove it. In the event the container needs to be replaced, it will thus first need to be dismounted.
It is desirable to keep the overflow container near the radiator to minimize tubing and thereby potential leakage from damaged or corroded tubing. Neighboring components, such as the fan and fan shroud, are ordinarily not suited for mounting the overflow container. The fan is revolving and the fan shroud is ordinarily sandwiched between the radiator and the cylinder block and thus cannot accommodate an overflow container.
U.S. Pats. 3,692,004 and 6,189,492 B1 disclose fan shrouds with integral fluid reservoirs or receptacles such that separate assembly is not required. In these patents, however, the fan shrouds are molded to include the fluid receptacles in a unitary structure. Thus, if a receptacle was punctured or cracked so that fluid leaked, the entire fan shroud would need to be replaced, thus resulting in considerable waste and expense. Also, the fan shroud would need to be disassembled from the radiator, which is more difficult than removing only a separate coolant container. Moreover, the overflow receptacles are molded of the same material as the fan shroud body, which is typically a more rigid and costly plastic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a fan shroud with a mount for a detachable overflow bottle for use in the cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine.
Specifically, in a liquid cooled internal combustion engine having a fan, a radiator containing coolant fluid pumped through a cooling circuit for cooling heat generating components of the engine, and a fan shroud disposed about the fan to direct air from the fan to the radiator for cooling the coolant, the invention provides for the fan shroud to include a bottle mount detachably mounting an overflow bottle that is connectible to the radiator to receive coolant. The bottle mount is preferably integral with the unitary part of the fan shroud.
In one form, the bottle mount includes a deflectable bottle clip with a latch end for engaging the overflow bottle in a snap fit. The bottle mount forms a cradle for supporting the bottom and sides of the overflow bottle. The cradle has a planar base extending between spaced sides.
The shroud body further includes a fan-receiving flange along the periphery of the fan opening. The flange forms a part of one of the sides of the bottle mount. The opposite side of the mount includes an inwardly projecting, preferably convex, locking surface for retaining the overflow bottle in the bottle mount. The shroud body tapers down at the outward ends and forms a recess at the bottle mount sized to accommodate a portion of the overflow bottle.
Another aspect of the invention is an overflow coolant bottle for mounting to the fan shroud. The coolant bottle is constructed to snap into, and be detachable from, the bottle mount of the fan shroud. Specifically, the coolant bottle has a bottom joined to a top by side walls defining front, back and opposite side faces. The front face includes a recess sized to engage the bottle clip of the bottle mount and one of the side faces includes a recess extending from the front face to the back face for engaging the locking feature of the bottle mount.
The invention thus provides a one-piece fan shroud and bottle mount for securing a specially designed overflow bottle for accommodating excess engine coolant. The overflow bottle can be easily installed and removed from the shroud without tools. No assembly is required for the mount to the fan shroud and the overflow bottle can simply be snapped into the bottle mount from the front of the bottle mount to secure it in an upright position. The overflow bottle can also be disengaged and removed from the fan shroud easily by pushing the bottle clip outward. The fan shroud can be mounted to the radiator so that the bottle mount is close to the radiator fill opening, thus minimizing the required overflow tubing.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed description which follows. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.
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Bracht Jeffrey L.
Reineking Jerry R.
Schmitz Gregory E.
Kohler Co.
Miller Carl S.
Quarles & Brady LLP
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