Kevin Robers

US Patent:

55446990, Aug 13, 1996

Filed:

Feb 10, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/386418

Inventors:

Kevin J. Robers - Racine WI
Richard A. Bretl - Union Grove WI
Lawrence W. Gabbey - Racine WI
William J. Kerkman - Racine WI
Tod T. Kersher - Racine WI

Assignee:

Modine Manufacturing Company - Racine WI

International Classification:

G05D 2300

US Classification:

165283

Abstract:

A simple, reliable bypass valve construction (50) is provided for use in conjunction with a donut oil cooler (16) having an aluminum multi-piece housing (28). The bypass valve construction (50) is easily accessible and readily replaceable so as to lend itself to serviceability. The invention is incorporated in an oil cooler (16) having a housing (28) with a coolant inlet and outlet (42) and (44), and a surface (26) adapted to be sealed against an oil filter (14). The oil cooler (16) includes a plurality of interconnected heat exchange units (21) located inside the housing (28), with an oil inlet to one of the units and an oil outlet from another of the units. An oil bypass is provided through at least some of the interconnected heat exchange units (21) and communicates with a bypass outlet (62) in the housing surface (26). The bypass outlet (62) is normally closed by a bypass valve (52) which includes a generally C-shaped, sheet-like resilient flapper (54) with a valve element (56) sized to close the bypass outlet (62) and located intermediate the ends of the flapper (54). The ends of the flapper (54) have feet (64) and (66) which are received in slots (68) and (70) in the housing surface (26) to mount the flapper (54) on the surface (26) and to at least nominally locate the valve element (56) with respect to the bypass outlet (62).