Fluid conduit with variable flow resistance

• US 9,127,799 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Brinkmann, Bernd, Kaufeld, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): JELLETT, MATTHEW WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US13/851,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20130255815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 251/5, 251/129.06
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F15C 3/04 using diaphragms using loose plates or foils F15C3/005; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: F15D 1/025 by means of orifice or throttle elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/04 constrictable by external radial force
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/045 by electric or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/07 by means of fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/027 Throttle passages
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/02727 placed parallel to the axis of the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0694 by action on throttling means or flow sources of very small size, e.g. microfluidics microvalves F16K99/0001; microstructural devices per se B81B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2213 Electrically-actuated element [e.g., electro-mechanical transducer]

Abstract

A fluid-carrying conduit achieves variable resistance to flow. An elongate, hollow body casing has at least one chamber containing either a dilatant fluid or an electroactive polymer. In the case of the dilatant fluid, a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line occurs in reaction to an increase in the shear rate of a fluid flowing through the fluid line. In the case of the electroactive polymer, a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line occurs in reaction to an electric current being applied to the body casing. The conduit may be configured for use as a degassing line in a cooling system of an internal combustion engine. The conduit may have a reinforcement encircling the electroactive polymer. The conduit may have an electrically conductive connecting surface adjacent to the electroactive polymer. The electroactive polymer may be an ionic electroactive polymer.

Claims

1. A variable flow resistance conduit comprising:

a fluid line having an elongate, hollow body casing having a sealed chamber containing a dilatant fluid exhibiting a volume increase under increasing pressure, the volume increase causing a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line in reaction to an increase in the shear rate of a fluid flowing through the fluid line.

2. The conduit of claim 1 wherein the dilatant fluid is configured such that the flow of the fluid can be interrupted completely.

3. The conduit of claim 1 wherein the conduit is configured for use as a degassing line in a cooling system of an internal combustion engine.

4. A degassing line for a cooling system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a fluid line having an elongate, hollow body casing having a sealed chamber containing a dilatant fluid exhibiting a volume increase under increasing pressure, the volume increase causing a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line in reaction to an increase in the shear rate of a fluid flowing through the fluid line.

5. The degassing line of claim 4 wherein the dilatant fluid is configured such that the flow of the fluid can be interrupted completely.