Oil cooler bypass valve

• US 6,499,666 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Huron, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Lanny D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M.
• Application Number:
  US09/945,037
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 236/34, 236/34.5, 236/93.R, 236/93.A, 236/99.J, 236/99.K
• US Class Current: 236/34.5
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/007 Thermostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/04 Lubricant cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/16 by thermostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0413 Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1333 measuring the temperature of incoming fluid

Abstract

A valve actuating mechanism for a transmission/engine fluid cooler bypass valve of the type in which a responsive element expands to urge a valve member against a valve seat thereby causes transmission fluid to flow through an oil fluid cooler. A cast valve housing is utilized which is interposed between the cooler and the oil source. The valve actuating mechanism is designed to allow fluid pass through the valve once the fluid has reached an elevated temperature.

Claims

1. A fluid bypass valve for use with a oil supply having oil fluid supply and return ports comprising:

a valve housing defining an elongated bypass passage having a first valve seat, said bypass passage communicating with a fluid supply, fluid return, cooler supply, and cooler return ports, said valve housing being fluidly coupled to said oil fluid supply and return ports;

a valve bearing element which is engageable with the first valve seat having a closed position for directing oil fluid from the fluid supply line to the cooler supply line for circulating through a cooler and from the cooler supply line to the fluid return line, and further having an open position for directing oil fluid from the fluid supply line back to the fluid return line;

a thermally responsive actuator which moves the valve bearing element between the open and closed positions;

a spring engaged between said valve member and said thermally responsive actuator and operative to urge said valve bearing toward said fist valve seat; and

a second spring being disposed between said thermally responsive element and said valve housing, said second spring being compressible to enable movement of said thermally responsive valve member in a first direction under the influences of relatively high fluid pressure acting on one side of said thermally responsive valve member to allow the flow through said bypass passage into said fluid return line.

2. The fluid bypass valve of claim 1 wherein said valve housing defines an aperture, whereby said thermally responsive valve member is inserted into said bypass passage through said aperture.

3. The fluid bypass valve of claim 2 wherein said thermally responsive valve member further comprises a mounting member to fluidly seal said aperture.

4. The fluid bypass valve of claim 3 wherein the mounting surface defines input and output ports which are fluidly coupled to said oil supply unit fluid supply and return ports.

5. The fluid bypass valve of claim 4 further comprising a gasket disposed between said valve housing and said oil supply unit.

6. The fluid bypass valve of claim 5 wherein said mounting surface defines at least one annular groove disposed about one of said ports.

7. The fluid bypass valve of claim 6 wherein said gasket is an O-ring disposed within said annular groove.

8. The fluid bypass valve of claim 1 wherein said valve housing defines an aperture, whereby said valve member is inserted into said bypass passage through said aperture.

9. The fluid bypass valve of claim 8 wherein said thermally responsive actuator further comprises an annularly disposed star flange.

10. The fluid bypass valve of claim 9 wherein said valve housing defines a second valve seat which engages said star flange to axially position the thermally responsive actuator within the bypass passage.

11. The fluid bypass valve of claim 10 wherein said star flange allows fluid to flow through it when said star flange is seated against said second seat.

12. The fluid bypass valve of claim 1 further comprising an intermediate bearing member disposed between said thermally responsive actuator and said second spring.

13. The fluid bypass valve of claim 12 wherein said thermally responsive actuator comprises a retractable piston, said thermally responsive actuator configured to retract said piston thereby positioning the valve bearing element in its open position.

14. A fluid bypass valve for use with an oil supply having oil fluid supply and return ports, comprising:

a housing defining an elongated bypass passage communicating with a fluid supply, fluid return, cooler supply, and cooler return ports, said valve housing being coupled to said oil supply and return ports, said valve housing further defining a first valve seat within said bypass passage;

a sliding valve element defining a through bore;

a thermally responsive actuator disposed at least partially within said through bore; and

a first spring member disposed between said sliding valve element and said thermally responsive actuator, said thermally responsive actuator moveable within said axial bore to restrict the flow of fluid through the bypass passage.

15. The fluid bypass valve according to claim 14 further comprising an intermediate bearing member adjacent said thermally responsive actuator;

and

a second spring disposed between said intermediate bearing member and said valve housing, said second spring being compressible to enable movement of said thermally responsive valve member in one direction under the influence of high fluid pressure acting on one side of said thermally responsive actuator to allow the flow of oil through said bypass passage into said fluid return line.

16. The fluid bypass valve according to claim 15 wherein said thermally responsive actuator has a retractable piston engaged with said intermediate bearing member.

17. A fluid bypass valve for use with an oil supply having oil fluid supply and return ports, comprising:

a housing defining an elongated bypass passage communicating with a fluid supply, fluid return, cooler supply, and cooler return ports, said valve housing being coupled to said oil supply and return ports, said valve housing further defining a first valve seat within said bypass passage;

a sliding valve element defining a through bore;

a thermally responsive actuator disposed at least partially within said through bore; and

a first spring member disposed between said sliding valve element and said thermally responsive actuator, said thermally responsive actuator moveable within said axial bore to restrict the flow of fluid through the bypass passage, wherein said sliding valve member has an annular ring which engages the first valve seat of the valve housing, said sliding valve member further defining a flow passage, said thermally responsive actuator operable to restrict flow through the flow passage at temperatures higher than a predetermined temperature.

18. The fluid bypass valve of claim 17 wherein said first spring is at least partially disposed within said axial bore.

19. The fluid bypass valve according to claim 17 wherein said flow passage is a notch whereby fluid flow through said axial bore and out said notch into said bypass passage.