FLUID DRAIN MANIFOLD

• US 20140373940A1
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Toader, Sorin G. Jr., Jakubiak, Eric P.
• Application Number:
  US13/922,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20140373940A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/267
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2267 Valves or distributors position of valves arrangements on upper-structures E02F9/0875
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 13/0814 Monoblock manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/005 Filling or draining of fluid systems
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/041 Removal or measurement of solid or liquid contamination, e.g. filtering
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/03 comprising junction pieces for four or more pipe members
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/07 Arrangement or mounting of devices, e.g. valves, for venting or aerating or draining apparatus for draining F16T
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4857 With manifold or grouped outlets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4874 Tank truck type

Abstract

A fluid drain manifold is disclosed. The fluid drain manifold can include a manifold body and a plurality of hollow interior channels extending through an interior of the manifold body between an upper end and a bottom end of the manifold body. The plurality of hollow interior channels can include a plurality of individual drain line channels and an outlet channel. The outlet channel can be disposed within the interior of the manifold body, and the outlet channel can include an upper end and an open lower, outlet end. The open lower outlet end of the outlet channel can be positioned at the bottom end of the manifold body. Each of the plurality of individual drain line channels can include an open upper, inlet end at the upper end of the manifold body and an open lower, outlet end fluidly connected to the outlet channel.

Claims

1. A fluid drain manifold, comprising:

a manifold body;

a plurality of hollow interior channels extending through an interior of the manifold body between an upper end and a bottom end of the manifold body;

the plurality of hollow interior channels including a plurality of individual drain line channels and an outlet channel;

the outlet channel disposed within the interior of the manifold body, the outlet channel including an upper end and an open lower, outlet end;

the open lower outlet end of the outlet channel positioned at the bottom end of the manifold body; and

each of the plurality of individual drain line channels including an open upper, inlet end at the upper end of the manifold body and an open lower, outlet end fluidly connected to the outlet channel.

2. The fluid drain manifold of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of individual drain line channels includes a fluid sensing device positioned upstream of the open, lower outlet end of each the plurality of individual drain line channels.

3. The fluid drain manifold of claim 2 wherein each fluid sensing device is a magnetic plug, wherein each magnetic plug is removably disposed within one of each of a plurality of passages extending from an exterior surface of the manifold body to form an opening in a channel wall of one of each of the plurality of individual drain line channels.

4. The fluid drain manifold of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of individual drain line channels includes an interior flow volume extending from the open upper, inlet end to the open lower, outlet end of each individual drain line channel.

5. The fluid drain manifold of claim 4 wherein each interior flow volume of each of the plurality of individual drain line channels is configured to direct an individual flow of fluid at least one of increasingly downward toward the bottom end of the manifold body and increasingly inward toward a center vertical axis of the outlet channel as each individual flow of fluid is fluidly directed from the open upper, inlet end to the open lower, outlet end of each individual drain line channel.

6. The fluid drain manifold of claim 3 wherein each of the plurality of individual drain line channels includes a center axis, wherein each of the plurality of individual drain line channels extends directly and substantially linearly from the upper end of the manifold body to the outlet channel along each center axis of each of the plurality of individual drain line channels.

7. The fluid drain manifold of claim 6 wherein each center axis of each of the plurality of individual drain line channels intersects with a center vertical axis of the outlet channel at an acute angle.

8. The fluid drain manifold of claim 6 wherein each lower, outlet end of the plurality of individual drain line channels intersects with and forms an opening in a channel wall of the outlet channel.

9. The fluid drain manifold of claim 1 wherein the manifold body is a unitary manifold body.

10. The fluid drain manifold of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of individual drain line channels is at least one of substantially vertical and vertically angled toward a center vertical axis of the outlet channel.

11. The fluid drain manifold of claim 10 wherein the manifold body is a cast manifold body.

12. A fluid system, comprising:

a plurality of individual fluid sources, each of the plurality of individual fluid sources including a housing;

a fluid drain manifold including a manifold body and a plurality of hollow interior channels extending through an interior of the manifold body;

the plurality of hollow interior channels including a plurality of individual drain line channels and an outlet channel;

each of the plurality of individual drain line channels extending from an open upper, inlet end at an upper end of the manifold body to an open lower, outlet end fluidly connected to the outlet channel within interior of the manifold body;

the outlet channel including an open lower outlet end positioned at the bottom end of the manifold body;

a plurality of fluid drain lines each including an inlet end and an outlet end;

the inlet end of each of the plurality of fluid drain lines connected in fluid communication to a housing of one of each of the plurality of individual fluid sources; and

the outlet end of each of the plurality of fluid drain lines connected in fluid communication to an open upper, inlet end of one of each of the plurality of individual drain line channels.

13. The fluid system of claim 12 wherein the outlet channel extends vertically within the interior of the manifold body along a center vertical axis.

14. The fluid system of claim 13 wherein each of the plurality of individual drain line channels are configured to direct an individual flow of fluid from one of each of the plurality of individual fluid sources through the interior of the manifold body and into an interior flow volume of the outlet channel at an angle which is angled downward toward the bottom end of the manifold body.

15. The fluid system of claim 14 wherein the outlet channel is configured to receive each individual flow of fluid and progressively direct and consolidate each individual flow of fluid downward and out of the bottom end of the manifold body as a single, combined outlet flow of fluid.

16. The fluid system of claim 15 additionally comprising a tank drain line including an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end of the tank drain line connected in fluid communication to the open lower outlet end of the outlet channel, and the outlet end of the tank drain line connected in fluid communication to a tank.

17. The fluid system of claim 16 wherein the manifold body includes a plurality of passages, each passage extending from an exterior surface of the manifold body to form an opening in a channel wall of one of each of the plurality of individual drain line channels.

18. The fluid system of claim 17 additionally comprising a plurality of magnetic plugs, each magnetic plug removably disposed within one of each of the plurality of passages and including a magnetized surface extending into the opening in the channel wall of one of each of the plurality of individual drain line channels.

19. A machine, comprising:

at least one frame, a fluid system, and a tank;

the fluid system including a plurality of individual fluid sources;

a fluid drain manifold mounted on the at least one frame of the machine and fluidly connected between the plurality of individual fluid sources and the tank;

the fluid drain manifold including a manifold body and a plurality of hollow interior channels extending through an interior of the manifold body between an upper end and a bottom end of the manifold body; and

the plurality of hollow interior channels configured to receive a plurality of individual flows of fluid each fluidly communicated to the upper end of the manifold body from the plurality of individual fluid sources and channel and consolidate each of the plurality of individual flows of fluid within the manifold body into a single, combined outlet flow of fluid flowing out of the bottom end of the manifold body.

20. The machine of claim 19 wherein the manifold body includes a central vertical axis, the central vertical axis of the manifold body parallel to a vertical axis of the machine.