Fan Forced Oil Filter Cooler

Abstract

The current invention consists of a fan forced heat sink oil cooler which attaches to the end of an oil filter. Typically, the invention will be used for the cooling of engine oil on an air cooled motorcycle. The current invention utilizes a housing attached to a fan forced, finned heat sink to remove heat from the engine oil expelling engine heat to the ambient air. The invention externally clamps on the oil filter which effectively turns the oil filter into an oil cooler. The design provides engine oil cooling during periods of idle or slow speeds as well as while the vehicle is in motion. The new design has remedied the necessity of penetrating and changing the existing oil route thus avoiding harm to the engine due to malfunction of an oil cooler. Another advantage to this design is simple and quick installation with ordinary knowledge and skill.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . An oil filter cooler for an internal combustion engine that circulates engine oil through an oil filter, the oil filter cooler comprising:
 a housing having at one end a cylindrical collar configured to receive and be releasably attachable to a closed free end of the oil filter, and at another end a heat sink further comprising a body with a cylindrical bore surrounded by a plurality of radially directed, circumferentially spaced fins disposed in fixed relation to the cylindrical collar and the cylindrical bore; and   a fan unit attached to the housing and disposed inside the cylindrical bore, the fan unit comprising an electric motor, a plurality of fan blades rotatable inside the cylindrical bore by a shaft driven by the electric motor, and wires providing electrical energy to the electric motor;   whereby heat is initially transferred to the oil filter by the engine oil circulated through the oil filter and is subsequently dissipated from the oil filter through the heat sink body and fins of the oil filter cooler and by the fan unit that is operable to force ambient air past the heat sink body and fins.   
     
     
         5 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 4  wherein the cylindrical collar of the housing further comprises a notch or split to facilitate attachment to the closed free end of the oil filter. 
     
     
         6 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 4 , further comprising a clamp band disposed around the cylindrical collar of the housing for use in attaching the housing to the closed free end of the oil filter. 
     
     
         7 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 6  wherein the clamp band comprises a screw adjustment. 
     
     
         8 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 4 , further comprising a heat transfer material disposed inside the housing and configured to improve heat transfer between the oil filter and the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 4  wherein the electric motor is a high-speed 12-volt motor. 
     
     
         10 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 4  wherein the housing is made of a material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, and any other metal that conducts heat well. 
     
     
         11 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 4  wherein the heat sink is made of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum or copper. 
     
     
         12 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 8  wherein the heat transfer material is a thermally conductive paste. 
     
     
         13 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 4  wherein the internal combustion engine is an air-cooled engine. 
     
     
         14 . The oil filter cooler of  claim 4  wherein the internal combustion engine is a motorcycle engine.