Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I lQ';'9699
BACKGROUrlD OF THE INVE~TION
Conventional fluid filters, such as oil filters, are
basically mechanical strainers which include a filter element
having pores ~hich trap and segregate dirt from the fluid. Since
the flow through the filter is a function of the pore size, filte
flow will decrease as the filter pack becomes clogged with dirt.
Since the f-iltration system ~ust remove dirt at the same rate
at which it enters the oil, a clogg~d conventional pack cannot
process enough oil to keep the dirt level of the oil at a satis- .
factory level. A further disadvantage of some mechanical straine
type filters is that they tend to remove oil additives. Further-
more, the additives may be depleted to some extent by acting upon
trapped dirt in the filter and are rendered ineffective for their
intended purpose on a working surface in an ~ngine.
Prior art centrifugal filters have been proposed which
do not act as mechaniczl strainers but, rather, remove -ontami-
nants from a fluid by centrifuging. For e~ample, such a filter
is shown in U. S. patent 3,432,091, granted to Beazley. In the
Beazley patent, there is illustratèd a hollow rotor which is
rotatably mounted on a spindle. The spindle has an aYial passage
way which conducts oil into the interior of the rotor. Tangen-
tially directed outlet ports are provided in the rotor so that
the rotor is rotated upon issuance of the fluid therefrom. Sclid
such as dirt are centrifuged to the sidewalls of the rotor and
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the dirt may be later removed by disassembling the rotor and
scraping the filter cake from the sidewalls.
Such centrifugal filters have oil inlets and outlets
through the base of the filter, since access to the rotor for
cleaning purposes is provided by removing a shroud cover and ~y
then removing the rotor from the spindle. This necessitates a
relatively heavy and elaborately machined base casting for the
centrifugal separator and the separator itself is intended to
be a permanent installation which is periodically cleaned to
remove the sludge buildup.
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SU~ Y OF T~E INVENTION
This invention relates to a centrifugal separator which
is inexpensive and may be disposed of after use rather than dis-
assembled for cleaning. An inlet is provided at one end of the
separator and an axially aligned outlet is pro~ided at the other
end of the separator so that the outward appearance of the device
is very similar to a conventional automotive spin-an crankcase
canister filter. T.t is intended that the filter be replaced
every 50,000 miles; therefore, its construction need not be as
rugged or expensive as conventional centrifugal separators.
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` 10791699
One aspect of the present invention resides in
a centrifugal separator for separating contaminants from
contaminated fluids and being disposable by virtue of its
economical construction. Shroud means is provided having
ends and intermediate sides defining a first chamber, and
a vertically extending spindle is located within the shroud
means and has a hollow rotor rotatably mounted thereon. The
hollow rotor defines a second chamber for receiving
contaminated fluids to be separated, and inlet port means
is pxovided at one end of the spindle and shroud means.
Passage means exists through the spindle to the second
cham~er with means being provided to rotate the rotor and
thereby cause contaminants in contaminated fluids within
the second chamber to migrate toward a sidewall of the second
chamber under the influence of centrifugal force and to be
separated from such contaminated fluids. The means to rotate
the rotor includes tangentially mounted outlet port means on
the rotor in fluid communication with the second chamber to
cause the rotor to rotate upon discharge of fluid from the
second chamber to the first chamber. Outle~ port means
is provided from the first chamber, and the shroud is a
; permanently closed assembly substantially fully defining
the first chamber with its sides and ends. The inlet port
means at tke one end of the spindle is axially aligned with
the axis of the spindle, and the inlet port means includes
~- attaching means for releasably attaching the iniet port to
a fitting on a crankcase. The attaching means is permanently
fixed to the shroud means and is constructed and arranged to
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be capable of providing substantially the sole support
of the separator ~n the crankcase so tha the separator
is readily removed from the crankcase by release therefrom
of the attaching means. The outlet port means is at the
other end of the shroud means.
According to another aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a disposable centrifugal
separator for separating contaminants from contaminated
fluids, the separator having shroud means defining a first
chamber. A vertically extending spindle is within the shroud
means and has a hollow rotor rotatably mounted thereon, the
hollow rotor defining a second chamber for receiving
contaminated fluids to be separated. The spindle includes
an inner hollow tube and an outer hollow tube surrounding
and spaced from the inner tube. An inlet port is provided
at one end of the inner tube for admitting contaminated
fluids, and a first outlet port is provided adjacent the
outer end of the inner tube for conducting the contaminated
- fluids to the space between the inner and outer tubes. A
second outlet port is provided adjacent one end of the
outer tube at an end of the tube remote from the other end
of the inner tube and communicates with the second chamber. '
Screen means surrounds the outer tube and with the outer tube
defines a third chamber within the second chamber. Baffle
means separates the second outlet port from direct communi- -
cation with the third chamber, and means is provided to
rotate the rotor thereby cause contaminants in contaminated
fluids within the second chamber to migrate toward a side-
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1079699
wall of the second chamber under the influence of centrifugal
force and to be separated from the contaminated fluids. The
means to rotate the rotor includes tangentially mounted
outlet port means on the rotor in fluid communication
between the third and first chambers to cause the rotor
to rotate upon discharge of fluid from the third chamber
to the first chamber. A third outlet port is provided
from the first chamber at an end of the shroud opposite
the inlet port.
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¦ many prior art arrangements. The bleeder valve provides an
¦ atmospheric reference between the inside and the outside of the
¦ first chamber, thereby venting the suction created during
drainage.
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¦ ~RIEF DESCRIPTIO~l or TilE DRAWING
The draTing illustrates a centrifugal filter according
¦ to this invention, partly in section, and a crankcase mounting
fitting adapted to receive the filter.
DETAILED DESCP~IPTION OF THE INVE~TIOM
Referring now to the figure, there is illustrated a
centrifugal separator 10 having a sealed shroud 11 which defines
a first chamber 12. The shroud 11 comprises a drawn sheet metal
can havihg a lid 13 joined to the can by a conventional can-type
¦ rolled seam 14. The lid 13 includes a relatively thick support
. ¦ disc 15 and a relatively thin gauge ring 16 welded to the support
¦ disc 15. The ring 16 is shaped to retain a sealing gasket 17 in
5~ ¦ a rolled channel 18. An axially aligned inlet fitting 19 extends
through and is permanently associated with the support disc 15.
~ An axially aligned outlet fitting`20 is permanently affixed to
; i and extends through the other end of the shroud 11. The shroud
¦ 11 also has attached to it a bleed valve 48 having a light ball
¦ 50 which remains off its seat by gravity during the filter opera-
. ¦ tion. If for some reason thc outlet flow is throttled, the first
;~ ¦ chamber will fill with oil, thereby forcing the ball to its seat
¦ and preventing oil fro~ leaking to atmosphere. It should be`
¦ appreciated that the style and configuration of the inlet and
outlet fittings 19 and 20 are subject to particular mounting
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107g 699
requirements for the separator.
A hollow rotor 21 is rotatably mountcd on a spindle
assembly 22. The rotor 21 defines a second chamber 23 and com-
P prises a can 24 which is closed by a base 25 joined to the can
¦ 24 by a rolled seam 26. Tangential ~nd oppositely directed out-
¦ let ports 27 and 28 are formed in the base 25 in depressions 29.
¦ The spindle assembly 22 comprises an inr.er tube 30
¦ threaded into the inlet fitting 19 and a concentri c211y arranged
¦ outer tube 31 mounted for rotation relative to the inner tube 30
¦ by bèarings 32. The rotor assembly 21 is fixed to the rotatable
¦outer tube 31 by snap rings 33. The rotor assembly 21 and the
I spindle assembly 22 are supported by the inlet fitting l9 which .
¦ has a neck 34 extending into the outer tube 31 and by a heavy
¦ spring 35 which has a thrust pad 36 projecting into the inner tub
¦ 30. The spri~g 35 per~its fluid access from the first chamber 12
¦ to the outlet fitting 20.
¦ Oil enters the inlet fitting 19 from a fitting 37 on a
¦ crankcase 38 and flows to an outlet port 39 in the tube 30. The
¦ outlet port 39 is normally closed by a check valve 40 which com-
¦prises a spool 41 slidable in the inncr tube 30 to a nor~ally
¦ closed position across the port 39 and held in that position by
¦ a spring 42. At a predetermined pressure within the tube 30, the
¦ spcol slides zgainst the bias of the spring 42 to open the port
¦ 39. Thus, during idling or start-up conditions when the oil
¦ pressure is not high, the separator 10 will be bypassed. Oil
¦ issuing from the outiet port 39 flows through a space between
; the inner and outer tubes and through outlet ports 43 in the
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outer tube. There is provided a baffle 44 around the outlet
ports 43 to direct oil into the second chamber 23; The oil
egresses from the sccond chamber 23 to the first chamber 12
through the reaction nozzles ~7 and 28. In order Lo reach the
reaction nozzles 27 and 28, the oil must pass through a cylin-
drical screen 45, which surrounds the outer tube and which, with
the baffle 44 and an annular plate 46, defines a third chamber
47. Desirably, the screen 45 has a mesh which is finer than the
nozzle openings 27 and 2~, so that those openin~s will not be
plugged by any large particles which may tend to migrate to the
third chamber 47. Oil is expelled from the second cnamber throug
the tangentially mounted outlet ports 27 and 28, and, since those
ports are oppositely directed, they cause t'ne rotor assembly 21 t
rotate accordir;g to the prir.ciple of Hero's en~ine.
As the rotor a~sembly 21 rotates, suspended solids
migrate to and are retained at the sidewall of the rotor with
a force which is dependent upon the running oil pressure of
the engine. In time, the dirt particles and sludge form a
rubber mass at tile rotor sidewall. After a predetermined
number of miles, this mass ~ill accumulate until the entire
separator 10 must be replaced.
~ hile the invention has becn described in connection
with specific embodiments thereof, it is to be clearly under-
stood that this is done orly by-way of example, and not as a
limitation to the scope of the invention as set forth in the
objects thereof and in the appended claims.
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