US3830289A

US3830289A - Oil cooler

Info

Publication number: US3830289A
Application number: US00254869A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Olson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-05-18
Filing date: 1972-05-18
Publication date: 1974-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-20

Abstract

A cooler for lubricating oil of internal combustion engines adapted to convert conventional filter mounts to cool the oil during its transmission for filtering, the cooler having an adapter for mounting on such a filter mount, the adapter having an intake passage registrable with an oil supply port of the mount, a filter connection, and a return passage extending through the adapter for registration with an oil receiving port of the filter mount; a heat exchanger mounted on the adapter in operable connection with the intake passage so as to receive oil therefrom for passage through the exchanger; a return conduit connected to the heat exchanger and communicating with the return passage of the adapter; and a coolant duct extending through the exchanger in connection with a source of coolant and adapted to remove heat from oil passing through the exchanger.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Olson 14 1 Aug. 20, 1974 OIL COOLER [76] Inventor: Dan L. Olson, 3943 E. Saginaw,

Fresno, Calif. 93725 [22] Filed: May 19, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 254,869

Primary ExaminerCharles Sukalo Attorney, Agent, or FirmHuebner & Worrel [57] ABSTRACT A cooler for lubricating oil of internal combustion engines adapted to convert conventional filter mounts to cool the oil during its transmission for filtering, the cooler having an adapter for mounting on such a filter mount, the adapter having an intake passage registrable with an oil supply port of the mount, a filter connection, and a return passage extending through the adapter for registration with an oil receiving port of the filter mount; a heat exchanger mounted on the adapter in operable connection with the intake passage so as to receive oil therefrom for passage through the exchanger; a return conduit connected to the heat exchanger and communicating with the return passage of the adapter; and a coolant duct extending through the exchanger in connection with a source of coolant and adapted to remove heat from oil passing through the exchanger.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures OIL COOLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an oil cooler and more particularly to such a cooler which is adapted to be mounted on conventional oil filter mounts for converting such mounts at minimal expense for the cooling of oil during transmission for filtering.

Many types of motors and engines are not initially equipped with coolers for the cooling of their lubricating oil during operation. This is because such coolers are not essential to the operation of engines under many operational conditions and because their inclusion increases the expense of building such engines. Where an engine is employed on a vehicle which operates without being subjected to heavy or excessive workloads, or in a cool climate, the normal operational temperatures of the engine are not such that it is advantageous during operation to cool the oil. Sufficient cooling of the oil is accomplished automatically by the rush of air past the oil pan of the engine during operation of the vehicle.

Frequently, where engines are employed in a warm or very hot climate or where they are subjected to severe workloads, the operational temperature of the oil becomes of critical importance. The optimum operational temperature for oil normally used in internal combustion engines is from approximately 185F. to 210F. Where the workload is extreme or the environmental temperature is high, the temperature of the oil can greatly exceed this range. As the temperature is increased beyond this range, the viscosity of the oil is correspondingly reduced so that the oil becomes a light fluid of increasingly limited lubricity. This causes abnormal wearing of engine parts during operation. The decrease in lubricating efficiency causes further increase in frictional heating which further decreases the lubricity of the oil. In the extreme, as the temperature of the oil and of the engine as a whole increases, the oil chemically breaks down and fractions thereof oxidize, extreme wearing of the operative parts of the engine occurs, resulting in some cases in the engine seizing, so as no longer to be operable, or fragmenting, known in racing circles as constituting a blown engine.

Where it is determined that because of workload, temperature, or the like it would be advisable to equip an existing engine with an oil cooler, installation of such a unit normally involves expensive and timeconsuming modification of the engine. In most instances, this has heretofore entailed the removal of the oil filter, the mounting of an oil cooler at some convenient point adjacent to the engine, the connecting of lead hoses to and from the cooler, and the mounting of an oil filter at a new location connected to the engine through hoses. Conventionally, this could only be accomplished by the individual selection or fabrication of parts and their customized assembly since there were no commercially available, ready to use conversion kits.

Even in the construction of new engines on an assembly-line basis, no convenient procedure has existed for mounting an oil cooler on an engine without the rather complicated mounting of a cooler and filter on or adjacent to the engine interconnected by a series of hoses. In addition to the disadvantage of the expense of such construction, the hoses are subject to rapid deterio- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved oil cooler which is adaptable for use both in the construction of new engines and in the modification of existing engines.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which is particularly adapted for use in the cooling of oil during transmission for filtering.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which eliminates the necessity of having a complicated system of hoses interconnecting the engine and the cooler.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which makes economically feasible the modification of existing engines so as to provide for the cooling of oil during conditions of heavy workload and high temperature.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which readily mounts on the existing oil filter mounts of conventional engines.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which utilizes both a liquid coolant and air flow to cool oil passing through the cooler.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which is adapted to be mounted intermediate the engine filter mount and the oil filter so as to minimize the length of travel, of the oil for cooling.

A further object is to provide such a cooler which is particularly suited for use on marine engines in which there is a readily available source of water for cooling,

A still further object is to provide such a cooler which is inexpensive to produce and install.

Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device for the purposes described which is dependable, economical, durable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the fluid cooler of the present invention shown mounted on an engine indicated in dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, horizontal section of the fluid cooler taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section of the fluid cooler showing a conventional oil filter mounted thereon.

FIG. 4 is a transverse, vertical section, taken at the position indicated by line 44 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a transverse, vertical section, taken at the position indicated by line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cooling core of the fluid cooler.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of a baffle of the fluid cooler.

FIG. 8 is a somewhat enlarged, vertical section of an engine oil filter mount showing an oil filter mounted in conventional relation thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings, the oil cooler of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10. The cooler is preferably constructed of a lightweight, heat conducting metal, such as aluminum. The cooler is shown operationally mounted on an engine 11 having an engine oil filter mount 12. The mount has a substantially flat inner surface 13 and a concentric filter seat 14. A supply port or radial input passage 15 extends through the engine to communicate with the filter mount. A receiving port or return passage 16 extends axially of and from the filter mount into the engine, as shown best in FIG. 3. A pair of threaded bores 21 extend into the filter mount 12 in parallel relation to the return passage 16. The filter mount represented in the drawings is shown for illustrative convenience. It will be seen that because of simplicity of construction the cooler of the present invention is adaptable for use on a wide variety of types of filter mounts.

The conventional mounting of an oil filter on the mount 12 in the absence of the oil cooler is shown in FIG. 8. A filter mounting assembly 22 is threadably secured in the bores. A conventional full flow disposable oil filter 23 is threadably received on the assembly in sealing relation against the filter seat 14 and in communication with the input passages and the return passage 16. In use, oil is pumped through the input passage, is cleansed by movement through the filter 23, and returns to the engine through the return passage.

The oil cooler 10 is mounted on the engine 11 after removal of the mounting assembly 22 and filter 23 from the filter mount 12. The oil cooler has a substantially cylindrical adapter which is mounted in sealing relation on the filter mount of the engine, as will subsequently be described. The adapter has an outer sealing surface 31 which engages the filter seat 14 in sealing relation when the adapter is mounted on the filter mount, as shown in FIG. 3. An inner sealing wall 32 extends from the sealing surface concentrically thereof and engages the inner surface 13 of the filter mount in sealing relation thereto. The sealing surface and sealing wall in combination with the mount define a first oil chamber 33 extending about the sealing wall and in communication with the input passage 15. A first oil passage 34 is provided in the adapter extending longitudinally thereof from the oil chamber and subsequently radially of the adapter to a position in communication with the exterior of the adapter.

A filter sealing wall 40 is integrally provided on the adapter 30 at the opposite end thereof from the inner sealing wall 32. The filter sealing wall defines a second oil chamber 41 therein. A second oil passage 42 extends through the adapter from a position in communication with the exterior thereof adjacent to the first oil passage 34 to communicate with the second oil chamber, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. An extension pipe 43 having a threaded end 44 is mounted concentrically of the adapter and extends through the second oil chamber so that the threaded end thereof extends a short distance outwardly of the filter sealing wall 40. A return passage 45 extends through the pipe, the adapter and inner sealing wall in communication with the return passage 16 of the filter mount, as best shown in FIG. 3. A pair of bores 46 are provided in the adapter in parallel relation to the return passage and in axial alignment with the threaded bores 21 of the filter mount 12. A pair of bolts 47 are individually extended through the bores 46 and screw-threadably received in the bores 21 so as securely to retain the adapter in the position described on the filter mount. When the oil cooler 10 is mounted in assembled, operational relation on the engine, the filter 23 is threadably received on the threaded end of the pipe 43 in sealing relation with the filter sealing wall 40, as shown in FIG. 3.

A housing or heat exchanger 54, having an interior 55 and cup-shaped opposite ends 56, is mounted on the adapter 30 at one of its ends. The exchanger is mounted adjacent to the other of its ends on the engine by a bracket assembly 57. The end of the exchanger mounted on the adapter is attached by means of a spacer segment 58 mounted on the adapter in covering relation to the first and

second oil passages

34 and 42, respectively. The segment is mounted on the adapter so as to position the exchanger in offset relation thereto, as shown in FIG. 2. The exchanger has an integral input conduit 59 which communicates at one of its ends with the interior of the exchanger adjacent to the end thereof attached to the adapter and is in sealing engagement with the spacer segment. An integral return conduit 60 is provided on the exchanger in communication with the interior of the exchanger at the other of its ends and in sealing engagement with the segment. Both the input and return conduits communicate with the first and

second oil passages

34 and 42, respectively, through the spacer segment, as shown in FIG. 2.

A cooling core is mounted within the interior 55 of the heat exchanger 54 extending between the cupshaped opposite ends 56 of the heat exchanger, as best shown in FIG. 2. The core has opposite sealed walls 66 which individually engage the opposite ends of the exchanger in fluid-tight sealing relation. A plurality of coolant tubes 67 extend longitudinally through the interior of the exchanger interconnecting the sealed walls and in communication with the opposite ends of the exchanger. Several baffles 68 are mounted on the coolant tubes in parallel spaced relation and define planes right-angularly related to the tubes. The baffles are alternately positioned, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 and are of the shape shown in FIG. 7, so as to define a lengthened circuitous path of travel through the heat exchanger, as shown in FIG. 3.

An input coupling 69 is mounted on the opposite end 56 of the exchanger adjacent to the return conduit 60 and in communication with the tubes 67. The coupling is in connection with a source of coolant, not shown. An output coupling 70 is mounted on the opposite end of the exchanger adjacent to the adapter 30 in fluid receiving relation to the tubes. The output coupling is connected to the source of coolant, not shown, in fluid discharging relation.

OPERATION The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. As described, in conventional engines 11, the filter 23 is mounted directly on the oil filter mount 12 of the engine, utilizing the mounting assembly 22, as shown in FIG. 8. Adaptation of an existing engine for use with the oil cooler 10 of the present invention is accomplished simply by removing the mounting assembly and filter from the filter mount. The oil cooler, as described, is preferably made available as a single unit so that no assembly or adjustthreaded bores 21, as previously described. In this configuration, the adapter sealingly engages the inner surface and filter

seat

13 and 14, respectively, of the filter mount so as to define the first oil chamber 33. The oil chamber is thus in receiving relation to the input passage 15. The return passage 45 is positioned in sealed, fluid discharging relation to the return passage 16. The heat exchanger 54 is then attached to the engine 11, using the bracket assembly 57, as shown in FIG. 3. It will be seen that it may be necessary to tap a hole in the engine for attachment of the bracket to the engine, if one is not already present. The filter 23 is then screwthreadably received on the threaded end 44 of the pipe 43 so as sealingly to engage the filter sealing wall 40 of the adapter in order to define a fluid-tight second oil chamber 41.

The input and

output couplings

69 and 70, respectively, are then connected by suitable hoses, not shown, to a source of coolant, also not shown. The source can be the normal cooling system of the engine or a separate water reservoir in operative association with a water pump. However, the oil cooler of the present invention is particularly suitable for use on marine engines in which a readily available source of water is present. It will be seen that the input coupling 69 can be connected through a hose to a suitable intake opening in the hull of a boat below the water line. Thus, in such a configuration, water is forced, during operation of the boat, through the, coupling and the heat exchanger for discharge at any suitable location through the output coupling and an associated hose.

Regardless of the particular source of cooling fluid employed, during operation of the engine 11, a suitable coolant is continually pumped through the coolant tubes 67 for cooling the oil passed through the heat exchanger 54. Utilizing the existing oil pump of the engine, not shown, oil is pumped during operation of the engine through the input passage 15, the first oil chamber 33, the first oil passage 34, the input conduit 59, into the heat exchanger 54 and about the tubes 67 and baffles 68, and subsequently out of the exchanger through the return conduit 60. The cooled oil from the return conduit passes through the second oil passage 42, the second oil chamber 41, the filter 23, upwardly through the return passage 45, and subsequently isreturned to the engine through the return passage 16. Since the oil cooler is preferably constructed of a heat conducting metal, such as aluminum, the oil is also cooled during passage through the heat exchanger by a flow of air, created by movement of the vehicle in which the engine is mounted, about the engine and exchanger so as to help dissipate the heat therein.

It will be seen the device of the present invention is a convenient, inexpensive, and highly reliable fluid cooler which readily mounts on new engines during manufacture as well as on existing engines for the cooling of the lubricating oil thereof.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative details disclosed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine of a water vehicle, which engine has an oil filter with a filter mount, an oil cooler comprising heat exchange means having an oil conduit and a water tube in heat exchanging relation; an adapter secured on the mount and mounting the filter thereon, said adapter connecting the engine, the oil conduit of the cooler and the filter in series relation; and means connected to the water tube to circulate water in which the vehicle operates into and from the heat exchange means to remove heat from the oil.

2. An auxiliary oil cooler attachment for use on an internal combustion engine providing an oil filter and a filter mount providing an input passage and a return passage, comprising an adapter fastened on the mount in covering relation to the passages thereof; a heat exchanger borne by the adapter and having input and return conduits; and means mounting the filter on the adapter independently of the exchanger, said adapter interconnecting the input passage of the mount with the input conduit of the exchanger, the return conduit of the exchanger with the filter, and the filter with the return passage of the mount with the engine, exchanger

Claims

2. An auxiliary oil cooler attachment for use on an internal combustion engine providing an oil filter and a filter mount providing an input passage and a return passage, comprising an adapter fastened on the mount in covering relation to the passages thereof; a heat exchanger borne by the adapter and having input and return conduits; and means mounting the filter on the adapter independently of the exchanger, said adapter interconnecting the input passage of the mount with the input conduit of the exchanger, the return conduit of the exchanger with the filter, and the filter with the return passage of the mount with the engine, exchanger and filter in series relation.