Replaceable Fluid Container

• US 20150292674A1
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Castrol Limited (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Castrol Limited (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Brett, Peter Stuart, Goodier, Steven Paul, Harding, Piers Sebastian, Jepps, Gary Keith, McPherson, Thomas James
• Granted Patent: US 9,890,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/04 Filling or draining lubricant of or from machines or engines
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/0483 with a lubricant cartridge for facilitating the change
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 19/00 Lubricant containers for use in lubricators or lubrication systems

Abstract

A replaceable fluid container for a vehicle, for example a vehicle engine, the container comprising: a housing comprising a fluid reservoir; at least one fluid port arranged on the housing to couple the reservoir in fluidic communication with a fluid system of the vehicle; a vent port arranged on the housing to couple the reservoir in fluidic communication with the vehicle for allowing gas to be passed into and out from the reservoir; a vent tube connected at a first end, to said vent port and arranged within the reservoir to pass through fluid contained in the reservoir when the container is connected with the fluid reservoir in fluidic communication with the fluid system of the vehicle, with a second end of the vent tube in a headspace above the fluid in the reservoir, to allow gas communication between the vent port and the headspace, in which the vent tube comprises a vent valve at the second end of the vent tube adapted to close to prevent ingress of fluid and gas from the reservoir into the vent tube when the vent port is not in fluidic communication with the vehicle and to open to allow gas communication between the head space and the engine through the vent tube and vent port when the vent port is in fluid communication with the vehicle.

Claims

1. A replaceable fluid container for a vehicle, the container comprising:

a housing comprising a fluid reservoir;

at least one fluid port arranged on the housing to couple the reservoir in fluidic communication with a fluid system of the vehicle;

a vent port arranged on the housing to couple the reservoir in fluidic communication with the engine for allowing gas to be passed into and out from the reservoir;

a vent tube connected at a first end, to said vent port and arranged within the reservoir to pass through fluid contained in the reservoir when the container is connected with the fluid reservoir in fluidic communication with the fluid system, with a second end of the vent tube in a headspace above the fluid in the reservoir, to allow gas communication between the vent port and the headspace,

in which the vent tube comprises a vent valve at the second end of the vent tube adapted to close to prevent ingress of fluid and gas from the reservoir into the vent tube when the vent port is not in fluidic communication with the vehicle and to open to allow gas communication between the head space and the engine through the vent tube and vent port when the vent port is in fluid communication with the vehicle.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the vent port comprises a vent port valve arranged to be closed when the vent port valve is not in fluidic communication with the vehicle and to be open when the vent port is in fluidic communication with the vehicle thereby to allow gas communication between the headspace and vehicle through the vent tube and vent port.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the vent valve comprises an actuator rod arranged to be acted upon to open the vent valve when the vent port is in fluidic communication with the vehicle.

4. A container as claimed in claim 3 in which the vent port comprises a vent port valve arranged to be open when the vent port is in fluidic communication with the vehicle and in which the actuator rod connects the vent port valve and the vent valve to allow simultaneous opening and closing of the vent valve and the vent port valve.

5. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the vent valve comprises a poppet valve comprising a stem adapted to close the valve when the vent port is not in fluidic communication with the vehicle and to open the valve when the vent port is in fluidic communication with the vehicle.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5 in which the vent poppet valve comprises a plug which comprises a head which is arranged to extend beyond the periphery of the second end of the vent tube.

7. A container as claimed in claim 5 in which the stem of the vent valve is connected to an actuator rod arranged to be acted upon to open the vent valve when the vent port is in fluidic communication with the vehicle and to close the valve when the vent port is not in fluidic communication with the vehicle.

8. A container as claimed in claim 7 in which the vent port comprises a vent port valve arranged to be open when the vent port is in fluidic communication with the vehicle and to be closed when the vent port is not into fluidic communication with the vehicle and in which the actuator rod connects the vent port valve and the stem of the vent valve to allow simultaneous opening and closing of the vent valve and the vent port valve.

9. A container as claimed in claim 3 in which the actuator rod is positioned within the vent tube.

10. A container as claimed in claim 2 in which the vent port valve is a poppet valve.

11. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the second end of the vent tube is adapted to inhibit ingress of fluid.

12. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the container comprises at least two fluid ports which include:

at least one fluid outlet port arranged on the housing to couple the reservoir in fluidic communication with a fluid system of the vehicle for supplying fluid from the reservoir to the vehicle; and

at least one fluid inlet port arranged on the housing to couple the reservoir in fluidic communication with the fluid system of the vehicle for receiving fluid from the vehicle to the reservoir.

13. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the reservoir comprises a perforate deflector adapted to inhibit fluid flow into the vent tube whilst allowing flow of gas into and out from the vent tube.

14. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the reservoir contains a fluid.

15. A container as claimed in claim 14 in which the fluid is an engine lubricating oil composition or a heat exchange fluid for an electric engine.

16. An apparatus comprising a container as claimed in claim 1 in fluidic communication with a fluid system of a vehicle engine through the at least one fluid port and with the vent port in fluidic communication with the vehicle engine.

17. (canceled)

18. A replaceable fluid container for an apparatus, the container comprising:

a housing comprising a fluid reservoir;

at least one fluid port arranged on the housing to couple the reservoir in fluidic communication with a fluid system of the apparatus;

a vent port arranged on the housing to couple the reservoir in fluidic communication with the apparatus for allowing gas to be passed into and out from the reservoir;

a vent tube connected at a first end, to said vent port and arranged within the reservoir to pass through fluid contained in the reservoir when the container is connected with the fluid reservoir in fluidic communication with the fluid system, with a second end of the vent tube in a headspace above the fluid in the reservoir, to allow gas communication between the vent port and the headspace,

in which the vent tube comprises a vent valve at the second end of the vent tube adapted to close to prevent ingress of fluid and gas from the reservoir into the vent tube when the vent port is not in fluidic communication with the apparatus and to open to allow gas communication between the head space and the apparatus through the vent tube and vent port when the vent port is in fluid communication with the apparatus.