Oil cooler for a motorcycle with temperature controlled bypass

• US 5,244,036 A
• Filed: 10/29/1990
• Issued: 09/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tom Michl
• Original Assignee: Tom Michl
• Inventors: Michl, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John K.
• Application Number:
  US07/604,513
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 165/41, 165/44, 165/35, 165/38, 165/184, 165/177, 165/36, 165/51, 165/109.1, 165/179, 184/104.3, 123/196 AB, 138/38, 180/229, 180/68.1, 180/68.4
• US Class Current: 165/300
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/02 with engine between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/08 Arrangements of lubricant coolers in lubrication apparatus F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/16 Motor-cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/02 for driving cycles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/916 Oil cooler

Abstract

An oil cooling device for a motorcycle engine operating by convection heat transfer with air outside the device. A fin arrangement may be included to enhance the rate of heat exchange. The device conforms to forward portions of the motorcycle frame. The location of the device allows air needed to cool the engine to flow by the device uninhibited. This location is also unobtrusive and thus does not detract from the motorcycle'"'"'s overall appearance. The oil cooling device is activated by a thermovalve which opens whenever a chosen temperature range is attained. This device could be incorporated into a motorcycle at manufacture or be configured for addition to a motorcycle to improve oil cooling as an auxiliary oil cooler.

Claims

1. On a motorcycle having frame rails disposed forwardly of an engine of the motorcycle, a means for providing additional oil cooling through exchange of heat by convection from oil to outside air comprising in combination:

a hollow tube for transporting oil from the engine to be cooled, said tube paralleling the frame rails of the motorcycle, said tube having a width not greater than a width of the frame rails and located adjacent to the frame rails and forward thereof, such that said oil cooling means is sized and shaped to avoid blockage of air to the engine,

an engine oil reservoir interfacing means operatively coupled with said tube, and

a frame attachment means interposed between said tube and the frame.

2. The oil cooling device of claim 1 wherein said tube contains a spiral electrically brazed to interior walls of said tube and therefore having thermal and mechanical means between said spiral and said tube completely bisecting the interior of said tube into two half-circle channels, and wherein said spiral twists helically as it travels along the longitudinal axis of said tube;

whereby said spiral increases the interior surface area of said tube, increasing the rate of heat transfer from the interior of said tube through transfer laterally from a center of said spiral to edges of said spiral contacting said tube and the twists of said plate cause oil flow turbulence, increasing the rate of heat transfer from the interior of said tube.

3. On a motorcycle having frame rails disposed forwardly of an engine of the motorcycle, a means for providing additional oil cooling through exchange of heat by convection from oil to outside air comprising in combination:

a hollow tube for transporting oil from the engine to be cooled, said tube shaped to conform to the frame rails of the motorcycle, and located adjacent to the frame rails and forward thereof,

an engine oil reservoir interfacing means operatively coupled with said tube, and

a frame attachment means interposed between said tube and the frame, and

wherein said tube conforms closely to the cross-sectional area of the two frame rails on the forward portion of the motorcycle such that the frontal area of said tube is substantially the same as the frontal area of the frame rails of the motorcycle;

whereby when said oil cooling device is placed adjacent to and forward of the frame rails of the motorcycle, the frontal area of the motorcycle will be left substantially unaltered thus avoiding obstruction of the air flow to the engine of the motorcycle.

4. The oil cooling device of claim 3 wherein fins extend radially outwardly from said tube substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said tube.

5. The oil cooling device of claim 4 wherein said fins below a top curve of said tube are oriented at an angle slightly away from horizontal with greater elevation downstream,

whereby air is deflected upwards slightly providing greater heat dissipation from an upper end of the engine and compensating for air flow blockage caused by said top curve of said tube.

6. The oil cooling device of claim 3 wherein said tube has an inlet for receiving hot oil from the engine of the motorcycle, and an outlet for returning cooled oil to the engine of the motorcycle, said inlet and said outlet capable of maintaining a high pressure seal.

7. The oil cooling device of claim 3 wherein said frame attachment means is a plurality of clamps with associated bolt and nut assemblies girding said tube to the frame, whereby said tube is attached to the frame rails of the motorcycle.

8. The oil cooling device of claim 4 wherein said fins are one long spiraling fin fixedly attached on one side to said tube'"'"'s outer surface along a line which wraps helically around said tube.

9. The oil cooling device of claim 4 wherein said tube is angled slightly away from a vertical orientation through attachment adjacent to the frame rails of the motorcycle, whereby said fins surrounding said tube are angled slightly away from a horizontal orientation causing a horizontal air flow to encounter additional turbulence when passing through said fins, thereby increasing the residence time of air between the fins and increasing the amount of convective heat transfer from said fins to the passing horizontal air flow.

10. The oil cooling device of claim 3 wherein said oil reservoir interfacing means includes an outlet hose which attaches on a first end to said outlet of said tube and attaches on a second end to said oil reservoir, and an inlet hose which attaches on a first end to an oil filter downstream from said oil reservoir and connects on a second end to said inlet of said tube, with each connection maintaining a high pressure seal.

13. A method for altering the heat profile and viscosity of a lubricating medium including the steps of:

scavenging the lubricating medium from a heat source in an engine of a motorcycle which moves relative to an air mass,

routing the lubricating medium from the heat source through a thermovalve then along a pathway which is located forward of frame members supporting the engine on a leading side of the motorcycle as it passes through the air mass, and which said pathway is within a tube which parallels the frame members, the tube having a width not greater than a width of the frame members;

then back to the heat source,

cooling the lubricating medium as it travels along the pathway by allowing an air mass to draw heat off of the pathway as the motorcycle passes through the air mass while leaving the air mass substantially undiverted allowing the air mass to draw heat off of the engine'"'"'s exterior subsequently, and

recirculating the lubricating medium from the heat source and through the pathway to keep the lubricating medium at a reduced, beneficial and uniform temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said routing includes steps of:

sensing when the lubricating medium is of a temperature needing cooling, and

opening the thermovalve diverting a portion of the lubricating medium through the pathway when the lubricating medium is of a temperature needing cooling.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said routing includes rotating of the lubricating medium as it travels along the pathway with a helical insert within the pathway, said rotating increasing the rate of heat transfer by mixing the oil.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said routing includes configuring the pathway to conform to the forward frame rails of a motorcycle.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said cooling includes increasing heat dissipation surface area of the pathway by placing fins along an outer surface of the pathway.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said cooling includes placing fins along an outer surface of the pathway angled slightly away from horizontal with greater elevation downstream in the air mass directing the passing air mass upwards, causing both greater heat dissipation along said pathway and greater air mass circulation over an upper portion of the engine leading to greater engine heat dissipation.

19. The method claim 18 wherein fins extend radially outwardly from said tube substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said tube.

20. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, including a plurality of wheels supporting a frame, an air cooled engine supported on the frame, the frame having a forward portion between the engine and a forward said wheel, the frame forward portion formed from two downwardly and outwardly directed frame members,

an oil cooling means including two downwardly and outwardly directed portions closely conforming to the frame members and disposed forwardly thereof such that air required for cooling of the engine is not diverted substantially by said oil cooling means,

said oil cooling means comprised of a tube which parallels the frame members, said tube having a width not greater than a width of the frame members, and

means coupling said oil cooling means to the engine.

21. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, including a plurality of wheels supporting a frame, an engine supported on the frame, the frame having a forward portion between the engine and a forward said wheel, the frame forward portion formed from two downwardly and outwardly directed frame members,

an oil cooling means paralleling the frame members disposed forwardly thereof, and

means coupling said oil cooling means to the engine, and

wherein said oil cooling means includes a tubular portion of a diameter similar to that of said frame members fastened to said frame members of said motorcycle and forward thereof which circulates the oil to be cooled, thereby leaving the appearance of said motorcycle substantially unchanged and the passing airflow substantially unchanged.

11. The oil cooling device of claim 23 wherein said oil reservoir interfacing means contains:

an oil pump, and

a thermovalve connected to said oil reservoir downstream from said oil pump and said oil filter,

whereby when said thermovalve senses an excessive oil temperature it opens allowing the oil in the oil reservoir to circulate through said oil cooling device cooling said oil until said thermovalve senses a designated lower temperature and causes said thermovalve to be closed.

12. The oil cooling device of claim 11 wherein said thermovalve is interposed within said inlet hose and said outlet hose whereby said thermovalve may open to divert excessively heated oil through said tube and close to divert excessively cooled oil away from said tube without diverting oil from said oil pump, said oil reservoir or said oil filter.

22. The motorcycle of claim 21 wherein said tubular portion has a fin extending helically outwardly, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer from the oil.

23. The motorcycle of claim 22 wherein said tubular portion contains a spiral which divides the interior of said tubular portion into two semi-circular cross sections, and which twists helically, whereby the rate of heat transfer is increased.

24. The motorcycle of claim 23 wherein said coupling means includes:

an input oil hose interposed between said engine and said tubular portion,

an output oil hose interposed between said tubular portion and said engine,

an oil pump providing for circulation of the cooling oil, and

a thermovalve which provides the oil with access to said tubular portion of said oil cooling means.

25. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, including a plurality of wheels supporting a frame, an engine supported on the frame, the frame having a forward portion between the engine and a forward said wheel, the frame forward portion formed from two downwardly and outwardly directed frame members,

an oil cooling means closely conforming to the frame members disposed forwardly thereof,

said oil cooling means comprised of a tube which parallels the frame members, said tube having a width not greater than a width of the frame members, and

means coupling said oil cooling means to the engine;

whereby air required for cooling of the engine is not diverted substantially by said oil cooling means, and

wherein said tubular portion has a fin extending helically outwardly, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer from the oil.

26. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, including a plurality of wheels supporting a frame, an engine supported on the frame, the frame having a forward portion between the engine and a forward said wheel, the frame forward portion formed from two downwardly and outwardly directed frame members,

an oil cooling means closely conforming to the frame members disposed forwardly thereof,

said oil cooling means comprised of a tube which parallels the frame members, said tube having a width not greater than a width of the frame members, and

means coupling said oil cooling means to the engine;

whereby air required for cooling of the engine is not diverted substantially by said oil cooling means, and

wherein said tubular portion contains a spiral which divides the interior of said tubular portion into two semi-circular cross-sections, and which twists helically, whereby the rate of heat transfer is increased.

27. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, including a plurality of wheels supporting a frame, an engine supported on the frame, the frame having a forward portion between the engine and a forward said wheel, the frame forward portion formed from two downwardly and outwardly directed frame members,

an oil cooling means closely conforming to the frame members disposed forwardly thereof,

said oil cooling means comprised of a tube which parallels the frame members, said tube having a width not greater than a width of the frame members, and

means coupling said oil cooling means to the engine;

whereby air required for cooling of the engine is not diverted substantially by said oil cooling means, and

wherein said coupling means includes;

an input oil hose interposed between said engine and said tubular portion,

an output oil hose interposed between said tubular portion and said engine,

an oil pump providing for circulation of the cooling oil, and

a thermovalve which provides the oil with access to said tubular portion of said oil cooling means.

28. The oil cooling device of claim 27 wherein said fins below a top curve of said tube are oriented at an angle slightly away from horizontal with greater elevation downstream,

whereby air is deflected upwards slightly providing greater heat dissipation from an upper end of the engine and compensating for air flow blockage caused by said top curve of said tube.

29. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, including a plurality of wheels supporting a frame, an engine supported on the frame, the frame having a forward portion between the engine and a forward said wheel, the frame forward portion formed from two downwardly and outwardly directed frame members,

an oil cooling means closely conforming to the frontal area of the frame members disposed forwardly thereof,

said oil cooling means comprised of a tube which parallels the frame members, said tube having a width not greater than a width of the frame members, and

means coupling said oil cooling means to the engine;

whereby air required for cooling of the engine is not diverted substantially by said oil cooling means.