Patent Publication Number: US-2011056452-A1

Title: Gravity-Activated Valve For Use In Supplying An Uninterrupted Supply Of Fluid

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a lubricating system for an internal combustion engine for supplying an uninterrupted supply of fluid, and more particularly relates to a gravity-activated valve for use in supplying an uninterrupted supply of fluid from a fluid reservoir. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many engines require special handling of fluids to provide a constant supply of fluids to each respective system at high grades, including steep inclines or declines, braking and acceleration, or parking on an inclined or decline. Fluids move due to gravity at different tilt angles and may not always be accessible from one static supply point in a reservoir. When the fluid is inaccessible because of these conditions, the engine may stall due to an improper intake of air and/or vapor. 
     Additionally, not all existing engines have the capability to accept full redesigns of a fluid system. Instead, they may need to be retrofitted with other hardware designed to provide a constant flow under a high range of vehicle grades. 
     SUMMARY 
     A gravity-activated valve for use in supplying an uninterrupted supply of fluid from a fluid reservoir is disclosed. The gravity-activated valve includes a housing having an outlet, an inlet positioned below the outlet, and a sleeve disposed within the housing. The gravity-activated valve further includes a buoyant piston disposed within the sleeve and adapted to move between an open position and a closed position. The piston is positioned above the outlet when the piston is in the open position to allow fluid flow through the outlet. The piston is positioned proximate the outlet when the piston is in the closed position to prevent fluid flow through the outlet. The piston is in the open position when the fluid level exceeds a predetermined fluid level. The piston is in the closed position when the fluid level is at or below said predetermined fluid level. The gravity-activated valve further includes a plurality of gaskets, which are adapted to create a seal between the piston and the sleeve. 
     Also disclosed is a valve that may be used in a lubricating system for an internal combustion engine for supplying an uninterrupted supply of fluid. The lubricating system comprises a reservoir for holding lubricating fluid. The reservoir includes a sump. The lubricating system further includes a plurality of valves located in the sump. Each of the valves comprises a housing having an outlet, an inlet positioned below the outlet, and a tubular cavity disposed within the housing. The valves further include a buoyant piston disposed within the tubular cavity and adapted to move between an open position and a closed position. The piston is positioned above the outlet when the piston is in the open position to allow fluid flow through the outlet. The piston is positioned proximate to the outlet when the piston is in the closed position to prevent fluid flow through the outlet. The piston is responsive to the level of the fluid in the reservoir at the inlet such that the piston is in the open position when the fluid level at the inlet is above a predetermined level and the piston is in the closed position when the fluid level at the inlet is at or below the predetermined level. The valves further comprise a plurality of gaskets, which are adapted to create a seal between the piston and the sleeve. The lubricating system further contains a pump which is in fluid communication with the outlet of each of the valves. 
     Further disclosed is a reservoir for supplying an uninterrupted supply of fluid. The reservoir includes a sump for holding fluid and a plurality of valves located in the sump. The valves include a housing having an outlet, an inlet positioned below the outlet, and a sleeve disposed within the housing. The valves further include a buoyant piston disposed within the sleeve. The piston is adapted to move between an open position and a closed position. The piston is positioned above the outlet when the piston is in the open position to allow fluid flow through the outlet. The piston is positioned proximate to the outlet when the piston is in the closed position to prevent fluid flow through the outlet. The piston is in the open position when the fluid level exceeds a predetermined fluid level and the piston is in the closed position when the fluid level is at or below the predetermined level. The valves further include a plurality of gaskets, which are adapted to create a seal between the piston and the sleeve. The valves further contain a mounting flange, which is connected to the housing and the sump. 
     These disclosed valve and related disclosures will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims and appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is front cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a gravity-activated valve of the present invention in the open position. 
         FIG. 2  is front cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a gravity-activated valve of the present invention in the closed position. 
         FIG. 3  is front cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a gravity-activated valve of the present invention in the open position. 
         FIG. 4  is front cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a gravity-activated valve of the present invention in the closed position. 
         FIG. 5  is front cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a lubricating system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is front cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a lubricating system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a lubricating system of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The best mode for carrying out the claimed invention is presented below, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding features throughout the several figures of the drawings. 
     Referring now to the drawings, particularly  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown an embodiment of a gravity-activated valve  100  of the present invention. The valve  100  contains a housing  102  which encases and protects the internal components of the valve  100 . The housing contains an inlet  104  and an outlet  106 . The inlet  104  is a conduit through which fluids may enter the valve  100 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the outlet  106  is positioned above the inlet  104  on the valve  100 . The outlet  106  is a conduit through which fluids may exit the valve  100 . 
     The valve  100  also contains a tubular cavity or sleeve  108 . In one embodiment, the tubular cavity or sleeve  108  is a hollowed cylindrical portion within the valve  100 . In this embodiment, the tubular cavity or sleeve  108  and the housing  102  are one integral piece, where the tubular cavity or sleeve  108  may be formed during casting of the housing or by a subsequent machinery step through, for example, a drill press. In an alternative embodiment, the valve may contain a tubular cavity or sleeve  108  which is a separate component disposed within housing  102 . 
     As also shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the tubular cavity or sleeve  108  may also contain an intake opening  110  and an exit opening  112 . In one embodiment, the intake opening  110  is in fluid communication with inlet  104  and the exit opening  112  is in fluid communication with the outlet  106 . The sleeve or tubular cavity  108  may also be in any shape known to one of ordinary skill including, but not limited to, circular, oval, square, rectangular or octagonal. 
     The valve also contains a buoyant piston  114  which is disposed within the tubular cavity or sleeve  108 . The piston  114  may be made of any material which is sufficiently buoyant on the type of fluid which will flow through the valve  100 . The piston  114  is adapted to move between an open position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , and a closed position, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The piston  114  is positioned above the outlet  106  when the piston is in the open position to allow fluid flow through the outlet  106 . The piston is positioned proximate the outlet  106  when the piston is in the closed position to prevent fluid flow through the outlet  106 . The piston is in the open position when the fluid level exceeds a predetermined fluid level in and the piston is in the closed position when the fluid level is at or below said predetermined fluid level. The predetermined level is the level of fluid which is present in the valve which makes the piston  114  move from the open position to the closed position. When the level of the fluid is at or below the predetermined level, the piston  114  will completely block the outlet  106  and prevent the flow of fluid through the outlet  106 . When the fluid level is above the predetermined level, the piston  114 , will not completely block the outlet  106  and allow fluid to flow out through the outlet  106 . The open position is any position between the closed position, where fluid flow is prevented through the outlet  106 , and the placement of the piston when it is completely open, and the fluid is at a maximum fluid flow through the outlet  106 . The piston  114  may be in the open position so long as there is fluid communication through the outlet  106  of the valve  100 . 
     The piston  114  may include a plurality of gaskets  116 . The gaskets  116  are adapted to create a seal between the piston and the sleeve. The purpose of the gaskets is to prevent gases, such as air, below the piston  114  from entering the exit opening  112  when the piston  114  is in the closed position. The gaskets also prevent fluid from entering the space above the piston  114  when the piston is disposed within the sleeve or tubular cavity  108 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , the gaskets are located on the top section  118  and the bottom section  120  of the piston  114 . In one embodiment, the plurality of gaskets  116  may comprise a plurality of o-rings. The gaskets may also comprise any other type of gasket known in the art which would provide a similar seal and ability to slide the piston  114  along the sleeve or tubular cavity  108 . 
     In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the piston  114  may be freely moveable within the sleeve or tubular cavity  108 . In this embodiment, the level of fluid in the sleeve or tubular cavity  108  alone determines the height of the piston  114  within the sleeve or tubular cavity  108 . When there is no fluid present in this embodiment, then the piston  114  naturally gravitates towards the lower portion of the sleeve or tubular cavity  108  and rests on stops  124 , which prevent fluid from the exiting the valve  100  through the outlet  106 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the top section  118  of the piston  114  may be connected to a spring  300 , which is attached to the upper portion  302  of the sleeve or tubular cavity  108 . In this embodiment, the spring  300  operatively cooperates with the piston to urge the piston to the closed position, as shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when fluid is present in the sleeve or tubular cavity  108 , the spring  300  is compressed and the piston  114  is moved into the open position. 
     The valve  100  may also contain a mounting flange  122 , which may be used to attach the valve(s) to a reservoir  500 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The reservoir  500  may also contain a sump  502 , which is the lower portion of the reservoir  500 . In one embodiment, the mounting flange  122  is attached to the housing  102 , the sleeve or tubular cavity  108  and the reservoir  500 . The purpose of the reservoir  500  is to store fluid which flows through the valves  100  and is ultimately supplied to a vehicle. In one embodiment, the fluid stored in the reservoir  500  is oil and the reservoir  500  is an oil pan. However, the reservoir  500  may be any container used to store fluids as known by one skilled in the art. 
     In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , the reservoir  500  contains a plurality of valves within the sump  502 . In another embodiment, the reservoir  500  contains a first valve and a second valve. In this embodiment, the first valve is adapted to be in an open position while the second valve is adapted to simultaneously be in a closed position in response to specified variations in fluid levels within the sump  502 . FIG. S shows one embodiment of a lubricating system of the present invention when fluid level is equally distributed above the predetermined level in the valves  100 , which places all of the valves in the open position.  FIG. 6  shows one embodiment of a lubricating system of the present invention where the reservoir is placed in extreme tilt conditions, wherein the level of fluid is above the predetermined level in the first valve and below the predetermined level in the second valve. As shown in  FIG. 6 , since the level of fluid is above the predetermined level in the first valve, the first valve is in the open position, and since the level of the fluid is below the predetermined level in the second valve, the second valve is in the closed position. 
     The lubricating system of the present invention may also include a pump  504 . The pump  504  is used to transmit fluid from the reservoir  500  to the internal components of a vehicle. The pump  504  is in fluid communication with each of the outlets  106  of the valves  100 . Due to the automatic nature of the valve closing when the fluid level about the valve drops, air and gas cannot enter the conduit  506  connecting the pump  504  with the valves  100 . In one embodiment, the pump  504  is an oil pump, which lubricates the internal components of an engine. 
     While preferred embodiments and example configurations have been shown and described, it is to be understood that various further modifications and additional configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the specific embodiments and configurations disclosed are illustrative of the preferred and best modes for practicing the invention, and should not be interpreted as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and it is to be appreciated that various changes, rearrangements and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.