COOLER BYPASS ASSEMBLY

• US 20090025922A1
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oetiker Ny, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jiffy-tite Company Inc.
• Inventors: Messecar, James D. SR., Stevely, Kip, Strzelczyk, Robert B., Lenartowicz, Michael A., Zillig, Steven R., Metz, Dan, Caroll, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/297
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/04 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/08 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/022 the sensing element being placed within a regulating fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1333 measuring the temperature of incoming fluid

Abstract

A cooler bypass apparatus housing has a first fluid passageway connecting a first inlet and a first outlet port, and a second fluid passageway connecting a second inlet port and outlet port. A transverse passageway extends between the first and second fluid passageway. A first valve is disposed in the transverse passageway for one-way fluid flow from the first to the second passageway. A second valve and a thermal actuator coupled to the second valve are disposed in the second passageway. The thermal actuator moves the second valve to fluid flow blocking or fluid flow allowing positions dependent upon fluid temperature.

Claims

1. A cooler bypass apparatus comprising:

a housing adapted to be secured to a structure having a fluid to be cooled;

first and second inlet ports and first and second outlet ports carried on the housing, the housing having a first fluid passageway in communication with the first inlet port and the first outlet port, a second fluid passageway in communication with the second inlet port and the second outlet port, and a transverse fluid passageway extending between the first and second fluid passageways;

a first valve disposed in the transverse fluid passageway to insure one way flow of fluid between a portion of the second fluid passageway and a portion of the first fluid passageway; and

a second valve and a thermal actuator coupled to the second valve, the second valve and the thermal actuator disposed in the second passageway, the thermal actuator moving the second valve to a position in the second fluid passageway allowing fluid flow through the second passageway when the temperature of fluid in the second passageway exceeds a threshold temperature.

2. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the thermal actuator moves the second valve to a closed position in the second fluid passageway blocking fluid flow through the second passageway when the temperature of fluid in the second passageway is below the threshold temperature to cause fluid flow through the transverse fluid passageway.

3. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 2 wherein the thermal actuator comprises:

an extendable piston engageable with the second valve to allow the second valve to move to the closed position when the piston is retracted.

4. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 2 wherein the second valve comprises:

a movable valve member disposed in the second passageway

and engageable by the thermal actuator; and

a biasing spring disposed in the second passageway for normally biasing the movable valve member to a fluid flow blocking closed position.

5. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 4 wherein the movable valve member comprises:

a ball movably disposed with respect to a ball seat in the second passageway.

6. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first valve comprises:

a spring biased check valve normally disposed in a fluid blocking position in the transverse fluid passageway preventing fluid flow from the first fluid passageway to the second fluid passageway.

7. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

the check valve is moved to a position allowing fluid flow from the second passageway to the first passageway by fluid flow when the second valve is in the closed position.

8. The cooler bypass apparatus for providing bypass of fluid flow from a first fluid flow passageway to another fluid flow passageway, the cooler bypass apparatus comprising:

a housing having a first passageway in communication with inlet and outlet ports;

a body fixed to the housing and disposed in fluid flow communication with the passageway;

a check ball disposed in the body;

a ball seat carried in the body;

biasing means, carried in the body, for normally biasing the check ball to a fluid flow blocking position in the body; and

a thermal actuator fixed to the body and having an extensible and retractable piston, the piston engageable with and moving the check ball from a sealed fluid flow blocking position in contact with the ball seat in the body when the piston is in an extended position, and allowing the biasing means to move the check hall into sealed contact with the ball seat in the body when the piston is in a retracted position.

9. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

another passageway carried in the housing and disposed in fluid communication with the first passageway to provide bypass of fluid flow from the first passageway to through the another passageway when the check ball is disposed in contact with the ball seat.

10. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

a one-way check valve disposed in the another passageway to allow fluid flow only from the first passageway through the another passageway.