US 6,186,128 B1Granted

Apparatus for treatment of crankcase emissions materials in a positive crankcase ventilation system

AssigneeGekko International, L.C.

InventorsRonald A. Diotte, Charles T. Nachtman, James R. Edwards, Robert L. Gregory, Frank Winter

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Abstract

An apparatus for the treatment of gases in a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system, in an internal combustion engine, is provided with a housing defining a gas treatment chamber. At least one gas filtering medium is disposed in the treatment chamber, and the gases from the engine crankcase are passed through the gas filtering medium in the treatment chamber, before the gases are routed into the air intake portion of the engine. In addition, the gases, after passage through the gas filtering medium, are passed through an ionization device.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A system for the treatment of crankcase emissions materials, in a positive crankcase ventilation system of an internal combustion engine, in which the crankcase emissions materials, containing at least one of partially and completely unburned hydrocarbon materials, oil, particulate materials and gaseous combustion byproducts, are drawn from the crankcase of the engine and directed to an air intake portion of the engine for recirculation through and further combustion in the engine, the system for treatment of crankcase emissions materials in a positive crankcase ventilation system comprising:

a filtering apparatus, for containing a liquid filter medium, the filtering apparatus being operably configured to receive therethrough crankcase emissions materials conducted substantially directly from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine, for substantially separating said at least one of said partially and completely unburned hydrocarbon materials, oil, particulate materials and gaseous combustion byproducts from crankcase emissions materials;
a positive crankcase ventilation valve, operably positioned downstream from the filtering apparatus, for regulating the pressure of crankcase emissions materials passing through the filtering apparatus;
an electronic apparatus, operably positioned downstream from the positive crankcase ventilation valve, for imparting an electrostatic charge to the filtered crankcase emissions materials, prior to delivery of the filtered crankcase emissions materials to the air intake portion of an internal combustion engine;
the filtering apparatus further comprising
a housing, having an inlet and an outlet;
the inlet of the housing being operably connected, at least indirectly, to a positive crankcase ventilation outlet of an internal combustion engine,
the outlet of the filter medium reservoir being operably connected, at least indirectly, to a positive crankcase ventilation vacuum port of an internal combustion engine;
at least one baffle member, operably disposed within the housing, and configured for constraining introduction of the crankcase emissions materials, from the crankcase, into at least one treatment chamber defined by the housing and the at least one baffle member.

5 more elements

An apparatus for the treatment of crankcase emissions materials, in a positive crankcase ventilation system of an internal combustion engine, in which the crankcase emissions materials, containing at least one of partially and completely unburned hydrocarbon materials, oil, particulate materials and gaseous combustion byproducts, are drawn from the crankcase of the engine and directed to an air intake portion of the engine for recirculation through and further combustion in the engine, the apparatus for treatment of crankcase emissions materials in a positive crankcase ventilation system comprising:

a filtering apparatus, for containing a liquid filter medium, the filtering apparatus being operably configured to receive therethrough crankcase emissions materials conducted substantially directly from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine, for substantially separating removing said at least one of said partially and completely unburned hydrocarbon materials, oil, particulate materials and gaseous combustion byproducts from crankcase emissions materials;
the filtering apparatus including
a housing, having an inlet and an outlet;
the inlet of the housing being operably connected, at least indirectly, to a positive crankcase ventilation outlet of an internal combustion engine,
the outlet of the filter medium reservoir being operably connected, at least indirectly, to a positive crankcase ventilation vacuum port of an internal combustion engine;
at least one baffle member, operably disposed within the housing, and configured for constraining introduction of the crankcase emissions materials, from the crankcase, into at least one treatment chamber defined by the at least one baffle member and the housing,
the housing further comprising
a substantially hollow reservoir base operably configured for receiving and containing a liquid filter medium;
and
a reservoir top, including an inner treatment chamber, and a surrounding outer treatment chamber.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

a filtering apparatus, for containing a liquid filter medium, the filtering apparatus being operably configured to receive therethrough crankcase emissions materials conducted substantially directly from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine, for substantially separating said at least one of said partially and completely unburned hydrocarbon materials, oil, particulate materials and gaseous combustion byproducts from crankcase emissions materials;
a positive crankcase ventilation valve, operably positioned downstream from the filtering apparatus, for regulating the pressure of crankcase emissions materials passing through the filtering apparatus;
an electronic apparatus, operably positioned downstream from the positive crankcase ventilation valve, for imparting an electrostatic charge to the filtered crankcase emissions materials, prior to delivery of the filtered crankcase emissions materials to the air intake portion of an internal combustion engine;
the filtering apparatus further comprising
a housing, having an inlet and an outlet;
the inlet of the housing being operably connected, at least indirectly, to a positive crankcase ventilation outlet of an internal combustion engine,
the outlet of the filter medium reservoir being operably connected, at least indirectly, to a positive crankcase ventilation vacuum port of an internal combustion engine;
at least one baffle member, operably disposed within the housing, and configured for constraining introduction of the crankcase emissions materials, from the crankcase, into at least one treatment chamber defined by the housing and the at least one baffle member.

5 more elements