COOLER BYPASS APPARATUS AND INSTALLATION KIT

• US 20110061744A1
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oetiker Ny, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jiffy-tite Company Inc.
• Inventors: Murray, Arthur J., Jonas, Michael, Zillig, Steve, Stoll, Robert Howard, Giarrizzo, Joseph Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,978,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/15.01
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/0423 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/0427 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0413 Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0417 Heat exchangers adapted or integrated in the gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/002 actuated by temperature variation thermo-electric F16K31/025
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0402 Cleaning, repairing, or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7737 Thermal responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86887 Combined disk or plug and gate or piston

Abstract

A cooler bypass valve apparatus installed the apparatus between a heat exchanger and conduits coupled to a device carrying fluid that needs to be cooled. A housing includes an inlet port and first and second outlet ports. At least one thermal actuator and at least one valve are mounted in a fluid flow passageway in the housing and operative in response to the fluid temperature to move the at least one valve between operative positions opening and closing fluid flow from the inlet port through the first and second outlet ports between a heat exchanger bypass loop and a heat exchanger cooling loop. In another aspect, two thermal actuators control a separate valve associated with the first and second outlets between open and closed positions enabling fluid flow from the inlet port exclusively through one of the first and second outlet ports or in a combined partial flow through both of the first and second outlet ports.

Claims

1. A bypass valve adapted to be fluidically coupled between a heat exchanger and a device carrying fluid that needs to be cooled, the bypass valve comprising:

a housing having an inlet port and first and second outlet ports in fluid flow communication with a fluid flow passageway in the housing; and

temperature responsive means, disposed in the housing, for opening and closing the first and second outlet ports to fluid flow from the inlet port in response to the temperature of fluid flowing in the passageway in the housing.

2. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the temperature responsive means includes at least one valve and first and second valve seats respectively associated with the first and second outlet ports.

3. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 2 comprising:

a single valve disposed in the fluid passageway in the housing to control the flow of fluid in the fluid passageway between the inlet port and each of the first and second outlet ports;

a thermal actuator mounted in the housing and controlling movement of the first valve between a first position allowing fluid flow between the inlet port and the first outlet port at fluid temperatures below a preset temperature and simultaneously blocking fluid flow between the inlet port and the third outlet port, and a second position blocking fluid flow between the inlet port and the first outlet port at fluid temperatures above the preset temperature and simultaneously allowing fluid flow between the inlet port and the third outlet port.

4. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

the thermal actuator normally positions the valve in the first position allowing fluid flow between the inlet port and the first outlet port at fluid temperatures below the preset temperature.

5. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

a first valve seat in the housing;

a second valve seat in the housing; and

the valve having a first seal for sealingly engaging the first valve seat when the valve is in the first position and a second seal for sealingly engaging the second valve seat when the valve is in the second position.

6. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

the at least one valve includes a first valve movably disposed in the housing for opening and closing fluid flow through the first outlet port from the inlet port;

a second valve disposed in the housing for opening and closing fluid flow through the second outlet port from the inlet port; and

thermal actuator means, coupled to the first and second valves within the housing for moving the first and second valves between the open and closed positions in response to fluid temperature.

7. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

the thermal actuator means simultaneously moves the first valve to the open position and the second valve to the closed position, and moves the first valve to the closed position and alternately simultaneously moves the first valve to the closed position and the second valve to the open position.

8. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

the thermal actuator means comprises a single thermal actuator coupled to the first and second valves.

9. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

a valve housing disposed in the housing and carrying a first seal defining in part the first valve and a second seal defining in part the second valve; and

a return spring acting between the housing and the valve housing for normally biasing the valve housing to a position wherein the first valve is open and the second valve is closed to fluid flow.

10. The bypass valve of claim 9 further comprising:

an over travel spring disposed between the valve housing and the thermal actuator for coupling movement of the thermal actuator to movement of the valve housing.

11. The bypass valve apparatus claim 9 further comprising:

a guide member mounted in the housing and carrying apertures defining a portion of the fluid flow passageway through the housing to the second outlet;

the thermal actuator having an extensible piston, the piston fixedly coupled to the guide member.

12. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

the thermal actuator means includes first and second thermal actuators, the first and second thermal actuators respectively coupled to the first and second valves.

13. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 12 wherein:

the first thermal actuator is operative to open the first valve to fluid flow from a first inlet through the first outlet and a second thermal actuator is operative to move the second valve to a closed position blocking fluid flow from the first inlet through the second outlet at a first low temperature; and

the second thermal actuator is operative to move the second valve to an open position while the first valve is in the open position to allow partial fluid flow from the first inlet through both of the first and second outlets simultaneously at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; and

the first thermal actuators operative to move the first valve to a closed position when the second valve is in the opened position at a third temperature higher than the second temperature to allow fluid flow only from the first inlet to the second outlet to a cooler fluid flow loop.

14. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a valve housing having a hollow end portion;

the first thermal actuator mounted in the hollow end portion of the valve housing;

a return spring disposed between the housing and the valve housing for normally biasing the first valve to an open position allowing fluid flow from the inlet port through the first outlet port.

15. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

the passageway in the housing defines a restricted flow opening separating the flow passage into a first bore portion extending from the restricted opening to the first outlet and a second bore portion extending from the inlet port to the second outlet port.

16. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 12 comprising:

the first thermal actuator mounted in the housing and controlling the first valve for movement of the first valve between a fluid flow allowing position between the inlet port and the first outlet of the housing at fluid temperatures below a first preset temperature and a fluid flow blocking position between the inlet port and the second outlet port of the housing at fluid temperatures above the second preset temperature;

the second thermal actuator mounted in the housing and controlling the second valve for movement of the second valve between a fluid flow blocking position between the inlet port and the second outlet port of the housing at fluid temperatures below a first preset temperature and a fluid flow allowing position between the inlet port and the second outlet port of the housing at fluid temperatures above the first preset temperature.

17. The cooler bypass apparatus of claim 16 wherein:

the first thermal actuator normally positions the first valve in a normally closed position at fluid temperatures below the second preset temperature; and

the second thermal actuator normally positions the second valve in a normally closed flow position at fluid temperatures below the first present temperature.

18. The improvement of the claim 1 further comprising:

a heater fluidically coupled to the second fluid connection between the first outlet of the first body and the first inlet of the second body, the heater transferring heat to the fluid flowing from the outlet of the first body to the first inlet of the second body whenever the second valve is in a fluid flow allowing position.

19. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising:

a heater fluidically coupled to the outlet of the second body, the heater transferring heat to the fluid flowing from the outlet of the second body whenever fluid is flowing through the second body.

20. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the bypass valve apparatus is disposed in a first body having a first inlet adapted to be fluidically coupled by a first connection to the first conduit, a first outlet, a second outlet adapted to be coupled by a third connection to the heat exchanger inlet, and a bore formed in the first body extending between the first inlet and the first and second outlets;

a second body having a first inlet, a second inlet adapted to be connected by a second connection to the outlet of the heat exchanger, a first outlet adapted to be fluidically coupled by a third connection to the second conduits, and a bore extending between the first and second inlets and the first outlet;

a second fluid connection between the first outlet of the first body and the first inlet of the second body;

the at least one valve includes a first valve fluidically coupled to the body to control fluid flow through the second outlet of the first body;

the thermal response means includes a thermal actuator controlling the first valve for movement between a normal fluid flow blocking positions at fluid temperatures below a preset temperature and a fluid flow allowing position between the first inlet and the second outlet of the first body at fluid temperatures above the preset temperature; and

the at least one valve includes a second valve fluidically coupled to the first outlet in the first body for blocking and unblocking fluid flow from the first outlet through the second fluid connection and for allowing flow from the first outlet through the second fluid connection.

21. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first fluid connection comprises:

a quick connector coupled to the first inlet.

22. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first fluid connection comprises:

a fluid actuator having a through bore extending between a first inlet adapted to be coupled to the first conduit and an outlet adapted to be coupled one end of another fluid carrying member, the other end of another fluid carrying member fluidically coupled to the first inlet of the first body.

23. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 22 wherein:

the fluid carrying actuator is a 90°

elbow.

24. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 20 wherein the second fluid connection to the second conduit and the heat exchanger outlet comprises:

a fluid carrying member fluidically coupled at opposed ends to the second outlet of the first body and the first inlet of the second body.

25. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 5 wherein the fluid carrying actuator comprises:

a flexible hose.

26. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 25 wherein the fluid carrying actuator further comprises:

at least one rigid pipe stub mounted within one end of the flexible hose, an endform carried on the pipe stub configured for engagement with a quick connector to fluidically couple the pipe stub and the surrounding hose to the quick connector.

27. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 20 wherein the third connection comprises:

a fluid actuator having a through bore extending between a first inlet adapted to be coupled to the first conduit and an outlet adapted to be coupled one end of another fluid carrying member, the other end of another fluid carrying member fluidically coupled to the first inlet of the first body.

28. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 20 wherein the third connection comprises:

a fluid carrying body having quick connections at opposite ends, one of the quick connections on the body adapted for attachment to the inlet of the heat exchanger.

29. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 28 wherein:

fluid carrying body is a 90°

elbow.

30. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 28 wherein:

the fluid carrying actuator is a flexible hose.

31. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 20 wherein:

at least one of the first, second and third connections includes a quick connector the quick connection being rotatable about a longitudinal axis through the quick connection.

32. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 20 wherein:

the second fluid connection includes a conduit mounted by a quick connector mounted in one of the first inlet of the second body and the first outlet of the first body in a slidable relationship with respect to the quick connector; and

a seal member mounted on the end of the conduit disposed within the quick connector for fluidically sealing the quick connector and the conduit.

33. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 20:

a first body having a first inlet adapted to be fluidically coupled by a first connection to the first conduit, a first outlet, a second outlet adapted to be coupled by a third connection to the heat exchanger inlet;

a bore formed in the first body extending between the first inlet and the first and second outlets;

a second body having a first inlet, a second inlet adapted to be connected by a second connection to the outlet of the heat exchanger, a first outlet adapted to be fluidically coupled by a third connection to the second conduits, and a bore extending between the first and second inlets and the first outlet, a second fluid connection between the first outlet of the first body and first inlet of the second body; and

the thermal response means includes a thermal actuator and a check valve fluidically coupled to the first body to form a bypass fluid loop between the first and second conduits and the first and second bodies when the temperature of the fluid is lower than a preset temperature, and forming a cooling loop between the first and second conduits, the first body, the heat exchanger and the second body when the fluid temperature is higher than the preset temperature.

34. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

rotatable quick connections coupled to the inlet port in the first and second outlet ports on the housing allowing rotation of the housing along an axis to accommodate available space adjacent the heat exchanger.

35. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the temperature responsive means includes at least one thermal actuator having an extensible piston;

a valve housing fixedly mounted within the housing and having opposed hollow end portions;

the at least one thermal actuator mounted in one hollow end portion of the valve housing;

first biasing means coupled between the valve housing and the at least one thermal actuator for normally biasing the thermal actuator in one direction;

a valve plunger mounted in the opposite hollow end portion of the valve housing and adapted to movably engage a valve seat in the housing; and

second biasing means mounted within the valve housing for normally biasing the plunger to a retracted position opening the first outlet port in the housing to fluid flow.

36. The bypass valve apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a guide member mounted in the housing and carrying apertures defining a portion of the fluid flow passageway through the housing to the second outlet; and

the temperature responsive means including at least one thermal actuator having an extensible piston, the piston fixedly coupled to the guide member.

37. The bypass apparatus of claim 1 including a kit adapted for use in providing a cooler bypass loop between first and second conduits extending from a device carrying fluid that needs to be cooled and a heat exchanger having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the kit comprising:

a first body having a first inlet adapted to be fluidically coupled by a first connection to the first conduit, a first outlet, a second outlet adapted to be coupled by a third connection to the heat exchanger inlet, a thermal actuator fluidically coupled to the bore in the first body for normally blocking fluid flow between the first inlet and the second outlet of the first body at fluid temperatures below a preset temperature and unblocking fluid flow between the first inlet and the second outlet of the first body at fluid temperatures above a preset temperature;

a check valve fluidically coupled to the first outlet in the first body blocking flow from the first outlet through the second connection when fluid pressure is less than a normal biasing force exerted on the check valve and allowing flow from the first outlet through the second connection when the fluid pressure is greater than the biasing force acting on the check valve;

first and second elbows each having a through bore extending between first and second ends, quick connections carried on the first and second ends of the fluid carrying actuators;

a tee fluid carrying actuator having first, second and third flow passages interconnected by an internal bore;

quick connections carried on the thermal actuator and the check valve;

a plurality of quick connector retainer clips engagable with the quick connections; and

at least one flexible conduit adapted for interconnection between the quick connections.

38. The kit of claim 37 further comprising:

a plurality of rigid pipe stubs, each pipe stub having a quick connect endform adjacent one end, the pipe stubs insertable into opposition ends of the at least one flexible conduit for connecting the flexible conduit to the quick connections.

39. A method of installing a cooler bypass apparatus to a heat exchanger carrying coolant fluid coupled by first and second conduits to a device with fluid that needs to be cooled, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first body having a first inlet adapted to be fluidically coupled by a first connection to the first conduit, providing a first outlet, and a quick connector coupled to the first inlet;

providing a second outlet adapted to be coupled by a third connection to the heat exchanger inlet;

fluidically connecting the first outlet of the first body to the first inlet of the second body by a second fluidic connection;

fluidically coupling a thermal actuator in the bore in the first body for normally blocking fluid flow between the first inlet and the second outlet of the first body at fluid temperatures below a preset temperature and unblocking fluid flow between the first inlet and the second outlet of the first body at fluid temperatures above a preset temperature; and

fluidically coupling a check valve to the first outlet in the first body for blocking flow from the first outlet through the second connection when fluid pressure is less than a normal biasing force exerted on the check valve and allowing flow from the first outlet through the second connection when the fluid pressure is greater than the biasing force acting on the check valve.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising the steps of:

providing each of the first, second and third connections with a flexible conduit;

providing a rigid pipe stub carrying a quick connect endform adjacent one end in each end of each flexible conduit segment for fluidically coupling the flexible conduit segments to each quick connection.