Radiator filler neck

Abstract

A radiator filler neck for use with a radiator includes a core between upper and lower tanks and a pressure-valve radiator cap. The filler neck includes a hollow cylindrical body including a side wall between upper and lower openings. The upper opening includes an upper sealing seat for the radiator cap. The lower opening includes an internal sealing seat for the pressure valve of the radiator cap. The body has an interior within the side wall and between the upper and lower openings. An overflow aperture is provided in the interior of the body to permit transfer of overflow from the interior via an overflow passage to a concealed exterior overflow outlet; and the side wall does not include a visible exterior overflow outlet.

Claims

1. A radiator filler neck for use with a radiator, the radiator having a core between upper and lower tanks, and a pressure-valve radiator cap, the filler neck including: a hollow cylindrical body including a side wall between upper and lower openings, the upper opening including an upper sealing seat for the radiator cap, the lower opening including an internal sealing seat for the pressure valve of the radiator cap, the body thus having an interior within the side wall and between the upper and lower openings; wherein an overflow aperture is provided in the interior of the body to permit transfer of overflow from the interior via an overflow passage to a concealed exterior overflow outlet, and wherein the side wall does not include a visible exterior overflow outlet.

2. A radiator filler neck according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical body is annular such that the side wall includes a top edge at the upper opening, the top edge forming the upper sealing seat, and a bottom edge at the lower opening.

3. A radiator filler neck according to claim 2, wherein the internal sealing seat is a radially inwardly directed annular flange formed integrally with the bottom edge of the cylindrical body.

4. A radiator filler neck according to claim 2, wherein the overflow passage is provided within the side wall from the overflow aperture of the cylindrical body interior to the overflow outlet.

5. A radiator filler neck according to claim 1, wherein the overflow passage passes within and through the sidewall to exit the filler neck from the bottom edge of the cylindrical body.

6. A radiator filler neck according to claim 1, wherein the overflow outlet is suitable for receiving and engaging with an overflow tube or hose that is in fluid communication with an overflow tank.

7. A radiator filler neck according to claim 1, wherein more than one overflow aperture is provided in the interior of the body, each in association with an overflow passage and an overflow outlet.

8. A radiator filler neck according to claim 1, including an adaptor sized to house the lower portion of the filler neck, the filler neck including a threaded skirt for engaging therewith via a threaded opening of the adaptor, the adaptor and filler neck forming therebetween an overflow chamber.

9. A radiator filler neck according to claim 8, wherein the overflow outlets are not connected directly to an overflow tube but are connected via the overflow chamber and an associated overflow chamber aperture and passageway, and then to the overflow tube.

10. A radiator having a core between upper and lower tanks, a pressure-valve radiator cap, and a filler neck in accordance with claim 1.

11. A radiator according to claim 10 including an overflow tank in fluid communication, via an overflow tube or hose, with the overflow outlet of the filler neck.

12. A radiator according to claim 10, wherein the overflow tube is concealed by the upper tank or the radiator core and is thus, in use, not externally visible.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) The radiator filler neck of the present invention will now be described with reference to preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, the following description of the preferred embodiments is not to limit the generality of the above description.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIGS. 1a, 1b and 1c illustrate, respectively, a first embodiment of a radiator filler neck in situ with a radiator for a vehicle (FIG. 1a), an exploded schematic view of just the upper portion of that radiator (FIG. 1b), and an exploded section view of the radiator filler neck of that radiator (FIG. 1c);

(4) FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded section view of the radiator filler neck of FIG. 1c in situ;

(5) FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded section view of a second embodiment of a radiator filler neck in situ;

(6) FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate side and top views of a third embodiment of a radiator filler neck also in accordance with the present invention; and

(7) FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate side and top views of a fourth embodiment of a radiator filler neck also in accordance with the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(8) Illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b is a radiator filler neck 10 for use with a radiator 12 associated with, for example, the engine cooling system of a motor vehicle (not shown). The radiator 12 has a radiator core 14 between an upper tank 16 and a lower tank 18, and a pressure-valve radiator cap 20. Engine mounting members 22 are provided with the core 14 for mounting the radiator within the engine bay of the vehicle, and a coolant inlet 24 is provided in fluid communication with the upper tank 16, with a coolant outlet 26 provided in fluid communication with the lower tank 18.

(9) The filler neck 10 is shown in better detail in FIG. 1c, where the hollow cylindrical body 28 of the filler neck 10 is shown as having a cylindrical side wall 30 between an upper opening 32 and a lower opening 34. The upper opening 32 includes an upper sealing seat 36 for the radiator cap 20 shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. The lower opening 34 includes an internal sealing seat 38 for the pressure valve 40 of the radiator cap 20 (the pressure valve 40 being shown in FIG. 2). In this form, the cylindrical body 28 thus has an interior 42 within the side wall 30 and between the upper and lower openings 32,34.

(10) An overflow aperture 50 is provided in the interior 42 of the body 28, with the overflow aperture 50 located to permit transfer of overflow (as will be explained below) from the interior 42 of the filler neck 10 through an overflow passage 51 to an exterior, but concealed, overflow outlet 52 and then to an overflow tube 53 (evident in FIGS. 1a, 1b and 2).

(11) As can be seen in FIG. 2, the cylindrical body 28 of the filler neck 10 is annular with a side wall 30 thickness that is large enough such that the side wall 30 forms, on its top edge at the upper opening 32, the upper sealing seat 36 upon which a sealing flange of a radiator cap 20 can rest so as to seal the filler neck 10 when properly engaged. Additionally, the filler neck 10 includes, on the exterior of the side wall 30 near the top edge thereof, suitable engagement grooves 56 in the side wall 30 for correspondingly shaped engagement lugs on the radiator cap 20 to slidingly engage when securing the radiator cap 20 to the filler neck 10. Therefore, the side wall 30 thickness of the cylindrical body 28 is large enough to allow formation of these engagement grooves 56 without impacting on the integrity of the filler neck 10.

(12) The internal sealing seat 38 of the cylindrical body 28 is a radially inwardly directed annular flange 60 formed integrally with the bottom edge 62 of the cylindrical body 28, the flange 60 being wide enough such that the pressure valve 40 of the radiator cap 20 can seal against it when the radiator cap 20 is secured to the filler neck 10, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

(13) The cylindrical body 28 of the filler neck 10 is rigidly secured by welding 66, at its lower end to an opening in the upper tank 16, so as to permit coolant to be added to the cooling system through the upper opening 32 of the filler neck 10, through the interior 42 of the cylindrical body 38 and through the lower opening 34 of the filler neck 10, to allow the radiator core 14, the lower tank 18 and the upper tank 16 to be filled with a suitable amount of coolant. This connection to the upper tank 16 results in a portion of the cylindrical body 38 being outside and above the upper tank 16, being a portion whose exterior is thus visible when the radiator 12 is in use, and a portion (a much smaller portion) being inside the upper tank 16 and thus being concealed when the radiator 12 is in use. Therefore, the bottom edge 62 of the cylindrical body 38 is within the interior 68 of the upper tank 16 and is concealed.

(14) As generally described above, when the pressure within the radiator and engine cooling system increases above a set-point predetermined by the configuration of the pressure valve 40, the pressure valve 40 unseats and permits coolant to overflow through the lower opening 34 of the filler neck 10 from the radiator core 14 and the upper tank 16 into the interior 42 of the filler neck 10.

(15) As mentioned above, the radiator filler neck 10 includes an overflow aperture 50 in the interior 42 of the cylindrical body 38, which is located to permit transfer of overflow from the interior 42 to an exterior overflow outlet 52, via an overflow passage 51 within the side wall 30, without the overflow aperture 50 or the overflow outlet 52 being externally visible on any portion of the side wall 30 that is externally visible in situ. In this respect, whether something is externally visible is determined from the point of view of a user viewing a fully assembled radiator in situ within the engine bay of a vehicle.

(16) The overflow passage 51 is within the side wall 30 and passes therethrough to exit the filler neck 10 from the bottom edge 62 of the cylindrical body 28, the passage 51 thus being of a diameter that is less than the thickness of the side wall 30. The overflow aperture 50 could be located anywhere in the interior 42, and the overflow passage 52 could be of any suitable path and configuration through the side wall 30, and only need be configured so as to provide fluid communication from the interior through the passage to the overflow outlet. Additionally, although not shown in this embodiment, the filler neck 10 could have any number of overflow aperture/passage/outlet arrangements as necessary, each configured similarly to that described above, and ideally arranged symmetrically about the cylindrical body 28.

(17) The overflow outlet 52 is shown as internally threaded aperture that is suitable for receiving and engaging with a threaded overflow tube 53, itself in fluid communication with an overflow tank (not shown). In this embodiment, the overflow tube 53 passes within and through the upper tank 16, and then along a cutaway portion 70 of the radiator core 14), through the lower tank 18, and then the overflow tank, again preferably in a concealed location.

(18) A second embodiment of a filler neck in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3, where the same reference numerals as used above for the first embodiment have been adopted, but in the 100 series.

(19) Illustrated in FIG. 3 is a radiator filler neck 110 for use with a radiator (not shown) as generally described above. The hollow cylindrical body 128 of the filler neck 110 has a cylindrical side wall 130 between an upper opening 132 and a lower opening 134. The upper opening 132 includes an upper sealing seat 136 for a radiator cap (not shown). The lower opening 134 includes an internal sealing seat 138 for the pressure valve of a radiator cap. The cylindrical body 128 thus has an interior 142 within the side wall 130 and between the upper and lower openings 132,134.

(20) Two opposing overflow apertures 150,150a are provided in the interior 142 of the body 128, with each overflow aperture 150,150a located to permit transfer of overflow from the interior 142 of the filler neck 110 through respective overflow passages 151,151a to respective concealed exterior overflow outlets 152,152a.

(21) In this second embodiment though, the filler neck 110 is not attached directly to the upper tank 116, but is connected via an adaptor 200 that is itself welded to the upper tank 116. The adaptor 200 is sized to house the lower portion of the filler neck 110, engaging therewith via a threaded opening 202 and a correspondingly threaded skirt extending downwardly from the lower opening 134 of the filler neck 110, to form an overflow chamber 204 therebetween suitably sealed with O-rings 206,208.

(22) Thus, the overflow outlets 152,152a are not connected directly to the overflow tube 153, but are connected via the overflow chamber 204 and an associated overflow chamber aperture 210 and passageway 212, and then to the overflow tube 153.

(23) This connection to the upper tank 116 again results in a portion of the cylindrical body 138 being outside and above the upper tank 116, being a portion whose exterior is thus visible when the radiator is in use, and a portion being inside the upper tank 116 and thus being concealed when the radiator is in use. Therefore, the bottom edge 162 of the cylindrical body 138 is again within the interior 168 of the upper tank 116 such that the overflow outlet 152 is concealed and thus the side wall 130 does not include a visible exterior overflow outlet.

(24) A third embodiment of a filler neck in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4a and 4b, where the same reference numerals as used above for the first embodiment have been adopted, but in the 300 series.

(25) Illustrated in FIGS. 4a and 4b is a radiator filler neck 310 for use with a radiator (not shown) as generally described above. The hollow cylindrical body 328 of the filler neck 310 has a cylindrical side wall 330 between an upper opening 332 and a lower opening 334. The upper opening 332 includes an upper sealing seat 336 for a radiator cap (not shown). The lower opening 334 includes an internal sealing seat 338 for the pressure valve of a radiator cap. The cylindrical body 328 thus has an interior within the side wall 330 and between the upper and lower openings 332,334.

(26) An overflow aperture 350 is provided in the interior of the body 328, with the overflow aperture 350 located to permit transfer of overflow from the interior of the filler neck 310 through an overflow passage (not shown) to a concealed exterior overflow outlet (not shown) and then to an overflow tube 353. In this embodiment, the connection of the filler neck 310 to a radiator tank (not shown) may be at any point along the sidewall 330, although will ideally be closely adjacent the underside of the flange 90, such that the overflow outlet and the overflow tube 353 are concealed and thus the side wall 330 does not include a visible exterior overflow outlet or overflow tube.

(27) A fourth embodiment of a filler neck in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 45, where the same reference numerals as used above for the first embodiment have been adopted, but in the 400 series.

(28) Illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b is a radiator filler neck 410 for use with a radiator (not shown) as generally described above. The hollow cylindrical body 428 of the filler neck 410 has a cylindrical side wall 430 between an upper opening 432 and a lower opening 434. The upper opening 432 includes an upper sealing seat 436 for a radiator cap (not shown). The lower opening 434 includes an internal sealing seat 438 for the pressure valve of a radiator cap. The cylindrical body 428 thus has an interior within the side wall 430 and between the upper and lower openings 432,434.

(29) An overflow aperture 450 is provided in the interior of the body 428, with the overflow aperture 450 located to permit transfer of overflow from the interior of the filler neck 410 through an overflow passage (not shown) to a concealed exterior overflow outlet (not shown) and then to an overflow tube 453. In this embodiment, the connection of the filler neck 410 to a radiator tank (not shown) will ideally be closely adjacent the underside of the large, square flange 92, such that the overflow outlet and the overflow tube 453 are again concealed within the radiator tank below the flange and thus the exposed part of the side wall 430, above the flange 92, does not include a visible exterior overflow outlet or overflow tube.

(30) Finally, it will be understood that there may be other variations and modifications made to the configurations described above that will also be within the scope of the present invention.