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US 2007/0240688 A1Published application
Fuel conditioning apparatus
OwnerWayne GLEWinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel conditioning system has a housing defining a chamber and provided with an inlet upstream of the chamber and an outlet downstream of the chamber. A hemispherical seat has a first end in communication with the inlet, and a second end in communication with the chamber. A valve body is moveable between a closed position and an open position where the valve body is spaced from the inlet to allow air to flow into the chamber. A biasing device biases the valve body toward the closed position.
Claims23
A fuel conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber and provided with an inlet upstream of the chamber and an outlet downstream of the chamber;
- a hemispherical seat with a first end in fluid communication with the inlet and a second end in fluid communication with the chamber, the second end lying in a plane containing a diameter of the hemispherical seat;
- a valve body comprising a curved surface and a planar surface extending across the curved surface, the valve body being movable between a closed position where the valve body seals the inlet, and an open position where the valve body is spaced from the inlet to produce a gap between the valve and the seat allowing air at the inlet to flow through the first and second ends into the chamber, the gap being of a size in the range of from 3 mm to 18 mm when the valve body is in the open position;
- and
- a bias device that biases the valve body toward the closed position.
2 more elements
A fuel conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber and provided with an inlet upstream of the chamber and an outlet downstream of the chamber;
- a hemispherical seat with a first end in fluid communication with the inlet and a second end in fluid communication with the chamber, the second end lying in a plane containing a diameter of the hemispherical seat;
- a valve body comprising a curved surface and a planar surface extending across the curved surface, the valve body being movable between a closed position where the valve body seals the inlet, and an open position where the valve body is spaced from the inlet to produce a gap between the valve and the seat allowing air at the inlet to flow through the first and second ends into the chamber, the gap increasing in size as vacuum within the chamber increases;
- and
- a bias device that biases the valve body toward the closed position.
2 more elements
A fuel conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber and provided with an inlet upstream of the chamber and an outlet downstream of the chamber;
- a hemispherical seat with a first end in fluid communication with the inlet and a second end in fluid communication with the chamber, the second end lying in a plane containing a diameter of the hemispherical seat, the chamber comprising an internal surface with a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the first portion being concavely curved and extending outward from the second end to the second portion, the second portion being of constant diameter and extending from the first portion to the third portion, and the third portion extending from the second portion to the outlet;
- a valve body comprising a curved surface and a planar surface extending across the curved surface, the valve body being movable between a closed position where the valve body seals the inlet, and an open position where the valve body is spaced from the inlet to produce a gap between the valve and the seat allowing air at the inlet to flow through the first and second ends into the chamber;
- and
- a bias device that biases the valve body toward the closed position.
2 more elements
A fuel conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber and provided with an inlet upstream of the chamber and an outlet downstream of the chamber;
- a hemispherical seat with a first end in fluid communication with the inlet and a second end in fluid communication with the chamber, the second end lying in a plane containing a diameter of the hemispherical seat;
- a valve body comprising a curved surface and a planar surface extending across the curved surface, the valve body being movable between a closed position where the valve body seals the inlet, and an open position where the valve body is spaced from the inlet to produce a gap between the valve and the seat allowing air at the inlet to flow through the first and second ends into the chamber;
- a bias device that biases the valve body toward the closed position;
- and
- a fluid gallery in fluid communication with a fuel injector, the fluid gallery comprising an annular section and a plurality of openings, the annular section communicating with the fuel injector and the openings, the openings communicating with the annular section and the chamber.
3 more elements
A method of conditioning fuel comprising:
- providing a housing defining a chamber and provided with an inlet upstream of the chamber and an outlet downstream of the chamber;
- forming a hemispherical seat in the housing, the seat having a first end providing fluid communication with the inlet and a second end providing fluid communication with the chamber;
- installing a valve having a body of a shape complementary to the seat in the housing in a manner wherein the valve body can move between a closed position where the valve body sits on the seat and seals the inlet and an open position where the valve body is lifted off the seat to create a gap;
- inducing a flow of air from the inlet through the gap into the chamber;
- and
- spraying a fuel laterally onto the valve body and into the gap.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.