CA1173414A - Circulating system for vehicle heaters - Google Patents
Circulating system for vehicle heatersInfo
- Publication number
- CA1173414A CA1173414A CA000257988A CA257988A CA1173414A CA 1173414 A CA1173414 A CA 1173414A CA 000257988 A CA000257988 A CA 000257988A CA 257988 A CA257988 A CA 257988A CA 1173414 A CA1173414 A CA 1173414A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- pump
- vehicle
- engine
- impeller
- heater
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
- B60H1/02—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices the heat being derived from the propulsion plant
- B60H1/03—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices the heat being derived from the propulsion plant and from a source other than the propulsion plant
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D13/00—Pumping installations or systems
- F04D13/02—Units comprising pumps and their driving means
- F04D13/021—Units comprising pumps and their driving means containing a coupling
- F04D13/024—Units comprising pumps and their driving means containing a coupling a magnetic coupling
Abstract
S P E C I F I C A T I O N
IMPROVED CIRCULATING SYSTEM FOR
VEHICLE HEATERS
Abstract of the Disclosure An improved vehicular heater circulating system utilizing a magnetic motor-pump assembly for circulating the hot water from the vehicle's engine to the vehicle's heater while the engine is shut off.
IMPROVED CIRCULATING SYSTEM FOR
VEHICLE HEATERS
Abstract of the Disclosure An improved vehicular heater circulating system utilizing a magnetic motor-pump assembly for circulating the hot water from the vehicle's engine to the vehicle's heater while the engine is shut off.
Description
~ 7~
Back~rouncl of the_Invention The invention relates generally to veh-Lcular and automo-tive heaters, and more particularly to an improved au~iliary circulating system which enables its use when the vehicle's engine is shut off.
In the area of vehicular heating systems, it would be beneficial to enable circulation oE the engine's cooling fluid while the vehicle's engine was shut off. For example, the user of the vehicle could then utilize the vehiclels heater while the vehicle's engine itself is shut off by circulating heated fluid through its heater. Obvious benefits can accrue to the user of such a system who would no longer have to keep the vehicle's engine running in order to obtain heat from the vehicle's heater in cooler weather.
With conventional automotive heaters, for example, the user must keep the engine idling to keep his vehicle's heater functional whether he is driving or not. Thus, vebicles which are parked, such as police vehicles or autos waiting to pick up a rider, etc. must waste precious energy, pollute the atmos-phere and actually foul present day sensitively-tuned engines simply in order to obtain heat from the vehicle's heater. The ability to circulate the already heated fluid within the ve-hicle's circulating apparatus, or fluids which can be heated by devices such as immersion heatersg enable use of t~e ve-hicle's heater to transfer warm air into the vehicle's passenger compaxtments.
Back~rouncl of the_Invention The invention relates generally to veh-Lcular and automo-tive heaters, and more particularly to an improved au~iliary circulating system which enables its use when the vehicle's engine is shut off.
In the area of vehicular heating systems, it would be beneficial to enable circulation oE the engine's cooling fluid while the vehicle's engine was shut off. For example, the user of the vehicle could then utilize the vehiclels heater while the vehicle's engine itself is shut off by circulating heated fluid through its heater. Obvious benefits can accrue to the user of such a system who would no longer have to keep the vehicle's engine running in order to obtain heat from the vehicle's heater in cooler weather.
With conventional automotive heaters, for example, the user must keep the engine idling to keep his vehicle's heater functional whether he is driving or not. Thus, vebicles which are parked, such as police vehicles or autos waiting to pick up a rider, etc. must waste precious energy, pollute the atmos-phere and actually foul present day sensitively-tuned engines simply in order to obtain heat from the vehicle's heater. The ability to circulate the already heated fluid within the ve-hicle's circulating apparatus, or fluids which can be heated by devices such as immersion heatersg enable use of t~e ve-hicle's heater to transfer warm air into the vehicle's passenger compaxtments.
-2 ~ 3(~ 4 The basic system utilized to continue the circulation of the vehicle's heater system hot water while the engine is shut of~ has been disclosed in such patents as those of Pa~e, U.S. Pat. No.2,170,032, and o~ Conklin, U.S.Pat. No.
2,230,051.
The system disclosed by the Pa~e device basically utilizes a pump and a motor incorporated into the vehiclers hot water circuit through the use of additional and supplemental hot water circuitry. The Pa~e system, because of its reliance upon additional hot water circuitry in which the pump and the motor are installed, also requires the utilization of valve means so as to restrict ~low to the original vehicle's hot water circuit when the engine is running, and to the auxiliary hot water circuit when the engine is temporarily shut of~ and the battery-activated electric motor is used.
The Conklin system discloses a simplified version of the Pa~e apparatus which requires no additional circuitry or a pump and an electric motor to ~e integrated into the hot water system, but rather discloses a pump and electric motor apparatus which fits directly into the already exist-ing automotive hot water circuit. As opposed to the Page system, in which a separate spur circuit has to be used, Conklin's use of a pump with a specific construction allows the passage o~ the engine-generated hot water through the pump itself when its electric motor is not activated and the engine is still running. ~lternatively, in the Conklin system, when the engine is temporarily shut off and hot water is available in the vehiclels cooling system, electric mo~or ~ ~i73~
27 and subsequently pump 23 could be activated to provide auxiliary pumping means through which the hot water could be circulated through the heater's hot water core, whereby fan 15 would provide heated air to the vehicle while the engine is shut off. Thus, the already existing circuitry of the automobile's hot water system can be utilized directly without provision of an auxiliary valve control circuit system performing two valuable functionsO First of all, the flow-through pump type of device negates the need for addi-tional tubing and valve control means which must be associatedwith an auxiliary circuit in such a system. Secondly, the invention can be quickly and easily installed onto an already existing vehicular hot water circuit, maximizing the utiliza tion by the automotive "after-market"~
Improvements to the systems shown in United States Patent Numbers 2,230,051 and 2,170,032 have been made in such patents as that of Jackson, U.S~ Pat. NoO -~ ~ . The improve-ments which have been made embody the use of integrated motor-pump assemblies which are directly inserted into a vehicle's hot water circuit. Additionally, automatic on/off switching devices, together with the provision for thermo-static controls, have been devised so as to improve t~e opera-tion and effectiveness of the type of auxiliary heating sys-tem as origina:Lly set forth in U.S. Patent No. 2,230,0510 The Applicant's present invention relates to the novel combination of the "flow-through" electrically operated pump-ing device which is capable of circulating hot water through a vehicle's heater when the engine of the vehicle is shut off,
2,230,051.
The system disclosed by the Pa~e device basically utilizes a pump and a motor incorporated into the vehiclers hot water circuit through the use of additional and supplemental hot water circuitry. The Pa~e system, because of its reliance upon additional hot water circuitry in which the pump and the motor are installed, also requires the utilization of valve means so as to restrict ~low to the original vehicle's hot water circuit when the engine is running, and to the auxiliary hot water circuit when the engine is temporarily shut of~ and the battery-activated electric motor is used.
The Conklin system discloses a simplified version of the Pa~e apparatus which requires no additional circuitry or a pump and an electric motor to ~e integrated into the hot water system, but rather discloses a pump and electric motor apparatus which fits directly into the already exist-ing automotive hot water circuit. As opposed to the Page system, in which a separate spur circuit has to be used, Conklin's use of a pump with a specific construction allows the passage o~ the engine-generated hot water through the pump itself when its electric motor is not activated and the engine is still running. ~lternatively, in the Conklin system, when the engine is temporarily shut off and hot water is available in the vehiclels cooling system, electric mo~or ~ ~i73~
27 and subsequently pump 23 could be activated to provide auxiliary pumping means through which the hot water could be circulated through the heater's hot water core, whereby fan 15 would provide heated air to the vehicle while the engine is shut off. Thus, the already existing circuitry of the automobile's hot water system can be utilized directly without provision of an auxiliary valve control circuit system performing two valuable functionsO First of all, the flow-through pump type of device negates the need for addi-tional tubing and valve control means which must be associatedwith an auxiliary circuit in such a system. Secondly, the invention can be quickly and easily installed onto an already existing vehicular hot water circuit, maximizing the utiliza tion by the automotive "after-market"~
Improvements to the systems shown in United States Patent Numbers 2,230,051 and 2,170,032 have been made in such patents as that of Jackson, U.S~ Pat. NoO -~ ~ . The improve-ments which have been made embody the use of integrated motor-pump assemblies which are directly inserted into a vehicle's hot water circuit. Additionally, automatic on/off switching devices, together with the provision for thermo-static controls, have been devised so as to improve t~e opera-tion and effectiveness of the type of auxiliary heating sys-tem as origina:Lly set forth in U.S. Patent No. 2,230,0510 The Applicant's present invention relates to the novel combination of the "flow-through" electrically operated pump-ing device which is capable of circulating hot water through a vehicle's heater when the engine of the vehicle is shut off,
3~
together with a magnetically driven centrifugal purap asserllbly.
The combination of the heater circuit pump device with a magnetically driven centri~ugal pump assembly utilizes the type of pump assembly described in Zimmerman, U.S.PatO Nos.
3,074,349; 3,117,526; and RE26,094~
The use of a magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly in a vehicle's hot water circuit which enables use of the heater when the vehicle's motor is oEf, yields significant advantages to the user. The lack of bearings in the motor-pump assembly, as well as seals, improves the longevity of the motor-pump device while securing ease in installation and repair of the system in the heating system.
Particularly, the intense heat and corrosiveness of the water which is being circulated, with the inherent rust particles and water additive chemicals which it contains, has an extreme detrimental effect on conventional motor-pump assemblies, causing a tendency for failure in these assemblies. T'ne special additives and foreign particles circulating within the hot water system decompose and tend to interfere with bearing assemblies and seals on convention-ally driven centrifugal pump assemblies.
A magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly would be more impervious to foreign matter and additives since no motorshaft oriice is needed in such a pump assembly, so that the contarninated water and chemicals would flow through a totally enclosed portion of the pump and would be restricted from ever entering into or interfering with the mechanical portion or entrg ori~ice of a conventional motor and shaf-~
~7~
device. In the magnetically driven pump used, for example,the only parts with which the contaminated water co~es into contact are formed o~ appropriate]y chosen thermoplastic resins, such as nylon; thus minimizing the corrosive and interfering aspects of the contaminated water Should clogging ever occur due to the flotation of larger size particles and accumulated smaller particles within the heated circuitry, improvements in disassembling and cleaning the clogged area are presented by such a magnetically driven sentrifugal pump assembly, in which the magnetically driven impeller blade itself would need only be removed to allow cleaning.
Additionally, less electrical power is drained through such a magnetically driven centri~ugal pump, since less usable energy is lost through the friction of seals, bearings~ etcO
Further, because of the compactness of such an existing motor-pump assembly, less space is required for installation and thus more attractiveness to the after-market purchaser.
Utilization of a centrifugal pump in such a system enables flow of water to a vehiclels heater when the engine is running and pumping the circulated water, while the centri-fugal pump is de-energized since the characteristics of a centrifugal pump enable the flow oE water therethrough in the same direction, the same as originally driven by the pump~
Similarly, the use of the present invention with an immersion heater which can heat the circulated fluids of a vehicle separa~e and independent of the vehicle's engine enables more effective utiliza~ion of the immersion heater for maintaining engines at temperatures that will facilitate :~ ~1'73~
starting the engine even at extremely low temperatures.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide an integrated motor-pump assembly for installatic)n into a vehicle's present hot water circulating system to ena.ble utilization of the vehicle's heater when the vehicle's engine is turned off.
Even more prolonyed and continuous usage of the heater can be made possible through utilization of the invention with a remotely operable immersion heater which could serve to heat a vehicle's circulated fluids apart from the fluid heating characteristics of an operating engine.
It would also be desirable to reduce the dependence on bearings and seals within such a motor-pump assembly, so as to prevent decomposition and interference to the motor-pump assem-bly from hot and corrosive water and additives circulating through the vehicle's hot water system, as well as to eliminate the possibilities of water leakage through a motor shaft-pump blade connective orifice.
Additionally, it would be useful to eliminate the need for entrance of the motor shaft into the actual hous.ing of the pump through which the hot water of the vehicle will pass, and to utilize non~metallic parts within that portion of the pump in and out of which the pressurized hot water and corrosive additives will pass.
Finally, there is a need to provide a compact, easy-to-install motor-pump assembly and hot water circulating system which is easy to unclog and repair, is not subject to corrosion, rusting or leaking, and one which requires less electrical power drain through a more efficient power transmission device~
731~4 The novel combination o~ a heater circulating system usable when the engine of a vehicle is off, together with a magnetically driven centriEugal pump assembly, enables these advantagesO
~:17~ 4 Summary of the Invention The preser.t invention is a vehicular hot wa~er circu lating system for circulating the hot water in a water-cooled vehicle so as to enable use of the vehicle's heater when the vehicle's engine is temporarily shut off.
An independently driven electrical circulating pump is positioned in the vehicle's existing hot water circuitry, leading from the vehicle's engine to and through said vehicle's hot water heater, returning back to the vehicle's engine block. The presen~ invention comprises the use of a magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly, integrated with an electric motor such that the circulating pump passi-vely allows passage of hot water to the vehicle's heater when the hot water is driven through the hot water heating circuit by the vehicle's engine. It is additionally capable, through activation of its electric motor, of continuing the circulation of the vehicleSs still hot water when the vehicle's engine is shut off, thus enabling effective use of the vehi-cle's heater.
The magnetically driven motor-pump assembly is installed into the vehicle's existing hot water heater circuitry most easily by simply severing the present circulating conduit, attaching one end of the severed conduit into the input line of the circulating pump, and similarly placing the other line of the severed conduit in~o the output line of the circu-lating pumpO
When a vehicle's engine is shut off, the motor-pump ~ ~'7~
device which has been placed into the hot water circuitry of the vehicle can be activated by switch manually, or by thermostatic controls. The activation of the motor-pump unit would continue circulation of the still hot water through the vehicle's heater so as to allow the user of such a vehicle a functioning heater which would normally be in-effective shortly after the vehiclels engine is shut off.
Additional coupling of the invention with an immersion heater device in one embodiment can prolong the heater's usage even more, so as to avoid premature cooling of the radiator fluids after the engine is shut off.
The motor-pump device has a pump portion comprising a magnetically driven centrifugal pumpO This enables the user to avoid facing the problem posed by conventional motor-pump assemblies in which the shaft from the motor is coupled directly to the pump impeller blade. Such a conventional motor-pump assembly requires the use of seals and bearings and necessary washers to insulate ~he motor shaft, motor housing and motor circuitry from the fluids circulating through the pump housing, because of their obvious destructive characteristicsO In the present invention, however, no material shaft is needed to connect the motor pump blade within the pump housing, thus no bearings, seals, washers, etc. are necessary, thereby prolong:ing the life of the motor-pump unit. Since radiator fluids are known to be highly caustic, carrying large and small particles of rust, high temperatures, and coolant additives such as antifreeze~ etc. the segregation of the motor shaft and additional motor parts from these fluids increases ,, -10-3~ 4 the longevity of such a motor-pump assembly. The caustic and corrosive elements can easily corrode a set of bearings or seals if directly in contact with themO This direct contact is avoided through the use of the present inven~ion.
The pump compar~ment of the magnetic centrifugal pump assembly is composed primarily of thermoplastic resins and has a thermoplastic pump impeller blade. One embodimen~ of the present invention calls for the use of non-metallic ele-ments within the pump housing so that in no way will the corrosive water circulating through the heating system come in contact, at any point, with parts which can be easily corroded and worn. Additionally, the motor-pump specifica-tions of the present invention is of such a compactness to take up a minimum of space in the vehicle when installed so as to facilitate installation~ and is of such a fabrication to permit facilitated repair if clogging were to occur from rust particles, etc. in the pump portion of the hot water circulating device. These ~ualities further establish the Applicant's system as a desirable product for addition to a vehicle by ~he automotive "after-market'l.
'73~4 Brief Description of the Drawin~s FIGo 1 is a schematic diagram oE the hot water circu-lating system circuitry of t~e present invention as used in a conventional water-cooled vehicle;
FIGo 2 is a side perspective view of the electric motor-pump assembly having a magnetically driven centriugal pump portion;
FIGo 3 is an elevational, cross-sectional view of the magnetically driven centrifugal pump portion of the motor-pump assembly taken along lines 3-3 of FIGo 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and FI~o 4 is a top view of the pump blade used within ~he magnetically driven centrifugal pump portion of the present invention.
Deta led D_scription cf the Drawings While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, one specific embodlment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be con-sidered as an exemplification of the principles of ~he in-vention and is not intended to limit the in~ention to the embodiment illustrated.
A schematic drawing o~ a vehicular hot water in a flow circuit is shown in FIG. 1, in which water-cooled engine 4 utilizes radiator 1, hot water circllit 2 and cool water return circuit 3 as its cooling system. On most vehicles having a ~ ~1 73'~
water cooled engine, an additional circuit such as that repre-sented by conduits 6-8-5 is provided with the vehicle SG as to enable use of the vehicle's heater llo In the particular em-bodiment shown, hot water guiding circuitry 6-8-5 is a separate conducting circuit from that of the vehicle's cool-ing system circuit 1-2-3. In othler embodiments, however, hot water transmitting circuit 6 could come directly o~f of water circuit 2, since both hot water transmitting circuit 6 and water circuit 2 are carrying of water directly heated from the engine to another point of destination.
As can be seen, hot wa-ter transmitting circuit 6, in the absence of the present invention, connects directly to the hot water transmitting circuit 8 so as to enable transmission of the hot water from the engine, through heater core 11, at which time fan 9, pushing air through core 11, transfers the heat 10 from heater core 11 into the vehicle itself. Ve-hicle water pump 30 operated by fan belt 31 conne~ted to engine sha~t 32 pumps the vehicle's water when the engine is on. Circulation device 7 has been interposed between hot water transmitting circuit 6 and hot water transmitting cir-cuit 8 so as to enable flow from circuit 6 to circuit 8, and subsequently through the heater in either one of two water circul~tion situations. When engine 4 is running and thus pumping water circuit 6-8-11-5, electrically operated circulation device 7 is not electrically activated, but merely passively allows tbe natural flow of the engine-pumped water from circuit 6 to circuit 8 and onward towards the heater, with subsequent return of the water to engine 4. Howeverg when engine 4 is shut o~f, hot water circulation device 7 is electrically activated, by manual switch or automatic thermo-stat control and changes ~rom its passive role of allowing pumped water to pass through it to that of an active pump which will con-tinue the -transmission and circulation of hot water still present in engine 4 througb hot water circuit 6-8-11-5. This enables circulation of hot water already in the engine through the heater 11 to enable its use when the engine is shut off, while at the same time pumping cooler water after use in the heater, back to the still warm engine for reheating and recirculation back through the heater, so as to continue use in a similar fashion. Through utiliza-tion of immersion heater H in circuit 3, prolonged indefinite use of heater 11 can be used even though engine 4 is shut off~ In this situation, hot fluides warmed by engine 4 can be maintained substantially hot for reuse by heater 11 as circulated continuously to it by circulation device 7.
Integrated pump-motor device 7 shown in FIGo 2 is com-prised of motor housing 17, motor extension collar 16, pump chamber housing 15, and pump inlet cover 140 Similarly, ; that portion of motor-pump assembly 7 which forms magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly 22 is shown with input orifice sleeve 13 and output orifice sleeve 120 A cross-sectional view of magnetically driven centri-fugal pump assembly 22 is shown in FIGo 3, which in turn dis-plays pump inlet cover 14, pump chamber housing 15, and input and output orifice sleeves 13 and 12 respectively. M~tor shaft 21 extends up towards ~he magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly 22, and has attached at its end, cylindrical magnetic yoke 20. Pump impeller blade 16 revolves in alignment with the revolutions of cylindrical yoke 20 attached to the elec-tric motor, not through actual attachment of a continuous shaft from the motor, but ra~her through the magnetic force of yoke 2~ being followed by magnetic base 23 of blade 16.
Thus, pump chamber 24 is totally segregated and sealed from contact with any portion of the motor, the motor sha~t 21, or magnetic yoke 20. Upon entry of caustic, hot radiator water through input orifice sleeve 13, this liquid is segre-gated within pump chamber 24 and has little ability to drip down into vacant space 25 because no seals, bearings, etc. have been utilized or needed to connect motor shaft 21 to rotating pump impeller blade 160 A top elevational view of pump impeller blade 16 also showing magnetic pump impeller blade base 23 is shown in FIGo 4. Blade orifice 26 in the center of blade 16 enables the insertion of blade 16 over a spindle emanating -Erom the bottom portion of the pump chamber itself, around which blade 16 revolvesO
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except inso~ar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the arts who have the disclosure before them ~ill be able to make modifications and variations therein without depart:ing ~rom the scope of the inventionO The utili-zation of a centrifugal type pump assembly, for example, des-cribes only one pump embodiment usable in ~he present invention, and the circulating system is not limited as to such.
together with a magnetically driven centrifugal purap asserllbly.
The combination of the heater circuit pump device with a magnetically driven centri~ugal pump assembly utilizes the type of pump assembly described in Zimmerman, U.S.PatO Nos.
3,074,349; 3,117,526; and RE26,094~
The use of a magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly in a vehicle's hot water circuit which enables use of the heater when the vehicle's motor is oEf, yields significant advantages to the user. The lack of bearings in the motor-pump assembly, as well as seals, improves the longevity of the motor-pump device while securing ease in installation and repair of the system in the heating system.
Particularly, the intense heat and corrosiveness of the water which is being circulated, with the inherent rust particles and water additive chemicals which it contains, has an extreme detrimental effect on conventional motor-pump assemblies, causing a tendency for failure in these assemblies. T'ne special additives and foreign particles circulating within the hot water system decompose and tend to interfere with bearing assemblies and seals on convention-ally driven centrifugal pump assemblies.
A magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly would be more impervious to foreign matter and additives since no motorshaft oriice is needed in such a pump assembly, so that the contarninated water and chemicals would flow through a totally enclosed portion of the pump and would be restricted from ever entering into or interfering with the mechanical portion or entrg ori~ice of a conventional motor and shaf-~
~7~
device. In the magnetically driven pump used, for example,the only parts with which the contaminated water co~es into contact are formed o~ appropriate]y chosen thermoplastic resins, such as nylon; thus minimizing the corrosive and interfering aspects of the contaminated water Should clogging ever occur due to the flotation of larger size particles and accumulated smaller particles within the heated circuitry, improvements in disassembling and cleaning the clogged area are presented by such a magnetically driven sentrifugal pump assembly, in which the magnetically driven impeller blade itself would need only be removed to allow cleaning.
Additionally, less electrical power is drained through such a magnetically driven centri~ugal pump, since less usable energy is lost through the friction of seals, bearings~ etcO
Further, because of the compactness of such an existing motor-pump assembly, less space is required for installation and thus more attractiveness to the after-market purchaser.
Utilization of a centrifugal pump in such a system enables flow of water to a vehiclels heater when the engine is running and pumping the circulated water, while the centri-fugal pump is de-energized since the characteristics of a centrifugal pump enable the flow oE water therethrough in the same direction, the same as originally driven by the pump~
Similarly, the use of the present invention with an immersion heater which can heat the circulated fluids of a vehicle separa~e and independent of the vehicle's engine enables more effective utiliza~ion of the immersion heater for maintaining engines at temperatures that will facilitate :~ ~1'73~
starting the engine even at extremely low temperatures.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide an integrated motor-pump assembly for installatic)n into a vehicle's present hot water circulating system to ena.ble utilization of the vehicle's heater when the vehicle's engine is turned off.
Even more prolonyed and continuous usage of the heater can be made possible through utilization of the invention with a remotely operable immersion heater which could serve to heat a vehicle's circulated fluids apart from the fluid heating characteristics of an operating engine.
It would also be desirable to reduce the dependence on bearings and seals within such a motor-pump assembly, so as to prevent decomposition and interference to the motor-pump assem-bly from hot and corrosive water and additives circulating through the vehicle's hot water system, as well as to eliminate the possibilities of water leakage through a motor shaft-pump blade connective orifice.
Additionally, it would be useful to eliminate the need for entrance of the motor shaft into the actual hous.ing of the pump through which the hot water of the vehicle will pass, and to utilize non~metallic parts within that portion of the pump in and out of which the pressurized hot water and corrosive additives will pass.
Finally, there is a need to provide a compact, easy-to-install motor-pump assembly and hot water circulating system which is easy to unclog and repair, is not subject to corrosion, rusting or leaking, and one which requires less electrical power drain through a more efficient power transmission device~
731~4 The novel combination o~ a heater circulating system usable when the engine of a vehicle is off, together with a magnetically driven centriEugal pump assembly, enables these advantagesO
~:17~ 4 Summary of the Invention The preser.t invention is a vehicular hot wa~er circu lating system for circulating the hot water in a water-cooled vehicle so as to enable use of the vehicle's heater when the vehicle's engine is temporarily shut off.
An independently driven electrical circulating pump is positioned in the vehicle's existing hot water circuitry, leading from the vehicle's engine to and through said vehicle's hot water heater, returning back to the vehicle's engine block. The presen~ invention comprises the use of a magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly, integrated with an electric motor such that the circulating pump passi-vely allows passage of hot water to the vehicle's heater when the hot water is driven through the hot water heating circuit by the vehicle's engine. It is additionally capable, through activation of its electric motor, of continuing the circulation of the vehicleSs still hot water when the vehicle's engine is shut off, thus enabling effective use of the vehi-cle's heater.
The magnetically driven motor-pump assembly is installed into the vehicle's existing hot water heater circuitry most easily by simply severing the present circulating conduit, attaching one end of the severed conduit into the input line of the circulating pump, and similarly placing the other line of the severed conduit in~o the output line of the circu-lating pumpO
When a vehicle's engine is shut off, the motor-pump ~ ~'7~
device which has been placed into the hot water circuitry of the vehicle can be activated by switch manually, or by thermostatic controls. The activation of the motor-pump unit would continue circulation of the still hot water through the vehicle's heater so as to allow the user of such a vehicle a functioning heater which would normally be in-effective shortly after the vehiclels engine is shut off.
Additional coupling of the invention with an immersion heater device in one embodiment can prolong the heater's usage even more, so as to avoid premature cooling of the radiator fluids after the engine is shut off.
The motor-pump device has a pump portion comprising a magnetically driven centrifugal pumpO This enables the user to avoid facing the problem posed by conventional motor-pump assemblies in which the shaft from the motor is coupled directly to the pump impeller blade. Such a conventional motor-pump assembly requires the use of seals and bearings and necessary washers to insulate ~he motor shaft, motor housing and motor circuitry from the fluids circulating through the pump housing, because of their obvious destructive characteristicsO In the present invention, however, no material shaft is needed to connect the motor pump blade within the pump housing, thus no bearings, seals, washers, etc. are necessary, thereby prolong:ing the life of the motor-pump unit. Since radiator fluids are known to be highly caustic, carrying large and small particles of rust, high temperatures, and coolant additives such as antifreeze~ etc. the segregation of the motor shaft and additional motor parts from these fluids increases ,, -10-3~ 4 the longevity of such a motor-pump assembly. The caustic and corrosive elements can easily corrode a set of bearings or seals if directly in contact with themO This direct contact is avoided through the use of the present inven~ion.
The pump compar~ment of the magnetic centrifugal pump assembly is composed primarily of thermoplastic resins and has a thermoplastic pump impeller blade. One embodimen~ of the present invention calls for the use of non-metallic ele-ments within the pump housing so that in no way will the corrosive water circulating through the heating system come in contact, at any point, with parts which can be easily corroded and worn. Additionally, the motor-pump specifica-tions of the present invention is of such a compactness to take up a minimum of space in the vehicle when installed so as to facilitate installation~ and is of such a fabrication to permit facilitated repair if clogging were to occur from rust particles, etc. in the pump portion of the hot water circulating device. These ~ualities further establish the Applicant's system as a desirable product for addition to a vehicle by ~he automotive "after-market'l.
'73~4 Brief Description of the Drawin~s FIGo 1 is a schematic diagram oE the hot water circu-lating system circuitry of t~e present invention as used in a conventional water-cooled vehicle;
FIGo 2 is a side perspective view of the electric motor-pump assembly having a magnetically driven centriugal pump portion;
FIGo 3 is an elevational, cross-sectional view of the magnetically driven centrifugal pump portion of the motor-pump assembly taken along lines 3-3 of FIGo 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and FI~o 4 is a top view of the pump blade used within ~he magnetically driven centrifugal pump portion of the present invention.
Deta led D_scription cf the Drawings While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, one specific embodlment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be con-sidered as an exemplification of the principles of ~he in-vention and is not intended to limit the in~ention to the embodiment illustrated.
A schematic drawing o~ a vehicular hot water in a flow circuit is shown in FIG. 1, in which water-cooled engine 4 utilizes radiator 1, hot water circllit 2 and cool water return circuit 3 as its cooling system. On most vehicles having a ~ ~1 73'~
water cooled engine, an additional circuit such as that repre-sented by conduits 6-8-5 is provided with the vehicle SG as to enable use of the vehicle's heater llo In the particular em-bodiment shown, hot water guiding circuitry 6-8-5 is a separate conducting circuit from that of the vehicle's cool-ing system circuit 1-2-3. In othler embodiments, however, hot water transmitting circuit 6 could come directly o~f of water circuit 2, since both hot water transmitting circuit 6 and water circuit 2 are carrying of water directly heated from the engine to another point of destination.
As can be seen, hot wa-ter transmitting circuit 6, in the absence of the present invention, connects directly to the hot water transmitting circuit 8 so as to enable transmission of the hot water from the engine, through heater core 11, at which time fan 9, pushing air through core 11, transfers the heat 10 from heater core 11 into the vehicle itself. Ve-hicle water pump 30 operated by fan belt 31 conne~ted to engine sha~t 32 pumps the vehicle's water when the engine is on. Circulation device 7 has been interposed between hot water transmitting circuit 6 and hot water transmitting cir-cuit 8 so as to enable flow from circuit 6 to circuit 8, and subsequently through the heater in either one of two water circul~tion situations. When engine 4 is running and thus pumping water circuit 6-8-11-5, electrically operated circulation device 7 is not electrically activated, but merely passively allows tbe natural flow of the engine-pumped water from circuit 6 to circuit 8 and onward towards the heater, with subsequent return of the water to engine 4. Howeverg when engine 4 is shut o~f, hot water circulation device 7 is electrically activated, by manual switch or automatic thermo-stat control and changes ~rom its passive role of allowing pumped water to pass through it to that of an active pump which will con-tinue the -transmission and circulation of hot water still present in engine 4 througb hot water circuit 6-8-11-5. This enables circulation of hot water already in the engine through the heater 11 to enable its use when the engine is shut off, while at the same time pumping cooler water after use in the heater, back to the still warm engine for reheating and recirculation back through the heater, so as to continue use in a similar fashion. Through utiliza-tion of immersion heater H in circuit 3, prolonged indefinite use of heater 11 can be used even though engine 4 is shut off~ In this situation, hot fluides warmed by engine 4 can be maintained substantially hot for reuse by heater 11 as circulated continuously to it by circulation device 7.
Integrated pump-motor device 7 shown in FIGo 2 is com-prised of motor housing 17, motor extension collar 16, pump chamber housing 15, and pump inlet cover 140 Similarly, ; that portion of motor-pump assembly 7 which forms magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly 22 is shown with input orifice sleeve 13 and output orifice sleeve 120 A cross-sectional view of magnetically driven centri-fugal pump assembly 22 is shown in FIGo 3, which in turn dis-plays pump inlet cover 14, pump chamber housing 15, and input and output orifice sleeves 13 and 12 respectively. M~tor shaft 21 extends up towards ~he magnetically driven centrifugal pump assembly 22, and has attached at its end, cylindrical magnetic yoke 20. Pump impeller blade 16 revolves in alignment with the revolutions of cylindrical yoke 20 attached to the elec-tric motor, not through actual attachment of a continuous shaft from the motor, but ra~her through the magnetic force of yoke 2~ being followed by magnetic base 23 of blade 16.
Thus, pump chamber 24 is totally segregated and sealed from contact with any portion of the motor, the motor sha~t 21, or magnetic yoke 20. Upon entry of caustic, hot radiator water through input orifice sleeve 13, this liquid is segre-gated within pump chamber 24 and has little ability to drip down into vacant space 25 because no seals, bearings, etc. have been utilized or needed to connect motor shaft 21 to rotating pump impeller blade 160 A top elevational view of pump impeller blade 16 also showing magnetic pump impeller blade base 23 is shown in FIGo 4. Blade orifice 26 in the center of blade 16 enables the insertion of blade 16 over a spindle emanating -Erom the bottom portion of the pump chamber itself, around which blade 16 revolvesO
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except inso~ar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the arts who have the disclosure before them ~ill be able to make modifications and variations therein without depart:ing ~rom the scope of the inventionO The utili-zation of a centrifugal type pump assembly, for example, des-cribes only one pump embodiment usable in ~he present invention, and the circulating system is not limited as to such.
Claims (7)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A hot liquid circulating system to circulate hot liquid from a liquid-cooled vehicle engine through the vehicle's heater, said vehicle of the type having a hot liquid circulating system of the type including a radiator, engine liquid jacket, and said heater, said system comprising:
means to pump said hot liquid through said vehicle heater when said engine is turned off.
conduit means coupling said vehicle heater to said liquid jacket, said pump means positioned in series with said conduit means intermediate said vehicle heater and said liquid jacket, said pump means being of the centrifugal type having a motivating impeller driven responsive to the rotation of a drive shaft of an electrical motor, means for magnetically coupling said motor shaft to drive said impeller, said magnetic coupling means adapted to drive said impeller without requiring said motor shaft to pass through said conduit, said impeller being mounted on an impeller shaft, said impeller having a base magnet attached thereto, said impeller being enclosed in a casing made from non-ferromagnetic material, said base magnet and said magnetic coupling means being positioned out of the line of flow of said hot liquid, said impeller shaft extending through said base magnet and said impeller; and means for mounting said impeller shaft entirely within said casing to enable rotation of said magnetic coupling means about the outer periphery of said casing to thereby shorten the lines of flux between said base magnet and said magnetic coupling means whereby, when said motor shaft rotates, it more effectively causes said base magnet to rotate; and means to control the operation of said vehicle fan and said pump means.
means to pump said hot liquid through said vehicle heater when said engine is turned off.
conduit means coupling said vehicle heater to said liquid jacket, said pump means positioned in series with said conduit means intermediate said vehicle heater and said liquid jacket, said pump means being of the centrifugal type having a motivating impeller driven responsive to the rotation of a drive shaft of an electrical motor, means for magnetically coupling said motor shaft to drive said impeller, said magnetic coupling means adapted to drive said impeller without requiring said motor shaft to pass through said conduit, said impeller being mounted on an impeller shaft, said impeller having a base magnet attached thereto, said impeller being enclosed in a casing made from non-ferromagnetic material, said base magnet and said magnetic coupling means being positioned out of the line of flow of said hot liquid, said impeller shaft extending through said base magnet and said impeller; and means for mounting said impeller shaft entirely within said casing to enable rotation of said magnetic coupling means about the outer periphery of said casing to thereby shorten the lines of flux between said base magnet and said magnetic coupling means whereby, when said motor shaft rotates, it more effectively causes said base magnet to rotate; and means to control the operation of said vehicle fan and said pump means.
2. The circulating system of Claim 1 wherein said pump is of the type that enables passage of the hot liquid therethrough even when said pump is not being operated.
3. The circulating system of Claim 1 wherein conduit means comprise a radiator hose, input orifice sleeve means coupled to the input of said pump, output orifice sleeve means coupled to the output of said pump, and said sleeve means including stepped portions thereon for facilitating coupling said radiator hose thereto.
4. The circulating system of Claim 3 wherein said orifice sleeve means are in parallel planes and extend in opposite directions.
5. The circulating system of Claim 1 wherein said control means is operated when the vehicle's engine is turned off.
6. The circulating system of Claim 1 wherein said system further includes an immersion heating device which maintains said hot water at a hot temperature independently of said vehicle's engine, whereby said immersion heating device is rendered more effective to enable starting the engine when the ambient temperature is low.
7. The circulating system of Claim 1 wherein said impeller means is plastic.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US61470375A | 1975-09-18 | 1975-09-18 | |
| US614,703 | 1975-09-18 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1173414A true CA1173414A (en) | 1984-08-28 |
Family
ID=24462373
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000257988A Expired CA1173414A (en) | 1975-09-18 | 1976-07-28 | Circulating system for vehicle heaters |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| BE (1) | BE846224A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1173414A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2637568A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2324476A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1551296A (en) |
| SE (1) | SE7609107L (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS6133218Y2 (en) * | 1980-12-22 | 1986-09-29 | ||
| DE3151253A1 (en) * | 1981-12-24 | 1983-07-07 | Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, 8000 München | Heating system for motor vehicles |
| US4601821A (en) * | 1983-06-10 | 1986-07-22 | Aquaria, Inc. | Freestanding aquarium filter |
| DE3517961A1 (en) * | 1985-05-18 | 1986-11-20 | Herbert 7708 Tengen Schmid | Heating device for cooling water |
| FR2583001B1 (en) * | 1985-06-10 | 1988-03-18 | Bidaux Alain | FUEL HEATER FOR VEHICLE USING COOLING CIRCUIT HEATING |
| DE9013459U1 (en) * | 1990-09-25 | 1992-01-30 | Robert Bosch Gmbh, 7000 Stuttgart, De |
Family Cites Families (14)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USRE26094E (en) * | 1966-10-11 | Magnetically driven centrifugal pumf assembly | ||
| US26094A (en) * | 1859-11-15 | Hunter davidson | ||
| US2081802A (en) * | 1933-11-15 | 1937-05-25 | Eklund Karl Ivar Anders | Manufacture of light concrete |
| US2230051A (en) * | 1939-04-27 | 1941-01-28 | John M Macfarlane | Attachment for heaters |
| CH216286A (en) * | 1940-11-08 | 1941-08-15 | Egle Arthur | Heater. |
| FR1077092A (en) * | 1953-03-20 | 1954-11-04 | Fabrications Ind Pour Le Chauf | Improvement in the water cooling system of internal combustion engines, in particular for cars or other vehicles |
| US3074349A (en) * | 1961-09-21 | 1963-01-22 | March Mfg Co | Portable electric immersion liquid pump |
| US3172364A (en) * | 1962-10-01 | 1965-03-09 | P G Products Mfg Co Inc | Pump |
| US3117526A (en) * | 1962-11-21 | 1964-01-14 | March Mfg Co | Portable electric immersion liquid pump |
| US3932068A (en) * | 1966-10-04 | 1976-01-13 | March Manufacturing Company | Magnetically-coupled pump |
| US3540651A (en) * | 1968-10-04 | 1970-11-17 | Stewart Warner Corp | Combustion heater vehicle heating system |
| US3545892A (en) * | 1969-07-07 | 1970-12-08 | March Mfg Co | Magnetically-coupled pump |
| DE2120073A1 (en) * | 1971-04-24 | 1972-11-02 | Volkswagenwerk Ag, 3180 Wolfsburg | Combined heating and coolant circuit designed for vehicles with liquid-cooled engines |
| DE2310709C3 (en) * | 1973-03-03 | 1978-03-02 | Sueddeutsche Kuehlerfabrik Julius Fr. Behr Gmbh & Co Kg, 7000 Stuttgart | Arrangement for the water-side stabilization of the control properties of heat exchangers fed with hot water in heating systems of vehicles |
-
1976
- 1976-07-28 CA CA000257988A patent/CA1173414A/en not_active Expired
- 1976-07-29 GB GB31617/76A patent/GB1551296A/en not_active Expired
- 1976-08-16 SE SE7609107A patent/SE7609107L/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1976-08-18 FR FR7625539A patent/FR2324476A1/en active Granted
- 1976-08-20 DE DE19762637568 patent/DE2637568A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1976-09-15 BE BE170650A patent/BE846224A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| SE7609107L (en) | 1977-03-19 |
| FR2324476A1 (en) | 1977-04-15 |
| GB1551296A (en) | 1979-08-30 |
| BE846224A (en) | 1976-12-31 |
| DE2637568A1 (en) | 1977-03-31 |
| FR2324476B1 (en) | 1983-07-22 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |