Patent Abstract:
A cooling reservoir may be provided. The cooling reservoir may include: a generally polygon shaped container having sides that define at least two corners; a fan configured to blow air across two sides that define one of the corners; and cooling fins attached to the sides. A method for making a cooling reservoir may be provided. The method may include: providing generally polygon shaped container having sides that define at least two corners; mounting a fan to blow air across two sides that define one of the corners; and attaching cooling fins to the sides.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a reservoir configured to cool the fluid contained in within the reservoir. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hydraulic fluid reservoir for a high pressure pump that is configured to cool the hydraulic fluid. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many power tool systems include a fluid reservoir. Some of the power tool systems may impart heat to the fluid contained in the reservoir. It may be desirable to cool the fluid contained in the reservoir. For example, high pressure pumps are high performance pumps as well. Some high pressure pumps have the ability to generate extra work compared to other pumps of the same flow rates. If the tools attached to these pumps cannot use the extra work capacity, the result may be added heat to the system that is transferred to the hydraulic oil. If this heat is not controlled or dissipated, damage may occur to the pumping unit or to the tools attached to the pumping unit that may be used in the pressurized fluid. 
         [0003]    Some current tools use a reservoir design that requires the heated fluid to flow through radiator type heat exchangers. Other tools may require heat exchangers that use separate water cooling lines to transfer heat from the fluid contained in the reservoir. These types of units may not always be practical with small portable pumping units. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus that may permit an efficient and lightweight apparatus that is capable of removing heat from the fluid contained within a reservoir. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in some embodiments an apparatus and method is provided that can efficiently remove heat from the fluid contained in the reservoir. 
         [0006]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a cooling reservoir may be provided. The cooling reservoir may include: a generally polygon shaped container having sides that define at least two corners; a fan configured to blow air across two sides that define one of the corners; and cooling fins attached to the sides. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for making a cooling reservoir may be provided. The method may include: providing generally polygon shaped container having sides that define at least two corners; mounting a fan to blow air across two sides that define one of the corners; and attaching cooling fins to the sides. 
         [0008]    In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a cooling reservoir is provided. The cooling reservoir may include: a means for containing a fluid, generally polygon shaped and having sides that define at least two corners; a means for moving air configured to blow air across two sides that define one of the corners; and a means for cooling attached to the sides. 
         [0009]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0010]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0011]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a reservoir cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the reservoir cooling system illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a hydraulic pump using a hydraulic reservoir cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a left side view of a hydraulic pump using a fluid cooling reservoir in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is front view of a hydraulic pump using a reservoir cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a right side view of a hydraulic pump using a fluid cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a method and apparatus that provides a transfer of heat energy which is integrated into the oil reservoir itself The location and shape of the reservoir and the location of the cooling fans assist in providing an efficient transfer of heat. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a cooling reservoir  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The reservoir  12  may be made of extruded aluminum or any other suitable substance. The reservoir  12  is configured to contain a fluid such as, for example, a hydraulic fluid used in a high pressure pump. The fluid may be contained in the interior  14  of the reservoir  12 . 
         [0020]    The reservoir  12  is mounted to a base plate  16 . The base plate  16  may be equipped with feet  18  so that the base plate  16  may be spaced from off the ground or whatever surface the cooling reservoir  10  is placed upon. The feet  18  may have feet fasteners  20  which can be adjustable to allow a user to adjust the feet  18  to whatever distance from the base plate  16  is desired. The feet fasteners  18  may include bolts  19  attached to the feet  18  and acorn nuts  21  as shown. In other embodiments of the invention, the feet fasteners  20  may simply be bolts that are screwed into threaded holes in the base plate  16 . 
         [0021]    The reservoir  12  may have air shield  22  placed near the reservoir  12 . The air shield  22  may be mounted to the base plate  16  as shown. The air shield  22  may be equipped with a grill  24  that is attached to the air shield  22  with fasteners  26 . The grill  24  may provide a protective covering for a fan  28  contained and supported by the air shield  22 . The air shield  22  contains the fan  28  and is configured to direct air blown by the fan  28  over the reservoir  12  as shown in  FIG. 2 . In some embodiments and as shown in the FIGS, the cooling reservoir  10  may be equipped with two cooling fans  28  and air shields  22 . 
         [0022]    In some embodiments of the invention, the reservoir  12  may include instrument holes  40 . 
         [0023]    The arrows A illustrated in  FIG. 2  show air flowing through the fan  28  and across the reservoir  12 . The shape of the air shield  22  may aid in directing the air across the reservoir  22 . 
         [0024]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , the air shield  22  may include a flattened portion  30  and fastener holes  32 . The reservoir  12  may also include a flattened portion  34  and fastener holes  36 . 
         [0025]    The reservoir  12  may also include fins  38 . Fins  38  may be attached to the reservoir  12  by an attaching system, fasteners, or may be attached to the reservoir  12  by virtue of being integrated and formed with the reservoir  12 . For example, in the embodiment shown the reservoir  12  including the fins  38  are made of extruded aluminum and are integrated. 
         [0026]    Returning to  FIG. 2 , the interior  14  of the reservoir  12  may include a pump  42 . The pump  42  may include an inlet  44  and outlet  46  which may be submerged within the fluid contained within the interior  14  of reservoir  12 . Operation of the pump  42  may cause circulation of the fluid as indicated by the arrow B contained within the interior  14  of the reservoir  12  as shown in  FIG. 2 . As the pump  42  operates, extra energy generated by the pump  42  and not used by a tool attached to the pump  42  may result in the fluid becoming heated. As the heated fluid circulates into through the interior of the reservoir  14  as indicated by the arrow B, the heated fluid will contact the walls  12 . Heat will transfer into the fins  38  and be dissipated by the air flowing over the fins  38  as generated by the fans  28 . The fan shroud  48  may assist in protecting the fan  28  and directing the air across the fins  38  and the side walls  50  of the reservoir  12 . 
         [0027]    As shown by the arrows A in  FIG. 2 , the air can be blown by the fans  28  across the side walls  50  of the reservoir  12  and through the fins  38  and then vented outwardly and away from the cooling reservoir  10 . 
         [0028]    The reservoir  12 , having a generally polygon shape and exposing corners  49  of the polygon into the air flow as shown in  FIG. 2  assist in allowing the air flow generated by the fans  28  to blow across the side walls  50  of the reservoir  12  and through the fins  38  and then away from the cooling reservoir  10 . In this manner, corners  49  of the reservoir  12  which are defined by coming together of two of the side walls  50  of the reservoir  12  are placed in the air flow. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the reservoir  12  generally has a square shape and is oriented so that two of the corners  49  are exposed to the air flow. As also shown, two of the other corners  51  may have flat sides  53  rather than coming to a point as to the other corners  49 . 
         [0030]    While the shape of the reservoir  12  is shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , is generally square (as seen in a top view), other polygonal shapes may also be used. For example, parallelograms, rectangles, diamonds and any other suitable shapes may also be used. Preferably, the shape of the reservoir  12  defines a corner  49  where two of the walls  50  come together so the air flow is forced to be directed one way or another across the corner  49  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The shape of the reservoir  12  allows the cooling air to flow both across the walls  50  and fins  38  of reservoir  12  picking up heat along the way and also then move away from cooling reservoir  10  once the cooling air has picked up heat from the reservoir  12 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , some embodiments have two fans  28 , air shields  22  and fan shrouds  48 . The fans  28 , air shields  22  and fan shrouds  48  are oriented to flow air across two corners  49  (one corner  49  for each fan  28 , air shield  22  and for shroud  48  set). The fans  28 , air shield  22  and fan shrouds  48  are oriented to blow air toward each other. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 3-6  are top, left side, front and right side views respectively of a high pressure motor and pump assembly  52  attached to a hydraulic cooling reservoir  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The following description will be made with respect to  FIGS. 3-6 .  FIGS. 3-6  illustrate a motor and pump assembly  52  which include a motor  54  protected by a roll bar assembly  56 . The motor  54  is mounted onto the top of the top plate  58 . The top plate  58  fits onto the flattened portions  30  and  54  of the reservoir  12  and air shield  22  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The top plate  58  attaches via fasteners  60  into the fastener holes  32  and  36  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The top plate  58  may be made of aluminum, steel, stainless steel or any other suitable substance. 
         [0032]    Below the top plate  58  is the cooling reservoir  10  also shown and described with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A sight gauge  62  is illustrated and mounted within one of the instrument holes  40  shown in  FIG. 1 . The sight gauge  62  may be useful to allow an operator to look through the sight gauge  62  to view how much fluid is in the reservoir  12 . The other hole  40  contains a drain plug  63  which is removable and allows a user to drain the reservoir  10  by removing the drain plug  63 . 
         [0033]    In some embodiments of the invention, the motor and pump assembly  52  may be electrically operated. In such embodiments, the fans  28  may also be electrically operated. In other embodiments of the invention, the motor and pump assembly  52  may be operated by compressed air and attached to separate air compressor. In such embodiments, the fan  28  may also be operated by compressed air or in other embodiments may be electrically operated where electric power is either provided or generated by compressed air. Also, exhausting compressed air from an Air Motor that runs the pump or other device may be directed towards the corners of the reservoir in a similar manor as the fans are directing air to flow. 
         [0034]    The fan  28  may be controlled by a controller that may be integrated with or separate from controller that operates the motor and pump assembly  52 . In some embodiments of the invention, the motor and pump assembly  52  may be any standard or suitable motor and pump assembly  57  that can be fitted to a cooling reservoir  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0035]    One of the advantages of the cooling reservoir  10  in accordance with the invention is that it may be modified or designed to be compatible with known motor and pump assembly  52 . One of ordinary skill in the art, after reviewing this disclosure, will understand how to adapt or modify a cooling reservoir  10  in accordance with this invention to a motor and pump assembly  52 . 
         [0036]    The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8