Patent ID: 7383795

Claim:
A surge tank apparatus for receiving a flow comprising coolant from at least an engine of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: at least two chambers and a coolant reservoir, one of said at least two chambers comprising a coolant receiving inlet for coupling to the engine to receive coolant from the engine and at least one coolant outlet from which coolant passing through said one of said at least two chambers is delivered, another of said at least two chambers comprising at least one other coolant receiving inlet for coupling to said at least one coolant outlet for receiving coolant from said at least one coolant outlet when the coolant receiving inlet is receiving coolant from the engine, said another of said at least two chambers comprising at least one other coolant outlet from which coolant passing through said another chamber is delivered, and the coolant reservoir comprising a coolant reservoir inlet coupled to said at least one other coolant outlet and a reservoir outlet through which coolant is returned to the engine; said at least one other coolant outlet being positioned adjacent to a top portion of the coolant reservoir; said at least one coolant outlet and said at least one other coolant outlet being sized to restrict the flow of coolant through said another of said at least two chambers so as to cause said one of said at least two chambers and said another of said at least two chambers to fill with coolant when coolant is delivered to said coolant inlet from the engine; and the total cross sectional area of all outlets comprising said at least one other coolant outlet being greater than the total cross sectional area of all outlets comprising said at least one coolant outlet such that the velocity of coolant flow through said at least one other coolant outlet is lower than the velocity of coolant flow through said at least one coolant outlet.