US 11,773,770 B2Granted

Intake cleaner and dispense mechanism

AssigneeEnergizer Auto, Inc.

InventorsGirija S. Chaubey, Tushar Kulkarni, Nathan Myers, Rajeev Menon

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Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning an intake system of an engine includes a pressure-resistant container having a reservoir chargeable with an engine cleaner composition and a discharge orifice for discharging the engine cleaner composition from the reservoir. The apparatus also includes a dispensing assembly including an assembly inlet connectable to the discharge orifice of the pressure-resistant container for receiving the engine cleaner composition discharged from the pressure-resistant container. The dispensing assembly further includes an assembly outlet, and a length of tubing for receiving the engine cleaner composition from the dispensing assembly. The apparatus further includes a timer configured to control a timed valve that, when opened, allows the engine cleaner composition to discharge from the pressure-resistant container. The timer is configured to delay opening of the timed valve for a predetermined period of time after actuation of the timer.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for cleaning an intake system of an engine comprising:

a pressure-resistant container comprising:
a reservoir charged with an engine cleaner composition under pressure;
a discharge orifice passing through the reservoir for providing a discharge of the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the reservoir;
and
an aerosol valve within the discharge orifice adapted to contain the engine cleaner composition under pressure within the reservoir;
and
a dispensing assembly comprising:
an assembly inlet coupled to the discharge orifice of the pressure-resistant container for receiving the discharge of the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the pressure-resistant container;
an assembly outlet;
a length of tubing comprising:
a tubing inlet;
a tubing outlet;
and
a central bore extending from the tubing inlet to the tubing outlet, wherein the tubing inlet is in fluid communication with the assembly outlet for receiving the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the dispensing assembly;
a lever configured to selectively engage the aerosol valve to discharge the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the pressure-resistant container;
a shut-off assembly, coupled to the lever, switchable between a closed position preventing the lever from engaging the aerosol valve to discharge the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the pressure-resistant container and an opened position enabling the lever to engage the aerosol valve to allow the discharge of the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the pressure-resistant container;
and
a timed switch coupled to the lever and including a user-actuated timer, wherein actuation of the timer and setting the shut-off assembly to the open position initiates a cleaning operation by the apparatus while the timed switch prevents the lever from engaging the aerosol valve to cause an initial release of the discharge of the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the apparatus for a predetermined period of time after actuation of the timer.

15 more elements

A method of using an apparatus for cleaning an engine having an air intake manifold, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a fluid-dispensing device comprising a pressure-resistant container having a reservoir, a discharge orifice through the reservoir, and an aerosol valve within the discharge orifice, wherein the reservoir is charged with an engine cleaner composition under pressure and the aerosol valve is adapted to contain the engine cleaner composition within the reservoir;
a dispensing assembly having a lever, a shut-off assembly coupled to the lever, a timed switch coupled to the lever and including a user-actuated timer, an assembly inlet coupled to the discharge orifice, and an assembly outlet, wherein the shut-off assembly, when in a closed position, prevents the lever from engaging the aerosol valve to discharge the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the pressure-resistant container and, an opened position, enabling the lever to engage the aerosol valve to allow the discharge of the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the pressure-resistant container;
a length of tubing having a tubing inlet connected with the assembly outlet, a tubing outlet, and a central bore extending from the tubing inlet to the tubing outlet;
the method comprising:
actuating a count, by the timer, to initiate a cleaning operation by the apparatus and to delay the lever from engaging the aerosol valve to cause an initial release of the discharge for a predetermined period of time after actuation of the count by the timer;
setting the shut-off assembly in the open position;
maintaining the lever in a position to delay an initial release of the discharge of the engine cleaner composition under pressure from the apparatus for the predetermined period of time;
and
automatically actuating the aerosol valve, by the timed switch and the lever after the predetermined period of time, and allowing the engine cleaner composition under pressure to discharge from the pressure-resistant container through the length of tubing.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/866,882Filed 5 May 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 9 May 2019
Published: US 2020/0355116 A112 Nov 2020
Granted: 3 Oct 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

F02B 77/04
Component parts, details or accessories, not otherwise provided for: cleaning of, preventing corrosion or erosion in, or preventing unwanted…
F02B 2077/045
Cleaning of, preventing corrosion or erosion in, or preventing unwanted deposits in, combustion engines: by flushing or rinsing
F02B
Internal-combustion piston engines