Air/oil separating device
First Claim
1. An air/oil separating device for removing oil from an air/oil stream in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- an inlet;
a spiral element that extends along a central axis and has a spiral passageway in fluid communication with said inlet;
a first outlet in fluid communication with said spiral passageway and being generally located at a first axial end of said air/oil separating device;
a second outlet in fluid communication with said spiral passageway and being generally located at a second axial end of said air/oil separating device, and;
wherein the air/oil stream enters said inlet and travels through said spiral passageway such that at least some oil is removed from the air/oil stream and drains out of said second outlet, and a treated air stream exits out of said first outlet.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air/oil separating device for removing oil that has become entrained in blow-by gases passing through a crankcase of an internal combustion engine. The air/oil separating device includes a spiral element forming a spiral passageway and a perforated tube. As the air/oil stream passes through the spiral passageway and contacts its walls, a certain amount of the entrained oil is removed or scavenged such that it collects at the bottom of the spiral passageway. The treated air stream, now having less entrained oil, passes into the perforated tube and exits at an upper axial end, while the collected oil drains back into the crankcase via a lower axial end of the perforated tube. The air/oil separating device can be incorporated within a cap assembly also having an oil-fill cap and/or a PCV valve.
52 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An air/oil separating device for removing oil from an air/oil stream in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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an inlet;
a spiral element that extends along a central axis and has a spiral passageway in fluid communication with said inlet;
a first outlet in fluid communication with said spiral passageway and being generally located at a first axial end of said air/oil separating device;
a second outlet in fluid communication with said spiral passageway and being generally located at a second axial end of said air/oil separating device, and;
wherein the air/oil stream enters said inlet and travels through said spiral passageway such that at least some oil is removed from the air/oil stream and drains out of said second outlet, and a treated air stream exits out of said first outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An air/oil separating device for removing oil from an air/oil stream in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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an inlet;
a passageway in fluid communication with said inlet, said passageway having exterior and interior walls that form at least one full loop, and;
a tube in fluid communication with said passageway, said tube having first and second axial ends;
wherein the air/oil stream enters said inlet and travels through said passageway such that it contacts said exterior and interior walls, said contact between the air/oil stream and said walls causes at least some oil from the air/oil stream to collect within said passageway, said collected oil drains out of said tube second axial end and a treated air stream exits said tube first axial end. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An oil-fill cap assembly for use in an internal combustion engine, comprising
an air/oil separating device for removing oil from an air/oil stream and having an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a passageway, said inlet and said first and second outlets are each in fluid communication with said passageway, and; -
an oil-fill cap surrounding at least a part of said air/oil separating device and having an inlet and an outlet, said oil-fill cap inlet is in fluid communication with said first outlet;
wherein the air/oil stream enters said air/oil separating device inlet and travels through said passageway such that;
i) at least some oil is removed from the air/oil stream by said air/oil separating device and drains out of said second outlet, ii) a treated air stream exits said first outlet and enters said oil-fill cap inlet, iii) at least some additional oil is removed from said treated air stream by said oil-fill cap, and iv) said treated air stream exits said oil-fill cap outlet.
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33. A method of manufacturing an air/oil separating device, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a spiral element having a spiral passageway, a central axis, and first and second axial ends;
(b) providing a tube having first and second axial ends;
(c) providing first and second covers each having a generally circular opening;
(d) inserting said tube into said spiral element such that it generally extends along said central axis;
(e) attaching said first cover to said spiral element first axial end such that said tube first axial end protrudes through said opening in said first cover, and;
(f) attaching said second cover to said spiral element second axial end such that said tube second axial end protrudes through said opening in said second cover.
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34. An air/oil separating device for removing oil from an air/oil stream in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
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an inlet extending in a generally radial direction;
a spiral element extending along a central axis that is generally perpendicular to said radial direction, said spiral element having a spiral passageway in fluid communication with said inlet and having exterior and interior walls;
a perforated tube extending along said central axis and being in fluid communication with said spiral passageway, said perforated tube having a first axial end and a tapered second axial end, and;
wherein the air/oil stream flows through said air/oil separating device such that;
i) it enters said inlet in a generally radial direction, ii) it impinges said exterior and/or interior walls of said spiral passageway, iii) it travels through said spiral passageway, iv) it impinges and enters said perforated tube, v) at least some oil is removed from the air/oil stream and drains out of said tapered second axial end of said perforated tube, and vi) a treated air stream exits out of said first axial end of said perforated tube.
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Specification