The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 28, 1994
P Doug Free, Columbus, IN (US);
Thomas L McKinley, Columbus, IN (US);
Cummins Engine Company, Inc., Columbus, IN (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides for automatic relief of excess pressure within an engine lubrication system in such a way as to recover a significant portion of the energy that was used to create the excess oil pressure. A pressure regulator creates a directed flow of oil in order to relieve pressure within the lubrication system. This directed flow of oil is caused to impact an impulse/momentum wheel, thereby imparting momentum from the oil to the wheel, creating a torque therein. The impulse/momentum wheel is advantageously coupled to the engine gear train, thereby reducing the engine power required to run the gear train by recovering energy from the lubrication system.