Diesel fuel monitor system, negative pressure type

• US 4,488,970 A
• Filed: 10/14/1981
• Issued: 12/18/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph H. Clark
• Original Assignee: Joseph H. Clark
• Inventors: Clark, Joseph H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adee, John
• Application Number:
  US06/311,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 210/744, 210/746, 210/96.1, 210/86, 210/97, 210/112, 210/114, 210/115, 210/416.4, 210/416.5, 340/59, 340/620
• US Class Current: 210/746
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/0214 with removal of one of the phases
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/04 Diesel oil
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 33/003 Controlling the feeding of liquid fuel from storage containers to carburettors or fuel-injection apparatus control of electrical fuel pumps F02D41/3082, controlling fuel flow to a common rail F02D41/3845; Failure or leakage prevention; Diagnosis or detection of failure; Arrangement of sensors in the fuel system; Electric wiring; Electrostatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0047 Layout or arrangement of systems for feeding fuel fuel injection apparatus characterised by their conduits and venting means F02M55/00; fuel injection apparatus having a common rail F02M63/0225; arrangement of fuel conduits of low pressure fuel injection apparatus F02M69/462
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/28 with means activated by the presence of water, e.g. alarms or means for automatic drainage

Abstract

An improved negative pressure type diesel fuel monitor system that determines a specified level of water trapped in a component of the system and disposed of said water, said water having been separated from the fuel being pumped in the engine fuel line hookup. The system consists of a device to monitor the accumulated water level as it rises in the device, said device also being the facility for separating said water from said fuel and for disposing of said water, said system includes an electrical wiring circuit, connected to the engine run circuit, to operate said device and including a motorized valve to eject collected water therein, a set of logic circuits as part of said electrical wiring circuit, and a combined visual and audio monitor console to record current status of operation of said system.

Claims

1. A method for separating, detecting and automatically disposing of an electrically conductive contaminate in the fuel of negative pressure type automotive type fuel systems, comprising, passing said fuel through a separating mechanism to separate said contaminate and accumulate said contaminate at a specified point and location, sensing said fuel and contaminate under negative pressure, passing an electrical current through said contaminate between at least two terminals to complete a circuit, the completion of said circuit causing a valve to open and a negative pressure type pump to operate, whereby said pump sucks said accumulated contaminate through discharge means and directs said contaminate to a point of disposal.

2. A fuel monitor system for separating, detecting, and automatically disposing of electrically conductive contaminates in the fuel of negative pressure types automotive type fuel systems, comprising:

a negative pressure type fuel supply means, said negative pressure type fuel supply means having a fuel line, said fuel line containing contaminated fuel;

a separating means, said separating means being inserted, located, and affixed in said fuel line of said negative pressure type fuel supply means, said separating means separating and accumulating said contaminates in said fuel;

a sensing means, said sensing means being mounted and affixed within said separating means, said sensing means detecting the presence of said contaminates;

a means for maintaining a negative pressure, said means for maintaining said negative pressure being a part of said negative pressure type fuel supply means, said means for maintaining said negative pressure being located in and affixed and connected to said fuel line;

an electrical circuit system, said electrical circuit system being connected to said sensing means and to the power source of said automotive fuel system, said electrical circuit system controling the operation and providing a charge to said sensing means;

a readout means, said readout means being connected to said electrical circuit system, said readout means signaling the status of said fuel monitoring system; and

a suction type disposal means, said disposal means being connected and affixed to said separating means and further connected to said electrical circuit system, said disposal means being operated when said sensing means detects said contaminate in said fuel, said disposal means causing the discharge of said accumulation of said contaminates.

3. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 2, wherein said separating means consists of a hollow cylindrical body means, said hollow cylindrical body means being open at each end, said cylindrical body means having both a top and bottom closure structure suitably sealed and attached to said body means, said top closure structure having a plurality of apertures therein for connection of an inlet means to a first aperture, said inlet means being for admission of said fuel with said contaminates therein, and for connection of an outlet means to a second aperture, said outlet means being for discharge of said fuel after said contaminates are separated therefrom, said contaminates being accumulated within said body means, said inlet and outlet means communicating with the hollow interior of said body means through said first and second said apertures in said top closure structure.

4. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 3, wherein said sensing means consists of an electrical conductor means, said electrical conductor means being inserted through a third aperture in said top closure structure and being insulated therefrom, said electrical conductor means extending downward into said hollow interior of said body means and spaced from said bottom closure structure, and a first hollow tubular pipe means connected by affixing to said top closure structure and passing therethrough through a fourth aperture to communicate with the exterior thereof, said first hollow tubular pipe means being spaced from said bottom closure structure a lesser distance than said spaced distance of said electrical conductor means is spaced from said bottom closure structure.

5. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for maintaining said negative pressure on said fuel containing said contaminates within said separating means is a negative pressure type fuel pump of said negative pressure type fuel supply means of said automotive type system.

6. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 4, wherein said electrical circuit system is connected to said electrical conductor means of said sensing means, said electrical circuit system consisting of a plurality of electrical harness means, each said electrical harness means having a mating connector plug means on the end thereof that connects to a mating connector socket means on an adjacent electrical harness means, a first electrical harness means of said plurality of electrical harness means being a pigtail type having one end thereof without a connector plug or socket means which end is connected to elements of said readout means, a second electrical harness means of said plurality of electrical harness means being a pigtail type having one end thereof without a connector plug or socket means which end has an electrical lead connected to said electrical conductor means of said sensing means and two electrical leads connected to said suction type disposal mens, a third electrical harness means of said plurality of electrical harness means being a pigtail type having one end without a connector plug or socket means which end is connected to a logic circuits structure in which one element is a transformer which provides an alternating current for said electrical conductor means of said sensing means through said plurality of electrical harness means, a fourth electrical harness means of said plurality of electrical harness means being a pigtail type having one end thereof without a connector plug means which end is also connected to said logic circuits structure, a fifth electrical harness means of said plurality of electrical harness means, said fifth electrical harness means being a connecting means between said first and said fourth electrical harness means and additionally having two separate electrical leads therefrom connected to the power source of said automotive type system, and a sixth electrical harness means of said plurality of electrical harness means, said sixth electrical harness means being a connecting means between said second and said third electrical harness means.

7. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 2, wherein said readout means consists of a console having a visual light means to signal that said fuel monitoring system is on for operation, a visual light system to signal operation of said disposal means, an audible alarm means to signal operation of said disposal means, said audible alarm means having a switch means whereby said audible alarm means may be silenced, a switch means to test operation of said fuel monitoring system, said test operation concurrently purging any accumulated contaminates from said fuel monitoring system, and a fuse means, said fuse means protecting the electrical elements of said fuel monitoring system, said console having a pivotable mounting bracket for mounting said console in a plurality of positions for viewing after mounting.

8. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 4, wherein said suction type disposal means consists of said first hollow tubular pipe means and additionally, a second hollow tubular pipe means, said second hollow tubular pipe means being connected to said first tubular pipe means and communicating internally therewith, a suction type pump means, said suction type pump means being connected to the distal end of said second hollow tubular pipe means, said suction type pump means providing a suction through said first and second hollow tubular pipe means, a third hollow tubular pipe means, said third hollow tubular pipe means being connected to the discharge side of said suction type pump means and communicating internally therewith, a solenoid valve means, said solenoid valve means being connected to the distal end of said third hollow tubular pipe means and communicating internally therewith, and a fourth hollow tubular pipe means, said fourth hollow tubular pipe means being connected to the outboard side of said solenoid valve and communicating internally therewith, the distal end of said fourth hollow tubular pipe means being internally discharged into an environmentally suitable container.

9. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 3, wherein said hollow cylindrical body means is transparent for observation of said fuel and said accumulated contaminates therein.

10. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 3, wherein said separating means is suitably mounted by a reversible type bracket means, said bracket being capable of being mounted for both left and right installation.

11. The fuel monitoring system as recited in claim 3, and additionally, a petcock type valve means, said petcock type valve means being installed in said bottom closure structure and communicating with the interior of said hollow cylindrical body means.