초록 ▼

A vehicular cooling system coolant-return manifold is provided that includes a plurality of ports reconfigurable by the user to open, such that coolant will flow into the manifold, or close, such that coolant will not flow into the manifold. The ports are opened and closed by rotating a valve spool

A vehicular cooling system coolant-return manifold is provided that includes a plurality of ports reconfigurable by the user to open, such that coolant will flow into the manifold, or close, such that coolant will not flow into the manifold. The ports are opened and closed by rotating a valve spool in relation to the manifold body. The ports of the manifold are brought into alignment with holes in the valve spool to open a port such that coolant flows into the manifold. A plurality of positions of the valve spool in relation to the manifold body allow a user to select a position wherein the desired combination of ports are on and off.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A coolant-return manifold comprising: a tubular manifold body comprising a first return-circuit port coupled to a first vehicle heater circuit and a second return-circuit port, a coolant inlet, and a coolant outlet, wherein the first return-circuit port and the second return-circuit port are spac

1. A coolant-return manifold comprising: a tubular manifold body comprising a first return-circuit port coupled to a first vehicle heater circuit and a second return-circuit port, a coolant inlet, and a coolant outlet, wherein the first return-circuit port and the second return-circuit port are spaced longitudinally along the manifold body; anda tubular internal valve spool disposed inside the manifold body, having a plurality of alignment ports extending between an outer surface of the valve spool and a hollow interior of the valve spool,wherein the valve spool is rotatable within the manifold body to a plurality of positions, in at least one of said plurality of positions, at least one of the plurality of alignment ports is in radial alignment with one of the return-circuit ports on the manifold body,wherein each return-circuit port is radially aligned with less than two alignment ports in each of the plurality of positions,wherein there is liquid communication between at least one alignment port, one of the return-circuit ports, and the coolant outlet at each of the plurality of positions of the valve spool,wherein, in a first position: (a) a first alignment port is radially aligned with the first return-circuit port, such that coolant flowing into the first return-circuit port from the first vehicle heater circuit will be passed through the first alignment port and into the hollow interior of the valve spool; and(b) a second alignment port is radially aligned with the coolant outlet, such that coolant flowing into the hollow interior of the valve spool will pass through the second alignment port and coolant outlet, andwherein, in a second position: (a) a third alignment port is radially aligned with the first return-circuit port, such that coolant flowing into the first return-circuit port from the first vehicle heater circuit will be passed through the third alignment port and into the hollow interior of the valve spool;(b) a fourth alignment port is radially aligned with the second return-circuit port, such that coolant flowing into the second return-circuit port will be passed through the fourth alignment port and into the hollow interior of the valve spool; and(c) a fifth alignment port is radially aligned with the coolant outlet, such that coolant flowing into the hollow interior of the valve spool will pass through the fifth alignment port and coolant outlet, andwherein coolant flows into the valve spool through the coolant inlet in the first and second positions. 2. The coolant-return manifold of claim 1, wherein the manifold body and internal valve spool are comprised of a material independently selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, and combinations thereof. 3. The coolant-return manifold of claim 1, wherein there is liquid communication between at least one alignment port, the coolant inlet, the second return-circuit port, and the coolant outlet in at least one but not all of the plurality of positions of the valve spool. 4. The coolant-return manifold of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle heater circuit includes at least one of a primary cab heater circuit or a fuel heater circuit. 5. The coolant-return manifold of claim 1, further comprising a third return-circuit port coupled to a second vehicle heater circuit other than the first vehicle heater circuit, wherein the third return-circuit port is spaced longitudinally on the manifold body. 6. The coolant-return manifold of claim 5, wherein there is liquid communication between at least one alignment port, the coolant inlet, the third return-circuit port, and the coolant outlet in one position of the plurality of positions of the valve spool such that coolant flows into the valve spool through the coolant inlet and into the third return-circuit port from the second vehicle heater circuit, and coolant flows out of the valve spool through the coolant outlet. 7. The coolant-return manifold of claim 5, wherein there is liquid communication between at least one alignment port, the coolant inlet, the second return-circuit port, the third return-circuit port, and the coolant outlet in at least one but not all of the plurality of positions of the valve spool. 8. The coolant-return manifold of claim 1, wherein in a third position: (a) a sixth alignment port is radially aligned with the first return-circuit port, such that coolant flowing into the first return-circuit port from the first vehicle heater circuit will be passed through the sixth alignment port and into the valve spool;(b) a seventh alignment port is radially aligned with the second return-circuit port, such that coolant flowing into the second return-circuit port from a third vehicle heater circuit will pass through the seventh alignment port and into the valve spool; and(c) an eighth alignment port is radially aligned with the coolant outlet, such that coolant flowing into the hollow interior of the valve spool will pass through the eighth alignment port and coolant outlet. 9. The coolant-return manifold of claim 8, wherein in the second position, the first alignment port is not aligned with the first return-circuit port and the second alignment port is not aligned with the second return-circuit port. 10. The coolant-return manifold of claim 8, wherein in a third position: (a) a ninth alignment port is radially aligned with the first return-circuit port, such that coolant flowing into the first return-circuit port from the first vehicle heater circuit will be passed through the ninth alignment port and into the valve spool;(b) a tenth alignment port is radially aligned with the second return-circuit port, such that coolant flowing into the second return-circuit port from the third vehicle heater circuit will be passed through the tenth alignment port and into the valve spool; and(c) an eleventh alignment port is radially aligned with the coolant outlet, such that coolant flowing into the hollow interior of the valve spool will pass through the eleventh alignment port and coolant outlet. 11. A coolant-return manifold comprising: a manifold body comprising at least three return-circuit ports extending between an exterior of the manifold body and an interior of the manifold body;a tubular internal valve spool disposed inside the manifold body and comprising a plurality of input alignment apertures, said input alignment apertures extending between an outer surface of the valve spool and an interior channel of the valve spool; anda coolant outlet alignment aperture extending between the exterior of the valve spool and the interior of the valve spool to provide liquid communication between the interior channel of the valve spool and an outlet port extending between an exterior of the manifold body and an interior of the manifold body,wherein the valve spool is rotatable within the manifold body to a plurality of positions, in each of said plurality of positions at least one of the plurality of input alignment apertures is in radial alignment with one of the return-circuit ports on the manifold body, wherein each return-circuit port is in radial alignment with at most one input alignment aperture at each of the plurality of positions,wherein there is liquid communication between at least one return-circuit port and the coolant outlet port at each of the plurality of positions of the valve spool,wherein in a first position, a first return-circuit port and the coolant outlet port are in liquid communication through a first input alignment aperture, a second return-circuit port and the coolant outlet port are in liquid communication through a second input alignment aperture, and a third return-circuit port and the coolant outlet port are in liquid communication through a third input alignment aperture, wherein coolant flows from the first return-circuit port, the second return-circuit port, and the third return-circuit port through the valve spool and out the outlet port,wherein the first return-circuit port is coupled to a first vehicle heater circuit,wherein the second return-circuit port is coupled to a second vehicle heater circuit,andwherein in the first position, coolant flows through the first vehicle heater circuit. 12. The coolant-return manifold of claim 11, wherein the outlet port is disposed adjacent an end face of the internal valve spool. 13. The coolant-return manifold of claim 11, wherein the manifold body is tubular. 14. The coolant-return manifold of claim 11, wherein the manifold body and internal valve spool are comprised of a material independently selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, and combinations thereof. 15. The coolant-return manifold of claim 11, wherein in a second position, the first return-circuit port and the coolant outlet port are in liquid communication through a fourth input alignment aperture, the second return-circuit port and the coolant outlet port are in liquid communication through a fifth input alignment aperture, and the third return-circuit port is not in liquid communication with the coolant outlet port through the valve spool, wherein in the second position, coolant flows through the first and second vehicle heater circuits and coolant does not flow through the third vehicle heater circuit. 16. The coolant-return manifold of claim 15, wherein in a third position, the first return-circuit port and the coolant outlet port are in liquid communication through a sixth input alignment aperture and the second and third return-circuit ports are not in liquid communication with the coolant outlet port through the valve spool, wherein in the third position, coolant flows through the first vehicle heater circuit and coolant does not flow through the second and third vehicle heater circuits.