Cooling system for a marine propulsion engine
First Claim
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1. A cooling system for a marine propulsion engine, comprising:
- first and second cooling paths connected in series fluid communication with each other;
a water pumping device connected in series fluid communication with said first and second cooling paths and configured to pump water from a body of water and cause said water to flow through said first and second cooling paths, said second cooling path being disposed downstream from said first cooling path;
a first thermally responsive valve connected in fluid communication with a first point of said cooling system which is downstream from said second cooling path, said first thermally responsive valve being configured to allow water to flow out of said second cooling path in response to a temperature of said water at said first point exceeding a first temperature threshold;
a water conduit connected in fluid communication with a second point of said cooling system which is downstream of said first cooling path and upstream of said second cooling path, said water conduit being configured to direct water to flow out of said first cooling path; and
a second thermally responsive valve connected in thermal communication with said second point of said cooling system, said water conduit being a bypass conduit connected in fluid communication with said second thermally responsive valve.
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Abstract
A cooling system for a marine engine incorporates first and second thermally responsive valves which are responsive to increases in temperature above first and second temperature thresholds, respectively. The two thermally responsive valves are configured in serial fluid communication with each other in a cooling system, with one thermally responsive valve being located upstream from the other.
51 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A cooling system for a marine propulsion engine, comprising:
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first and second cooling paths connected in series fluid communication with each other; a water pumping device connected in series fluid communication with said first and second cooling paths and configured to pump water from a body of water and cause said water to flow through said first and second cooling paths, said second cooling path being disposed downstream from said first cooling path; a first thermally responsive valve connected in fluid communication with a first point of said cooling system which is downstream from said second cooling path, said first thermally responsive valve being configured to allow water to flow out of said second cooling path in response to a temperature of said water at said first point exceeding a first temperature threshold; a water conduit connected in fluid communication with a second point of said cooling system which is downstream of said first cooling path and upstream of said second cooling path, said water conduit being configured to direct water to flow out of said first cooling path; and a second thermally responsive valve connected in thermal communication with said second point of said cooling system, said water conduit being a bypass conduit connected in fluid communication with said second thermally responsive valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A cooling system for a marine propulsion engine, comprising:
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a first cooling path disposed in thermal communication with a first heat emitting portion of said engine; a second cooling path disposed in thermal communication with a second heat emitting portion of said engine a water pump configured to draw water from a body of water and cause said water to flow sequentially through said first cooling path and then through said second cooling path; a water outlet connected in series fluid communication downstream from said second cooling path for conducting said water back to said body of water; a first thermally responsive valve disposed in thermal communication with a first point of said cooling system which is downstream from said second cooling path and upstream from said water outlet; a water diversion conduit disposed in fluid communication with a second point of said cooling system which is downstream from said first cooling path and upstream from said second cooling path, said water diversion conduit being configured to return said water to said body of water after said water has flowed through said first cooling path; and a second thermally responsive valve disposed in thermal communication with said second point of said cooling system, said water diversion conduit being a bypass conduit connected in fluid communication with said second thermally responsive valve. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A cooling system for a marine propulsion engine, comprising:
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a first cooling path disposed in thermal communication with a first heat emitting portion of said engine; a second cooling path disposed in thermal communication with a second heat emitting portion of said engine a water pump configured to draw water from a body of water and cause said water to flow in series initially through said first cooling path and then through said second cooling path; a water outlet connected in series fluid communication downstream from said second cooling path for conducting said water back to said body of water; a first thermally responsive valve disposed in thermal communication with a first point of said cooling system which is downstream from said second cooling path and upstream from said water outlet; a second thermally responsive valve disposed in thermal communication with a second point of said cooling system which is downstream from said first cooling path and upstream from said second cooling path, said second thermally responsive valve being configured to divert said water back to said body of water in response to said water at said second point having a temperature greater than a preselected threshold magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A cooling system for a marine propulsion engine, comprising:
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an exhaust passage cooling path disposed in thermal communication with a common exhaust passage of said engine; a combustion chamber cooling path disposed in thermal communication with combustion chambers of said engine and connected in series fluid communication with said exhaust passage cooling path; a cylinder cooling path disposed in thermal communication with cylinders of said engine and connected in series fluid communication with said combustion chamber cooling path, said exhaust passage cooling path being connected in series fluid communication with said cylinder cooling path; a water pump connected in series fluid communication with said exhaust passage cooling path, said combustion chamber cooling path, and said cylinder cooling path and upstream of said exhaust passage cooling path; a first thermally responsive valve connected in fluid communication with a first point which is downstream from and in series fluid communication with said cylinder cooling path, said first thermally responsive valve being configured to permit water within said cylinder cooling path to flow through said cylinder cooling path in response to a temperature of said water within said cylinder cooling path exceeding a first temperature threshold; a water conduit connected in fluid communication between a second point, which is downstream from and in series fluid communication with said exhaust passage cooling path, and a third point which is downstream from said cylinder cooling path; and a second thermally responsive valve connected in fluid communication with a second point which is downstream from and in series fluid communication with said exhaust passage cooling path, said second thermally responsive valve being configured to permit water within said exhaust passage cooling path to flow through said exhaust passage cooling path in response to a temperature of said water within said exhaust passage cooling path exceeding a second temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A cooling system for a marine propulsion engine, comprising:
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an exhaust passage cooling path disposed in thermal communication with a common exhaust passage of said engine; a combustion chamber cooling path disposed in thermal communication with combustion chambers of said engine and connected in series fluid communication with said exhaust passage cooling path; a cylinder cooling path disposed in thermal communication with cylinders of said engine and connected in series fluid communication with said combustion chamber cooling path, said exhaust passage cooling path being connected in series fluid communication with said cylinder cooling path; a water pump connected in series fluid communication with said exhaust passage cooling path, said combustion chamber cooling path, and said cylinder cooling path and upstream of said exhaust passage cooling path; a first thermally responsive valve connected in fluid communication with a first point which is downstream from and in series fluid communication with said cylinder cooling path, said first thermally responsive valve being configured to permit water within said cylinder cooling path to flow through said cylinder cooling path in response to a temperature of said water within said cylinder cooling path exceeding a first temperature threshold; and a second thermally responsive valve connected in fluid communication with a second point which is downstream from and in series fluid communication with said exhaust passage cooling path, said second thermally responsive valve being configured to permit water within said exhaust passage cooling path to flow through said exhaust passage cooling path in response to a temperature of said water within said exhaust passage cooling path exceeding a second temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification