Abstract:
This invention pertains to an inline pump coupling system for use with a diesel engine, designed to place an additional high pressure oil pump behind the existing high pressure oil pump for the diesel engine, and which doubles the high pressure oil volume output from the pumps to the diesel engine injectors. The pump coupling system consists of a replacement shaft portion, the pump coupler that fits intermediate the pair of aligned pumps, and a shaft coupler portion, for coupling the shafts of the inline pumps together. The replacement shaft has a shaped back end that matingly engages within the shaft coupler of the back pump, to provide for simultaneous rotation of the pump shafts during generation of the high hydraulic oil pressure developed from a simultaneous operation of the pair of inline pumps.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This non-provisional application claims priority to the provisional application for patent Ser. No. 60/688,198 which was filed on Jun. 7, 2005 and is commonly owned by the same inventor. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to an inline pump coupling system, and more specifically provides for the alignment of at least a pair high pressure/hydraulic or oil pumps, that have specific usage for increasing the oil flow and volume to HEUI injectors, as for a diesel engine.  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an apparatus that increases oil volume and flow to HEUI injectors in the 7.3 liter International Navistar diesel engine, by coupling two OEM high pressure oil pumps together. In the 7.3 liter International Navistar diesel engine fuel delivery is increased by raising HEUI oil pressure and injector pulse width. When injector pulse width is increased past OEM calibration and/or a larger performance injector is installed, the OEM high pressure oil pump cannot keep up with the increased demand for oil volume, thereby lowering injector oil pressure and sacrificing injection event efficiency.  
         [0004]     Some prior technology has given consideration to this problem. Some have simply interconnected a pair of pumps together, in parallel arrangement, and then delivers their high pressure oil output to a singular supply line, that then supplies the pressurized oil volume directly to injectors for engines.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention resides in an inline pump coupling system for use on a 7.3 liter International Navistar diesel engine. Other diesel engines can incorporate the inline pumping system of this invention. This invention allows the engine to improve performance and efficiency by maintaining injector oil pressure demand with two OEM high pressure oil pumps in place of one. The inline pump coupling system consists of a hardened and lengthened steel shaft with an oval tang on the aft end that takes the place of the OEM shaft in the front pump. The inline pump coupling system also consists of a hardened steel shaft coupler with an oval female receiver at the forward end and a threaded male protrusion on the aft side that ties the front and rear pump shafts together. The final piece in the inline pump coupling system is an aluminum pump coupler with oil passages drilled for high and low oil pressure to travel to and from the aft pump in the system. The aluminum coupler has a flange that is machined to fit into the aft side of the front pump and a machined recess with an O-ring to allow the aft pump to seat into the aft side of the pump coupler. The inline pump coupling system is held together with bolts that run through the aft pump, aluminum pump coupler, and front pump and into the aft side of the timing cover. The shaft coupler threads into the front side of the aft pump shaft. The front side of the shaft coupler has an oval receiver that allows the oval male tang of the front pump to engage therein. The male oval tang is secured in the female coupling by a through bolt that applies a pinch fit.  
         [0006]     It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide an integrated structure for an inline pump coupling system, or IPCS, for significantly enhancing the oil pressure output of an oil pump, of the type used for supplying operations to HEUI injectors, particularly for diesel engines.  
         [0007]     Another object of this invention is to provide a concept for linking a series of hydraulic oil pumps together, axially inline, into an integral structure, for enhancing the high pressure oil output from the series of axially aligned pumps.  
         [0008]     Still another object of this invention is to provide an enhancement of the efficiency of operation of diesel engines, that can greatly accelerate their operations, and thereby increase the power and speed of operations of the vehicle particularly during operation and to achieve high speed acceleration.  
         [0009]     These and other objects may become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein, and upon undertaking a study of the description of the preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     In referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is a front view of the billet aluminum pump coupler used for the inline interconnection of a pair of hydraulic pumps axially together;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the billet pump coupler;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a right side view of the billet pump coupler;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the shaft coupler;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4   a  is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the shaft coupler, particularly the stud portion;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4   b  is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the shaft coupler, particularly the coupler portion;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4   c  is an end view of the coupler portion;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the shaft coupler;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a back view of the shaft portion that provides the means for inline coupling of at least a pair of pumps together  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the shaft portion for coupling a pair of the pumps together; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view showing the various components that assemble together to provide for the fabrication of the inline multi pump coupling system. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0021]     In referring to the drawings, and in particular in  FIG. 1 , and as also reviewed in further views such as  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the pump coupler system of this invention is readily disclosed. The pump system is preferably, in the preferred embodiment, made of high grade aluminum, and more specifically of 6160-T6 aircraft grade aluminum, due to its ease of processing and machining, material cost, and enhanced durability over extended usage. The main aluminum pump coupler&#39;s front and rear shape is dictated by the OEM high and pressure oil pump configuration and the gasket that is placed between the pump coupler and the rear pump. The front and rear pumps of the pump coupler are all secured together by threaded rods, or studs, that run through the bolt holes  2  and  5 , that hold the pair of inline pumps together. The milled area  3 , formed upon the front surface of the coupler, is a recessed shape that is identical in shape to the rear of the front pump and which accepts the front pump when installed. There is an annular protrusion, provided at  9 , that slides into the open end of the aft end of the front pump, where it is pressed up against the existing OEM O-ring that is provided inside the front pump, as structured.  
         [0022]     The milled area at  4  is a circular recess that provides clearance for a #6 O-ring of the open Allen hydraulic plug that is provided at the rear of the front OEM pump. Thus, all those shaped characteristics of the rear of the front OEM pump are provided and milled into the pump coupler as described herein, so as to provide for their convenient accommodation when mounted together, for enhanced generation of oil pressure.  
         [0023]     As can further be seen in  FIG. 2 , there is a horizontal relief area  22 , at the right side of the pump coupler, arranged in front of its integral flange, as can be seen at  22 . This area is provided at the right side of the pump coupler, and does allow for clearance for locating of the OEM injection relief valve that is located at the rear of the front OEM pump, as described. The recess  6  that is provided upon the top of the coupler is shaped to also allow for clearance for the water drain valve that locates on the OEM fuel filter canister that is mounted above the pump coupler, during installation. Located in the recess  6  is an access hole  8  that allows for the tightening of the shaft coupler bolt  29 , into position, when the two pumps are mounted inline, particularly for the type of shaft coupler as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  of the drawings.  
         [0024]     The access hole  8  is threaded at the top  7  for the ⅛ inch NPT low profile open Allen pipe plug. On the right side of the pump coupler are two located recesses,  13  and  14 , as can be seen also in  FIG. 3 , and these are provided for threaded engagement with ¼ inch NPT low profile open allen plugs, for use for capping off the cross-drill passages  19  and  20 , as noted. On the top side of the pump coupler are threaded recesses  15  and  16 , that also allow for a ¼ inch NPT fitting to be placed within each recess.  
         [0025]     The engine oil pressure is supplied via external lines to a hydraulic fitting that is secured into the oil inlet port  15 , as described, and this allows for the oil to pass down into the cross drill passage  18 , and to the cross-drill passage  20 , and then travels to the cross-drilled oil outlet port  21 , provided on the aft side of the pump coupler, which feeds the oil into the inlet of the aft or rear pump of the inline assembly. A secondary oil inlet port  16  allows for additional oil volume to flow down into the cross-drilled passage  17 , to intercept the cross-drilled passage  19 , so that it can flow into the main cross-drilled passage  18 . At the top of the pump coupler is a ¼ inch NPT pipe threaded port  10  that allows for a hydraulic fitting to be secured thereat, to allow for high pressure oil to be released when the aft pump reaches its maximum pressure. The high pressure oil is released from the rear pump from its high pressure relief port into the port  12 , at the rear face of the pump coupler. The oil then flows into the cross-drilled passage  11 , and then flows through the port  10 , in which there is a hydraulic fitting secured to allow for oil to be released into external lines leading to the engine.  
         [0026]     At the front of the pump coupler is a through opening  25 , which when installed between the front and rear OEM pumps, allows for the shaft coupler  27 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , to engage the rear portion of the shaft  26 , as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  of the front pump. At the rear of the pump coupler is a through opening  24  that allows for the nose of the rear pump to be slid into the coupler, via a tight slip-fit. In the through opening  24  is an O-ring gland, as at  23 , for reception of an O-ring, which fits within a groove within the opening  24 , and which O-ring is formed preferably as a nitrile O-ring, which is placed to provide an oil seal against the nose of the rear pump, and to secure the oil from the front pumps internal bearing lubrication system.  
         [0027]     The second portion of the inline pump coupling system is shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . This is the shaft that replaces the OEM shaft in the front pump. The shaft is identical to the OEM shaft with a male oval tang  26  provided, and which furnishes an area for the shaft coupler  27  to connect, in a keyed fashion, and is generally the type of shaft coupler as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in order to provide engagement between these two components. Hence, the shaft portion is constructed of an A-2 alloy steel, and is heat treated to obtain a 58-60 Rockwell hardness to allow for extreme wear and resistance, with rigidity, during prolonged usage.  
         [0028]     The third portion of the inline pump coupling system can be seen in  FIG. 4  and  5 . This is the shaft coupler  27 , which connects on to the shaft  32 , as previously explained. This shaft coupler  27  is constructed of 4140 forged steel, for enhanced durability. On the rear side of the shaft coupler  27  is an M12×1.75 right hand threaded male protrusion  30  that is threaded into the front of the rear pump&#39;s shaft. At the front side of the shaft coupler is an oval recess  28 , that allows for the male oval tang  26 , to locate therein, of the front pump shaft, when placed into this oval recess  28 , of the shaft coupler  27 . Hence, the shaft coupler is then secured via pinch-fit with a ¼″ Allen cap screw  29 . There are two slots  31  and  31  a perpendicular to each other, to allow for the cap to pinch, when the screw is tightened, in order to create a pinch fit between these two components.  
         [0029]     An alternate embodiment of the shaft coupler  27  appears in  FIGS. 4   a,    4   b,    4   c.    FIG. 4   a  shows the stud portion of the shaft coupler that engages the rear pump  33   b.  The shaft coupler has a stud portion  30  connected to a coupler portion  27 .  FIG. 4   a  shows the stud portion with a stud  30  for threaded connection in to the shaft of the rear pump. Opposite the stud  30 , the stud portion has a wider threaded head  30   a.  The threaded head connects to the coupler portion shown in  FIG. 4   b.  The coupler portion has a generally cylindrical shape with a first end and an opposite second end. The first end has a threaded socket  27   a  that receives the threaded head  30   a  of the stud portion. Opposite the threaded socket, the coupler portion has an internal spline  28   a.  The spline  28   a  and the threaded socket  27   a  are coaxial and centered upon the longitudinal axis of the coupler portion  27 . Upon the second end, the coupler portion has eight internal teeth equally spaced about the interior forming the spline  28   a.  The teeth extend longitudinally and mesh with those of the shaft  32  located towards an end denoted  26 .  
         [0030]     Thus, the concept of this invention is to utilize a specially designed shaft to provide for the integration of a pair of high pressure oil pumps together, and to achieve such, it has a shaft coupler, as at  27 , that secures on its rear end of the shaft  32 . Preferably, the shaft is made of S-7 spring steel for durability under torsion induced during pumping.  
         [0031]     The shaft then locates through the front pump, its coupler connects onto the rear of the shaft and connects with the rear pump, that is pressure fitted by means of the O-ring into the pump coupler  1 , as previously reviewed. Hence, through these three components, the coupler, the shaft, and the shaft coupler, a pair of high pressure oil pumps can be integrated together, axially inline, to provide enhanced oil pressure output, that accelerates the amount of oil pressure generated, normally double, when two pumps are involved, for use for enhanced operations of the fuel injectors for a diesel engine. This greatly accelerates the operations of such an engine, which can enhance the vehicle speed, in which the diesel engine locates.  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  shows an exploded view of the inline multi-pump coupling system of this invention. More specifically, the first and second pumps that are coupled together in this invention, are the pumps  33   a  and  33   b,  as noted.  
         [0033]     Then, the front pump  33   a  will have its shaft removed, and the replacement shaft  32 , see  FIG. 7 , will be slid into and through the opening of said front pump. Then, the front pump is slid into the milled area  3  of the pump coupler  1  in the manner as previously described. The shaft coupler  27 , and its oval recess  28  has inserted therein the aft end of the shaft  32 , and more specifically its oval tang  26 . Then, the shaft coupler  27  treadedly engages within the front end of the shaft  32 , of the back pump  33   b,  and through such engagement, the two pumps are now coupled together, inline, to provide for their simultaneous operation.  
         [0034]     As previously reviewed, a pair of bolts pass through the bolt holes  2  and  5 , for the pumps, and the pump coupler, to secure them together. Also, all hydraulic lines connect to the fittings for these pumps to accommodate high pressure oil flow between them. It can be also seen that the milled area  4  accommodates the hydraulic plug  34 , for the purposes as previously reviewed.  
         [0035]     Other uses can be made for this inline coupling of a pair of high pressure oil pumps together, besides within a diesel engine. The inline multi-pump cooling systems and its various components may be manufactured from many materials including but not limited to steel, A-2 alloy steel, S-7 spring steel, other ferrous and non-ferrous metals and their alloys, polymers, rugged plastics, and composites.  
         [0036]     Variations or modifications of the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the development as described herein. Such variations, if within the spirit of this development, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention as defined. The description of the preferred embodiment, and its detailed disclosure in the drawings, is set forth for illustrative purposes only.