Apparatus for filling a motor vehicle cooling system

The apparatus for filling a motor vehicle cooling system includes a communication body, a valve, a flexible connecting hose, a pressure gauge, a relief valve and a hanging portion, in which the valve, the connecting hose, the pressure gauge, the relief valve and the hanging portion are all disposed on predetermined positions of the communication body, while the connecting hose is extended out of the communication body for a distance and it connects to a top opening of the cooling system tightly by a metallic cap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for filling a motor vehicle cooling system, and particularly to an apparatus that the coolant is drawn by the vacuum created in a cooling system after evacuating air therefrom.

2. Description of the Prior Art

As shown in Taiwan patent No. M249880, a conventional apparatus for filling a cooling system is connected to a top opening of an engine cooling system by an enlargeable plastic cap thereof. However, the connection between the cooling system and the cap is unsatisfyingly instable, i.e. the connection could be broken by an accidental crash, which causes great trouble of the users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus to tightly cover the top opening of a cooling system.

To achieve the above object, the apparatus of the present invention includes a communication body, a valve, a flexible connecting hose, a pressure gauge, a relief valve and a hanging portion, in which the valve, the connecting hose, the pressure gauge, the relief valve and the hanging portion are all disposed on predetermined positions of the communication body, while the connecting hose is extended out of the communication body for a distance and it connects to a top opening of the cooling system tightly by a metallic cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIG. 1. The apparatus of the present invention includes a communication body10, a valve20, a flexible connecting hose30, a pressure gauge40, a relief valve50and a hanging portion60. The communication body10includes a horizontal through hole and a vertical through hole communicating with each other. The horizontal through hole has a first end11and a second end12, and the vertical through hole has a third end13and a fourth end14. In addition, there are a plurality of horizontal ribs15and vertical ribs16disposed around an outer surface of the communication body10to form square structures to increase the mechanical strength of the communication body10.

Furthermore, the valve20has an inner passage and a switch21for selectively opening or closing the inner passage. One end of the valve20connects to the first end11of the communication body10, communicating the inner passage with the horizontal through hole. On another end of the valve20is disposed a first quick release female coupling22. In other words, the communication between an aperture within the first quick release female coupling22and the horizontal through hole is broken when the switch21is in its closed position (as shown inFIG. 1); and the communication therebetween is maintained when the switch21is in its open position (as shown inFIG. 2).

The connecting hose30extends out of the communication body20for a distance, and it is made of plastic material, i.e. PVC, with flexibility. Therefore, the connecting hose30comes in handy in the crowded motor vehicle engine room. One end of the connecting hose30connects to the second end12of the communication body10and communicates with the horizontal through hole, and another end thereof is disposed a metallic cap31for tightly covering a top opening of the cooling system such as a radiator or a recovery tank thereof. In the present embodiment, a metallic adaptor17is installed on the second end12to couple with the end of the connecting hose30, and a quick release assembly32is disposed between the cap31and the connecting hose30. The quick release assembly32includes a second quick release female coupling321and a third quick release male coupling322for detachably connecting to the second quick release female coupling321. the second quick release female coupling321is installed on the end of the connecting hose30away from the communication body10, and the third quick release male coupling322is installed on the cap31. Accordingly, the users can replace the cap31with another, which is with suitable dimension corresponding to the opening of the radiator. In addition, the cap31is ‘locked’ on the opening such that the connection between the cap31and the radiator is much more tightened than a conventional plastic cap can achieve. The cap31is especially made of metallic material so that it is rigid and durable to bear the great pressure difference caused by the vacuum.

Moreover, the pressure gauge40is disposed on the third end13of the communication body10to determine the pressure within the through holes. The relief valve50is disposed on the fourth end14of the communication body10for adjusting the pressure difference between the through holes and the surrounding. In addition, the hanging portion60is disposed on a predetermined position of the communication body10so that the communication body10can be hung onto the hood or anywhere suitable. Therefore, when the apparatus of the present invention is in use, the users won't have to hold the apparatus so as to take care of other operations. Preferably, the hanging portion60is made of metallic material and it is integrally formed with a plurality of hanging circles61in a bending manner.

In the present invention, the first quick release female22can be selectively connected to an evacuation adaptor23or a water drawing adaptor24. The evacuation adaptor23includes a sucking end231, and inlet232and an outlet233which communicate with each other. On the sucking end is disposed a first quick release male coupling234to couple with the first quick release female coupling22. The inlet232is connected to a compression air source such as a compressor, while the outlet233is for evacuating air therefrom. Furthermore, on one end the water drawing adaptor24is disposed a second quick release male coupling241to couple with the first quick release female coupling22, and a water drawing hose242is attached to another end thereof.

Please refer toFIG. 2toFIG. 4for the usage status of the present invention. Now refer toFIG. 2first. The first quick release female coupling22is connecting with the evacuation adaptor23, and the inlet232is connecting to a compressor. Meanwhile, the cap31is air-tightly locked on a top opening of the radiator (if there is a recovery tank, the cap31will be locked on the opening thereof), and the switch21is on its open position. Accordingly, the sucking end231substantially communicates with the interior of the radiator. When the compressor begins to work and the compression air provided thereby flows through the evacuation adaptor23from the inlet232to the outlet233, creating a negative pressure at the sucking end231to draw air from the radiator. And, the pressure difference between the interior of the radiator and the surrounding can be read on the pressure gauge40.

When a substantial vacuum is provided in the radiator, the switch21is then switched off as shown inFIG. 3, and the evacuation adaptor23is released from the first quick release female coupling22. The users can monitor the pressure gauge to observe whether the pressure changes during a period of a few minutes to see if the radiator is properly sealed.

As shown inFIG. 4, the water drawing adaptor24is connected to the first quick release female adaptor22, and one end of the water drawing hose242is sunk into the clean coolant. The switch21is then turned opened, and the coolant is drawn in the radiator by the vacuum such that the radiator is filled with clean coolant quickly. The relief valve50can be facilitated when adjusting the pressure difference. A possible situation is that the recovery tank needs not to be fully filled with coolant, such that the switch21is temporarily turned closed and appropriate amount of air is drawn into the recovery tank via the relief valve50when the main tank of the cooling system is full, leaving recovery tank with sustainable empty space.

In summary, the apparatus of the present invention can be hung on the hood to empty the user's hands, and the quick release assembly is disposed between the cap and the connecting hose for the need to install a proper cap in accordance with the dimension of the opening. In addition, the relief valve will comes in useful when some empty space should be left in the recovery tank. Accordingly, the present invention provides the users with a convenient and useful apparatus to fill a motor vehicle cooling system with coolant.