Precise replacement of liquids and components in a liquid mixture

• US 6,435,307 B2
• Filed: 07/08/1999
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Selby, Theodore W.
• Original Assignee: Selby, Theodore W.
• Inventors: Selby, Theodore W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michalsky, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US09/349,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20020000453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 137/564.5, 222/386.5, 222/389, 184/1.5
• US Class Current: 184/1.5
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/0458 Lubricant filling and draining
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 9/02 having means for introducing additives to lubricant

Abstract

Device for precise replacement of liquid has boundaries for one incoming liquid or more and one exiting liquid or more, and one pressure-transmitting barrier or more. The device may be augmented by a makeup contrivance or be for makeup alone. The device can include or be provided with one or more of the following: multiple units of the device; delivery of multiple, separate liquids; various rates of replacement; topping up of expended liquids and/or their additives; use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism to induce replacement; and/or use of pneumatic, hydraulic and/or mechanical actuated force to induce replacement. Examples of pressure-transmitting barriers are a simple piston; a multi-part, expansible piston; one diaphragm or more; one flexible bag or more; and combinations thereof. Liquid can be replaced during normal operation of the mechanism.

Claims

1. A device for precise replacement of liquid in a mechanism, to be at least one of being augmented by makeup and being for makeup alone, in general, which device comprises boundaries for at least one incoming liquid volume and at least one exiting liquid volume, and, one of between and among the incoming and exiting liquid volumes, at least one pressure-transmitting barrier, wherein the device includes at least one of the following:

multiple units of the device;

delivery of multiple, separate liquids;

various rates of replacement, in which is provided a rate of replacement of total volume of incoming liquid to total volume of exiting liquid that is other than 1;

1;

topping up of at least one of expended liquids and their additives;

use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism to induce replacement; and

use of at least one of pneumatic, hydraulic and mechanical actuated force to induce replacement, in which force provided by the at least one of pneumatic, hydraulic and mechanical actuated force to induce replacement is provided by at least one of being in lieu of force provided by incoming liquid and in addition to force provided by incoming liquid—

with the provisos that when only one incoming liquid volume and one exiting liquid volume are present and the at least one pressure-transmitting barrier is made up of two pistons, the two pistons are movable relative one another;

that when only one incoming liquid volume and one exiting liquid volume are present and the at least one pressure-transmitting barrier is made up of two diaphragms, the two diaphragms are movable relative one another;

that when multiple outlets are present, the rate of replacement of total volume of incoming liquid to total volume of exiting liquid is other than 1;

1;

that, when said multiple units of the device are present, at least one of the following are also present;

said delivery of multiple, separate liquids;

said various rates of replacement;

said topping up;

said use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism to induce replacement; and

said use of at least one of pneumatic, hydraulic and mechanical actuated force to induce replacement; and

that when said use of hydraulic actuated force to induce replacement is included, the device further comprises, in combination, the mechanism, and the liquid is a lubricant.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of pressure-transmitting barriers are present to provide for multiple sequential liquid delivery capability.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said plurality of pressure-transmitting barriers are composed of stackable pistons.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein rate of replacement is other than 1:

1.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism induces replacement.

6. A device for precise replacement of liquid in a mechanism, to be at least one of being augmented by makeup and being for makeup alone, in general, which device comprises boundaries for at least one incoming liquid volume and at least one exiting liquid volume, and, one of between and among the incoming and exiting liquid volumes, at least one pressure-transmitting barrier, wherein the device includes at least one of the following:

multiple units of the device;

delivery of multiple, separate liquids;

various rates of replacement;

topping up of at least one of expended liquids and their additives;

use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism to induce replacement; and

use of at least one of pneumatic, hydraulic and mechanical actuated force to induce replacement—

with the provisos that when only one incoming liquid volume and one exiting liquid volume are present and the at least one pressure-transmitting barrier is made up of two pistons, the two pistons are movable relative one another; and

that when only one incoming liquid volume and one exiting liquid volume are present and the at least one pressure-transmitting barrier is made up of two diaphragms, the two diaphragms are movable relative one another—

wherein the makeup augmentation includes not only a device with means for precise replacement where expelled liquid is regulated by incoming liquid but also a contrivance with means for expelling liquid not regulated by incoming liquid.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein multiple device units for precise replacement of a liquid are present.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein a multi-part pressure-transmitting barrier is present.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said pressure-transmitting barrier is at least one of a multi-unit diaphragm set;

a multi-unit flexible bag set; and

a multi-unit diaphragm and flexible bag set.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein said pressure-transmitting barrier is a multi-part piston.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism induces displacement.

12. A device for precise replacement of liquid in a mechanism, to be at least one of being augmented by makeup and being for makeup alone, in general, which device comprises boundaries for at least one incoming liquid volume and at least one exiting liquid volume, and, one of between and among the incoming and exiting liquid volumes, at least one pressure-transmitting barrier, wherein the device includes at least one of the following:

delivery of multiple, separate liquids;

various rates of replacement, in which is provided a rate of replacement of total volume of incoming liquid to total volume of exiting liquid that is other than 1;

1;

topping up of at least one of expended liquids and their additives;

use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism to induce replacement; and

use of at least one of pneumatic and mechanical actuated force to induce replacement, in which force provided by the at least one of pneumatic and mechanical actuated force to induce replacement is provided by at least one of being in lieu of force provided by incoming liquid and in addition to force provided by incoming liquid—

with the provisos that when only one incoming liquid volume and one exiting liquid volume are present and the at least one pressure-transmitting barrier is made up of two pistons, the two pistons are movable relative one another;

that when only one incoming liquid volume and one exiting liquid volume are present and the at least one pressure-transmitting barrier is made up of two diaphragms, the two diaphragms are movable relative one another; and

that when multiple outlets are present, the rate of replacement of total volume of incoming liquid to total volume of exiting liquid is other than 1;

1.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the makeup augmentation includes not only a device with means for precise replacement where expelled liquid is regulated by incoming liquid but also a contrivance with means for expelling liquid not regulated by incoming liquid.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein a multi-part pressure-transmitting barrier is present.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said pressure-transmitting barrier is at least one of a plurality of diaphragms;

a plurality of flexible bags; and

a set of at least one diaphragm and at least one flexible bag.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein said pressure-transmitting barrier is a multi-part piston.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the rate of replacement is other than 1:

1.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism induces displacement.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein a plurality of pressure-transmitting barriers are present to provide for multiple sequential liquid delivery capability.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said plurality of pressure-transmitting barriers are composed of stackable pistons.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the rate of replacement is other than 1:

1.

22. The device of claim 12, wherein use of vacuum force from operation of the mechanism induces displacement.