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US-12617509-B2 - Antifreeze delivery system with a cap assembly

US12617509B2US 12617509 B2US12617509 B2US 12617509B2US-12617509-B2

Abstract

An antifreeze delivery system includes a container that defines a chamber for containing a volume of an antifreeze. The system further includes a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end. The upstream end of the conduit is fluidly connected to the container to receive the volume of the antifreeze from the container. The system further includes a cap assembly that fluidly connects the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by a top rim of a sea strainer. The cap assembly includes a lid having a planar wall with top and bottom surfaces. The lid defines a channel extending between the top and bottom surfaces and receiving the downstream end of the conduit. The system further includes one or more fasteners for attaching the lid to the sea strainer and sandwiching a seal between the lid and the top rim of the sea strainer.

Inventors

  • David Bell

Assignees

  • David Bell

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20230517

Claims (6)

  1. 1 . An antifreeze delivery system comprising: a container defining a chamber for containing a volume of an antifreeze; a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end, with the upstream end being fluidly connected to the container and receiving the volume of the antifreeze from the container; and a cap assembly fluidly connecting the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by a top rim of a sea strainer, with the cap assembly comprising: a lid including a planar wall with top and bottom surfaces and a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces, and the lid defines a channel extending between the top and bottom surfaces, with the channel receiving the downstream end of the conduit, and the bottom surface defining an annular surface area; a seal attached to the annular surface area of the lid; and at least one fastener for attaching the lid to the sea strainer such that the seal is sandwiched between the annular surface portion of the lid and the top rim of the sea strainer, wherein the at least one fastener comprises: first and second elongated shafts pivotably attached to an associated one of first and second portions of the sea strainer; and first and second nuts that are threadably attached to an associated one of the first and second elongated shafts and engage the lid, where the at least one fastener attaches the lid to the sea strainer in response to the first and second nuts engaging the lid, wherein the lid comprises first and second abutments extending radially outward from the planar wall, with the first and second nuts engaging an associated one of the first and second abutments, wherein each of the first and second abutments has an upper surface that is positioned coplanar with the top surface of the planar wall and a lower surface that is positioned coplanar with the bottom surface of the planar wall, wherein the first and second abutments are disposed diametrically opposite to one another relative to the planar wall, wherein the second abutment defines a second peripheral edge and an open-ended slot, with the open ended slot extending radially outward and terminating at the second peripheral edge, and the open-ended slot further extending between the upper and lower surfaces, wherein the container comprises an open-topped vessel having an annular wall defining the chamber, with the upstream end of the conduit being fluidly connected to the annular wall of the open-topped vessel via a stop valve that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the annular wall terminates at an upper rim, and the container further comprises a cover releasably attached to the upper rim, and wherein the cover defines an aperture, and the container further comprises a one-way air relief valve attached to the cover and disposed in the aperture, such that air flows through the one-way air relief valve into the chamber in response to the antifreeze being drawn from the chamber and into the upstream end of the conduit.
  2. 2 . The antifreeze delivery system of claim 1 wherein the first abutment defines a first peripheral edge, the first abutment further including a through hole that is spaced from the first peripheral edge and extending between the upper and lower surfaces.
  3. 3 . A cap assembly for an antifreeze delivery system having a container defining a chamber for containing a volume of an antifreeze, and the antifreeze delivery system further including a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end, with the upstream end being fluidly connected to the container to receive the volume of the antifreeze from the container, the cap assembly comprising: a lid fluidly connecting the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by a top rim of a sea strainer, with the lid including a planar wall with top and bottom surfaces and a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces, and the lid defines a channel extending between the top and bottom surfaces, with the channel receiving the downstream end of the conduit, and the bottom surface defining an annular surface area; a seal attached to the annular surface area of the lid; and at least one fastener for attaching the lid to the sea strainer such that the seal is sandwiched between the annular surface portion of the lid and the top rim of the sea strainer, wherein the at least one fastener comprises: first and second elongated shafts pivotably attached to an associated one of first and second portions of the sea strainer; and first and second nuts threadably attached to an associated one of the first and second elongated shafts and engaging the lid, where the at least one fastener attaches the lid to the sea strainer in response to the first and second nuts engaging the lid; wherein the lid comprises first and second abutments extending radially outward from the planar wall, with the first and second nuts engaging an associated one of the first and second abutments, wherein each of the first and second abutments has an upper surface that is positioned coplanar with the top surface of the planar wall and a lower surface that is positioned coplanar with the bottom surface of the planar wall, and the first and second abutments are disposed diametrically opposite to one another relative to the planar wall, wherein the first abutment defines a first peripheral edge, the first abutment further including a through hole that is spaced from the first peripheral edge and extending between the upper and lower surfaces, and the second abutment defines a second peripheral edge and an open-ended slot, with the open ended slot extending radially outward and terminating at the second peripheral edge, with the open-ended slot further extending between the upper and lower surfaces, wherein the container comprises an open-topped vessel having an annular wall defining the chamber, with the upstream end of the conduit being fluidly connected to the annular wall of the open-topped vessel via a stop valve movable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the annular wall terminates at an upper rim, and the container further comprises a cover releasably attached to the upper rim and defining an aperture, with the container further comprising a one-way air relief valve attached to the cover and disposed in the aperture, such that air flows through the one-way air relief valve into the chamber in response to the antifreeze being drawn from the chamber and into the upstream end of the conduit.
  4. 4 . A method of operating a cap assembly for an antifreeze delivery system having a container defining a chamber for containing a volume of an antifreeze, and the antifreeze delivery system further including a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end, with the upstream end being fluidly connected to the container to receive the volume of the antifreeze from the container, the method comprising: connecting, using at least one fastener, the lid to the sea strainer; sandwiching the seal between an annular surface portion of the lid and a top rim of the sea strainer in response to the at least one fastener connecting the lid to the sea strainer; fluidly connecting, using a lid, the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by the top rim of the sea strainer, with the lid including a planar wall having top and bottom surfaces and a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces, and the lid defining a channel that extends between the top and bottom surfaces, and the channel receiving the downstream end of the conduit; disposing the container at a position above the sea strainer; pouring a volume of the antifreeze in the container; starting a marine engine fluidly connected to the sea strainer and disposed downstream of the sea strainer; moving a stop valve from a closed position to an open position, with the stop valve fluidly connecting the upstream end of the conduit to the annular wall of the open-topped vessel; flowing the volume of antifreeze from the chamber of the container to the sea strainer; flowing the volume of antifreeze from the sea strainer to the marine engine; flowing a portion of the volume of antifreeze from the marine engine to an exhaust port fluidly connected to the marine engine and disposed downstream of the marine engine; and stopping the marine engine in response to the portion of the volume of antifreeze being discharged from the exhaust port.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising flowing, using a one-way air valve attached to a cover of the container, air into the chamber of the container in response to the volume of antifreeze flowing from the chamber of the container to the sea strainer.
  6. 6 . A cap assembly for an antifreeze delivery system having a container defining a chamber for containing a volume of an antifreeze, and the antifreeze delivery system further including a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end, with the upstream end being fluidly connected to the container to receive the volume of the antifreeze from the container, the cap assembly comprising: a lid fluidly connecting the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by a top rim of a sea strainer, with the lid including a planar wall with top and bottom surfaces and a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces, and the lid defines a channel extending between the top and bottom surfaces, with the channel receiving the downstream end of the conduit, and the bottom surface defining an annular surface area, the downstream end abutting the top surface and extending through the channel past the bottom surface; a seal attached to and extending across the annular surface area of the bottom surface of the lid, the downstream end extending through and past the seal; and at least one fastener for attaching the lid to the sea strainer such that the seal is sandwiched between the annular surface portion of the lid and the top rim of the sea strainer.

Description

INTRODUCTION The present disclosure relates to winterizing vehicles, and more particularly to an antifreeze delivery system having a cap assembly for delivering a volume of antifreeze to a hydraulic circuit without spilling antifreeze from the cap assembly. Watercrafts may include engines and cooling circuits with seawater lines that use seawater to cool the engines. If the watercrafts are not properly maintained by draining the cooling circuit prior to storage during a winter season, salt water or fresh water trapped in certain parts (e.g., heat exchangers, engine blocks, etc.) may freeze and expand into closed spaces, such that those parts may crack and split open. This may damage or destroy those components. In other examples, expanding and frozen fluids can merely cause a hose to blow off its fitting or split open. Boat owners may winterize their boats by running the engine and using a funnel resting within an opening of a sea strainer to manually pour antifreeze into the sea strainer and fill the cooling circuit. More specifically, the sea strainer may be positioned below deck and upstream of the engine in the cooling circuit. While the boat owner fills the cooling circuit with antifreeze, the boat owner also intermittently monitors the exhaust port. When the boat owners observes that antifreeze is being discharged from the discharge port, the boat owner may determine that the cooling circuit has been filled with antifreeze. The boat owner may then promptly turn off the engine and remove the funnel and antifreeze from the sea strainer. Because the funnel merely rests within the opening and the individual may need to quickly supply the antifreeze, antifreeze may spill from the funnel and onto the sea strainer and into the compartment containing the sea strainer. Thus, while existing antifreeze delivery systems achieve their intended purpose, there is a need for a new and improved system that addresses these issues. SUMMARY According to several aspects of the present disclosure, an antifreeze delivery system includes a container that defines a chamber for containing a volume of antifreeze. The system further includes a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end, with the upstream end being fluidly connected to the container to receive the volume of antifreeze from the container. The system further includes a cap assembly that fluidly connects the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by a top rim of a sea strainer. The cap assembly includes a lid having a planar wall, which includes top and bottom surfaces and a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces. The lid defines a channel extending between the top and bottom surfaces, with the channel receiving the downstream end of the conduit, and the bottom surface defining an annular surface area. The system further includes a seal attached to the annular surface area of the lid. The system further includes one or more fasteners for attaching the lid to the sea strainer, such that the seal is sandwiched between the annular surface portion of the lid and the top rim of the sea strainer and prevents antifreeze from spilling onto the sea strainer. In one aspect, the fastener includes an elongated shaft having a first end pivotably attached to one of the lid and the sea strainer. The elongated shaft further includes a second end with a threaded fastener. The fastener further includes a nut threadably attached to the threaded fastener of the elongated shaft and engaging the other of the lid and the sea strainer. The fastener attaches the lid to the sea strainer, in response to the nut engaging the other of the lid and the sea strainer. In another aspect, the fastener includes first and second elongated shafts pivotably attached to an associated one of first and second portions of the sea strainer. The fastener further includes first and second nuts threadably attached to an associated one of the first and second elongated shafts, such that the first and second nuts engage the lid. The fastener attaches the lid to the sea strainer, in response to the first and second nuts attaching to the associated elongated shafts and engaging the lid. In another aspect, the lid includes first and second abutments extending radially outward from the planar wall, with the first and second nuts engaging an associated one of the first and second abutments of the lid. In another aspect, each of the first and second abutments has an upper surface that is positioned coplanar with the top surface of the planar wall and a lower surface that is positioned coplanar with the bottom surface of the planar wall. In another aspect, the first and second abutments are disposed diametrically opposite to one another relative to the planar wall. In another aspect, the first abutment defines a first peripheral edge. The first abutment further defines a through hole, which is spaced from the first peripheral edge and extending between the upper and lower surfaces. In a