Crankcase emission separator and collector

Abstract

Interposed in a conduit which conducts crankcase emissions to the air-fuel intake side of an internal combustion engine is a vessel having means for separating deleterious liquid and solid components from the crankcase emissions and collecting these contaminants in the vessel. Atmospheric air is brought into collision with the emissions to enhance separation. The cleaned gaseous fraction, mixed with atmospheric air is then conducted from the vessel through a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve interposed in the portion of the conduit leading from the separator-collector to the air-fuel intake side of the engine. The clean gas-air mixture joins the engine's air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber and increases vehicle mileage. At suitable intervals the separator-collector vessel is disconnected from the conduit and the collected contaminants are removed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A crankcase emission fluid separator for use with an engine having a crankcase, an air intake leading to a combustion chamber and a vacuum source, said separator comprising: a housing forming an enclosure and including inlet means adapted to be coupled to said engine crankcase for admitting emisions therefrom to the interior of said housing, outlet means adapted to be coupled to said air intake for furnishing separated fluids thereto, vacuum port means adapted to be coupled to said vacuum source, and air intake means for introducing ambient air into said housing; and   means within said housing for conditioning engine crankcase emissions entering said housing via said inlet means and leaving said housing via said outlet means to separate liquid and solid components from gaseous components thereof, said conditioning means including a container having first and second apertured walls and a plurality of relatively inert particles located in said container between said walls and providing a barrier through which said emissions pass from said inlet means to said outlet means, fluid conduit means having a first end terminating adjacent one of said first and second container walls and a second end in fluid communication with said inlet means and said air intake means, and valve means coupled to said vacuum port means for controlling the quantity of ambient air admitted to said fluid conduit means in accordance with the magnitude of said vacuum source, said valve means including bias means for limiting the admission of ambient air into said fluid conduit means to a minimum amount when the magnitude of said vacuum source is a minimum and for permitting the amount of ambient air admitted to said fluid conduit means to increase as the magnitude of said vacuum source increases.   
     
     
       2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said relatively inert particles are fabricated from glass. 
     
     
       3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said relatively inert particles are fabricated from fiberglass. 
     
     
       4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said conditioning means includes a spaced pair of apertured wall members and wherein said particles are located therebetween. 
     
     
       5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said pair of apertured wall members are arranged to define an annular region comprising an inner and an outer wall member for containing said relatively inert particles, and further including first and second annular end wall members for enclosing said annular region. 
     
     
       6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said conditioning means is arranged within said housing so that said engine crankcase emissions entering said inlet means pass into the volume defined by the interior of said inner wall member and pass radially outwardly through said annular region to encounter said relatively inert particles. 
     
     
       7. In combination with a positive crankcase ventilation system connected to an internal combustion engine having a vacuum source and a crankcase, a device for conditioning crankcase emissions, said device comprising: a .[.collecting vessel;.]. .Iadd.collector; .Iaddend.   a cap removably secured on one end of said .[.vessel.]. .Iadd.collector; .Iaddend.   an inlet port in said cap;   a first conduit connecting said inlet port with said crankcase;   an outlet port in said cap;   a second conduit connecting said outlet port and the air-fuel intake side of said engine; and   means located within said collector for separating liquid and solid contaminants from crankcase emissions entering said collector through said inlet port and leaving said collector through said outlet port, said separating means including a spaced pair of screens and a plurality of beads between said screens, said screens and said beads being interposed between said inlet port and said outlet port, said pair of screens and said beads defining a hollow circular cylinder with one of said screens forming the outer wall and the other of said screens forming the inner wall, said cylinder being located on said cap relative to said inlet port so that the crankcase emissions flowing inwardly through said inlet port pass into the interior of said cylinder; and said outlet port being located relative to said cylinder so that the gases emerging from said outer screen wall of said cylinder flow outwardly through said outlet port; and   means for introducing atmospheric air into said device adjacent said inlet port, said air introducing means including a hollow cylindrical member, a piston slidable in said cylindrical member, a passageway leading from the inside to the outside of said cylindrical member, said piston substantially covering said passageway when in a first position and uncovering said passageway when in a second position, a hose connecting one end of said cylindrical member to said vacuum-source, an air intake means for introducing atmospheric air to the other end of said cylindrical member, said other end of said cylindrical member being in communication with said passageway when said piston is in said second position, and spring means for urging said piston from said second position towards said first position, the urging force of said spring means being overcome as the differential pressure on said piston exceeds a predetermined amount as a vacuum is established on the end of said piston opposite from the piston .[.and.]. .Iadd.end .Iaddend.facing said other end of said cylindrical member and atmospheric air enters said other end of said cylindrical member. .Iadd. 8. For use with a crankcase ventilation system connected to an internal combustion engine having a vacuum source and a crankcase, a fluid separator device for conditioning crankcase emissions, said device comprising:   a collecting vessel;   a cap removably secured on one end of said vessel;   an inlet port in said cap;   a first conduit connecting said inlet port with said crankcase;   an outlet port in said cap;   a second conduit connecting said outlet port and the air-fuel intake side of said engine;   means located within said collecting vessel for separating liquid and solid contaminants from crankcase emissions entering said collector through said inlet port and leaving said collector through said outlet port, said separating means including a spaced pair of screens and a plurality of beads between said screens, said screens and said beads being interposed between said inlet port and said outlet port, said pair of screens and said beads defining a hollow circular cylinder with one of said screens forming the outer wall and the other of said screens forming the inner wall, said cylinder being located on said cap relative to said inlet port so that the crankcase emissions flowing inwardly through said inlet port pass into the interior of said cylinder; and said outlet port being located relative to said cylinder so that the gases emerging from said outer screen wall of said cylinder flow outwardly through said outlet port; and   means for introducing atmospheric air into said device adjacent said inlet port, said air introducing means including a hollow cylindrical member, a piston slideable in said cylindrical member, a passageway leading from the inside to the outside of said cylindrical member, said piston substantially closing said passageway when in a first position and opening said passageway when in a second position, means for connecting one end of said cylindrical member to said vacuum source, an air intake means for introducing atmospheric air to the other end of said cylindrical member, said other end of said cylindrical member being in communication with said passageway when said piston is in said second position, and spring means for urging said piston from said second position towards said first position, the urging force of said spring means being overcome as the differential pressure on said piston exceeds a predetermined amount as a vacuum is established on the end of said piston opposite from the piston end facing said other end of said cylindrical member and atmospheric air enters said other end of said cylindrical member. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 9. A crankcase emission fluid separator for use with an engine having a crankcase, an air intake leading to a combustion chamber and a vacuum source, said separator comprising:   a housing forming an enclosure and including inlet means adapted to be coupled to said engine crankcase for admitting emissions therefrom to the interior of said housing, outlet means adapted to be coupled to said air intake for furnishing separated fluids thereto, vacuum port means adapted to be coupled to said vacuum source, and air intake means for introducing ambient air into said housing; and   means within said housing for conditioning engine crankcase emissions entering said housing via said inlet means and leaving said housing via said outlet means to separate liquid and solid components from gaseous components thereof, said conditioning means including a container having first and second apertured walls and a plurality of relatively inert particles located in said container between said walls and providing a barrier through which said emissions pass from said inlet means to said outlet means, fluid conduit means having a first end terminating adjacent one of said first and second container walls and a second end in fluid communication with said inlet means and said air intake means, and valve means coupled to said vacuum port means for allowing the admission of ambient air to said fluid conduit means in response to the existence of a vacuum in said vacuum source, said valve means including bias means for normally urging said valve means towards a closed position, the urging force provided by said bias means being overcome by the differential force provided by said vacuum means when a vacuum of sufficient magnitude is present. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said relatively inert particles are fabricated from glass. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 11. The combination of claim 9 wherein said relatively inert particles are fabricated from fiberglass. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 12. The combination of claim 9 wherein said conditioning means includes a spaced pair of apertured wall members and wherein said particles are located therebetween. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said pair of apertured wall members are arranged to define an annular region comprising an inner and outer wall member for containing said relatively inert particles, and further including first and second annular end wall members for enclosing said annular region. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. The combination of claim 13 wherein said conditioning means is arranged within said housing so that said engine crankcase emissions entering said inlet means pass into the volume defined by the interior of said inner wall member and pass radially outwardly through said annular region to encounter said relatively inert particles. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 15. The combination of claim 1, 7, 8 or 12 wherein said vacuum source comprises a distributor vacuum advance unit. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 16. The combination of claim 1, or 12 wherein said air intake and said vacuum source are discrete and separate elements. .Iaddend.