Quick connect diagnostic apparatus and method for a vehicle cooling system
First Claim
1. A quick connect diagnostic apparatus for analyzing the cooling system of a vehicle engine including a radiator, a thermostat coupled to the engine, a heater core and various liquid hoses connecting the components of the cooling system, the diagnostic apparatus comprising:
- first, second and third temperature sensors, the first sensor configured to attach to a liquid hose containing cooling liquid from the engine to measure the temperature of the liquid in the engine and generate a first signal, the second sensor configured to attach to an input liquid hose to the radiator to measure the temperature of the liquid entering the radiator and generate a second signal, and the third sensor configured to attach to an output liquid hose from the radiator to measure the temperature of the liquid leaving the radiator and generate a third signal;
an analyzer for analyzing the measured temperatures, each of said sensors being electrically coupled to the analyzer, the analyzer comparing the first signal with the second signal to generate a thermostat output signal, comparing the second signal with the third signal to generate a radiator output signal, and using the first signal to generate an engine temperature output signal;
output circuitry electrically coupled to the analyzer to receive the output signals and provide a humanly perceptible output denoting the engine temperature and the operation of the cooling system.
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Abstract
A quick connect diagnostic apparatus for the cooling system of a vehicle engine includes first, second and third temperature sensors which are configured to attach to liquid hoses which circulate cooling liquid throughout the engine, the first sensor attaching to a hose directly from the engine, the second and third sensors attaching to input and output hoses, respectively, connected to the radiator. The sensors are housed within a cuff structure which is wrapped around the hoses to detect the fluid temperatures within the hoses. Each sensor is connected to an analyzer which compares the first signal to a temperature threshold signal, compares the first signal to the second signal to generate a first difference signal which is then compared to a thermostat threshold signal, and compares the second and third signals to produce a second different signal which is compared to a radiator threshold signal. The analyzer utilizes the various difference signals and temperature signals to produce output signals indicative of the engine temperature, and the operational status of the radiator and thermostat. Output circuitry electrically coupled to the analyzer provides humanly perceptible outputs in response to the output signals from the analyzer.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A quick connect diagnostic apparatus for analyzing the cooling system of a vehicle engine including a radiator, a thermostat coupled to the engine, a heater core and various liquid hoses connecting the components of the cooling system, the diagnostic apparatus comprising:
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first, second and third temperature sensors, the first sensor configured to attach to a liquid hose containing cooling liquid from the engine to measure the temperature of the liquid in the engine and generate a first signal, the second sensor configured to attach to an input liquid hose to the radiator to measure the temperature of the liquid entering the radiator and generate a second signal, and the third sensor configured to attach to an output liquid hose from the radiator to measure the temperature of the liquid leaving the radiator and generate a third signal; an analyzer for analyzing the measured temperatures, each of said sensors being electrically coupled to the analyzer, the analyzer comparing the first signal with the second signal to generate a thermostat output signal, comparing the second signal with the third signal to generate a radiator output signal, and using the first signal to generate an engine temperature output signal; output circuitry electrically coupled to the analyzer to receive the output signals and provide a humanly perceptible output denoting the engine temperature and the operation of the cooling system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A quick connect diagnostic apparatus for attachment to the cooling system of a vehicle engine including a radiator, a thermostat coupled to the engine, a heater core and various liquid hoses connecting the components of the cooling system to analyze the cooling system, the diagnostic apparatus comprising:
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first, second and third temperature sensors, the first sensor measuring the temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine and generating a first signal, the second sensor measuring the temperature of the cooling liquid entering the radiator and generating a second signal, the third sensor measuring the temperature of the cooling liquid leaving the radiator and generating a third signal; an analyzer for analyzing the measured temperatures, each of said sensors being electrically coupled to the analyzer, the analyzer comparing the first signal with the second signal to generate a first difference signal and comparing said first difference signal to a thermostat threshold signal to generate a thermostat signal indicating the operational status of the thermostat; the analyzer comparing the second signal with the third signal to generate a second difference signal and comparing said second difference signal to a radiator threshold signal to generate a radiator signal indicating the operational status of the radiator; the analyzer comparing the first signal to a temperature threshold signal to generate an engine temperature signal indicating the engine temperature; the analyzer utilizing the engine temperature signal, radiator signal, and thermostat signal to generate output signals which indicate the operating conditions of the engine, radiator, and thermostat; output circuitry electrically coupled to the analyzer to receive the output signals and provide a humanly perceptible output denoting the engine temperature and the operation of the cooling system. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of analyzing the cooling system of a vehicle engine including a radiator, a thermostat coupled to the engine, a heater core and various liquid hoses connecting the components of the cooling system, the method comprising:
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measuring the temperature of cooling liquid in the engine with a sensor and generating a first electrical signal in response to the measured temperature; measuring the temperature of cooling liquid entering the radiator with a sensor and generating a second electrical signal in response to the measured temperature; measuring the temperature of cooling liquid leaving the radiator with a sensor and generating a third electrical signal in response to the measurement; electronically inputting said signals from said sensors into an analyzer, the analyzer automatically comparing the first signal to the second signal to generate a thermostat output signal indicative of the operation of the thermostat; comparing, with the analyzer, the second signal with the third signal to generate a radiator output signal indicative of the operation of the radiator; comparing, with the analyzer, the first signal to a temperature threshold signal to generate an engine temperature output signal indicative of the engine temperature; electronically outputting the output signals to an indicator for producing humanly perceptible indications denoting the engine temperature and the operation of the radiator and thermostat. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification