Cooler reservoir/filter holder
AssigneeContech Division, SPX Corporation
InventorsAnthony G. Bartalone, Maurie R. Petro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power steering pump fluid/filter system which utilizes a combined cooler, filter and reservoir that is positioned preferably in front of the radiator and which provides the three functions of reservoir, cooler and filter. The reservoir comprises a body of material such as magnesium or aluminum and has integral cooling fins. The body includes two openings in the base which permits ready connection to the two hoses of the power steering pump. The combined cooler, filter and reservoir also includes a cover typically made of magnesium or aluminum and a cap having a twist lug connection to the cover. The cap supports a dipstick for measuring the level of the oil.
Claims23
A combined cooler, top-fill fluid reservoir and filter holder unit with a removable filter for filtering the hydraulic fluid of a vehicle pressurized hydraulic system which includes a pump for producing a pressurized flow of such fluid, comprising:
- a body having a peripheral side wall, a bottom base wall and an open upper end, said body walls defining a top-fill fluid reservoir cavity therein,
- said body being made of heat conductive material,
- said body including spaced apart integral radial cooling fins on said side wall extending externally about the periphery of said body,
- said body including spaced inlet and outlet means defining fluid flow openings communicating with said reservoir cavity and adapted for connection respectively to the inlet and outlet of the system pump,
- cover means removably closing said upper end of said body and being made of heat conductive material, and
- filter means removably mounted inside said body through said body upper end when opened by removal of said cover means therefrom,
- said filter means comprising:
- a cup-shaped filter cartridge holder having a peripheral side wall generally complemental to said body side wall and spaced inwardly of the interior surface of the body side wall and defining a fluid flow space therebetween, an open upper end, and a bottom base wall having a fluid inlet and being juxtaposed to said body base wall,
- a holder cover removably mounted on the upper end of said holder,
- permanent magnet means mounted in said holder adjacent said base wall thereof in fluid flow communication with said body inlet pipe,
- tubular filter cartridge means disposed in said holder between said magnet means and said holder cover and having a tubular filter element disposed with its exterior surface spaced radially inwardly from the interior surface of said holder for flow of fluid from such surrounding space radially inwardly through the filter element into the interior of the same,
- shroud means disposed in the cavity reservoir having a lower end juxtaposed to said holder cover and having an open upper end disposed adjacent to the body open upper end, said shroud having a peripheral side wall spaced radially inwardly from the interior surface of said body side wall and defining an annular fluid flow space therebetween, and
- filter screen means disposed within said shroud in surrounding relation to said cover reservoir fill opening means and operable for screen-filtering fluid supplied to the reservoir cavity through said reservoir fill opening means of said cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.